Philemon

Preface
Christ rejects neither slave nor master who come to Him. For one Lord of all is He, and more so the Father. And this is evident from many other things as well as from this epistle, in which Philemon is the master and Onesimus is the slave: both, not to say more, are beloved of Paul. Philemon was from the very beginning a most remarkable man: a Phrygian by origin, faithful in his way of life, helping the saints in their needs and giving alms. Onesimus was at first a runaway slave: he stole money from the house of Philemon and fled. Being in Rome, he heard the preaching of Paul and, catechized and baptized by him while he was in chains, himself became a man worthy of admiration. Therefore the apostle, considering it not profitable that Philemon should grieve on account of the wrongdoing and flight of Onesimus, and wishing to heal the wound of his heart which he had received from his slave, sends Onesimus to him with this commendatory epistle. Some, however, say that this epistle should not be numbered among the rest, since it concerns an unimportant matter; but consider how much benefit comes from it. First, it teaches us to have care even for those who are, in appearance, insignificant, as the Lord also says: "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones" (Matt. 18:10). Second, that if a slave, so foolish and wicked, was converted, then no one should despair of himself, and especially not those who were raised in freedom. Third, one should not under the pretext of piety take slaves away from their masters, if they do not wish it. Fourth, one should not treat virtuous slaves with contempt nor be ashamed of them, when Paul calls Onesimus his child. Therefore, who would not deem worthy to number among the rest of the epistles this one as well, which contains so much that is profitable?

Philem. 1:1. Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ
Straightaway from the very beginning he teaches the master not to be ashamed of his slave who has become a fellow slave. For on account of Christ all things are noble, even bonds, in which he himself also rejoices, so that he is even named after them. By this he strongly entreats, showing that it is only right to do a favor for one who is held in bonds for Christ.

Philem. 1:1. And Timothy the brother.
As if considering himself not sufficient for the entreaty, he joins Timothy also as a fellow-petitioner, so that Philemon might yield to the request of many.

Philem. 1:1. Philemon, our beloved and fellow worker.
If he is beloved, he will show mercy. If he is a fellow worker, he will not detain his servant, but will send him back again to the ministry of preaching, which he himself also serves. For the servant too will fulfill such a task of the master, if he is returned again.

Philem. 1:2. And to Apphia, (our) beloved (sister), and to Archippus, our fellow soldier.
Perhaps Apphia was the wife (of Philemon), and Archippus a friend. If he is a fellow soldier, then he will take part in this as well. This was the very same (Archippus) about whom he writes in the Epistle to the Colossians: "Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received" (Col. 4:17).

Philem. 1:2. And your household church.
The apostle calls "church" all the believers in the house (of Philemon), including even the slaves. Notice the humility — he appeals to them as well, so that they might assist him in his request.

Philem. 1:3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In what way will the grace of God be with us? If we too forgive our debtors. And in what way will there be peace? If you too are reconciled with your servant.

Philem. 1:4. I thank my God, always making mention of you in my prayers.
Every time, he says, I remember you – and I remember you always when I pray – so many times I thank God for your virtue. What this virtue is, he explains further.

Philem. 1:5. Hearing of your love and faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
Here he praises him for his goodness. From Phrygia it would not have been heard in Rome about his love and faith, if it had not been great. Since you love all the saints, that is, the faithful, you should also love Onesimus, for he too is now a believer — so that through this you may show yourself as one who loves the Lord as well. Do you see what compelling thoughts he gathers in his mind toward the fulfillment of the request?

Philem. 1:6. That the sharing of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you.
I thank, says the apostle, God for your love, praying also that your faith, which you have in common with us, may be effective — active and living in your knowledge of every good work, that is, that you may love it and put it into practice. For faith is alive when we are diligent in every good work, just as it is dead when it is without good works. He added "which is in you" to show that even now Philemon already has every good work in himself, as if saying: (in the knowledge) of every good work even now in you, that is, already existing in you. Having said "the communion of faith," St. Paul unites Philemon with himself and makes them one. The faith is common and unifying, so that you must also be of one mind with me. Or by the communion of faith he means almsgiving, which comes from great faith. Thus the apostle says: I make mention of you, praying that your generous and bountiful disposition may never cease, but more and more may you pour out upon those in need every good thing "which is in you," that is, which you have.

Philem. 1:6. In Christ Jesus.
To Christ Jesus, he says, is credited every good thing that you do for those in need, especially the saints. So also now, if you receive Onesimus and do me this kindness, you will have done it for Christ Himself.

Philem. 1:7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love,
That is, we have joy, and not only joy, but also great consolation in bonds on account of your love, that is, your compassionate and generous disposition of heart.

Philem. 1:7. Because by you, brother, the hearts of the saints have been refreshed.
Very wisely the apostle undertakes the matter, reminding him of his benefactions to others, in order to soften him all the more, while he considers that if he gives to others, to strangers, then all the more he ought to do this for Paul, his teacher. And he did not simply say: "you give to the saints," but you refresh "the hearts of the saints," that is, that they wholeheartedly receive your kindness, as it is offered to them generously and with comforting hospitality.

Philem. 1:8–9. Therefore, though I have great boldness in Christ to command you what is proper, for love's sake I rather beseech,
Since, he says, you are such toward all the saints, that their hearts are refreshed by you, all the more I in Christ, that is, as having begotten you in Christ, I had boldness to command you, not as your master, but out of the love which I have for you and you for me. "That which is fitting," either — he commands you what is fitting, that is, that you fulfill what I need; or — that you honor all the saints: therefore I also, in accordance with what is fitting, that is, what falls to my lot, I had boldness to command you, yet I beseech. For I have such a necessary matter as to entreat you.

Philem. 1:9. Not another, but I myself, Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ;
Being such an ambassador, he says, I am worthy of being heard, as befits Paul the aged, that is, one who has authority both by virtue of his teaching dignity and by his age, and who has now received yet another, more important distinction — namely, being in chains for Christ. Do you see how many grounds for persuasion there are?

Philem. 1:10–11. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.
He has not yet mentioned the name of the one on whose behalf he is interceding. He first softens Philemon with praise of the servant, calling him his son. Why does he call him so? Because, he says, I begot him, that is, I instructed him with the Gospel and commanded that the one who believed be baptized, and this in difficult circumstances: in chains. Having thus softened his heart, he finally mentions the name.

Philem. 1:11. He was once useless to you
He knows that confession of sin extinguishes wrath; therefore he speaks thus.

Philem. 1:11. but now is useful both to you and to me; I am sending him back;
Since he became pious and holy, and therefore, he says, he is useful to both of us. If he is useful to Paul, who requires such great zeal, then certainly to Philemon as well. At the same time, he also implies that if he is useful to me, then he ought to be sent back to me. That is, I hand him over to you; use him as you wish. By handing him over, he all the more appeases his anger.

Philem. 1:12. But receive him as my own heart.
That is, receive him with love, or rather not him, but my very heart, for so much do I love him and carry him in my soul.

Philem. 1:13. I wished to keep him with myself, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my bonds for the gospel;
Pay attention to the wisdom of the apostle, how he gradually placed him (the servant) in the position of the master. "That in thy stead," he says, "he might minister unto me." He also shows that he desires the benefit of the master. If, he says, you are obligated to minister to me, and he does this in your stead, then clearly this is gain for you.

Philem. 1:14. But without your consent I did not want to do anything,
And by this he softens Philemon most of all. The matter was so necessary: in chains, and moreover for God's sake, he intended to serve him; however, the apostle did not want to do this against Philemon's will. Therefore, should one not show mercy to him who could have made use of it himself, but did not want to?

Philem. 1:14. Not so that your good deed would be by compulsion, but voluntary.
He did not say: by necessity, but: "as it were by necessity," as if saying: of course, even by keeping him against your will, I would not truly have grieved you; nevertheless, to many it would have seemed that this was done by compulsion and against your will. Therefore now I preferred that this should in no case appear to anyone as forced, but, without doubt, voluntary.

Philem. 1:15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a time,
Since Onesimus ran away with evil intent, Paul turns this flight into something beneficial. Perhaps, he says, he ran away by the providence of God. He also commendably calls the flight a separation, so as not to irritate the master with the word "flight." And by shortening the time, he calms his anger. "For an hour," he says, "he was separated." At the same time he also shows that however long he was with Paul, he was also with Philemon. Therefore he was absent only for the time he spent before meeting Paul; and this is an insignificant amount of time, as if a single hour. Therefore from now on, if he, having been released by you, remains with me, then understand that he is serving you.

Philem. 1:15. To receive him back forever,
You will make use of it.

Philem. 1:16. No longer as a slave, but above a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me, and how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Much, he says, benefit the flight brought: instead of one hour, you have him forever. For even the whole life of a man, in comparison with eternity, is nothing; much more so the time of flight. So instead of a slave, receive a brother; instead of an unprofitable one — a beloved one; "both in the flesh," that is, even in worldly matters he is worthy of love, as one who is serviceable, "and in the Lord," that is, in spiritual matters.

Philem. 1:17. So if you have fellowship with me, receive him as you would me.
That is, if you acknowledge that you are of one mind with me, then receive him as you would me. Who would not be put to shame by the apostle? Who would not desire to receive Paul?

Philem. 1:18. If he has wronged you in anything, or owes you, charge that to my account.
He did not say: stole, but more gently: "wronged, or owes anything." It is likely that he had spent what was stolen. Therefore he says: charge it to my account, consider me the debtor.

Philem. 1:19. I, Paul, have written with my own hand: I will repay;
He says this excellently, writing with spiritual grace and as if saying: for greater assurance that I will pay the debt, my own handwritten letter serves as guarantee.

Philem. 1:19. I do not say to you that you owe me even your own self.
Lest it seem reproachful to Philemon that the apostle, as though not trusting him, does not simply ask him concerning the slave-thief, but also gives a written guarantee in his own hand — for this would signal that Philemon is hard-hearted and inattentive to his teacher — the apostle (by the words cited) gives him to understand that he trusts him, and greatly so. For not only with your own possessions, he says, but beyond that, you owe me even your very self.

Philem. 1:20. Yes, brother, let me have benefit from you in the Lord;
From heartfelt speech the apostle again passed to something more important, imploring: "let me have joy," he says, "of thee," that is, let me enjoy thy good deeds, not in worldly matters, but in those which are in the Lord.

Philem. 1:20. Calm my heart in the Lord.
Give rest, he says, to my love for you, or my heart for Christ's sake. For it is not to me that you do a kindness, but to Christ.

Philem. 1:21. Having confidence in your obedience, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
I, he says, wrote to you, not commanding and not out of self-love, but hoping in your obedience. What iron would not be softened by these words?

Philem. 1:22. And at the same time prepare a lodging for me as well.
It might have occurred to Philemon: if it were not for Onesimus, you would not have deemed me worthy of even a word. The Apostle heals this in advance, saying: I wrote not for his sake only, but also to ask you to prepare me a lodging; and at the same time, also to frighten him, because the Apostle will come and condemn him if he does not receive Onesimus.

Philem. 1:22. For I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
Two things we learn from this: first, how great is the power of prayer, if even the great Paul needs their help; second, that one must be humble, if Paul needs the prayers of his disciples.

Philem. 1:23. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
This Epaphras was sent to Paul by the Colossians; from this it is clear that Philemon was from Colossae. He calls him "fellow prisoner," showing that Epaphras too was in great distress, thereby making Philemon feel that if Epaphras suffers with Paul, will Philemon really not show mercy to Onesimus for his sake? "Fellow prisoner," he says, not for any human reason, but for the sake of Christ Jesus, suffering together with me for the Gospel.

Philem. 1:24. Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.
Demas at first enjoyed respect, as is attested here concerning him as a fellow worker of Paul, but afterwards through frivolity he fell away from Paul, as indeed Paul writes about this in the epistle to Timothy, written evidently after this epistle. "For Demas has forsaken me; only Luke is with me" (2 Tim. 4:9). Thus Luke, placed here last, became first of all when Demas fell away. So no one should place hope in himself, but let him who stands take heed lest he fall. By saying "fellow worker," he shows that they too together with me ask you, and it is worthy to show favorable attention to such persons.
You see what benefit we have received from this epistle, which seems brief and not requiring explanation? Be assured from this that in Scripture nothing should be left without investigation, but in all things, as spoken by the Spirit, one should seek some spiritual meaning and derive benefit. And surely the Comforter, Who spoke all of Scripture, will grant to those who seek what is good to find what they seek. May we always be enlightened and guided by Him toward true knowledge of God and right living, not being carried away by false teachings and not being enticed by the false sweetness of the world. Whoever among us is a slave, let him ennoble himself through faith and virtue, and whoever is a master, let him be zealous, seeing that slaves became saints and apostles, not to be found lower than them in the kingdom of the Master Who for our sake took upon Himself the form of a servant, Christ, our true God. To Him be glory and dominion and honor, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.