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 In
the Colossian letter (4:7-8), Paul names Tychicus as his
messenger and says he is sending with him (v.9) "Onesimus,
a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you." The
letter is written from prison (4:3, 18), where Aristarchus was
"fellow-prisoner" (v. 10). Epaphras ("one of
you") was also with Paul when the Colossian letter was
written (v.12) and had evidently been sent from Colosse with
messages, and to assist Paul (1:7-8).
These
things tie the Colossian and Philemon letters closely
together for both come with salutations from Paul and Timothy,
from prison. In Philemon, Onesimus is a run-away slave who had
been converted by Paul while in prison, and was now being sent
back to his master. Greetings are sent from the same men. Cf.
Col. 4: with v. 23-f. noting that Epaphras is here called
"fellow-prisoner," and Justus is not included.
Although such personal ties are not found in the Ephesian
letter, it too was sent via Tychicus (6:21), from prison
(3:1; 4:1; 6:20), and we have good reason to believe these three
letters (four, with that to Laodicea ??) were all in
Tychicus' bag as he and Onesimus traveled together.
Read
Eph. 6:5-f. and Co1. 3:22-f. as you picture the run-away slave
going back to his master, and what?? Evidently he had subscribed
to such principles, but what about Philemon?? The slave must
face his reason for running away, and its consequence. We may
speculate that the above passages were written with Onesimus in
mind not for his sake alone (these exhortations are not in
Philemon) but for Master-slave relations of all times.
What
follows is NOT a translation; it is
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not the Bible text but the non-critical
meaning I get from reading the text offered to introduce the
comments on the following page. Maybe it will assist you in
understanding Paul's letter to Philemon.
Paul,
a prisoner for Christ's sake; to Philemon, "dearly beloved
and fellow laborer," and to intimate members of the church
in your house. I keep hearing of your love and faith toward the
Lord and all saints; and I thank God, and pray that the sharing
of your faith may cause others to know our blessings in Christ.
I rejoice because you have refreshed the hearts oĢ other
saints.
Now,
I do not order you (as an Apostle might), but as an aged
prisoner of the Lord, I beseech you on behalf of (another saint)
your slave, Onesimus, whom I have brought to the Lord. He who
was once unprofitable (belying his name, which means
"profitable") has been profitable to me, and can be to
you. In sending him to you I give up my heart (I love him as a
son). I longed to keep him with me, for he could have served me
in your stead in the bonds of the gospel. But I would not do
this without your consent, for goodness should not be taken from
you, but freely given by you.
Perhaps
this was why he was parted from you for a while, that you might
have him back forever; not now as a slave but more than that: a
beloved brother to you even as he is to me. ("In the flesh
Philemon had the brother for a slave; in the Lord he had
(continued next page)
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