
Philemon Introduction
The Book of Philemon is a personal letter written by the Apostle Paul to Philemon, a wealthy Christian and church leader in Colossae. This brief epistle is unique because it deals with the personal matter of Onesimus, a slave who had run away from Philemon and subsequently met Paul during his imprisonment. Having become a Christian under Paul's mentorship, Onesimus is being sent back to Philemon with this letter, which advocates for reconciliation and a new relationship between the two, transcending the typical master-slave dynamic and reflecting Christian brotherhood. The letter is a powerful appeal for forgiveness and a testament to the transformative power of the gospel on social relationships.
Chapter 1
Philemon The letter opens with Paul expressing his thanks for Philemon’s love and faith towards Jesus and all the saints. Paul mentions how he has been comforted by Philemon’s actions, which refresh the hearts of fellow believers. He then appeals to Philemon for Onesimus, who has become dear to Paul. Paul describes how Onesimus, once unprofitable to Philemon, has now become valuable to both Philemon and Paul. He asks Philemon to receive Onesimus back not as a slave, but as a beloved brother in Christ.
Paul tactfully interjects that he would be glad to keep Onesimus to help him while in prison for the gospel, but he did not want to do anything without Philemon’s consent, thus respecting Philemon’s rights and highlighting the voluntary nature of Christian ethics. He subtly hints at Philemon’s own indebtedness to Paul, suggesting that Philemon owes Paul his very self. Paul expresses confidence that Philemon will do even more than what Paul is asking and briefly mentions his hope to be freed and visit Philemon soon.
The epistle closes with greetings from fellow workers of Paul and a benediction, underlining the communal and interconnected nature of their faith lives, reinforcing the themes of fellowship, forgiveness, and the transformative impact of the gospel on all relationships.