In a book of the Bible containing just 25 verses you might expect that it had little to offer in Biblical truth. But the opposite is the case. We have in these few verses an example of true repentance and a subsequent possibility of reconciliation.
The story involves a slave who escaped from his master and later became a Christian believer. In the providence of God he came into contact with the apostle Paul and their friendship enriched both their lives. However Paul believed that this slave Onesimus had unfinished business as a runaway slave. He felt he should return to his master.
This is the background to the letter he wrote to Philemon, the master in question. It urged Philemon to receive him back not as a slave but as a Christian brother. The letter provides a clear understanding of the need for forgiveness from God and the way repentance and faith opens the door for that to happen. Forgiveness from God should lead to the forgiveness of one another.
The Greeting. Verses 1 to 3
In this greeting we read that Paul is joining with Timothy in writing to Philemon. He addresses Philemon as a beloved fellow worker and also includes in the greeting “Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier” as well as the members of the church who met in Philemon’s home.
His greeting is similar to that in many of his other epistles, 3 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philemon’s Example of Love and Faith Blessed Others. Verses 4 to 6
Paul praised God for Philemon’s faith and love, 4 “I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.” Philemon had not only come to love God but he allowed his love to flow through to his fellow saints.
Paul also prayed for Philemon’s sharing of his faith that it would impact those around him in positive ways. Especially that they might know all the good that they had in Christ in their commitment to Him. 6 “and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.”
The Blessing Philemon Had Been To Paul. Verse 7
7 “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” Philemon’s love had blessed Paul because he had heard of the impact Philemon was having amongst believers. Their hearts had been refreshed through him. [NOTE1].
Paul’s Plea for Onesimus. Verses 8 to 21.
Paul’s letter to Philemon had a deeper purpose. It was to bring an appeal to Philemon rather than a command. 8 “Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.”
Philemon knew who Onesimus was. He had been a slave to Philemon but had escaped and run away. In the providence of God he came into contact with Paul and been converted to Christ. Not only that but their love for each had grown deeply so that Paul called him “my very heart.” [verse 11].
Paul’s description of Onesimus was very generous. He described him as being formerly “useless “to Philemon but through his conversion had become “useful” to Paul and to Philemon. 11 (“Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.”) [NOTE 2]. However, Paul believed that Onesimus should return to Philemon even though he would feel his loss deeply. 12 “I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.”
Paul had been faced with a difficult decision. Should he keep Onesimus with him or should he send him back to Philemon. As he explained, 13 “I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.”
Paul realised that God had over-ruled so that Onesimus had come under his influence and been won to Christ. But he believed that he should send Onesimus back to his former master, 15 “For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever. 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” What Paul is doing here is urging Philemon to forgive Onesimus and to bring him into fellowship as a full brother in Christ and not receive him back as an errant runaway slave.
In fact, he wants Philemon to offer Onesimus the same sort of reception he would give to Paul himself as a brother in Christ. 17 “So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.“ But past sins ought to be addressed and not ignored. Onesimus was in Philemon’s debt. However, Paul has a solution he puts to Philemon, 18 “If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.” Paul was willing to cover any debt that Onesimus might owe to Philemon, if indeed Philemon wanted repayment of what was owed him. Paul added a subtle reminder. Philemon was actually in Paul’s debt. He owed his new life as a believer to Paul who had led him to Christ.
As Paul concludes his letter he asks a favour of Philemon with the confidence that Philemon will do far more than Paul is asking for. 20 “Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. “
Paul fully expects that Philemon will indeed receive Onesimus back as a beloved brother in Christ. That would refresh Paul’s heart. [NOTE 3]
SUMMARY
These few verses in this letter to Philemon reveal a lot about Paul, Philemon and Onesimus. We have Paul sharing his heart with Philemon in what Philemon meant to him. But he also shared his heart about a runaway slave whom he had brought to Christ. Add this was happening while Paul was in prison.
Philemon seemed to be a faithful godly man who gathered believers into his home to instruct them. As a result they had been refreshed by his faith and his love.
Onesimus had been blessed by God in coming into contact with Paul in prison. He had been converted to Christ and stayed near Paul in order to serve him. He finally fulfilled the meaning of his name by becoming “useful” rather than remaining useless.
Throughout the letter God’s gracious ministry to humans is recorded and the possibility of being refreshed by Him as we seek to remain faithful to Him, is evident.
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[NOTE 1]. “Hearts” here is from [splagchnon; σπλάγχνον] which can mean the bowels or intestines which was seen as the source of deep emotions, often translated as “compassion.”
“Refreshed” is from [anapauō; ἀναπαύω] meaning to take rest or to be refreshed. In other words those who been ministered to by Philemon felt spiritually deeply refreshed as a result of his ministry.
[NOTE 2]. Onesimus’ name means “useful.” But he had not been useful to Philemon in perhaps stealing from him and running away. “Useless” is from [achrēstos; ἄχρηστος] which is the opposite of chrēstos meaning useful. However now as a believer, Onesimus had become “useful” or profitable [euchrēstos; εὔχρηστος] where the [eu] means good or well or profitable.
[NOTE 3]. ‘Refresh” here is the same word as in verse 7. As Philemon had refreshed the saints around him, Paul expects his own heart to be refreshed as Philemon obeyed his wishes and accepted Onesimus in brotherly love.
Blog No.412 posted on Wednesday 03 August 2022.
413. Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners. 1 Timothy 1:12-17. A Reading on Sunday 11 Sept 2022
We don’t know if Paul led Timothy to Christ. However, we do know that Timothy had a good knowledge of the Old Testament due no doubt to his mother and grandmother. Paul accepted him as a young protége and became like a spiritual father to the young man. He called him, “my true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2).
Paul wrote this letter to him to encourage him in his ministry.
Paul’s Thanksgiving For The Grace Of God In His Life. 12-14.
Throughout Paul’s writings, we see that he maintained a humble attitude to his calling and to his ministry. In these verses, he elaborates on the grace of God that was bestowed on him in his coming to faith and throughout his ministry.
12 “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service” [Note 1]
However, Paul had not always been “faithful” or a suitable candidate for ministry for God. Here he reminds Timothy of his life before he came to Christ and how it had been the grace of God that had changed him. 13 ”though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief.”
It was certainly true that Paul had blasphemed against God. Not only by speaking against the testimonies of those who had come to “The Way” but by actively trying to have their voices silenced as he sought to have them thrown into prison. He had persecuted the church and Jesus Himself, as the Risen Jesus said as He appeared to him on the Damascus Road and challenged him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Paul had also been an “insolent opponent.” [Note 2].
One would have thought that such a person could never be forgiven by God having been responsible for so many sins against the church. But Paul introduces the concept of the mercy of God, “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief.” Paul’s sinful life was due to his ignorance of God and His ways and his subsequent unbelief. It took the mercy of God to change Paul into the man of God that God wanted him to be. It was the manifestation of grace towards Paul that brought the change.
Paul now turns the focus from his unworthiness to the amazing grace of God which He had poured out on Paul “and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.“ [Note 3].
We know the story of Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 where the power of God fell on Paul and led to his belief in Jesus. [We could say that every conversion is an expression of the grace of God leading people from unbelief to belief. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Salvation is a gift deriving from the grace of God and available as a gift to all those who put their trust in Jesus.]
Paul’s Affirmation Of The Death Of Jesus To Save Sinners. 15-16
In the next verse it seems that Paul was trying to encourage Timothy with the certainty of the truth of the gospel message, 15 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
This is the gospel in a nutshell. Jesus as the Son of God had come into the world to bring about the salvation of sinners. That is the whole purpose of His incarnation in becoming a human to die for humans. That was the eternal message that both Paul and Timothy had been called by God to share with sinful humans. But Paul knew that of himself he was not worthy to perform such a task. So he added, “to save sinners,] of whom I am the foremost.” It wasn’t false humility on Paul’s part. He had been a great threat to the early church, perhaps more than any other human at the time. But God’s mercy and grace had wrought a miracle in Paul’s life so that the great persecutor of the church had become the great preacher and pastor of the church.
Paul had come to understand that God’s mercy had been behind His plan to save Him in particular, for it would show that if someone like Paul could be saved, then it was possible for anyone to be saved, 16 “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” Jesus’ perfect patience meant that He could wait until people were willing to repent of their sins and to give their lives to Him. Believing in Jesus led to having eternal life.
Salutation. 17
As Paul often did in his other epistles, he broke out into a salutation to God, 17 “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.” His words emphasise the uniqueness of God as “the King of the ages “and as “the only God.” He was the only one worthy to receive honour and glory.
SUMMARY
This passage of scripture is important in showing us the character of the apostle Paul. It also shows us the danger of misunderstanding the nature of truth. Paul had been sincere in his persecution of the church but it was a misplaced sincerity, for it had been based on a wrong perception of Jesus as a person and on the contribution he had come to bring to a needy world. It was only on the Damascus Road that his spiritual eyes were opened as his physical eyes were closed. However, from that point onwards his commitment to the Risen Christ was total. That was brought out in his challenging words in Galatians 2:20 where he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Perhaps one of the other major messages in this reading is the immensity of the grace and love of God. Who would have thought that a hardened persecutor like Saul of Tarsus could be so radically changed by the power of God? No wonder Ananias responded to the Lord’s command to support Paul that he replied, “But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’” It needed the assurance of an understanding of God’s purpose in Paul’s life, for him to obey, “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.‘” It is a great reminder to us in today’s world, that we should not see any individual as being beyond the grace and mercy of God. Sometimes it is the most unlikely person whom God chooses to be one of His instruments in His purposes in the world.
NOTES:
[Note 1]. “Appointing.” Is from [tithēmi; τίθημι] meaning to “place” or “establish” Paul in his ministry and service to God.
[NOTE 2.] “blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.” The latter is [hybristēs; ὑβριστής] meaning an insulter or an injurious person. The only other reference in the New Testament is in Romans 1:30 where Paul is describing those insolent people whom God had given up because they had not acknowledged God.
[NOTE 3]. “overflowed” is from [hyperpleonazō; ὑπερπλεονάζω] meaning to be exceedingly abundant. It is the only use of this word in the New Testament.