Better than a slave: Paul's letter to Philemon.

The Epistle to Philemon is considered one of four personal pastoral letters authored by the apostle Paul. The others included two letters to Timothy and one to Titus. In verse 1, the writer identifies himself in the traditional format of writing at the time. We can trace the date to around 60 A.D. given this very verse where he calls himself a prisoner. Cross references of other epistles like Eph 3:1 and Col. 1:1 seem to ascertain both the authenticity of the letter to Philemon and the time in which it was written. According to the NIV Study Bible notes (2005), Paul probably wrote this letter at the same time as he did the letter to the Colossians. It is most likely that he sent this letter along with Onesimus, the runaway slave turned Christian and the main subject of the letter.  

Philemon, the recipient, was a known Christian in the city of Colossae. He owned a house where the Colossian church met. Verse 1 seems to indicate that he was an active supporter of the church, and he probably offered this support from his resources. 

Paul’s primary purpose for the letter was to discuss the plight of one of Philemon’s runaway slaves, Onesimus. He wrote to “ask Philemon to spare Onesimus’ life and receive him back not as merely a slave but as a Christian brother (verse 16).” So, his plea to Philemon contained an implicit message to all who owned slaves to treat them with respect and all virtues accorded a brother in the Lord. Paul demonstrates it by referring to Onesimus as “my very heart.” He sends him back to Philemon in the hope that he would be welcomed back in a manner that would demonstrate the transformation of God in both their lives (verses 11- 16).

The Outline

We can break down this epistle’s structure into five parts. 

1.  Introductory greetings (verses 1-3). Paul identifies himself and identifies with Philemon.  Paul displays an intimate knowledge of Philemon and his ministry showing that he knows him quite well.
2. Thanksgiving (verses 4-7). Here, Paul draws Philemon in by recognizing the contribution Philemon makes to the saints. He expresses genuine gratitude for Philemon’s ministry and heart. 
3. Paul’s plea for Onesimus (verses 8-22). Paul makes a case based on the strong foundation that Philemon’s mode of operation should be motivated solely by love. Paul wrote his introduction using language that would compel Philemon to do the right thing(leaving him with no alternative).
4. The intended visit (verses 21,22). Paul mentions that they should prepare a room for him indicating that he hoped to visit soon.  We know from the letter to Colossians that Paul had never visited but instead had discipled Epaphras who then went ahead and either started or contributed to the founding of the church in Colossae (Col.1:7). 
5. Closing remarks (verses 23-25). These again point to Paul’s intimate knowledge of Philemon and the church in Colossae regardless of there being no record of him having visited by that time. 

Social and cultural context

Around this time, the economy of major cities like Colossae depended a lot on slave labor for their agricultural produce and mines. Rome was in power and under Roman rule, while slaves were human beings, for one reason or another, they were also the property of slave owners.  There were majorly industrial slaves and household slaves and depending on how hard they worked and the slave owner, they could buy their freedom back. Slavery in these times was based not on race but on financial stability. Slaves, especially skilled or educated males, were often sent on errands and trusted with property by their masters but on occasion, they took the opportunity to escape if they saw no hope of ever being freed. Recapture meant severe punishment according to Roman law. It was in this economic context that Paul met Onesimus and led him to the Lord. We see the indication of this experience in verse 10 of the letter to Philemon where he refers to Onesimus as one “who became his son while he was in chains”. In other words, he led him to the Lord while he was in prison. 

Major themes

The structure of this letter is personalized and yet official. It’s a “recommendation letter” to Philemon for Onesimus. Keener explains that “ It is the sort of letter that a patron wrote to social peers or inferiors on behalf of a dependent client to ask a favor from him.”  He goes on to say that if one classified Paul’s letter rhetorically, it would be ‘deliberative rhetoric’, the type of writing educated persons in antiquity used to persuade others to change their behavior or attitude. Paul highlights two major themes in this letter and hopes Philemon would be challenged by them.  

First, is Philemon’s character.  Paul acknowledges Philemon’s work as a believer for the advancement of the kingdom in verse 1 and in Verses 4- 7, he also thanks God because of the Love for the Saints and Faith in the Lord Jesus that Philemon has. Paul is confident in Philemon’s character and it is on this basis that he requests on behalf of Onesimus, that  Philemon accept him back. Onesimus had no right or standing to make such a request. He was a runaway slave who had probably stolen from Philemon, a crime liable to capital punishment. Paul appeals to the faith Philemon believes that it may be exerted on the now repentant Onesimus whose life clearly changed as he served with Paul.

Second is how he should behave in light of this character. Paul uses a similar pattern in his other epistles, for instance, Rom.6, Phil.2:12-13 and many others with this pattern. Schreiner explains it this way:

Paul’s exhortations may be explained in terms of the indicative and imperative, which is another way of reflecting on Pauline’s eschatology. The indicative represents what believers already are in Christ, while the imperative means that they are to appropriate the grace granted to them. (p565)

He started with the indicative of Philemon’s position and heart toward the saints saying, “… because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people. (Philemon 1:5, 7 NIV).  He then uses this as a qualifier for the imperative by outlining how he expects Philemon to welcome Onesimus back.  It is especially important to note vs 9 because it connects the indicative with the imperative. He says, “…yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul – an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – (Philemon 1:9 NIV).

Application for us

In this era of the “Black Lives Matter” movement and the general racial tensions across the globe where fists are thrown in the air to condemn slavery and discrimination, where debates on social media and the news are filled with hate and retribution, as an African man enslaved by a colonial distress syndrome, this letter brings a phenomenal and eternal truth to light for all that claim to be Christians. What drives our Christianity should be more than just social justice but the reality of the compelling love of Christ causing us to act justly especially to those who we think do not deserve it. 

The letter to Philemon was for years wrongly used to defend slavery in the 17th and 18th centuries especially. There is no indication whatsoever that Paul commended or even supported the system. He simply moved the heart of the slave and the slaver toward a Christ-centered thoughtfulness for each other. He expresses it vividly when he admonishes both slaves and masters in his letter to the Ephesians saying:

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.”  (Ephesians 6:5, 9 NIV)

This was not condoning the act of slavery but rather acknowledging its existence. His argument though pointed to a different outlook on the slave and the master. Paul asked Philemon to consider Onesimus (a deserter deserving of death) as a brother. He elevates Onesimus to his level by telling Philemon to welcome him as he would Paul himself (Philemon 17).

The appeal to change a system must be based on the convictions of love for it to take hold. Jesus loved us and pardoned our sins and rebellion when we came to him in repentance. Like Paul was willing to pay the price for Onesimus’ freedom (v 19), so did Jesus pay for our freedom from the slavery of Sin. 

As a Christian, my view and message to the decaying world riddled with systemic sin characterized by social injustice, racial discrimination, and tribal and religious prejudice must be formed in the entirety of the Gospel and what it truly promises. Paul showed us one overcomes systemic evil by doing all to love and in love, for God’s glory to be seen in a darkened and hopeless world. 

For further reading:

Keener C. The IVP Bible Background Commentary, IVP Academic, 2014, Downers Grove, IL

Sproul C., Reformation Study Bible, Reformation trust publishing, 2015,FL

 Schreiner T.  The King in His Beauty A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testament,  Published by Baker Academic, 2013 Grand Rapids, MI

The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Corporation, (1995), Grand  Rapids MI, USA

Fleming D.( 2005) , Bridgeway Bible Commentary, Bridgeway Publications, Brisbane 4001