Philemon
Paul
Philemon is a personal letter written by the Apostle ______
Rome
while he was in prison in _______.
Philemon and these 3 Books are referred to as the “prison
Philippians
Colossians ____________.
Ephesians ____________,
epistles”: ___________,
Asia
This letter is addressed to Philemon, who lived in ________
Minor in or near the city of Colossae.
________,
Philemon was a convert among both residents of Ephesus
third
and many visitors to the city during Paul’s _______
missionary journey.
Historical Background
The City Of Colossae:
• Colossae was a city of southwestern Phrygia in Asia
Minor, not far from the rivers Lycos and Meander. In
antiquity Colossae was on the trade route (from Ephesus to
the Euphrates River) heading east and was a very
important city.
• Colossae was famous for its fine wool and colorful dyes.
• During the time of the Roman Empire the road system
changed and neighboring cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis
became more important.
Historical Background
The City Of Colossae:
There was a church there, perhaps established by
Epaphras (Colossians 1:2; 4:12).
home of
For church services, saints met at the ________
Philemon.
wealthy for his home
Apparently Philemon was ___________,
was large enough to accommodate the church
slave owner.
assemblies, and he was a ________
Philemon, 1-7 (NKJ)
1 Paul,
a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the
beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your
house:
3 Grace
4I
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing
of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward
all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the
acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For
we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the
saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
Philemon, 8-16 (NKJ)
8 Therefore,
though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is
fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul,
the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—10 I appeal to you for my
son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was
unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I
am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own
heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister
to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do
nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but
voluntary.
15 For
perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive
him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother,
especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Philemon, 17-25 (NKJ)
17 If
then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if
he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul,
am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you
owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from
you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having
confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you
will do even more than I say.22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room
for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
23 Epaphras,
my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Outline of Philemon
I.
Paul’s Preamble (Greeting/Salutation):
verses 1-3
II. Paul’s Praise (Thanksgiving and Prayer:
verses 4-7 A GREAT CHRISTIAN MAN Philemon
III. Paul’s Plea (Request): verses 8-20
A MAN GREATLY CHANGED - Onesimus
IV. Paul’s Purpose (Conclusion):
verses 21-25
15 For
perhaps he departed for a while,
18 But
if he has wronged you or owes anything,
Colossians 4:9 - “with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved
brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you
all things which are happening here.”
Philemon 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have
begotten while in my chains,
11 who
once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to
me.
13 whom
I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister
to me in my chains for the gospel. happening here.”
16 no
longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother,
especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the
Lord.
Colossians 4:9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear
brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is
happening here.
Philemon 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is,
my own heart,
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
2 Corinthians 4:12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Philemon 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that
you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a
slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you,
both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called according
to His purpose.
3 Things to Remember When You
Commit Your Life to Christ…
1. Forgive – Jesus wants to take whatever
we’ve done and wash it away (Psalm 103:12)
2. Revive – Jesus wants to make everything
new (2 Corinthians 5:17)
3. Involve – Jesus wants to use you as a new
creation in Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special
people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Did Philemon forgive Onesimus? Did he receive him back into his
fellowship? The Bible doesn't say. But would we today be having this
public reading of this very private letter if Philemon had failed to
respond by doing the Christian thing?
Luther wrote in his preface to Philemon:
...here we see how St. Paul takes the part of poor Onesimus and...
advocates his cause with his master. He acts exactly as if he were
himself Onesimus, who had done wrong.Yet he does this not with
force or compulsion, as lay within his rights; but he empties himself of
his rights in order to compel Philemon also to waive his rights. What
Christ has done for us with God the Father, that St. Paul does also for
Onesimus with Philemon. For Christ emptied himself of his rights
[Phil. 2:7] and overcame the Father with love and humility, so that the
Father had to put away his wrath and rights, and receive us into favor
for the sake of Christ, who so earnestly advocates our cause and so
heartily takes our part. For we are all Onesimuses if we believe.
(Luther's Works, vol. 35, p. 390)
Does Paul Approve of the Institution
of Slavery?
How To Respond to Critics
Problem:
• Paul seems to favor the institution of human
slavery by sending a runaway slave, Onesimus,
back to his owner.
• Paul makes no outright condemnation of slavery.
But slavery is unethical, a violation of the principles
of human freedom and dignity.
Does Paul Approve of the Institution of
Slavery?
Slavery is unethical and unbiblical, and neither Paul’s
actions nor his writings approve of this debasing form of
treatment. In fact it was the application of biblical principles
that ultimately led to overthrow of slavery. Here Paul nether
commends nor condones it; rather, he undermines it and
condemns it implicitly.
Several import facts should be noted in this connection:
1. From the very beginning, God declared that all humans
bear the image of God (Gen. 1:27). The apostle reaffirmed
this, declaring, “We are the offspring of God” (Acts 17:29),
and “He has made from one blood every nation of men to
dwell on all the face of the earth” (v. 26).
2. In spite of the fact that slavery was countenanced in the
Semitic cultures of the day, the law demanded that
slaves eventually be set free (Exod. 21:2; Lev. 25:4041). Likewise, servants had to be treated with respect
(Exod. 21:20,26).
3. God reminded Israel constantly that they had been
slaves in Egypt (Deut. 5:15), and their emancipation
became the model for the liberation of all slaves (see
Lev. 25:40-41).
4. In the New Testament Paul declared that in Christianity
“there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave
nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all
one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). All social classes are
broken down in Christ; we are all equal before God.
5. The New Testament explicitly forbids the evil system of
this world that traded the “bodies and souls of men” (see
Rev. 18:9-13). Slave trade is so repugnant to God that
He pronounces His final judgment on the evil system
that perpetrated it (Rev. 17-18).
6. When Paul urges: “Servants, be obedient to those who
are your masters” (Ephesians 6:5; see Col. 3:22), he is
not thereby approving of the institution of slavery, but
simply alluding to the de facto situation in his day. His
purpose is to instruct servants or slaves to be good
employees, just as believers should be today, but he
was not commending slavery. Slaves were commanded
to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5), but nowhere does
the Bible command anyone to have slaves, nor does it
even encourage us to do so.
7. A closer look at Philemon reveals that Paul did not
perpetuate slavery but actually undermined it, for he
urged Philemon, Onesimus’s owner to treat him as a
“beloved brother” (v. 16). So by emphasizing the
inherent equality of all human beings, both by creation
and redemption, the Bible laid down the very moral
principles that were used to overthrow slavery and help
restore the dignity and freedom of all persons of
whatever color or ethnic group.
8. It was futile in a monarchy to try to overthrow politically
the institution of slavery (half the Roman Empire were
slaves). It was better to undermine it spiritually, which
eventually happened, by Christian principles.
Does Paul Approve of the Institution of
Slavery?
Paul had not made it his mission to abolish slavery as a
social institution. But he did make it his mission to change
the way that Christian slaves and Christian slave owners
related with each other.
Paul was more concerned first with the eternal salvation for
both slaves and masters. And second he was concerned
that both slaves and masters displayed Christian love and
respect for one another, each in their own sphere of
responsibility.
The Christian congregations which Paul started were often
made up of a large number of slaves, and occasionally
slave owners. And he made it abundantly clear that before
the cross of Jesus, the ground was level.