Philemon

Philemon 1-25
Chapters 19 in Lucas

Today we’ll cover an entire book of the Bible in one lesson. It is a very short book and it is natural to ask why a book like Philemon is included in Scripture. The epistle to Philemon is one example of what was probably an extensive set of personal communications by Paul. I think that wondering about why the epistle is in the Bible is a good way to approach this book. There is a story in Philemon that we need to learn from.

The apostle Paul wrote the letter to Philemon. The authorship has not been seriously challenged and that is probably because the letter is too personal to make anyone think it could have been written by anyone else.

This letter was probably written while Paul was in a Roman prison (maybe about 60 AD). It may have been sent to Philemon along with the letter to the Colossians. Philemon was a Christian living in Colossae. Philemon had a slave named Onesimus who ran away and apparently met Paul in Rome. Through Paul’s teaching, Onesimus became a Christian. Paul’s purpose in writing this letter was to ask Philemon to take Onesimus back as a Christian brother and not as a slave.

This epistle relates to our lives in two principle ways. First, it shows how the command to show Agape love is expressed in the lives of Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus. Secondly, this epistle shows us how accountability relates to our lives together in the Church.

Paul’s judgment appears to be that Philemon should either free Onesimus or receive him back without penalty because of the rule of Agape love in both of their lives. This is clearly a pastoral letter in which Paul has a very specific directive for Philemon. Paul is pretty clear here that Agape is the first rule of our actions and that Agape trumps emotion.

Philemon means kindly and has the root “phileo” which gives us another Greek term for love that means brotherly love and affection. The runaway slave, who has become a Christian brother, is named Onesimus and his name means useful. I guess that is a good name for a slave unless it is false advertising and apparently it didn’t apply in the live of Onesimus before his salvation. Onesimus ran away. It was customary for slaves under Roman rule to be able to earn a stipend and eventually buy their freedom. I’m sure it was an uphill struggle but it was possible. However, Onesimus took a short cut and simply ran away.

Philemon 1-3
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The authorship includes both Paul and Timothy and would certainly be received as authoritative. I appreciate that Paul never attributes his imprisonment to anyone other than Christ Jesus. He has such a confidence in God’s sovereign power that he isn’t worried. He knows that he is in God’s control even when he is in a Roman prison. It is also significant that Paul doesn’t use the word “apostle” in this salutation. He is addressing Philemon as a peer.

The Greek word that Paul uses for dear friend is “agapetos” and I suspect Philemon may have known what was up from this greeting. Philemon, whose name comes from a word with the same meaning as brotherly love, is referred to by a word that has the same root as God’s love. God’s love is not just a feeling but an action that is able to transcend feelings. I wonder if Philemon had an idea as to what was coming as soon as he was called “agapetos”.

Apphia and Archippus are probably members of Philemon’s household, since they are mentioned in addition to the church that met in his house. The early churches typically met in houses.

Philemon 4-7
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Paul mentions Philemon’s demonstrated faith and his demonstrated agape love. This letter continually calls for a move from the emotion of “phileo” to the purposeful action of “agape”. I’ve wondered if it was possible that Philemon didn’t share his faith with Onesimus before he ran away. Paul indicates that if Philemon is active in sharing his faith then he’ll have a full understanding of our blessings in Christ. Once again he mentions that agape love displayed by Philemon has given him great joy and encouragement. In fact, Paul expresses the concept (in the Greek) in a strong way that Philemon has refreshed the entire emotional being of the saints and produced spiritual fruit in other Christians.

Philemon 8-11
Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

As a matter of accountability Paul could tell Philemon what to do. Our culture places a high value on individual freedom. We have a natural and cultural resistance toward biblical concepts that result in a high level of accountability. The levels of accountability to each other that spontaneously develop in our fellowship are precious and we should actually seek that out.

Paul appeals for mercy in the life of Philemon “for love’s sake,” not for his own sake. At this point, Paul gets to the point of the epistle by asking for Onesimus to be received by Philemon since he was converted through Paul’s ministry. Paul uses a play on words since Onesimus means “useful” or “profitable” and maybe he uses it to soften the impact on Philemon of being asked to take back someone who had cheated him.

Accountability within the Body of Christ is a constant subtext in this epistle. We have Paul’s position of authority, Philemon as a slave owner, and Onesimus as slave and new Christian. In all of these relationships, Scripture provides guidance.

For example:

Philemon to Paul:
I Thessalonians 5:12-13 "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to
esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake."

Onesimus to Philemon:
James 5:16a "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed."

Philemon to Onesimus:
I Peter 1:22 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently."

Paul to Onesimus
I Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

No progress would take place without the accountability of each of these guys in the place God has put them. Paul gently exercised the authority God had given him. Philemon yielded to the authority and exercised forgiveness. Onesimus, newly empowered by love of the brethren and a desire to make amends for past wrongs, yields to the power of the Holy Spirit to “do the right thing”.

I pray that God would make it clear to all of us how important relationships are within the body. When you think of someone in the Body of Christ and/or in our class and pray for them or contact them in someway you are not doing something trivial. This is a vital part of being a Christian in the Body of Christ. I’m as bad as anyone for taking a cowboy attitude and deciding that I can do everything alone and everyone is on their own and we’ll all get together in heaven and see how we did. That is not a Biblical attitude and recognizing the problem is the first step to dealing with it.

Read Philemon 12-16
I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

Paul wants Philemon to do the right thing without compulsion. His letter is designed to get Philemon’s heart in the right place and he clearly loves Onesimus and Paul even places his relationship of Philemon on the line to get Onesimus home where he can make amends for what he did.

Philemon 17-21
So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Both Onesimus and Philemon owed their lives in Christ to Paul. As spiritual mentor to both these guys Paul was in a position to make this reunion and reconciliation happen.

Philemon 22-25
And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

It isn’t clear if Paul ever made the visit but just to reinforce everything Paul had said, he indicates that he was planning on coming to see that Philemon and Onesimus were living up to their names and Paul’s commands.

Coram Deo

v. 4 – Agape Love makes us grateful for the best in others

v. 10 – Agape Love seeks the welfare of others

v. 12 – Agape Love deals honestly with others

v. 18 – Agape Love bears the burdens of others

v. 21 – Agape Love believes the best of others

God’s Agape Love is active and has a purpose. It is not a love that sits around and demands good feelings before acting. This is the kind of love that makes you act in love toward others even when they may not deserve it and even when you may not feel like it. It is not an insignificant thing when you call a brother or email someone or go see them. It is a significant part of being accountable to others and letting them be accountable to you.

This is the type of love God calls us to walk out even if we don’t feel like it. While you were yet a sinner God loved you. He knew where he was taking Useful (Onesimus) and Kindly (Philemon) and He knows where He is taking you. You will grow in obedience to God and learn to serve with God’s love.