A Look at Philemon (Summary)

From our Sunday service on May 5, 2024, the book of Philemon. Watch the full message: A Look at Philemon on YouTube.

The book of Philemon is not a book we talk about all too often. It’s short, but it was truly one of the most culturally explosive letters Paul ever wrote. While Paul was incarcerated in Rome in AD 61, he penned it to Philemon, a prosperous Roman citizen from Colossae who crossed paths with Paul during Paul’s missionary ministry in Ephesus and quickly embraced his teachings about Jesus. When Paul’s coworker Epaphras established a Christian community in Colossae, Philemon began hosting the church gatherings in his home. Like any other wealthy Roman, he owned many slaves, and among them was a man named Onesimus. Some sort of conflict broke out. He flees, and it appears that as he fled he may have stolen money from his master. He runs to Rome, and through God’s providence he winds up in the same jail as Paul. There he becomes a Christian and finds a cherished role as Paul’s trusted assistant. Paul encourages Philemon not just to forgive Onesimus but to embrace him no longer as a slave but as a brother in the faith. The love of God should transform our relationships with others.

To Philemon, the Host of the Church

It’s to “the church in thy house.” In the early days they didn’t have church buildings like we have today. They would find a member who was wealthy and had a very large home and host the services there. Philemon is the host of the church of Colossae. Paul also calls him “our dearly beloved” and “fellowlabourer.” He is a loved one, a personal friend, and a coworker in the ministry. Paul says he makes mention of Philemon always in his prayers. Because he has heard of his love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints, not just the rich or his friends. In verse 7 he says the bowels of the saints are refreshed by him. We don’t think of bowels the same way they did back then. You might have a little familiarity with it from high school, when there was a cute person there and you had butterflies in your stomach. That butterfly feeling is in your bowels. The ancients considered the bowels the seat of emotion, so in modern English we would probably say “heart.”

Paul's Appeal for Onesimus

I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

Philemon 1:10–11

Then we get a tone shift. Paul says he might be much bold in Christ to enjoin what is convenient, but for love’s sake he rather beseeches him. What’s interesting is that if you read in Colossians, it tells us that Onesimus is the one who delivers the letter about himself. His escaped slave has just shown up with a letter from Paul, and Philemon is reading it in the church right then. “Look in front of you, Philemon. Who do you see? It’s Onesimus. And who is he? He is my son,” because he was led to the Lord by Paul himself in prison. One thing that’s funny here is that Paul is doing a play on words. The name Onesimus actually means “useful,” the same idea as the word translated “unprofitable.” Onesimus may not have lived up to his name in the past, but now he is useful, not just as a laborer, but as a brother in Christ, with a work that has eternal value. Paul says, “Receive him, that is, mine own bowels,” meaning his own heart. “I would have kept him by my side, but there’s some unfinished business.”

Two Laws and an Unfinished Business

We need to go back in time a little to understand why Paul struggles with this. In the old days, at least in the Jewish context, most slaves were criminals. They didn’t have a jail. Say you killed someone’s cow and owed them the money, and you can’t pay for it. You go into bond servitude until you can pay it off. Except in the case of prisoners of war, it was a temporary thing. Exodus 21 commands fair treatment: if a slave owner beats a slave and the slave dies, there will be a big punishment, and if you harm them, they’re going to be released. In Exodus 21:2 and Deuteronomy 15:12, all Hebrew slaves would be released after six years of service, in the seventh year, whether they’ve paid off that debt or not. It’s not a permanent institution. If a slave thought that his master was unjust, he could run away, and if you found a runaway slave, you were to protect him, take him in, and not return him to his master (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). I don’t know how we got so wrong with this in early American history, but the Bible teaches that if a slave runs away from his master, you do not return him.

The Romans had their own laws. Slavery in the ancient world was not a racial thing but a class thing. The Romans would go around conquering nations and enslave the warriors. Caesar is reported to have shipped off a million slaves from 58 to 51 BC. You could also be a slave if you were a criminal, or if you were poor and sold yourself into slavery to ensure you had food, shelter, and clothing, or if you were an abandoned child, or if you were born to slave parents. This Roman slavery is not as kind as the Hebrew bond servitude. The Romans say that if you find an escaped slave, you need to send him to his master, because to not do so is to steal that slave. At the same time, Paul has the Jewish tradition, which says do not return him, but take him in and care for him. On top of that, his dear loved one Philemon is the master. Paul wrestled with this. He took the Jewish approach and took Onesimus in. Then he realizes something: Onesimus is also a Christian. So Paul sends him back and hopes Philemon will do the right thing willingly, not by force.

A New Man in Christ

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:10–11

“For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever.” I’m reminded of the idea of Esther: maybe this was the time you were prepared for. Just imagine that letter being handed to you by Onesimus himself, a man who defrauded you and has been missing for who knows how long. He shows up, probably shaking, with a little letter of Paul’s, all rolled up, a little scroll. Under Roman law he can be put to death. He can be beaten and flogged. Philemon is probably fuming. And then all of a sudden Paul says, “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account.” I Paul have written it with mine own hand. They had scribes, so this letter would have had one style of handwriting, and all of a sudden in that line Paul wrote it with his own hand, even though he was struggling to write. Here is a picture of Christ. What did Christ do for us? He took our sins and put them on His account, and He was nailed to a cross. As Christians we ought to emulate Christ that way.

If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 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.

Philemon 1:17–19

Then he says, “albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.” Paul is saying, “I can also mention who led you to the Lord.” Paul says, “I know you’ll do more than I say.” Paul is doing a little wink, wink. Philemon, set Onesimus free. When you have anger against someone, it’s like enslaving them in your mind: “I will not let them have that relationship with me.” It’s really a pride thing. It says they don’t deserve me. I’m too good for that. Yes, you can forgive him, but go above and beyond and liberate them. Paul also says, “Prepare me also a lodging.” So as Paul says, “Prepare me a room,” he’s saying, “Prepare Onesimus a room.” Do the same to the person who has wronged you as you would do to your best friend.

What Happened to Onesimus?

For Christians there is one Master, Christ. For Christians there is one class, servant. For Christians there is one calling, to be like Christ. Colossians 4 tells us that Onesimus is no longer bound to the home of his master. He is traveling, delivering Paul’s letters to the churches with Tychicus. What happened after that? Ignatius writes in AD 110, about fifty years after the letter to Philemon, that the pastor of the church of Ephesus was a man named, and I quote, “Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love.” If we assume that it’s the same Onesimus we know, then Onesimus was liberated by his master. That would make Onesimus the pastor who followed Timothy after he died. Now imagine they were not restored. Imagine Paul had stayed with his initial instinct: “I’ll just keep him with me and let him be my personal assistant.” Or Philemon didn’t liberate him. Onesimus would have just been a worker for one person. But the Holy Spirit convicted and led them to choose the right choice. Philemon freed Onesimus, and eventually he took over the church that Paul started, and he was able to minister for at least fifty years. Have you restored relationships with those you’ve wronged or been wronged by? Paul wasn’t 100% confident Philemon would set him free, but he says, “I’m going to do the right thing anyway.” The love of God should transform our relationships. Will you allow God to transform yours?