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Philemon Commentary

 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING PHILEMON
 
1) To be impressed with the loving hospitality which characterized the
  Christians in the early church
 
2) To learn lessons in the use of tact in dealing with others
 
SUMMARY
 
In this very short and personal epistle, Paul addresses it to Philemon,
Apphia, Archippus and to the church in their house. But it soon becomes
evident that its contents are directed toward Philemon, a beloved friend
and fellow laborer with Paul (1-3).
 
After his salutation, Paul expresses his thanks for the noble qualities
which have characterized Philemon in the past, especially his love for
the saints. It is because of Philemon's past performance that Paul is
confident his plea will be carried out faithfully (4-7).
 
Paul's plea concerns Onesimus, a slave who had run away from Philemon.
Somehow he had run into Paul at Rome and was now a new convert to Jesus
Christ. As a brother in Christ, Onesimus had made himself very useful
to Paul in Rome. But because he still legally belongs to Philemon, Paul
is sending him back with a plea that Onesimus be forgiven and received
as a brother in the Lord. Paul also offers to pay any restitution which
may be owed Philemon by Onesimus (8-21).
 
The epistle ends with a request for lodging in the near future, and with
sundry greetings from individuals who were with Paul in Rome (22-25).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. SALUTATION (1-3)
 
 A. FROM... (1a)
 1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus
 2. Timothy, a brother
 
 B. TO... (1b-2)
 1. Philemon, a beloved friend and fellow laborer
 2. Apphia
 3. Archippus, a fellow soldier
 4. The church in their house
 
 C. GREETINGS (3)
 1. Grace and peace
 2. From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
 
II. THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER (4-7)
 
 A. PAUL'S THANKFULNESS (4-5)
 1. Expressed in frequent prayers to God
 2. For Philemon's love and faith toward Jesus and all the saints
 
 B. PAUL'S PRAYER (6-7)
 1. That the sharing of Philemon's faith might be effective
 2. Through the acknowledgment of every good thing in Philemon
 3. For example, the joy and comfort experienced by Paul from
  Philemon's love, as Paul hears of how he refreshed the hearts
 of the saints
 
III. THE PLEA FOR ONESIMUS (8-21)
 
 A. AN APPEAL, NOT A COMMAND (8-9)
 1. Paul had the authority to command what is fitting
 2. He chose instead to make an appeal based upon...
 a. Love itself
 b. Paul's "age"
 c. His imprisonment
 
 B. PAUL'S PLEA (10-20)
 1. Concerns Onesimus (10-11)
 a. Who was converted by Paul while in chains, and is now like
 a son to him
 b. Who though once was unprofitable to Philemon, is now
 profitable to both him and Paul
 2. Paul is now sending Onesimus back to Philemon (12-14)
 a. Though he is very dear to Paul
 b. Though Paul wished to keep him and have him work in
 Philemon's behalf in the gospel
 c. But Paul did not want to do anything without Philemon's
 whole-hearted consent
 3. Paul's desire is that Philemon receive Onesimus as a brother
 in Christ (15-17)
 a. Perhaps his running away was for this purpose, that he might
 become a beloved brother in the Lord
 b. So if Philemon considered himself a partner of Paul, Paul
 asks that he receive Onesimus as he would Paul himself
 4. Paul offers to repay Philemon (18-19)
 a. For any wrong that Onesimus might have done
 b. Of course, Philemon already owed Paul his own life
 5. By receiving Onesimus in this way, Philemon could give Paul
  joy and a refreshed heart in the Lord (20)
 
 C. PAUL'S CONFIDENCE IN PHILEMON (21)
 1. In Philemon's obedience
 2. That Philemon will do even more than what Paul is asking for
 
IV. CONCLUDING REMARKS (22-25)
 
 A. A REQUEST FOR LODGING (22)
 1. That Paul might be able to stay with Philemon
 2. For Paul is confident that through the prayers of Philemon he
 will soon be able to come to him
 
 B. GREETINGS FROM OTHERS (23-24)
 1. Epaphras, a fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus
 2. Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, fellow laborers with Paul
 
 C. A CLOSING PRAYER (25)
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS
 
1) Why does Paul refer to himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus? (1)
 - He was "in chains" (also under house arrest, awaiting trial)
 - But note also that he says "of Christ", for it was while engaged in
 HIS service and thus for HIS sake he was imprisoned
 
2) Why the mention of Timothy? (1)
 - He was with Paul at Rome
 - Also, it is possible that he was acquainted with Philemon
 
3) What does Philemon's name mean? Did he live up to it?
 - His name means "one that is affectionate"
 - Yes! cf. verse 5 and 7
 
4) Who, possibly, are Apphia and Archippus? (2)
 - Apphia may have been the wife of Philemon
 - Archippus may have been their son, also the minister for the 
 church in Colosse (cf. Co 4:17)
 
5) Is this letter primarily to Philemon, or to all?
 - To Philemon (note the use of the singular in verses 4-21)
 - Though by mentioning the others, perhaps Paul was soliciting their
 help to encourage Philemon
 
6) What is a good example of this family's devotion to Christ and of
 their hospitality to the saints? (2)
 - It appears that they let the church meet in their home
 
7) Define the terms "grace" and "peace" (3)
 - Grace: favor that is unmerited
 - Peace: harmony (e.g., with God, self, and others), the result of
 God's grace
 
8) How could Paul have heard about Philemon? (4,5)
 - From Epaphras, who was a member of the church at Epaphras (Co 4:12,
 13)
 - From Onesimus himself
 
9) What good things had Paul heard concerning Philemon? (5)
 - His love and faith toward Christ and the saints
 
10) What are some examples of Philemon's love for the saints?
 - Letting the church meet in his home (1)
 - Refreshing the hearts of the saints (7)
 - Preparing guest rooms (22)
 
11) What does Paul pray for in behalf of Philemon? (6)
 - That the sharing of his faith may become effective
 
12) How is this prayer related to the plea which follows in verses 8-21?
 - Carrying out Paul's plea concerning Onesimus would be one way of
 assuring that Philemon's faith in its sharing would be effective
 
13) What had given Paul great joy and comfort in his imprisonment? (7)
 - Philemon's love and the way the saints have been refreshed by him
 
14) How does Paul re-emphasize his close feelings for Philemon? (7)
 - By calling him "brother"
 
15) What does the word "therefore" indicate? (8)
 - That Paul's plea for Onesimus is predicated upon Philemon's past
 behavior mentioned in verses 4-7
 
16) What could Paul have done in this matter? (8)
 - Simply commanded Philemon to do what is proper
 
17) What does Paul do instead? (9)
 - He "appeals" to Philemon
 
18) Why does Paul call himself "the aged"? (9)
 - Perhaps to appeal to Philemon's sympathy
 - Paul is probably about sixty years old at this time, but in light
 of bodily injuries incurred throughout his ministry (cf. 2 Co 11:
 23-29), he was likely older than his years would normally indicate
 
19) Why does he again refer to himself as a prisoner? (9)
 - Perhaps to tactfully remind Philemon that since Paul had suffered
 so much in service to Christ, certainly Philemon could honor his
 request
 
20) In the original language, where does the name "Onesimus" appear in
 the sentence? (10)
 - At the end: "I appeal to you for my son, whom I have begotten
 while in my chains, ONESIMUS."
 
21) What significance might there be in placing Onesimus' name at the
 end of the sentence?
 - Possibly that Paul is tactfully preparing Philemon to honor Paul's
 request by saying what he does before mentioning a name that is
 likely to bring bad memories to Philemon
 
22) What does Paul call Onesimus? What does it mean? (10)
 - "My son"
 - Like Timothy, this convert of Paul had become like a son to him
 
23) What does the name "Onesimus" mean?
 - "Profitable", or "useful"
 
24) How had becoming a Christian changed Onesimus? (11)
 - Prior to his conversion, he was "unprofitable" (as a runaway slave)
 - Now, he was "profitable" to both Paul and Philemon
 - Thus he was now living up to his name!
 
25) What does Paul want Philemon to do in regard to Onesimus? (12)
 - Receive him
 
26) How does Paul express further what Onesimus has meant to him? (12)
 - He refers to Onesimus as "my own heart"
 
27) What had Paul wished to do with Onesimus? (13)
 - To keep him, and let him serve Paul in the gospel
 
28) Why had Paul refrained from doing what he wished? (14)
 - He did not want to do anything without Philemon's whole-hearted
 consent
 
29) What did Paul see as the "possible" reason for this turn of events?
 (15)
 - The providence of God
 - Note that Paul says "perhaps"; Paul recognized that we cannot
 always be certain as to why things happen the way they do (just as
 Mordecai said in Esther 4:14), and whether it is always the Lord's
 doing
 
30) How did Paul want Philemon to receive Onesimus? (16)
 - No longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother
 
31) Upon what basis does Paul ask Philemon to receive Onesimus as he
 would Paul himself? (17)
 - If he considered Paul as a partner
 
32) What is Paul willing to do in behalf of Onesimus? (18-19)
 - Pay back anything Onesimus might owe Philemon
 
33) What indicates that Paul may have personally converted Philemon to 
 the gospel? (19)
 - Paul's statement, "you owe me even your own self"
 
34) How will Philemon's forgiveness of Onesimus affect Paul? (20)
 - Despite being in chains, Paul will have joy and be refreshed in 
 his heart
 
35) Was Paul in doubt about Philemon's response to his request? (21)
 - No, he had confidence that Philemon would do even more that what
 Paul asked
 
36) How could Philemon do more than what Paul had asked of him?
  - He could free Onesimus
 - He could give him spare time to evangelize
 - He could treat other slaves with similar compassion
 
37) How might Paul's request for lodging tactfully induce Philemon to
 honor his request for Onesimus? (22)
 - Philemon would know that Paul would soon be able to witness
 firsthand Philemon's response to the plea for Onesimus
 
38) Where else do we read of these men who accompany Paul in sending
 greetings to Philemon? (23,24)
 - All of them are mentioned in Co 4:10-14
 - Epaphras (Co 1:7; 4:12,13)
 - Mark (Ac 12:12,25; 13:5,13; 15:36-40; 2 Ti 4:11; 1 Pe 5:13)
 - Aristarchus (Ac 19:29; 20:4; 27:2)
 - Demas (2 Ti 4:10)
 - Luke (The "we" sections of Acts, 2 Ti 4:11)
 
39) What is Paul's concluding prayer for Philemon? (25)
 - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."
 
40) List the main point of this epistle
 - Saluation (1-3)
 - Thanksgiving & Prayer (4-7)
 - The Plea For Onesimus (8-21)
 - Concluding Remarks (22-25)

A Model Of Christian Courtesy (1-25)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. There is a book in the New Testament which has been described as:
 a. A model of Christian courtesy
 b. A manifestation of Christian love
 c. A monument of Christian conversion
 
2. That book is Paul's epistle to Philemon, the shortest of all of 
 Paul's letters
 
3. In this lesson, we shall take a brief look at this unique letter
 
[Before actually reading it, it might be helpful to consider some...]
 
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
 
 A. THE AUTHOR...
 1. The apostle Paul, of course
 2. As clearly indicated in verses 1,9,19
 
 B. THE TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING...
 1. By carefully comparing this epistle with the one to the 
 Colossians, it is clear that both were written at the same time
 and from the same place
 a. Like Colossians, the epistle to Philemon was written while
 Paul was in chains (Phile 1,10,13,23; Co 4:18)
 b. Timothy joined Paul in both epistle (Phile 1; Co 1:1)
 c. Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke joined in the 
 salutations of both (Phile 23,24; Co 4:10-14)
 d. Onesimus, the subject of the epistle to Philemon, was one of
 the messengers by whom the epistle to the Colossians was 
  sent (Co 4:7-9)
 2. If the epistle to Philemon was written about the time of 
 Colossians and the other "prison epistles" (Ephesians and 
 Philippians)...
 a. Then it was written during Paul's imprisonment at Rome, the
  time mentioned in Ac 28:30-31
 b. This would make it sometime during 61-63 A.D.
 
 C. THE MAIN CHARACTERS...
 1. PHILEMON
 a. He was likely a member of the church at Colosse
 b. A very hospitable one, as we shall see
  c. It is possible that he was one of Paul's own converts (cf.
 Phile 19)
 2. APPHIA - possibly the wife of Philemon
 3. ARCHIPPUS
 a. Thought by many to be the son of Philemon
 b. A minister of the gospel (cf. Co 4:17)
 4. ONESIMUS
 a. He had been one of Philemon's slaves (Phile 16)
 b. Who had evidently run away (Phile 15)
 c. Somehow, he had traveled from Colosse to Rome, found Paul,
 and was converted to Christ (Phile 10)
 d. He had become very dear to Paul, and very useful (Phile 11-
 13; Co 4:10)
 
 D. THE OCCASION FOR THIS LETTER...
 1. Paul did not think it right to keep Onesimus with him in Rome,
 and was therefore sending him back to Philemon
 2. This letter to Philemon is an appeal by Paul...
 a. To receive Onesimus back, now as a brother in Christ
 b. To forgive him if he had done any wrong
 
[With this background information, let's now READ the epistle,
noticing...]
 
II. THE MAIN DIVISIONS
 
 A. PAUL'S GREETINGS (1-3)
 
 B. PAUL'S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER FOR PHILEMON (4-7)
 
 C. PAUL'S PLEA IN BEHALF OF ONESIMUS (8-21)
 
 D. PAUL'S CONCLUDING REMARKS (22-25)
 
[With a reading of the epistle fresh on our minds, let me suggest 
some...]
 
III. OBJECTIVES FOR STUDYING THIS EPISTLE
 
 A. TO BE IMPRESSED WITH THE LOVING HOSPITALITY THAT CHARACTERIZED 
 THE EARLY CHRISTIANS...
 1. Philemon opening his house for the church to meet - Phile 1-2;
 cf. also Ro 16:3-5; 1 Co 16:19
 2. His love for all the saints - Phile 5; cf. also Co 1:4; 2 Th
 1:3
 3. How he refreshed the hearts of the saints - Phile 7; cf. also
 1 Co 16:15-18
 4. How Paul could depend upon on him for a place to stay - 
 Phile 22
 -- Certainly an example worthy of imitation!
 
 B. TO LEARN TACT IN DEALING WITH OTHERS...
 1. Paul could have "commanded" Philemon, but instead he "appealed"
 to him - Phile 8-9
 2. He introduced the subject of his appeal "gradually" - Phile 10
 (in the Greek, the name of Onesimus is the last word in the
 sentence)
 3. He refused to compel Philemon to let him retain Onesimus in 
 Rome, but sent him back - Phile 12-14
 4. He offers to pay Philemon for any wrong incurred by Onesimus
 - Phile 18-19
 5. He believes in the basic goodness of Philemon, not suspicious
 of how he will react - Phile 21
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. From both the example of Paul and Philemon, there is much to be
 gleaned from reading and meditating on this very short epistle
 a. From Philemon, a model of Christian hospitality
 b. From Paul, a model of Christian courtesy
 
2. If you have not ever carefully studied this epistle before, I hope
 that this brief lesson has whetted your desire to do so in the future
 
3. In closing we notice the last verse:
 
 "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen"
 
Are we living in such a way to allow the grace of the Lord Jesus to be
in our lives?

－－《Executable Outlines》

A dear brother

Formerly useless

Now useful

I. Thanksgiving for Philemon

1. Dear fellow worker

2. The whole household serve God

3. Faith and love

II. Welcome Onesimus

1. An old man

2. A prisoner of Christ Jesus

3. Appeal out of love

III. Willing to pay back for him

1. If he has done you any wrong

2. Charge it to me

3. Confident of your obedience

－－ Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》