Sunday, November 7, 2010

Philemon

  • Who: Written by Paul and carried from Rome by Tychicus along with Ephesians and Colossians. Also, Timothy, Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke his co-workers plus.
  • To whom: Philemon, Apphia and Archippus.
  • About whom: Onesimus, Philemon's runaway slave.
  • What: The change of relationships between a slave and his owner if the slave becomes a Christian. This letter was widely used centuries later for the purpose of promoting the abolition of slavery in Christian countries.
  • When: While Paul was in Rome under house arrest in his first imprisonment- about 60 to 62 AD, while Nero was emperor.
  • Where: From Rome to Asia.
  • Why: An appeal to Philemon to treat Onesimus as a fellow Christian.
  • Key word: Onesimus.
  • Key verse: Verse 16: ...He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother...
  • Key theme: Forgiveness.

(1) This letter is from *Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to **Philemon, our beloved co-worker,

  • *Paul: Imagine the scene! Tychicus and Philemon's runaway slave, Onesimus, are standing before him with a letter from Paul. What would have Philemon's first thought have been upon seeing Onesimus? Have him executed? Then, they hand him this letter from Paul. Philemon breaks the seal and unrolls it and the first thing he sees is "Paul"! Then, he reads the rest of the letter. What would his attitude be now? Imagine Onesimus standing there, shaking in his boots, knowing full well the penalty of death for a runaway slave, hoping and praying that Philemon will take Paul's instructions to heart and showing Onesimus what a Christian is really like. We are not privileged to be a fly on the wall to see and watch what was said after the letter was read by Philemon nor how Philemon treated Onesimus over the years afterward.
  • **Philemon means "friendly one". Philemon lived in Colosse and was evidently well-to-do, since he had at least one slave (Onesimus) and could set up a guest room.

(2) and to our sister *Apphia, and to our fellow soldier **Archippus, and to the church that meets in your ***house.

  • *Apphia was probably Philemon's wife and Archippus' mother.
  • **Archippus: Colossians 4:17: And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”

  • ***house: There were no separate church buildings then - believers met in homes.

(3) May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

(4) I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon,

(5) because *I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.

  • *I keep hearing about your faith: So, is what Paul hears accurate? If so, he'll readily forgive Onesimus. Philemon's faith is being put to the test - he has to show how real this "Christianity thing" really is. This is Philemon's chance to demonstrate those in his house church what Christian forgiveness is.

(6) And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.

(7) Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.

(8) That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do.

(9) But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.

(10) I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, *Onesimus. I became his **father in the faith while here in prison.

  • *Onesimus means “useful" or "profitable".
  • Paul knew Onesimus had to go back. He had to go back with an attitude of repentance and he had to go back and ask Philemon for forgiveness.
  • Ignatius of Antioch mentions an Onesimus as Bishop of Ephesus in the early second century. Onesimus could have been the first to compile the letters of Paul, including the letter that gave him his own freedom as an expression of gratitude. This hypothesis could explain why the letter to Philemon (a letter written to an individual) is included alongside letters written to Christian communities.
  • Colossians 4:7-9: Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.
  • **father: Paul led Onesimus to the Lord as well as Philemon, Timothy (2 Timothy 1:2) and Titus (Titus 1:4).
  • Under Roman law regarding runaway slaves, Philemon could have had Onesimus executed.
  • Proverbs 19:11: Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
  • Matthew 18:21-27: Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.
  • Ephesians 4:31-32: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
  • Colossians 3:13: Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

(11) Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very *useful to both of us.

  • *useful: Onesimus means “useful" or "profitable", so Paul is making a play on words here.

(12) I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.

  • Deuteronomy 23:15-16: “If slaves should escape from their masters and take refuge with you, you must not hand them over to their masters. Let them live among you in any town they choose, and do not oppress them.

(13) I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf.

(14) But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced.

(15) It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever.

(16) He is no longer like a *slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

  • *slave:
    • Colossians 3:11: In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
    • Colossians 4:1: Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven.
    • Philemon and Onesimus are equals before God.
    • Sometimes, when a slave ran away and was caught, they would burn an "F" into his head fugitivus, fugitive. Some of them were crucified. Some were tortured. Running away was a serious offense.
    • Onesimus ran from Colossae to get lost in the massive humanity in the city of Rome, thinking he could hide in the underground of Rome as another of the faceless runaways, the homeless street people who occupied its back alleys.
    • Onesimus has done his part, he is repentant. He is coming back, as it were, hat in hand asking for forgiveness. God has done the right work in his heart and now it is the turn of Philemon.
    • "As the Roman Republic expanded outward, entire populations were enslaved, used not only for labor, but also for amusement. This oppression eventually led to slave revolts, the Third Servile War led by Spartacus being the most famous and severe. By the late Republican era, slavery had become a vital economic pillar in the wealth of Rome, as well as a very significant part of Roman society. It is estimated that over 25% of the population of Ancient Rome was enslaved. According to some scholars, slaves represented 35% or more of Italy's population. In the city of Rome alone there were about 400,000 slaves." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery
    • There are 27 million slaves in the world today, according to National Geographic - half under the age of 18! Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations. Human trafficking is primarily for prostituting women and children into sex industries. It is the fastest growing criminal industry and is predicted to eventually outgrow drug trafficking.

(17) So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

(18) If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me.

  • Apparently, Onesimus not only ran away, he stole some money too.

(19) I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!

20) Yes, my brother, please do me this *favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.

  • *favor: Greek onaimen, a play on the name Onesimus.

(21) I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!

(22) One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me *return to you soon.

(23) *Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings.

  • *Epaphras was from Colosse:
    • Colossians 1:7: You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.
    • Colossians 4:12: Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.
    • Epaphras was probably the pastor of the church in Colosse.
  • *return: Paul is expecting to be released. Compare to 2 Timothy 4:6 where, in his second imprisonment, he's expecting to be executed very soon.

(24) So do *Mark, **Aristarchus, ***Demas, and ****Luke, my co-workers.

  • *Mark (Marcus): Mark had once left Paul (Acts 13:13) but apparently was now back with him in Rome.
    • Acts 12,25; 13:13: When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.
      ... Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.
  • **Aristarchus:
    • Acts 19:29: Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
    • Acts 27:2: Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.
  • ***Demas: 2 Timothy 4:10: Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.
  • ****Luke: 2 Timothy 4:11: Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.

(25) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.

On-Line Sources:

Off-Line Sources:

Excerpt from The Motives of One Who Forgives - Philemon 19-25: http://web.archive.org/web/20010820052854/www.gty.org/Broadcast/transcripts/57-4.htm:

"Just as a footnote, history records that some time after this a man became the pastor of the church at Ephesus and his name was Onesimus. Could it be the same man? If so, we certainly know the wonderful power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is powerful, that's partly why that story is here. Forgiveness impacts people.

"Let me update the story. We've just celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, 7:55 A.M. on a cloudless Sunday, the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor. In two hours 2,403 Americans were dead, 1,178 were wounded, 169 U.S. aircraft were totally destroyed, three massive ships sunk and 18 others damaged. This incredible attack was led by a 39-year-old Japanese top gun pilot, Commander Mitsuo Fuchida whose life hero was Adolf Hitler. Fuchida led 183 Japanese airplanes into the harbor at Honolulu and devastated thousands of men and a whole nation and triggered, as you know, the massive, massive death that came about through American atomic retaliation as well as conventional weaponry. Mitsuo Fuchida, a name that you read over and over and over and over in anything you ever read about World War II. His plane was hit numerous times as he came and went from Pearl Harbor, but he survived.

"After the war was over he was besieged with memories of death. He decided to become somewhat of a recluse and so he took up farming near Osaka. It gave him time to think. He focused increasingly on the problem of peace and he decided in the midst of his guilt and worry over all that had been done in the war to write a book. He determined that the title of the book would be No More Pearl Harbors. He would urge the world to devote itself to pursuing peace. Mitsuo Fuchida struggled in vain, however, to find a principle by which peace could work. For years he tried to find the principle that would let him write the book...couldn't find it. He couldn't find anything in the religions of Japan, the philosophies of the world.

"Then the story took a dramatic change. The story goes like this. The first report came from a friend, a lieutenant who had been captured by the Americans and incarcerated in a prisoner of war camp in America. Fuchida saw his name in a newspaper on a list of POWs who were returning to Japan. He determined to visit him. When they met they spoke of many things. Then Fuchida asked the question upper most in his mind: how did the Americans treat you in the POW camp? His friend said, "They were treated well." Then he told Fuchida a story which he said made an immense impression upon him and on every prisoner in the American camp.

"Something happened at the camp where I was interred," he said, "which has made it possible for us who were in that camp to forego all our resentment and hatred and to return with a forgiving spirit and a feeling of light-heartedness instead." Fogita said, "What is that?" The former prisoner said to him, "There was a young American girl named Margaret Peggy Covel(?) whom they judged to be about 20 years old who came to the camp on a regular basis doing all she could for the prisoners. She brought things to them they might enjoy, such as magazines and newspapers. She looked after their sick and she was constantly solicitous to help them in every way. They received an immense shock, however, when they asked her why she was so concerned to help these Japanese prisoners. She answered, `Because my parents were killed by the Japanese army.'

"Such a statement might shock a person from any culture but it was incomprehensible to the Japanese, in their society no offense could be greater than the murder of one's parents. Peggy tried to explain her motives. She said her parents had been missionaries. When the Japanese invaded the islands, Philippines, her parents escaped to the mountains in north Luzon(?) for safety. In due time, however, they were discovered. The Japanese charged them with being spies and told them they were to be put to death. They earnestly denied that they were spies but the Japanese would not be convinced and they were executed. Peggy didn't hear about her parents' fate until the end of the war. At first she was furious with grief and indignation, thoughts of her parents' last hours of life filled her with great sorrow. She envisioned them trapped, wholly at the mercy of their captors with no way out. She saw the merciless brutality of the soldiers, she saw them facing their Japanese executioners and falling lifeless to the ground on that far off Philippine mountain.

"Then Peggy began to consider her parents' selfless love for the Japanese people. Gradually she became convinced that they had forgiven the people God had called them to love and serve. Then it occurred to her that if her parents had died without bitterness or rancor toward their executioners, why should her attitude be any different? Should she be filled with hatred and vengeful feelings when they had been filled with love and forgiveness? Therefore Peggy chose the path of love and forgiveness. She decided to minister to the Japanese prisoners in the nearby POW camp as a proof of her sincerity.

"Fuchida was touched by the story. But he was especially impressed with the possibility that it was exactly what he had been searching for, a principle sufficient to be a basis for peace, the principle was a forgiving love. Could that be the principle upon which the message of his projected book, No More Pearl Harbors could be based?

"Shortly after this Fuchida was summoned by General Douglas MacArthur to Tokyo. As he got off the train at Shebulya(?) station he was handed a pamphlet entitled, "I was a prisoner of Japan." It told about an American sergeant, Jacob DeShazer(?) who had spent 40 months in a Japanese prison cell and who after the war had come back to Japan to love and serve the Japanese people by helping them to come to know Jesus Christ."

"To make the story short, DeShazer told about how he was a bombardier on one of the 16 army B-25 airplanes under General Jimmy Doolittle, launched 18, April 1942 from the deck of the USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo. None of the planes were shot down but they did run out of fuel. DeShazer was captured and incarcerated for 40 months, the duration of the war. DeShazer noted that all the prisoners were treated badly. He said that at one point he almost went insane from the violent hatred by the Japanese guards. Then one day a guard brought them a Bible. They were in solitary confinement so they took turns reading it. When it was DeShazer's turn he had it for three weeks. He read it eagerly and intensely, Old and New Testament. Finally he writes, "The miracle of conversion took place June 8, 1944." DeShazer was converted.

"He determined that if he lived until the war was over and if he were released, he would return to the U.S., study the Bible for a period of time, return to Japan to share the message of Christ with the Japanese people. And that's exactly what he did. Great crowds came to hear him. Many responded and were saved. Here was a second person who forgave the Japanese and came in forgiveness to show them the love of Christ.

"Fuchida was deeply impressed. He got a New Testament. He began to read the New Testament. In September of 1949, eight years after Pearl Harbor, he was reading Luke 23 and he heard Jesus say this, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." And he bowed his knee and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Mitsuo Fuchida, devotee of Adolf Hitler became a Christian. He wrote his book. You can look at it in the library today. The title of it, From Pearl Harbor to Golgotha. You might also be interested to know that Fuchida is in heaven now but before he went he spoke at Grace Community Church. The power of forgiveness to effect the world. The Holy Spirit knew it, God knew it, Paul knew it, Philemon needed to know it and that's why this book is here. And that's why this lesson is taught to you."

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