Philemon

Now lets look at a postcard that the Apostle Paul that he sent to us about 2000 years ago.  He sent it for us to read and learn from. It is the letter to Philemon. Philemon Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and                            14 But without your consent I Timothy our brother, to Philemon our                         wanted to do nothing, that your beloved friend and fellow laborer,                               good deed might not be by 2 the Apphia, Archippus our fellow                             compulsion, as it were, but                             soldier, and to the church in your                                 voluntary. house:                                                                           15 For perhaps he departed for a 3 Grace to you and peace from God                            while for this purpose, that you our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.                                might receive him forever, 4 I thank my God, making mention                             16 no longer as a slave but more Of you always in my prayers,                                       more than a slave—a beloved 5 hearing of you love and faith                                    brother, especially to me but how  which you have toward the Lord                                much more to you, both in the Jesus Christ and toward all the                                    flesh and in the Lord. saints,                                                                           17 If then you count me as a partner, 6 that the sharing of your faith may                             receive him as you would me.                            become effective by the acknowl-                               18 But if he has wronged you or edgment of every good thing which                             or owes anything, put that on my in you in Christ Jesus.                                                   account. 7 For we have great joy and con-                                 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my solation in your love, because the                                hand.  I will repay—not to mention the hearts of saints have been refreshed                       that you owe me even your own by you brother.                                                             self besides. 8 Therefore, though I might be very                            20 Yes, brother, let me have joy                           bold in Christ to command you                                    from you in the Lord; refresh my what is fitting,                                                               heart in the Lord. 9 yet for loves sake I rather appeal                               21 Having confidence in your to you- being such a one as Paul the                             obedience, I write to you, knowing                             aged, and now also a prisoner of                                   that you will even do more than I Jesus Christ-                                                                  say 10 I appeal to you for my son                                       22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a   Onesimus, whom I have begotten                                 guest room for me, for I trust that while in my chains,                                                        through your prayers I shall be 11 who once was unprofitable to you                           granted to you. but now is profitable to and to me.                               23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner 12 I am sending him back.  You                                   in Jesus Christ, greets you, therefore receive him, that is, my                                 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, own heart,                                                                     Luke, my fellow laborers. 13 whom I wished to keep with me,                            25 The grace of our Lord Jesus that on your behalf he might minister                           Christ be with your spirit. to me in my chains for the gospel.                                Amen.             This postcard is a very personal one for the apostle Paul.  As a matter only Timothy and Titus received personal letters from Paul besides this man Philemon.  In verses 1&2 Paul identifies himself as the author of the letter and personally names Philemon as the recipient.             It should be noted at this time that Paul was writing this letter from imprisonment in Rome. Philemon is a wealthy member of the Colossian church which met at his home as there were no church buildings until the third century.  Philemon is also the master of the slave Onesimus who had fled from his master as we see later in the letter. Apphia and Archippus are probably Philemon’s wife and son.             In verse 3 Paul continues his greeting in the typical fashion of the time by offering grace and peace to Philemon in the name of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  In verse 4 Paul reminds Philemon that he is praying for him.             Verse 5 is written in a Chiastic version of Greek as love in the verse relates to the saints and the genuine saving faith that Philemon had in our Lord Jesus Christ.  In verse 6 Paul talks to Philemon about sharing his faith with others.  Paul wants Philemon to share his faith with others by telling him what Jesus had done for him.             In verse 7 Paul shows he is not just of Philemon’s love and faith, but the Apostle Paul had joy for him even while he was imprisoned. Philemon’s love and faith brought “ great joy and encouragement” to Paul and that the hearts of the saints. Thus encouraging them emotionally and refreshing them spiritually.             In verses 8 through 16 Paul begins his plea for Onesimus.  In verse 8 Paul reminds Philemon that he could use his authority as an Apostle to command Philemon concerning Onesimus. Yet in verse Paul chooses to appeal to Philemon out of loves sake. This begins the theme of the letter which I believe is love and forgiveness.  In verse 10 Paul appeals to Philemon’s love and forgiveness for Onesimus the runaway slave that Paul had led to the Lord while in Rome. Paul even states in verse 11 that Onesimus was once unprofitable to Philemon is now profitable to both he and Paul.             In verse 12 Paul announces that he is sending Onesimus back to Philemon, even though Onesimus had become a part of Paul’s own heart.  Paul is basically referring the case of Onesimus and his runaway slave status.  Even though in verse 13 Paul lets Philemon know that he wished to keep Onesimus in Rome to” minister to him while he was in chains for the gospel.” Once again he is refusing to use his apostolic authority.  Instead he is relying on Philemon to make the decision. But of course Paul does not wish him to treat him as a runaway slave.              In verse 14 Paul reiterates again that he would nothing without Philemon’s permission.  He would act on Philemon’s “consent. “   Philemon’s “good deed” had to be “voluntary” A good action for Christ should never be forced upon someone.  Paul had already given Philemon several reasons to forgive Onesimus; but Philemon’s action had to come from his own love and forgiveness. It had to be an act of genuine faith by Philemon.             Paul even states in verse 15 that “perhaps” he may have run away to be lead to the faith by Paul and that he might receive Onesimus no longer as just a slave but a beloved brother in Christ as he is to Paul.  Notice here Paul did not ask for Onesimus’s freedom, but that Philemon receives his slave as a brother in Christ.  It was not Paul’s intention to attack or abolish slavery.  But as brothers in Christ both master and slave could fellowship with one another and treat each other with love. That’s what he tells him in verse 16.  In verse 17 Paul even tells Philemon “If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.  Paul is literally asking Philemon to treat Onesimus the same as he would treat Paul if it was Paul visiting.             Paul, in verse 18 tells Philemon “But if he has wronged or owes anything put that on my account. This shows the genuine faith in the Apostle Paul in that he was willing to carry the burden and debt of a brother in Christ. It an example we as Christians should follow today.  In verse 19 Paul reaffirms he would and lets Philemon it was he Paul writing the letter himself and that Philemon owed Paul something even greater than “even your own self  besides.”  This was most probable that it was Paul that led Philemon to Jesus, a debt that Philemon could never repay.             In verse 20 Paul asks to let him have “joy” in that by forgiving Onesimus he would show forgiveness and genuine faith to the whole church at Colosse and bring joy to an apostle in chains.  Furthermore, in verse 21, Paul is expecting obedience in forgiving Onesimus and even to welcome him back enthusiastically.             Paul asks in verse 22 that Philemon keep a room ready for him as Paul expected “I will be granted to you.”  Paul expected to be released from prison in the near future after which planned to visit the Colossians.             In Paul’s farewell in verses 23-25 he mentions that Epaphras, his fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus greeted him, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke his fellow laborers. He ends his letter with a simple prayer for Philemon that “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.             Its interesting that Paul mentions Mark because Paul severed ties with Mark only to forgive him later This might remind Philemon that he must as a child of Christ forgive Onesimus and bring him back into the fold not just as a slave, but as a brother in Christ