Onesimus
Bishop of Byzantium
Installed 54
Term ended 68
Personal details
Denomination Early Christianity
Saint
Painting depicting death of Onesimus, from the Menologion of Basil II (c.?1000 AD)
Holy Disciple Onesimus
Bishop of Byzantium
Died c.?68 AD or 81-95 AD
Rome (then Roman province)
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
Lutheranism
Feast
February 15 or 16 (Gregorian calendar) or February 28 (Julian calendar)
Onesimus (Greek: meaning "useful"; died c.?68 AD, according to Catholic tradition), also called Onesimus of Byzantium and The Holy Apostle Onesimus in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was probably a slave to Philemon of Colossae, a man of Christian faith. He may also be the same Onesimus named by Ignatius of Antioch (died c.?107) as bishop in Ephesus, putting Onesimus's death closer to 95. If so, Onesimus went from enslaved person to brother to a bishop.
The name "Onesimus" appears in two New Testament epistles—in Colossians 4 and Philemon. In Colossians 4:9, a person of this name is identified as a Christian accompanying Tychicus to visit the Christians in Colossae; nothing else is stated about him in this context. He may well be the freed Onesimus from the Epistle to Philemon.
The Epistle to Philemon was written by Paul the Apostle to Philemon concerning a person believed to be a runaway slave named Onesimus. Some modern scholars doubt the traditional designation of Onesimus as an enslaved person. Onesimus found his way to the site of Paul's imprisonment (most probably Rome or Caesarea) to escape punishment for a theft he was accused of. After hearing the Gospel from Paul, Onesimus converted to Christianity. Having earlier converted Philemon to Christianity, Paul sought to reconcile the two by writing the letter to Philemon, which today exists in the New Testament. The letter reads (in part):
I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and me. Therefore, you receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel on your behalf. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 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. I am sending him back.
—?Paul of Tarsus to Philemon, Epistle to Philemon 1:10–16 (NKJV)
In tradition
Although it is doubted by authorities such as Joseph Fitzmyer, it may be the case that this Onesimus was the same one consecrated a bishop by the Apostles and who accepted the episcopal throne in Ephesus following Timothy. During the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian and the persecution of Trajan, Onesimus was imprisoned in Rome and may have been martyred by stoning (although some sources claim that he was beheaded). However, since the reign of Domitian was from 81 AD to 96 AD, then Onesimus' death would have to fall within these years and not 68 AD, as stated above.
In Liturgy
Onesimus is regarded as a saint by many Christian denominations. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod commemorates him and Philemon on February 15.
The traditional Western commemoration of Onesimus is on February 16. Eastern Churches remember Onesimus on February 15. But in the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology, Onesimus is listed under February 15. There, he is described as "[a] runaway slave, whom the apostle Paul received to the faith of Christ while in prison, regarding him as a son of whom he had become father, as he wrote to Philemon, Onesimus's master."
External links
Who was Onesimus in the Bible?
Onesimus was the fugitive slave of Philemon, the Apostle Paul's friend. Onesimus had robbed his master Philemon and fled to Rome, a large city where he could easily hide. Providentially, Onesimus encountered Paul in Rome, where the Apostle was serving time in prison.
Some scholars suggest that Paul had led Onesimus to Christ previously in Colossae and that, when Onesimus ran away, he sought out Paul on purpose. However, it is more likely that Onesimus became a Christian after running away from Philemon and running into Paul in Rome: "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains" (Philemon 1:10).
The name Onesimus means "helpful," "useful," or "profitable." It was a common name for slaves in that day. Before salvation, Onesimus had been useless or unprofitable to Philemon, but now he had become immensely beneficial to both his master and to Paul. Paul uses a play on words when he refers to Onesimus in verse 11: "Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and me." as a believer in Jesus Christ, Onesimus lived up to his name.
On behalf of Onesimus, Paul, still imprisoned in Rome, wrote his letter to Onesimus's master, Philemon. The Apostle pleaded with Philemon to accept Onesimus back, not as an enslaved person but as a believer and a brother in Christ. Paul cared deeply for Onesimus because the young man had been a great blessing to him. Onesimus had been so helpful that Paul longed for him to stay at his side: "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. However, I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary" (Philemon 1:12–14).
Philemon and his family lived in Colossae, and the Colossian church met at his house. Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while he wrote to Philemon. In that letter, Paul mentioned that Onesimus would be coming home. Paul gave both letters to Tychicus and Onesimus to carry back to Philemon (Colossians 4:9).
The heart of Paul's plea to Philemon is summed up in verses 15–19: "Perhaps the reason [Onesimus] was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as an enslaved person, but better than an enslaved person, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and a brother in the Lord. 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 hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self" (Philemon 1:15–19).
Forgiveness and reconciliation are spotlighted in the life of Onesimus and the book of Philemon. Paul challenges Philemon to receive Onesimus back like he would welcome Paul as a brother and a partner in the gospel. Moreover, Paul promises to pay back anything Onesimus owed. The Apostle authenticates his promise by writing in his hand, demonstrating his commitment to see the relationship between these two brothers fully restored. Then Paul applies some gentle pressure by reminding Philemon that he owes his life to Paul, confirming that the Apostle was the person who had led Philemon to Christ. By reminding Philemon of his salvation, Paul hopes he will look beyond Onesimus's transgressions and reflect on the broader reality of forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the One who pardons our every wrong.
Philemon was a committed Christian who had opened his home to the whole community of believers. In verses 4–7, Paul talks about his strong faith and love for God's people. In verse 21, the Apostle expresses his confidence that Philemon will follow through with his appeal to forgive and restore Onesimus.
Philemon may have been a kind and gracious master, but Onesimus wanted to be accessible for whatever reason. As an enslaved person, he ran from his enslaver but came face to face with the living God through His servant Paul. Onesimus's story is the classic picture of one who tries to run from God, a good and gracious Master, but runs right into His arms. Through salvation, the fugitive sinner finds grace, forgiveness, and freedom found only in Jesus Christ.
The story of Onesimus and Philemon is a beautiful picture of the distinction between law and grace. Both Roman law and the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament gave Philemon the right to punish a runaway slave. However, the covenant of grace through the Lord Jesus allowed both enslavers and enslaved people to fellowship in love on an equal basis in the body of Christ. Paul's payment of Onesimus's debts parallels Christ's payment for our sins. Philemon's acceptance of Onesimus as a brother in Christ helped lay the foundation for the abolitionist movement centuries later—enslaver and enslaved person are equals in Christ.
Onesimus was an enslaved African credited with bringing a traditional African practice to Boston, Massachusetts, resulting in a smallpox inoculation process. Smallpox was one of the colony's deadliest diseases, often entering on slave ships. The first Africans arrived in Massachusetts in 1638, and by 1700, the city of Boston included approximately one thousand enslaved men, women, and children in a total population of 6,700. Onesimus's name at birth is unknown and his age, as neither was recorded at his time of capture. Because of his language, he was probably from the Akan ethnic group in what is now Ghana. He was first taken from the Windward & Rice Coast on the ship Bance Ifland (island), arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 6, 1704.
In 1706, he was gifted by the congregation of North Church to their Puritan Minister, Cotton Mather. Mather named the man Onesimus after a first century AD slave mentioned in the Bible. Mather saw a particular intelligence in Onesimus that he regarded as "exceptional among his peers" and instructed Onesimus in reading and writing so that he would be a proper representative of the Mather family and home.
Around 1716, Mather asked Onesimus if he had ever had smallpox, and he answered both yes and no. Onesimus described a process practiced in his native land that involved rubbing the pus from the infected person into an open wound on the arm of a non-infected person. Onesimus stated that whoever dared to go through the process was forever free of the disease.
This process—known as variolation at the time—was long practiced among sub-Saharan Africans. Mather was fascinated and verified Onesimus' story by speaking with other enslaved Africans that described going through the same process in their native lands. Mather then wrote a letter to the Royal Society of London in hopes of promoting the procedure but was immediately rejected. The procedure was distrusted by those suspicious of African medicine, and some saw it as an attempt to poison white residents of Boston. Local newspapers ridiculed Mather's idea, and the Puritan minister was vilified.
Onesimus was allowed by Mather to earn independent wages and have his own home and family, which eventually included a wife and two children who died before they were ten. After the deaths of Onesimus's children, Mather attempted to convert him to Christianity. However, Onesimus refused, which brought embarrassment to the Mather home because of his status as the leading minister in Boston. Onesimus attempted to purchase his freedom by offering monies for another enslaved person named Obadiah to take his place, and Mather subsequently gave Onesimus partial freedom.
In 1721, Boston experienced a smallpox outbreak. Local physician Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, the uncle of founding father John Adams, was interested in Mather's procedure and agreed to perform it on his patients. Dr. Boylston administered the procedure to 242 patients. Only 6 of his patients died. Onesimus's method became the standard way to treat smallpox patients.
Seventy-five years later, in 1796, Edward Jenner used Onesimus's concept to develop a vaccine for smallpox which would be widely used for the next two hundred years. In 1980, the World Health Organization declared smallpox wholly eradicated, the only infectious disease to have been entirely wiped out.
Life
In his youth, St. Onesimus was a servant of Philemon, a Christian of distinguished lineage who lived in the city of Colossae, Phrygia.
Fearing punishment for an offense against his master, Onesimus fled to Rome, but he was imprisoned for being a runaway slave. He came across the Apostle Paul, was enlightened by him, and was baptized. St. Paul was acquainted with Philemon and wrote him a letter filled with love, asking him to forgive the runaway slave and accept him as a brother. He sent Onesimus with this letter.
After St. Philemon received the letter, he forgave Onesimus and sent him back to the Apostle Paul in Rome. Afterward, Philemon was consecrated bishop of the city of Gaza.
After the martyrdom of the Apostle Paul, St. Onesimus served the apostles until their end, and he was made a bishop. After the death of the holy apostles, he preached the Gospel in many lands and cities of Spain, Carpetania, Colossae, and Patras. Onesimus occupied the bishop's throne at Ephesus in his old age, after the Apostle Timothy. Onesimus was the Bishop of Byzantium from the year 54 to 68. When they took St. Ignatius the God-Bearer to Rome for execution, Bishop Onesimus came to meet with him with other Christians, as St Ignatius mentions in his Epistle to the Ephesians.
Martyrdom
In the year 109, St. Onesimus was arrested and brought to trial before the Eparch Tertillus during the reign of Emperor Trajan. He held the saint in prison for eighteen days and then sent him to prison in the city of Puteoli. After a while, the eparch sent for St Onesimus and had him stoned and beheaded for still maintaining his faith in Christ. A confident illustrious woman took the martyr's body and placed it in a silver coffin.
