Philemon

PhilemonPhilemon is a personal letter written by the Apostle ______

while he was in prison in _______.

Philemon and these 3 Books are referred to as the “prison

epistles”: ___________, ____________, ____________.

This letter is addressed to Philemon, who lived in ________

________, in or near the city of Colossae.

Philemon was a convert among both residents of Ephesus

and many visitors to the city during Paul’s _______

missionary journey.

Paul

Rome

Asia

Minor

third

Ephesians Colossians Philippians

Historical BackgroundThe City Of Colossae:

• Colossae was a city of southwestern Phrygia in Asia

Minor, not far from the rivers Lycos and Meander. In

antiquity Colossae was on the trade route (from Ephesus to

the Euphrates River) heading east and was a very

important city.

• Colossae was famous for its fine wool and colorful dyes.

• During the time of the Roman Empire the road system

changed and neighboring cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis

became more important.

Historical BackgroundThe City Of Colossae:

There was a church there, perhaps established by

Epaphras (Colossians 1:2; 4:12).

For church services, saints met at the ________ of

Philemon.

Apparently Philemon was ___________, for his home

was large enough to accommodate the church

assemblies, and he was a ________ owner.

wealthy

home

slave

Philemon, 1-7 (NKJ)

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the

beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your

house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing

of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward

all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the

acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For

we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the

saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

Philemon, 8-16 (NKJ)8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is

fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul,

the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—10 I appeal to you for my

son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was

unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own

heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister

to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do

nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but

voluntary.

15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive

him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother,

especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Philemon, 17-25 (NKJ)

17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if

he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul,

am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you

owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from

you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you

will do even more than I say.22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room

for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark,

Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Outline of Philemon

I. Paul’s Preamble (Greeting/Salutation): verses 1-3

II. Paul’s Praise (Thanksgiving and Prayer: verses 4-7 A GREAT CHRISTIAN MAN - Philemon

III.Paul’s Plea (Request): verses 8-20 A MAN GREATLY CHANGED - Onesimus

IV. Paul’s Purpose (Conclusion): verses 21-25

15 For perhaps he departed for a while,

18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything,

Colossians 4:9 - “with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.”

Philemon 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,

11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. happening here.”

16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Colossians 4:9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

Philemon 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west,So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

2 Corinthians 4:12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 55 “O Death, where is your sting?O Hades, where is your victory?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

3 Things to Remember When You Commit Your Life to Christ…

1. Forgive – Jesus wants to take whatever we’ve done and wash it away (Psalm 103:12)

2. Revive – Jesus wants to make everything new (2 Corinthians 5:17)

3. Involve – Jesus wants to use you as a new creation in Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Did Philemon forgive Onesimus? Did he receive him back into his fellowship? The Bible doesn't say. But would we today be having this public reading of this very private letter if Philemon had failed to respond by doing the Christian thing?

Luther wrote in his preface to Philemon: ...here we see how St. Paul takes the part of poor Onesimus and... advocates his cause with his master. He acts exactly as if he were himself Onesimus, who had done wrong.Yet he does this not with force or compulsion, as lay within his rights; but he empties himself of his rights in order to compel Philemon also to waive his rights. What Christ has done for us with God the Father, that St. Paul does also for Onesimus with Philemon. For Christ emptied himself of his rights [Phil. 2:7] and overcame the Father with love and humility, so that the Father had to put away his wrath and rights, and receive us into favor for the sake of Christ, who so earnestly advocates our cause and so heartily takes our part. For we are all Onesimuses if we believe. (Luther's Works, vol. 35, p. 390)

Does Paul Approve of the Institution of Slavery?

How To Respond to Critics

Problem:

• Paul seems to favor the institution of human slavery by sending a runaway slave, Onesimus,

back to his owner.

• Paul makes no outright condemnation of slavery. But slavery is unethical, a violation of the principles

of human freedom and dignity.


Slavery is unethical and unbiblical, and neither Paul’s actions nor his writings approve of this debasing form of

treatment. In fact it was the application of biblical principles that ultimately led to overthrow of slavery. Here Paul nether

commends nor condones it; rather, he undermines it and condemns it implicitly.

Several import facts should be noted in this connection:

1. From the very beginning, God declared that all humans bear the image of God (Gen. 1:27). The apostle reaffirmed this, declaring, “We are the offspring of God” (Acts 17:29), and “He has made from one blood every nation of men to

dwell on all the face of the earth” (v. 26).

2. In spite of the fact that slavery was countenanced in the Semitic cultures of the day, the law demanded that

slaves eventually be set free (Exod. 21:2; Lev. 25:40-41). Likewise, servants had to be treated with respect

(Exod. 21:20,26).

3. God reminded Israel constantly that they had been slaves in Egypt (Deut. 5:15), and their emancipation became the model for the liberation of all slaves (see

Lev. 25:40-41).

4. In the New Testament Paul declared that in Christianity “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave

nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). All social classes are broken down in Christ; we are all equal before God.

5. The New Testament explicitly forbids the evil system of this world that traded the “bodies and souls of men” (see Rev. 18:9-13). Slave trade is so repugnant to God that He pronounces His final judgment on the evil system

that perpetrated it (Rev. 17-18).

6. When Paul urges: “Servants, be obedient to those who are your masters” (Ephesians 6:5; see Col. 3:22), he is not thereby approving of the institution of slavery, but simply alluding to the de facto situation in his day. His

purpose is to instruct servants or slaves to be good employees, just as believers should be today, but he

was not commending slavery. Slaves were commanded to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5), but nowhere does

the Bible command anyone to have slaves, nor does it even encourage us to do so.

7. A closer look at Philemon reveals that Paul did not perpetuate slavery but actually undermined it, for he urged Philemon, Onesimus’s owner to treat him as a

“beloved brother” (v. 16). So by emphasizing the inherent equality of all human beings, both by creation

and redemption, the Bible laid down the very moral principles that were used to overthrow slavery and help

restore the dignity and freedom of all persons of whatever color or ethnic group.

8. It was futile in a monarchy to try to overthrow politically the institution of slavery (half the Roman Empire were slaves). It was better to undermine it spiritually, which

eventually happened, by Christian principles.


Paul had not made it his mission to abolish slavery as a social institution. But he did make it his mission to change the way that Christian slaves and Christian slave owners

related with each other.

Paul was more concerned first with the eternal salvation for both slaves and masters. And second he was concerned that both slaves and masters displayed Christian love and

respect for one another, each in their own sphere of responsibility.

The Christian congregations which Paul started were often made up of a large number of slaves, and occasionally

slave owners. And he made it abundantly clear that before the cross of Jesus, the ground was level.

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Philemon