Philemon
A lot of people neglect this little book between Titus and Hebrews. My guess is because it deals with a subject that is a political hot potato. No one wants to discuss slavery. Many folks wonder why Paul did not just tell Philemon to sell all his slaves now that he is a Christian. After all, did not Christ come to promote social change?
That is where I think they err. Christ never suggested boycotts or trying to overthrow Caesar to create a democracy or a republic. He did not come to foment civil disobedience to change society by an outward force. He came to change men from within and as the new creation flowed out from their hearts they would change. As more people were saved, society would change because the people who made up the society would change.
You see murderers; prostitutes, crooks and such did not come to Christ and change their ways by force or picketing the brothel. They came to Him because He loved them and offered them a new heart and life. By trading the Gospel for the ballot box and hateful tirades against their sin we have only made things worse. We have switched from spiritual weapons to carnal ones and all that has resulted is that the unbelievers hate us and see us as a nasty pest that they will one day want exterminated.
Yes, apostasy and martyrdom are prophesied for the end times, but I think it will come sooner than we expect and with more ferocity than it would have come if we had lived better lives and not switched weapons and methods of spiritual warfare. Remember, we are enjoined to take care that our sufferings are for Christ and not because of our own sins and stupidity. (I Peter 4:12-19)
Billy Sunday did not close bars by legislation, but by salvation. Prohibition was legislated sobriety and it failed miserably. The failure of the Temperance Union should be an example to us as well. Christ did not refuse to pay taxes to the heathen government who did not spend it wisely or godly. Paul did not form the Coalition for the Abolition of Slavery nor the Committee for the Passage of Senatorial Edict #227 to ban XYZ or eliminate ABC. He did not boycott grocery stores for carrying meat offered unto idols. He stuck to his job of winning people to Christ. The result is that as people changed so did their society. Not overnight or completely into Paradise, but slowly and surely into a better home, a better community and a better city. In essence, it became a better world even if it did not become a perfect world.
Should we vote? Yes, of course. You cannot separate religion and politics because every politician is going to have his legislation influenced by his faith no matter what it is or even if he thinks he has none. Whatever his worldview stems from will influence him. Should we seek to change this evil world? You bet! Just be sure that you use God’s methods to do it. Live a godly life. Witness with love and power of the Spirit to your neighbor and you will be amazed at the changes you will see. As slaves to sin become slaves to Christ the darkness will be overcome by the blinding light of His truth and love.
Now, since we have an idea as to why this is not a treatise on abolition, let us see what we can learn from this exchange between Paul and Philemon.
1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow labourer,
2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house:
The first great thing here is that Paul knew why He was in jail. He did not blame the Romans who kept the jail nor even the Jews whose complaints helped put him there. He did not whine or complain. He accepted this as being a prisoner of Christ. His personal freedom, so to speak, had already been incarcerated by the love of Christ and the burden or the woe put on him by his commission to preach the Gospel. He was bought with a price and belonged to Christ so if Christ allowed him to be jailed, so be it!
He was there because of his witness for Christ and he knew he was there to witness for Christ. People came to here him preach because he joyfully paid the cost for his faith. If he sang in the Philippian jail, I am sure he sung in this jail. The guards heard his prayers, preaching and singing. We are not told how many of them were saved, but we are told that Paul reached some of Caesar’s own household. (Phil 4:22) Maybe people do not hear our witness because our life does not show that we are paying the price or willing to pay the price for our faith. Maybe that is why we do not have Timothy’s to mentor and serve with us because we are not willing to commit the time to mentor and surely do not want to suffer.
Philemon means friendly. If this brother were living up to his name, then he would have been a fellow easy to get to know. We know that he was involved in ministry because Paul calls him a fellow labourer. It is believed that Apphia was his wife and Cowboy was his son. Where did I get Cowboy? Archippus means horse ruler and who rules horses better than a cowboy does? C];-)}|> Not only was he a cowboy, but he was a fellow soldier. Paul and Cowboy may have preached on a few streets together or banged on a mess of doors. Whatever they did, Paul recognized him as a faithful man.
Philemon was obviously well off if he owned slaves as they were not cheap. The fact that he had a church in his house not only speaks of his faithfulness and willingness to share, but that he must have had a good sized house. Well, not really because where two or three are gathered Christ is present and wherever the people of God meet it is a church because we are the Church. The building is just a meeting place. In this case though Philemon may well have been able to provide a place to meet for a fairly large crowd.
House churches are springing up around the globe and many feel that by the end of the 21st century, if the Lord tarries, the primary work of the Church will be done out of homes. The church building that we think of may be designed more like a convention center where the various homes groups meet once a week or whenever for a time of praise and worship and to coordinate activities. We shall see.
3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What a great way to start a letter. First you express your personal love and then you wish them grace and peace from the Father and the Son. As an aside, there are folks that do not believe in the Trinity. Paul mentions two of the three in this verse. Is he stuttering or what?
This not only wishes them the best, but also calls them to remember that they are in the family of God. What a blessing this is!!!! Yet, while we are family, it also reminds us that we are servants of the one who saved us, the Lord Jesus Christ. Too many times we take the Lordship of Christ a tad too lightly. We say the words and then we disobey Him or run our lives like they really belong to us when they do not.
4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
What a blessing to know that someone is always praying for you. I know of a few folks that say that I am in their prayers daily. That is a blessing!!! I have no idea what my life would be like if someone were not always praying for me. I need all the prayers that I can get!!!!
5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Of course, it is easier to pray for some folks than others are. Here is the blessing for the one praying when he can pray to God in praise of the one being prayed for. It is a sorrow to pray for folks that you know are lost or not living for Christ especially if they are loved ones. However, it is a joy to pray for those who have blessed you by their life and love for the Lord!! What a challenge to live not only to be a faithful servant of the Lord, but to also be a blessing for those who pray for you! Lord, may I do better from this day forward.
Philemon proved his love for the Lord by his actions and especially by the way he treated the saints. Notice the saints are not dead people who have passed some celestial exam and can now do miracles or answer prayers. They are just plain old saved folks whom the Lord has sanctified or sainted and not by some group of men. Glory!!! By His grace and mercy, I am Saint Ron the Baptist!!
Do you see how to make your distribution or communication of your faith more active and powerful? You acknowledge every good thing that is in you in Christ. In us there is no inherent good thing. We can mess up a steel ball with a rubber hammer and even our good acts are tainted by the sin nature. However, in Jesus we have a new nature, spiritual gifts and the indwelling Holy Spirit. If we acknowledge what we have in Him rather than pining on what we lack in ourselves we will be able to distribute our faith in power. Philemon distributed and partnered with God the wealth that he had, but by acknowledging what he had in him by Christ he was able to do it better than if he was just a philanthropist. He might limit himself if he looked at his money, but by seeing where the wealth came from he was able to give without limits. What great wealth has Christ given you in spiritual gifts that you need to acknowledge and allow Him make you more active and powerful in its distribution?
Paul had calm delight from Philemon’s demonstration of love. Most of us think of joy as bouncing off the wall in happiness. For those who are more phlegmatic, this is your kind of joy. It’s an inward joy that gives peace and consolation or comfort. Paul encourages Philemon telling him how much the bowels of the saints are refreshed or rested because of his acts of love. The word bowel comes from the word for spleen or intestines. It is the idea of inner refreshment. We would say things touched our heart. They would say their bowels as the center of their being that you have to go deep to reach. They had happy innards. C];-)}|> One African tribe would say that they love you with all their liver. The concept is the same, just the specific innards changes.
8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Paul knew how to make an appeal. After all those words of love and encouragement, it would be hard to say no to anything Paul would ask for, but Paul continues to prepare him for the request. Paul had some authority as an apostle and could have just literally commanded or enjoined Philemon to do what he wanted as he felt was proper to do. Instead of using that authority or ability to command, he makes the appeal in love. I would that you do this for me in love he says, not as Paul the apostle, but as Paul the aged and as one in prison for Christ.
Now I ask you, how could you deny someone who just spoke so highly of you that you know loves you and you love him? Add to that the respect that you would show him as your elder let alone an apostle that is in prison for the faith that saved your soul. Shoot, if I was a king and Paul would have done all that for me, I would be hard pressed to not give him my kingdom if he asked for it. I am sure Philemon felt the same way.
10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
Now the request comes. It is interesting that Onesimus means profitable. By running away and maybe in his quality of service before he left, he was not profitable to Philemon at all. But then, neither were any of us profitable to God before we were begotten out of our bonds.
Paul pleads for Onesimus as his son. Paul led him to the Lord there in prison. We are not told how they met. Onesimus may have heard about Paul and went to see him or he may have been in jail for a minor offense. Whatever the reason, it was definitely a divine appointment and extremely profitable for Profitable.
Paul has taught Onesimus the Way and has made him a profitable person to both Philemon and to Paul. What a blessing when someone like Paul finds you profitable, but even greater will it be if the Lord finds us such when we appear before Him.
Paul could have just kept Onesimus with him. He had authority to do so and most likely Philemon did not even know where Onesimus had gone. Paul wants a clean conscience for himself and Onesimus. He wanted Philemon to know and to make a decision about the matter. He wanted his decision to come from a willing mind and not to feel coerced into it. Paul had developed a fondness for Onesimus and asks Philemon to accept him now as if it were Paul himself that was being received. He was asking to keep Onesimus to minister to him instead of Philemon. Philemon may have been willing but not able to leave. Now he can minister to Paul by proxy through Onesimus.
15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
Paul still realizes that under the laws of the land, Philemon has every right to punish Onesimus so he is pleading a case for forgiveness. Yes, he had run away and had been unprofitable for a time. However, he will be profitable forever as a servant of Christ. The status has changed for Onesimus because now Philemon is to see him as more than just a slave or servant, but as a brother in Christ beloved by God and special to Paul so how much more should he now be special to Philemon.
17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
Paul believes that he and Philemon are partners. They have served the Lord together, so again Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he were receiving Paul. That is a high honor and a better reception than a runaway slave would have gotten in those days.
Paul acknowledges that Onesimus may have stolen from Philemon. After, all he was planning on getting as far away as possible and that would require food, clothing and money. Paul says that he will pay the tab. In fact, instead of letting Onesimus write this IOU, Paul wrote it with his own hand to authenticate it. Paul sometimes did the writing himself, but at other times dictated his epistles. (Galatians 6:11; Romans 16:22)
In this offer, Paul is being like Christ. While we were running from God, Christ paid our debt. We belonged to God by creation, but chose to be slaves to sin. All the while, we were obtaining all the things we needed to subsist in our rebellion and flight from God’s resources. We were twice debtors, but Jesus paid it all!!!!!
Paul is using the concept of Matthew 18, when he tells Philemon to put it on his tab but also reminds him of all that Paul has done for him. How often do we demand payment of debts from someone, especially our brother in Christ and forget all that God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us? We would do well to remember our great debt and forgive the pittance people owe us.
20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.
22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
He requests that Philemon let him have joy, but it is a play on words. This Greek word for joy is the same root word that Onesimus’ name comes from. So, Paul appears to be saying let me have joy and that joy is in having Onesimus. This would rest or refresh Paul deeply.
Wouldn’t be great to have people around you that you can have the same confidence in obedience that Paul has for Philemon? People who not only do what you ask, but go beyond. They do not just perform their duty, but they do it out of love for the Lord and you and do it with flair and pizzazz!! Every pastor I know would give an arm to have people like this in their congregation. No more begging from the pulpit for people to do what they know they should do. You would just mention something that needs to be done and those with the ability would do it and then some. The cardiac ICUs in every city would be packed with pastors if that started happening!!! What would you give to have a friend like this? What would you do to be a friend and Christian like this?
While he is at it, Paul requests that a place to stay be prepared for him. He expected to be released as an answer to Philemon’s prayer!! WOW!! How many people come up to you and say, "Hey, I am making plans to do ____ because God is going to answer the prayer you made on my behalf." Is this having confidence in the spirituality of Philemon or what? How many of us are so spiritual that it would be true of us? We need to seek to be in that place.
23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;
24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow labourers.
Now Paul mentions all the folks that said to say "Howdy!" to Philemon when Paul wrote him. We see the power of God and the scope of His grace in salvation. Epaphras means devoted to Aphrodite (Venus). But instead of the false goddess, He worshipped Christ and was a fellow prisoner with Paul. Marcus is of Latin or Roman origin. Some think it is John Mark, but he may be one of Caesar’s household. Lucas is also from Latin. Aristarchus means best ruling and he is a Macedonian or Greek. Demas is a form of Demetar (Ceres) another of the "gods." Unfortunately after this, we see Demas forsaking Paul loving this present world. (2 Timothy 4:10) May we always remain faithful like the others!!
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (KJV)
This is the best way to close a letter for we all need the grace our Lord Jesus Christ manifest in our spirit. With that we can abide whatever may come our way. With that grace, we may walk in His victory! Amen, so be it, my Brethren!!!!
