Lesson 18: The Philemon Story
Friends, here is another sermon aligned to the series.
Chances are, most of you have never heard of Philemon. One reason undoubtedly is that it is a very short letter, only 25 verses tucked between Titus and Hebrews at the back of the New Testament. Philemon, the leader of a house church, has asked Paul, a prisoner in Rome, to return his slave Onesimus. This little note is Paul’s reply.
Christians have tended to ignore the letter, because it has been used in the past to support slavery. Confederates would cite Paul’s words in Colossians 3 and 1 Corinthians 7 that advised slaves to stay and obey their masters and then follow up with Philemon to show Paul returned runaway slaves to their masters. Of course, they ignored Revelation that damned the slave trade as an offense to humanity.
Philemon was obviously a wealthy man if he owned a slave and had a house with a large enough room for a church service. He was indebted to Paul for leading him to Christ, and his slave became a Christian while taking care of Paul in prison.
It’s hard to tell from the letter how the slave ended up in prison. Maybe Philemon sent him to help Paul and now requests his return. It could be that he has discovered that the slave had formerly stolen some money. Or it could be that he really is simply a runaway slave who ended up in prison with Paul.
The confusion arises partially because slavery was a part of the first century’s economic system. A historian friend told me he thought slaves probably made up about 1 out of 6 people in the empire. He talked about two kinds of slaves: foreigners who were the spoils of war, and Romans who sold themselves to the wealthy to pay their debts. He then added a third practice he felt Paul especially detested: young boys and girls sold for sexual exploitation by their poor parents. Unlike those in our Old South, Roman slaves could buy their freedom, sometimes by time served and sometimes by financial payment.
Keep these things in mind as I read my paraphrase of the letter. Ask yourself what Paul is really asking.
To my dearest Philemon, my friend and coworker in Christ. As you know so well, living constantly as a prisoner of Christ has literally landed me in prison. But be assured I still include you in my prayers every day. First, I thank God for how much you have loved our Christian brothers and sisters in the past and second I pray that you profit from being even more loving in the future.
I write to report I am honoring your request to return Onesimus. Having grown older and wiser since being imprisoned, I would never presume to tell you what your duty is. I know I can rely on your treating him with love.
This whole matter is very difficult for me. Onesimus has taken such good care of me while I have been in prison that I have come to regard him like a son. It is as if I lose part of my heart when he leaves. Treat him as you would treat me.
Remember he has been baptized while he has been with me. That means he returns as more than your slave. He is now your beloved brother. Treat him as you would treat Christ himself.
Besides that, if you think he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, I will pay what you think is your due. Of course, you are aware you already owe me for your life in Christ and that is worth more than money.
But enough of this! I do not have to tell you what to do. You like me are Christ’s slave and will do exactly what he calls you to do.
Oh yes, one thing more. I am sure your prayers for my release from prison will be answered, so prepare a guest room for me. The first thing I plan to do when I get out is to visit you so I can see for myself what you have done.
Your servant and God’s slave, Paul.
As you could hear, I thoroughly enjoy the way Paul makes his request. I imagine Philemon read the letter, shook his head, laughed, and said to himself, “Gee, I wonder what Paul thinks I should do.”
He certainly implies in every possible way that Philemon should free his slave and send him back to help him in his ministry.
A famous scholar believes this is exactly what happened. He reports we later find a bishop of Ephesus named Onesimos and assumes this is the freed slave. Paul’s helpers often became leaders in the Church following his death. That would explain how this short personal letter became part of the Bible. This slave become bishop helped gather Paul’s letters for the canon and simply included the one that gained him his freedom.
Certainly, the letter is precious in helping us see how the early church worked to understand what Jesus’ freedom meant in all areas of life. In Galatians Paul wrote “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith…There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ.”
At the same time there are the two passages I cited above that teach slaves should obey their masters just as women should obey their husbands. Some scholars think Philemon’s letter suggests these were inserted by later churchmen who were not ready to go so far. Revelation’s condemnation of the Roman slave trade would seem to support their speculation.
Nonetheless, the passages still show some early Christians struggled with how far Jesus’ freedom went. Paul’s letter to Philemon reminds us there are all sorts of enslavement. Onesimus was not the only prisoner. Paul was also a prisoner of the politics as system. Philemon and other Christians were prisoners of the economic system. And as we all know others are enslaved to drugs, pornography, sex, race, job, and all sorts of bad beliefs and practices. Paul promises we can be freed when we become a prisoner of Christ enslaved by his love.
Relative to our Frontline Study, we should also mention many today are enslaved to political cult. They are prisoner to the thoughts and practices of a leader who demands unconditional loyalty in spite of lies, the rejection of science, and the abuse of other human beings.
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