********************************************************************
To understand the Epistle to Philemon, that
neglected little book sandwiched between 2 Timothy and Hebrews, we need to
sketch in something of the background.
It was Rudyard Kipling who penned the helpful stanza:
I have fine honest serving men,
They taught me all I knew;
There’s Mr How and What and When …
And Mr Why and Who.
And these are good ‘folk’ to question before we
tackle our study. Without their answers
so much of Scripture, let alone the Epistle before us, will not yield all the
truths therein.
So let us set the scene before we examine the
Epistle, and learn some lessons.
* * * * * * * * * *
1. SETTING
THE SCENE
It is about thirty years after the Saviour’s death
and resurrection. And in the Lycus
valley, in Asia Minor (what we call Turkey today), lies the rather unimportant
town of Colosse. Here it is our eye
lights upon the home of a wealthy Gentile … a man named Philemon.
When we first meet him he is having his afternoon
siesta on the front porch. Suddenly he
is awakened by the cry of his son who comes a-running up the driveway (chariot
driveway, that is!)
“Father!” shouts your Archippus, “Father! Guess who’s coming!”
Philemon looks up where he is relaxing … and his
face turns purple. Well, almost! For there, striding toward him, is Onesimus
… the slave who had robbed him some six months previous and disappeared
somewhere into the vast Roman Empire.
Actually Onesimus had fled to Rome and met the
Apostle Paul (who was under house arrest, Acts 28:30-31), and there it was this
runaway slave had been converted. After
six months, or so, and becoming one of Paul’s trusted helpers, the time had
come when the apostle said, “Onesimus!
You must return to your master.”
“But he will have me put to death … or branded,”
Onesimus surely protested. The sixty
million slaves in the Roman Empire knew something of the brutality meted out to
any runaway slave who was later caught.
And a runaway slave who had robbed his master could expect little … or
no … mercy.
“No,” replied Paul, “I will give you a letter to
take to him. You see, I know
Philemon. He was converted under my
ministry some years ago.”
So Onesimus, in fear and trembling probably, returns
to the home of Philemon. “Here,
master,” he says, handing him the scroll from the apostle. “Read this … …”
And that letter we are about to
study. A letter that reveals a side of
Paul in a way not seen in any of his other writings.
……………………………………………………
2. EXAMINING
THE EPISTLE
(a) The Family Paul Greeted … vs. 1-3
“This letter is from Paul,
in prison for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother
Timothy. It is written to Philemon, our
much loved co-worker, and to our sister Apphia and to Archippus, a fellow
soldier of the cross. I am also writing
to the church that meets in your house.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.”
Paul begins with customary greetings to Philemon, his wife and son. But notice Paul’s description of himself … “a prisoner” (v. 1). Five times in just twenty-five verses he will remind his friend of this fact (vs. 1; 9; 10; 13; 23). One can almost hear the clink of the chain that binds him to a Roman guard as he writes. And this will make it all the more difficult for Philemon to refuse his request … that he take back his runaway slave … unpunished!
Moreover, the letter is to be read to the group of
believers that meets in Philemon’s home (v. 2). What will they think if Philemon does not
acquiesce to Paul’s request?
As the for the prayer that the Lord will grant
Philemon “grace” (v. 3), this wealthy slave-owner will surely need it when Paul
gets around to stating his reason for writing!
But at the moment, having only read the first three verses, Philemon is
“over the moon”! A personal,
handwritten letter to him from the top apostle!!
(b) The Fellowship Paul Praised! … vs. 4-7
“I always thank God when I pray
for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing of your trust in the Lord Jesus and
your love for all of God’s people. You
are generous because of your faith. And
I am praying that you will really put your generosity to work, for in so doing
you will come to an understanding of all the good things we can do for
Christ. I myself have gained much joy
and comfort from your love, my brother, because your kindness has so often
refreshed the hearts of God’s people.”
Paul speaks of Philemon showing “love to all the
saints” (v. 5), and refreshing them (v. 7), thus bringing “joy” to his
heart. But will Philemon show “love” to
Onesimus now that this runaway slave standing before him is one of the saints?
[Let’s look over Philemon’s shoulder as he continues
to read this unique epistle. We will
try to analyse his thoughts as he does so.
We are a third of our way through this brief letter … and only now
does the apostle reveal the real purpose for writing.]
(c) The Favour Paul Asked! … vs. 8-22
vs. 8-9 … “That is why I am boldly
asking a favour of you. I could demand
it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do, but
because of our love, I prefer just to ask you.” (Wily
old Paul! Like a Prosecutor says
something to influence the jury … knowing full well the Judge will say “Strike
that from the record!” … so Paul gives a gentle reminder that he is an apostle
… but he’s not going to speak like one!)
“So that this as a request from
your friend Paul, an old man, now in prison for the sake of Christ Jesus.” (Old … and a prisoner!!
If it is difficult to say “No” to a prisoner’s request, one suffering
for the cause of Christ, let it be said! … but it will be all the more difficult
to say “No,” to an ‘old’ prisoner!)
v. 10 … “My plea is that you show
kindness to Onesimus.” (Oh! Oh! this runaway slave who hit me on the head,
robbed me and disappeared … what has Paul go to say about him? Show kindness???!)
“I think of him as my own son
because he became a believer as a result of my ministry here in prison.” (Oh! Oh! so you claim to
have become a Christian, do you, Onesimus?
And there is Paul sneaking in another reminder that he is a prisoner…)
v. 11 … “Onesimus hasn’t been of
much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us.” (Ha! There’s old Paul
cracking a joke! A ‘pun’ might be a
better word. The name “Onesimus” means
“Useful!” And here I’m being told that
“Useful” was “un-useful” for a while but now he is “useful” again!)
v. 12 … “I am sending him back to
you, and with him comes my own heart.” (Mmm? Philemon looks up from the letter into the
eyes of Onesimus… “The old fellow
really does love you, doesn’t he?” To
which a somewhat nervous Onesimus, still wondering as to what the outcome will
be, simply says, “Read on, master…”)
vs. 13-14 … “I really wanted to keep
him here with me while I am in these chains” (clink, clink,
clink) “for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on
your behalf. But I didn’t want to do
anything without your consent. And I
didn’t want you to help because you were forced to do it but because you wanted
to.” (Well, at least Paul practices what he
preaches! It’s the ethical thing to do
… to return things that don’t belong to you … whether it’s a book or a
lawn-mower or a chair … and after all, Onesimus really does belong to me… Cost me a couple of pieces of silver at the
slave-market a year ago…)
v. 15 … “Perhaps you could think of
it this way: Onesimus ran away for a
little while so you could have him back forever.” (Mmm … I don’t know that I want him back!!)
v. 16 … “He is no longer just a
slave; he is a beloved brother,
especially to me. Now he will mean much
more to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord.” (Mmm? Is that true?)
v. 17 … “So if you consider me your
partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming. (Philemon eyes Onesimus once more! “Did you tell him how you attacked me and robbed me?” To which the trembling Onesimus replies, “Read
on, master…”)
vs. 18-19 … “If he has harmed you in
any way or stolen anything from you, charge me for it. I, Paul, write this in my own handwriting:
‘I will repay it.’ And I won’t mention
that you own me your very soul!” (Harmed
me!! I had a bump on my head for three
weeks! Robbed me!! Twenty Pieces of Silver! But here is Paul promising to pay … what
will I do? Onesimus certainly can’t pay
it… But here is Paul offering to pay it
for him. Incredible!)
vs. 20-21 … “Yes, dear brother,
please do me this favour for the Lord’s sake.
Give me this encouragement in Christ.
I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and
even more!” (And if the slave-owner has
any doubts still a-lingering in his mind… Paul comes up with one more argument
as to why Philemon better take Onesimus back … and not punish him!) …
v. 22 … “Please keep a guest room
ready for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me
return to you soon.” (Wow!! How would I like Paul to appear on my
doorstep one day and ask, “Where is my dear friend and son the faith,
Onesimus?” and I’d have to tell him that I had him put to death and buried in
the cabbage patch behind the house?)
(d) The Farewell Paul Tendered … vs. 23-25
“Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
With another reminder of his imprisonment (clank,
clank, clank) the apostle signs off … also reminding Philemon that other Christian
leaders know of his request! “The grace
of our Lord Jesus be with you, Philemon!”
And brother, you will need it to receive back your runaway slave!!
…………………………………………………………….
3. LEARNING
SOME LESSONS!
(a) The Unity of Believers! In
these verses we met an ex-Rabbi, a wealthy Gentile and a runaway slave … “all
one in Christ Jesus!” (Galatians 3:28).
There is a lot of talk about ‘reconciliation’ these days … but the
reconciliation that was effected ’twixt Jew and Gentile at the Cross is God’s
only answer to racism.
(b) The Response of Philemon. Was
Onesimus restored … and unpunished? The
very fact that we have this letter (and Philemon didn’t tear it up and stomp on
it) … is a pretty good indication that he was.
Having been forgiven ourselves, we should be ready to forgive others!
(Matthew 18:23-35). Besides, we know
from church history that fifty years later there was a Bishop at Ephesus …
named Onesimus. It is possible that the
runaway slave who received a ‘second chance’ at making good, did so!
(c) The Abolition of Slavery.
There were 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire at this time. They had no rights; they were often treated
cruelly and disposed of unmercifully.
But in this letter to Philemon Paul strikes Christianity’s first blow at
this social evil. “I have confidence
that you will do as I ask, Philemon,” writes the apostle, “and even more
than I ask!!” (v. 21). Now
what more could Philemon do than receive Onesimus back, unpunished?
He could give him his freedom!!
And this letter is a reminder that the way to tackle
social problems, even in our community today, is not by legislation … but
regeneration. The laws of man deal with
the cobwebs. The gospel deals with the
spider. It is the root of sin in the
heart that needs a death blow, not the fruit that will only spring forth again
and again and again. Social evils
are solved by transformed lives.
Then cometh the fruit of the Spirit instead of the works of the
flesh.
(d) The Gospel according to Onesimus. “We are all God’s Onesimi” said one theologian. What did he mean?
Simply that we, too, robbed our Heavenly Master …
robbed Him of the allegiance He alone deserves. And we fled into a far country … there to be confronted with
God’s Apostle, even Christ Jesus. And
by His ministry we were reconciled to our God.
How? Listen again to Paul’s
words, “If he hath wronged thee … put that on mind account” (vs. 18-19, A.V.).
And so it was with the Lord Jesus …
He paid a debt
He did not owe,
I owed a debt I
could not pay.
I needed Someone
to wash my sins away;
“Amazing Grace”
(the whole day long!)
Christ Jesus
paid the debt
that I could
never pay.
* * * * * * * * * *
Thus it is in this delightful little letter from the hand of Paul we are reminded of the tactful way in which a delicate situation was handled … and of the blessing that may come by extending a loving an forgiving hand to an erring brother.
The need to tackle social problems … by regeneration
and not mere reformation … has been re-emphasised … and the illustration of the
gospel came through loud and clear … our Lord Jesus became the One who
reconciled us to the Father, for He it was who said, “Put the debt of sin on My
account!”
=============================================================