Sunday
Morning Bible Study
December 31, 2000
Introduction
This small letter to a man in Colosse named Philemon is closely related to
Paul’s letter to the Colossians. It was written at the same time as Colossians,
when Paul was in Rome awaiting his first trial before Caesar. It was carried to
Colosse along with the letter to the Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.
This letter is all about a slave, Onesimus, who ran away from his master in
Colosse. It is probable that Onesimus even stole something from his master when
he ran away (Phile 1:18). He ended up in Rome, where he met Paul, and ended up
becoming a Christian. Paul then sends Onesimus back to his master, along with
this letter.
:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon
our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
prisoner – desmios
– bound, in bonds, a captive, a prisoner
Philemon – Philemon – “one
who kisses”; an apparently wealthy resident of Colosse, converted to Christianity by Paul, and the recipient of
the letter bearing his name
dearly beloved – agapetos
– beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love
fellowlabourer – sunergos
– a companion in work, fellow worker
:2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the
church in thy house:
Apphia – Apphia –
“fruitful”; Apphia was the wife of Philemon.
beloved – agapetos
– beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love
Archippus – Archippos –
“master of the horse”; Archippus was possibly the son of Philemon, but also
possibly the pastor at Colosse. (Col. 4:17)
Col
4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to
the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
fellowsoldier – sustratiotes
– a fellow soldier; an associate in labours and conflicts for the cause of
Christ
church in thy house –
The early church seemed to usually
meet in houses, perhaps meeting in several homes in the larger cities.
Jerusalem – Mary’s house –
Ac
12:12 And when he had considered [the
thing], he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was
Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Ephesus – Aquila and Priscilla –
1Co
16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in
the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
Rome – Aquila and Priscilla –
(Rom
16:3-5 KJV) Greet Priscilla and Aquila
my helpers in Christ Jesus: {4} Who have for my life laid down their own necks:
unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
{5} Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved
Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
Laodicea – house of Nymphas –
Col
4:15 Salute the brethren which are in
Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
:3 Grace to you, and peace, from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
:4 I thank my God, making mention
of thee always in my prayers,
mention – mneia
– remembrance, memory, mention
prayers – proseuche
– prayer addressed to God
:5 Hearing of thy love and faith,
which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
love – agape
– brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence
:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the
acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
This continues with Paul’s prayer for Philemon (1:4)
communication – koinonia –
fellowship, association, communion; sharing
(Phil
1:4-6 KJV) Always in every prayer of
mine for you all making request with joy, {5} For your fellowship in the
gospel from the first day until now; {6} Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ:
(Phil
4:14-15 KJV) Notwithstanding ye have
well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. {15} Now ye
Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed
from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and
receiving, but ye only.
Heb
13:16 But to do good and to communicate
forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
effectual – energes –
active
the acknowledging – epignosis – precise and correct knowledge; used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine
good – agathos
– of good constitution or nature; useful, salutary; good, pleasant,
agreeable, joyful, happy; excellent, distinguished; upright, honourable
in Christ Jesus – better translation, “unto Christ Jesus”.
Philemon is to be sharing what God has given him for the glory of Jesus, for
the praise of Jesus.
Lesson
Growing and sharing
The idea is that the more you become aware of the good things that Jesus
has put inside you, the more active you should become in sharing the good
things that God has done in you.
Sometimes that involves witnessing, telling others the things that God has
done in your life.
Sometimes that involves doing things for others, using the abilities,
gifts, and talents that God has given you.
:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of
the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
joy – charis
– grace; that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm,
loveliness: grace of speech
consolation – paraklesis
– a calling near, summons, (esp. for help); importation, supplication,
entreaty; exhortation, admonition, encouragement; consolation, comfort, solace;
that which affords comfort or refreshment
love – agape
– brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence
bowels – splagchnon –
bowels, intestines. People in ancient days thought that the passions came out
of the “guts” (we think of the “heart”).
refreshed – anapauo – to
cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover
and collect his strength; to give rest, refresh, to give one’s self rest, take rest; to keep quiet, of calm and
patient expectation. The verb is a perfect tense, the action taking
place in the past but the results carry on into the present.
Lesson
Refresh the saints
Philemon was a man who refreshed the hearts of those around him.
He was an encourager. He was a lover of God’s people.
More examples:
Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came to Paul and helped him out
(1 Cor
16:17-18 KJV) I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus:
for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. {18} For they have
refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
The Corinthians church “refreshed” Titus when he visited them.
(2 Cor
7:13 KJV) Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the
more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you
all.
Jesus said,
(Mat 25:37-40 KJV) Then
shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and
fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? {38} When saw we thee a stranger,
and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? {39} Or when saw we thee sick, or
in prison, and came unto thee? {40} And the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Refresh those in need. Refresh those around you.
:8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that
which is convenient,
bold – parrhesia
– freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech; free and fearless
confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance
to enjoin – epitasso
– to enjoin upon, order, command, charge
convenient – aneko
– to have come up to, arrived at, to reach to; to pertain to what is due,
duty, as was fitting
Paul has the authority to order Philemon to do a proper, fitting thing …
:9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the
aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
love’s – agape
– brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence
I … beseech – parakaleo –
to call to one’s side; exhortation, entreaty, comfort, encourage
the aged – presbutes
– an old man, an aged man
prisoner – desmios –
bound, in bonds, a captive, a prisoner
Lesson
God can use prisoners too.
As we’ll see, Paul apparently led this man Onesimus to the Lord while he
was a prisoner.
Paul wasn’t just sitting in prison moping around because his life had been
so terrible.
God can use us even in our most difficult circumstances.
:10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
I beseech – parakaleo – to
call to one’s side; exhortation, entreaty, comfort, encourage
son – teknon
– offspring, children; “child”
I have begotten – gennao
– of men who fathered children
bonds – desmon
– a band or bond
Onesimus – Onesimos –
“profitable or useful”; a Christian slave of Philemon. Paul mentions Onesimus
in the letter to the Colossians, calling him a “faithful and beloved brother”.
(Col. 4:9)
(Col
4:9 KJV) With Onesimus, a faithful and
beloved brother, who is one of you…
Paul is kind of careful how he writes this, putting Onesimus’ name at the
end of the sentence, after describing him in a positive light first. The NAS
puts it best:
(Phile 1:10 NASB) I appeal
to you for my child, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, Onesimus,
How did Paul lead Onesimus to the Lord while in prison?
We really don’t know. Paul knew Philemon, but we don’t know if he also knew
Onesimus as a slave to Philemon.
Here’s this slave, running from Colosse, running to the “big city”, and he
ends up running into Paul.
It reminds me of my friend Steve Santos, who was running from the Lord and
ran to Hawaii to be a surf bum. He ended up finding Jesus in Hawaii, and now is
a pastor on the island of Maui.
:11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee
and to me:
unprofitable – achrestos
(“not” + “useful”) – useless,
unprofitable; not virtuous, not good; not manageable; not pleasant.
profitable – euchrestos (“well”
+ “useful”) – easy to make use of, useful; well virtuous, well manageable; well
pleasant
Paul is making a play on words with the name. Onesimus’ name means
“profitable”.
Lesson
Jesus makes us what we ought to be
Onesimus’ own name said it all. But he didn’t live up to his name, he had
been an unprofitable servant. But after coming to Jesus, he had changed, and
now was very useful.
(Eph 2:10 KJV) For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them.
God has good “works” already planned out for us to do.
Illustration
My sons and I have been playing a new computer game called
“Roller Coaster Tycoon”. In the game you build and manage your own simulated
Theme Parks, like miniature Disneylands. You learn all about planning, budgeting,
managing people, and building really cool roller coasters.
When you start the game, you find that there are a number
of pre-planned “scenarios” to complete. The people who designed the game came
up with various types of situations, and you are to take an existing piece of
land, with certain conditions, some are already working theme parks, and you
are to develop these parks. You are given a job to do. It’s already been
planned out.
When you “beat” a level, all you’re doing is doing the
very things that the software designers planned for you to do.
God has His own “scenarios” for us to work out. They are
things He wants us to accomplish, things that are specifically designed for our
own unique gifts, talents, strengths, and weaknesses.
But you’ll never find out what God’s incredible
“scenarios” are for you until you submit your life to Him. Until you choose to
live your life for Him. And when you choose to follow Him, He begins to make
you what you were designed to be.
:12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own
bowels:
have sent again – anapempo –
to send up; to send back
bowels – splagchnon
– bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.); the bowels were
regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love; but
by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections, esp. kindness,
benevolence, compassion; hence our heart (tender mercies, affections, etc.)
(Phile 1:12 NLT) I am
sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.
Onesimus is a runaway slave. Paul is sending him back.
The usual penalty for an escaped slave was death or branding with a hot
iron to mark him with the letter “F” for fugitivus, a fugitive. Paul is
not expecting Philemon to do any of this.
Paul is not taking on the system of slavery here. He is not chastising
Philemon for having slaves. He’s simply sending Onesimus back. Don’t get me
wrong. Paul is not in favor of slavery. Check out 1Cor. 7:21-24 for homework.
(1
Cor 7:21-24 NLT) Are you a slave? Don't
let that worry you--but if you get a chance to be free, take it. {22} And
remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, the Lord has now set
you free from the awful power of sin. And if you were free when the Lord called
you, you are now a slave of Christ. {23} God purchased you at a high price.
Don't be enslaved by the world. {24} So, dear brothers and sisters, whatever
situation you were in when you became a believer, stay there in your new
relationship with God.
:13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have
ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
I would – boulomai – to
will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded
retained – katecho
– to hold back, detain, retain
might have ministered – diakoneo
– to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve
bonds – desmon
– a band or bond
gospel – euaggelion
– a reward for good tidings; good tidings; the glad tidings of salvation
through Christ; the gospel
Paul isn’t wanting Onesimus to become his own personal slave, but to become
a slave of the gospel like Paul is. If Onesimus were to serve the Lord, that
would have “ministered” to Paul.
:14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be
as it were of necessity, but willingly.
mind – gnome – the faculty
of knowledge, reason; that which is thought or known, one’s mind; mind
concerning what ought to be done
would I – thelo
– to will, have in mind, intend; to be resolved or determined, to purpose;
to desire, to wish
do – poieo
– to make; to do
“without your decision on this matter, I want to do nothing”
necessity – anagke
– necessity, imposed either by the circumstances, or by law of duty
regarding to one’s advantage, custom, argument
benefit – agathos
– of good constitution or nature; useful, salutary; good, pleasant,
agreeable, joyful, happy; excellent, distinguished; upright, honourable
willingly – hekousion
– voluntary; from hekon –
unforced, voluntary, willing; of one’s own will; of one’s own accord
Paul wants Philemon to know everything that has happened. He wants Philemon
to be able to make his own mind up concerning what to do with Onesimus.
Paul is actually making it easier for Philemon to keep Onesimus as a
servant by sending him back.
Colosse is 900 miles from Rome (if you were to fly straight). It would be
much easier for Onesimus to stay at Colosse once he’s sent back.
Lesson
Don’t take advantage of people.
This letter has been called “the polite epistle” because of the way Paul
handles the situation between Philemon and Onesimus. It gives us a great
example of how we ought to be dealing with people in difficult circumstances.
Paul could have assumed that he could have encouraged Onesimus to stay with
him. He could have said, “I know my buddy Philemon, and he’d want Onesimus to
stay with me, so I’ll let him stay”. And then he could have written the letter
to Philemon telling him this, but never really giving Philemon the freedom to
make the decision without extreme manipulation.
Instead he did what was right. He allowed Philemon the space to make the
decision about what to do with Onesimus. The choice of what to do with Onesimus
is really Philemon’s to make. Paul sees that and lets him make the choice.
He did what was proper.
Illustration
Don’t treat people like pigs. Treat them with respect.
:15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest
receive him for ever;
he … departed – chorizo –
to separate, divide, part, put asunder, to separate one’s self from, to depart;
to leave a husband or wife; of divorce; to depart, go away
Paul uses a word that is used for divorce. In a way, Philemon had been through
a divorce, a separation from Onesimus.
season – hora
(“hour”) – a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and
returning with the revolving year; the daytime (bounded by the rising and
setting of the sun), a day; a twelfth part of the day-time, an hour, (the
twelve hours of the day are reckoned from the rising to the setting of the
sun); any definite time, point of time, moment
for ever – aionios
– without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be;
without beginning; without end, never to cease, everlasting
receive – apecho
– have; to have wholly or in full, to have received
Lesson
God turns bad things good.
Philemon had been through a “bad relationship”. He had been deserted by
Onesimus.
Yet God was working on Onesimus, and though he was running from Philemon,
he couldn’t outrun God.
(Rom 8:28 KJV) And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose.
Joseph and his brothers
Joseph got a bad deal from his brothers. They not only didn’t like him and
would let him hang around with them, but they ended up selling him as a slave,
and he ended up in Egypt, separated from his home and family.
At first, life as a slave wasn’t too bad because God was blessing Joseph so
much. Joseph kept getting promotions until the day that his boss’ wife accused
him of “sexual harassment” and he ended up in prison. Two years in prison.
But the time came when Joseph got his break and after he interpreted
Pharaoh’s dreams, he ended up with the top job in Egypt, assistant to Pharaoh.
In the meantime, a worldwide famine hit, and Joseph found himself in the
place of feeding the world. And the day came when a group of brothers showed
up, looking for help, and the pieces all began to fall in place in Joseph’s
head. He began to realize that all the hardship and pain he had been through
had been for a purpose.
He told his brothers,
(Gen 50:20
KJV) But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to
bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
God can turn bad things to good. It may not be the same way in every
situation, but God can do it. He can change the other person. He can change
you.
:16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially
to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
servant – doulos
– a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
brother – adelphos
– a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same
father or mother; a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection
flesh – sarx
– flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and
is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts; the body; the flesh, denotes
mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and
therefore prone to sin and opposed to God
Onesimus wasn’t just a slave now, he was a Christian brother to Philemon.
:17 If thou count me therefore a
partner, receive him as myself.
count – echo
– to have, i.e. to hold; to have i.e. own, possess; to hold one’s self or
find one’s self so and so, to be in such or such a condition
partner – koinonos
– a partner, associate, comrade, companion; a partner, sharer, in anything
receive – proslambano
– to take to, take in addition, to take to one’s self
:18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
wronged – adikeo
– to act unjustly or wickedly, to sin,; to be a criminal, to have violated
the laws in some way; to do wrong; to do hurt
oweth – opheilo
– to owe; to owe money, be in debt for.
It is thought that Onesimus may have stolen something from Philemon when he
ran away.
put that on … account – ellogeo
– to reckon in, set to one’s account, lay to one’s charge, impute
Lesson
The example of Jesus.
So much of this is a wonderful picture of how Jesus intercedes with the
Father in heaven for us.
(1 John 2:1 KJV) My little
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
You see Paul following in the steps of Jesus, as Jesus would pray for us –
(Phile 1:10 KJV) I beseech
thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
Jesus has begotten us, we are His children.
(Phile 1:11 KJV) Which in
time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
We used to be unprofitable to God, but now we are
profitable.
(Phile 1:15 KJV) For perhaps he therefore departed for a season,
that thou shouldest receive him for ever;
Jesus wants us to live with the Father forever.
(Phile 1:16 KJV) Not now as
a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how
much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
We are no longer slaves to sin, but are now part of God’s
family.
(Phile 1:17 KJV) If thou
count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.
That the Father would receive us as He does Jesus.
(Phile 1:18 KJV) If he hath
wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
If we owe God anything because of our sin, Jesus pays for
it with His own death on the cross for us.
Lesson
Be an intercessor
Pray for slaves to become brothers.
Do you love them enough to pick up the tab for them?
:19 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.
repay – apotino
– to pay off, repay
thou owest … besides – prosopheilo
– to owe beside
Paul had led Philemon to the Lord.
:20 Yea, brother, let me have joy
of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
have joy – oninemi
– to be useful, to profit, help; to receive profit or advantage, be helped
[or have joy]
refresh – anapauo
– to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to
recover and collect his strength; to give rest, refresh, to give one’s self
rest, take rest; to keep quiet, of calm and patient expectation
bowels – splagchnon
– bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.); the bowels were
regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love; but
by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections, esp. kindness,
benevolence, compassion; hence our heart (tender mercies, affections, etc.)
“refresh my heart”
:21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou
wilt also do more than I say.
having confidence – peitho
– persuade; be persuaded; to trust, have confidence, be confident
Paul isn’t just looking for making brownie points with Philemon by sending
his slave back to him. He truly expects that Philemon will free this slave and
allow him to serve the Lord.
What happened to Onesimus?
Church history records that Onesimus was set free as a slave by his master
Philemon (Apostolical Canons [73]). The Apostolical Constitutions
[7.46] state that he was consecrated by Paul to be bishop of Berea, in
Macedonia, and that he was martyred at Rome.
:22 But withal prepare me also a
lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
prepare – hetoimazo
– to make ready, prepare
lodging – xenia
– hospitality, hospitable reception; a lodging place, lodgings
prayers – proseuche
– prayer addressed to God
I shall be given – charizomai – to do something pleasant or
agreeable (to one), to do a favour to, gratify; to show one’s self gracious,
kind, benevolent; to give graciously, give freely, bestow. This is the verb form of the word “grace” (charis).
:23 There salute thee Epaphras, my
fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
Epaphras – Epaphras
– “lovely”; a Christian man mentioned in Paul’s epistles. Epaphras was in prison with Paul, but had
probably been the one who had first preached the gospel in Colosse (Col.
1:7). He was a prayer warrior who
prayed for the Colossians even while he was in prison (Col. 4:12-13).
Epaphras was from Colosse. Perhaps he too knew Onesimus as the slave of
Philemon.
fellowprisoner – sunaichmalotos
– a fellow prisoner; “fellow captive”
:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas,
Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
These guys, along with Epaphras,
were all with Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome:
Marcus – Markos
– “a defense”; an evangelist, the author of the Gospel of Mark. Marcus was
his Latin surname, his Jewish name was John. He was a cousin of Barnabas and a
companion of Paul in some of his missionary journeys. He was the reason Paul and Barnabas split up when Paul refused to
take Mark on the second missionary journey because Mark had deserted them on
the previous journey. Later on, Paul
would decide that Mark had grown up and was again profitable for ministry (Col.
4:10; 2Tim. 4:11)
Aristarchus – Aristarchos
– “the best ruler”; a certain Christian of Thessalonica, and accompanied
Paul on his third missionary journey; he also sailed with Paul to Rome, where
he is when Paul is writing.
Demas – Demas
– “governor of the people”; a companion of Paul, who deserted the apostle
when he was a prisoner at Rome and returned to Thessalonica (2Tim. 4:10).
Lucas – Loukas
– “light-giving”; a Gentile Christian, the companion of Paul in preaching
the gospel and on his many journeys; he was a physician and author of the book
of Luke and Acts in the NT
fellowlabourers – sunergos
– a companion in work, fellow worker
:25 The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with your spirit. Amen.