Our Bible study yesterday on forgiveness was really good … so I think I will share one of the segments for today’s Good Morning lesson. We are going to look at the first part of Paul’s letter to Philemon concerning Philemon’s slave, Onesimus.
Philemon
Greeting
1Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon’s Love and Faith
4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.[a] 7For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus
8
Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus,[b] whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave[c] but more than a slave, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
From verses 1 – 7, we glean the following information:
1. Philemon was a fellow worker with Paul.
2. Philemon had a church in his house (meaning that people gathered at his house to worship God).
3. Philemon was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ exhibiting his faith through his love and deeds for others.
4. Philemon was a joy and comfort for Paul because Philemon touched other lives.
Beginning in verse 8, we see that Philemon also was a person who owned slaves (servants) … and that one of them was a slave named Onesimus. Apparently Onesimus had somehow left Philemon without permission and in the process had wronged Philemon. The letter to Philemon then becomes Paul’s plea for Philemon to forgive Onesimus.
How does Paul refer to Onesimus in verse 10? Why does he refer to Onesimus as his “child”? I believe that Onesimus came to Paul as a nonbeliever and Paul led him to Christ. In a sense, those we lead to Christ become our responsibility in the same manner as a child becomes our responsibility.
So why did Paul send Onesimus back to Philemon? I can think of three reasons:
1. Paul desired to maintain his relationship with Philemon. What could have happened to their relationship had Paul kept Onesimus in his care? Paul recognized that keeping Onesimus – even with the best intentions in mind – could have driven a wedge between Philemon and him. He didn’t want that – so he did the right thing.
2. Paul desired for Onesimus to learn to seek forgiveness. Although Paul doesn’t write this in his letter, one would have to realize that Onesimus had some “splaining” to do. And the first thing Onesimus needed to do was to ask Philemon to forgive him.
3. Paul desired for Philemon to learn to forgive. We are talking serious business here. Now we have to put aside our concept of slavery at this point and see it from the eyes of a 1st century person. “Slavery” was not the same thing as we witnessed in America. We could more liken it to servants such as butlers and maids – where a person hires himself or herself out for a period of time. This is what Onesimus did … and then broke his contract. The punishment for breaking a contract in 1st century was much more severe than it is today. If Philemon chose to not forgive, then Onesimus was in trouble.
In verses 15-16, Paul looks at the situation philosophically. His point is that Onesimus left Philemon as a slave – and returned as a brother. The bond had changed. Onesimus was still under contract to Philemon – but now his service was one where he wanted to do a good job rather than felt compelled to do a good job. And thus he became even more valuable to Philemon.
Learning to seek forgiveness and learning to be forgiving are two critical achievements for Christian growth. In both instances we are “released” from the slavery of guilt and blame and enabled to develop lasting relationships with our Christian brothers and sisters.
Agape’
Mr. Jim
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