Letter to Philemon

As a beloved brother

The letter to Philemon, as we previously wrote, has important similarities with the letter to the Ephesians and the one to the Colossians. In this short writing Paul asks Philemon, a rich man in whose house a Christian community gathers, to newly receive and forgive his servant Onesimus. The latter, in fact, fled to Paul, where he became Christian. The punishments for rebel slaves were terrible at the time; the apostle, instead, exhorts to live that situation according to the Faith originality, that now joins servant and master. Philemon probably belongs to the Church of Colossae: in fact, in the starting greetings of the letter we find «Archippus», even mentioned in Col 4,17; in the letter to the Colossians there is also Onesimus «who is one of you» (4,9).
«Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, and to Apphia our sister, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the Church [Christian community] in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ» (Phlm 1-3). The apostle is «a prisoner of Christ Jesus» in a double sense: he «was taken hold» of by Jesus’ love and call (see Phil 3,12) and now he is «in bonds» because of His Word (even see Col 4,3). The possible places of incarceration suggested by the scholars are Rome or Ephesus, after the riots caused by Christian preaching. The second hypothesis matches better the letter of Philemon contents: Onesimus’ flee would be in a city that is relatively close to Colossae, and so would be the apostle’s visit after the hoped liberation mentioned in verse 22. The problem is that the Acts of the Apostles tell the event of the Ephesus riots, but they do not write that Paul went in prison because of them (see Acts 19; 20,1).
«I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints; that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ. For I have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, yet for love’s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus, who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me [a word pun with the name “Onesimus” that in Greek means “useful”]. I am sending back to you, him who is my very heart, whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Gospel. But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.



If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides) [Paul alludes to the fact that he converted Philemon to the Christian Faith, giving him the salvation]. Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say. Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit» (Phlm 4-25).
The letter gives us the occasion to write about how first Christians consider the institution of slavery, that is present in the society in which they proclaim the Gospel. In an apparently surprising way, Paul does not propose to abolish it, on the contrary he invites the slaves to be obedient: «Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed» (1Tim 6,1). However, Christ’s love produces an inner and deep change of those traditions: Paul does not send back Onesimus as a mere «slave», but as «a beloved brother». «Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord. And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven» (Col 3,22-25; 4,1). What alone is important is the salvation received by Christ, that makes new men and women through Baptism; the starting condition does not count (even see 1Cor 7,18-24). «Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator, where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all» (Col 3,9-11).
In the next post we will read the letter to the Hebrews.