PHILEMON
Acts 28: 16-end; Philemon
J.D.G. Paul wrote four letters from the prison, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians and Philippians. I thought we might take them in the order Philemon, Philippians, Colossians and then Ephesians. I thought we should begin in Acts 28 to see the background of the prison. Paul had been in Caesarea on the coast of Judea for about two years, held a prisoner there under Felix and Festus, and then because of the Jewish jealousy and hatred, he had to appeal to Caesar. Paul was in prison because he preached the gospel to the Gentiles, the Jews resisted that. He was cast into the prison on account of that. It was in God’s ways. Before the passage we read (v 15) he seemed to be depressed by the outcome. He had come as a prisoner to Rome. He had wanted to come as a free man, but he arrived as a prisoner in Rome, but when he saw the brethren he took courage, “thence the brethren, having heard about us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage”. There was a work of God in the place before he arrived. Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who kept him. He was not able to go out and preach the gospel, he was not able to evangelise by going about, but he could receive persons. He had a certain liberty but he was chained to the soldier who kept him. He received the Jews and this is the last word to the Jews as far as scripture recalls, “he expounded … from early morning to evening … And he remained two whole years in his own hired lodging, and received all who came to him”. That word “received”, according to the note, conveys a thought of welcome and it is used only by Luke. That is the background to his prisonership, persons could visit him, they could seek him out. Rome at this time was a city of one and a half million people of whom half were slaves. He remained two years in his own lodging, he must have been able to finance it himself and with help from the brethren. He could receive all and speak freely but he was not allowed to go outside the house. I suppose he was, as we call it, under house arrest.
Then we come to Philemon. This is an incident about a slave, Onesimus, who had run away from his master and stolen money and other goods and went to Rome because everybody went to Rome in those days – it was the centre of the empire. Paul was engaged in writing other letters besides the one to Philemon – it is thought that he wrote Colossians and Ephesians about this time. He writes this letter about a slave who was converted. The slave belonged to a rich man – Philemon was a rich man, but a converted man. It seems that he was converted through Paul. It seems also that he was connected with Colosse. In the Colossian letter it speaks about the same persons, the same brethren. This is not entirely a personal letter, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” – all Paul’s personal letters bring in the thought of mercy. This one does not because it is addressed to, “the assembly which is in thine house” as well. He brings in the whole assembly to take account of the return of a slave who had been converted and was going back to his master to submit to the conditions of slavery, as far as he was concerned, but a converted man. It is a simple book but I thought we would get some impressions of Christian love and Paul’s ability to speak with persons. Paul could not have found Onesimus: Onesimus must have found Paul.
G.B. I am sure it will hold our interest and instruction as well. The Lord’s hand was over His servant all the time. All the circumstances Paul was in were allowed by the Lord that the testimony might be expanded and indeed the light that comes in in these other epistles to which you have referred is very full as to the assembly.
J.D.G. In 2 Timothy 2 there was a different situation. Scripture does not exactly say he was liberated, but it seems from what he writes in the Philippian epistle and Philemon that he was anticipating his release, and it is thought that he was released, whereas in 2 Timothy he was taken a prisoner by Nero on account of being a Christian, not on account of the jealousy of the Jews. That is what is called the second imprisonment, to clarify it from this situation where he was in his own hired house. Under God’s hand he was allowed that liberty, although he was restricted. Under God’s hand he was restricted in his ways, but on account of that he wrote letters which he may not otherwise have done. This slave must have come into his lodging one day – whether he knew Paul through him visiting Philemon’s house we do not know – he must have had some acquaintance with him to have found him in a city of one and a half million people.
D.M. The word compassion is not mentioned here but it runs through the chapter. It says of the Good Samaritan, “moved with compassion”, Luke 10: 33. You have some feeling here that runs through this letter in particular, of a very compassionate appeal that he makes on behalf of the slave.
J.D.G. He does not seek to set aside slavery, Paul does not do that. It says, “having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting, for love’s sake”. He could have commanded, as an apostle, to Philemon to release this man, but he does not do that; he goes about it in another way and brings the whole assembly into it in the tenderness of compassion.
D.M. There is some thought that he wanted to carry Philemon in this matter. Although slavery was quite legal then he could have made comment about it but did not, but he wanted to carry the assembly with him in his feelings, which is quite a touching thought as well.
J.D.G. I think that is the whole import of this section. He recognised that slavery was there, recognised that Onesimus had run away from his master who owned him, according to the rights of the day. He could have commanded him, as an apostle, to release him because he was converted, but he does not do that, he sends him back to his master. He tries to carry all with him in the affectionate bonds of Christianity so that Onesimus was received as a brother and possibly liberated from being in slavery. Paul’s letter is beseeching for that, that he might be released. It begins in a very fine way, “Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman, and to the sister Apphia” (who is thought to be Philemon’s wife), “Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which is in thine house. Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ”. That would touch the heart of Philemon and also the others. I think it shows how liberation from slavery came about in this instance through the Christian circle in receiving such a man, and seeing the incongruity that he should continue as a slave. Philemon would have had other slaves, they would have continued with him. Paul was a prisoner – I want to keep that in our thoughts – he was not free to go out, but he was free to receive persons, who came to him.
G.A.B. He was also free to pray, do you think. “Always making mention of thee at my prayers” – is that not a feature of these prison epistles, prayer?
J.D.G. Yes, it is a feature of all the epistles, I think there is reference to it in every one of them. He was free to pray, even though he was chained to a soldier. You wonder what the soldier heard and felt. It must have been a most remarkable situation for a soldier chained to a man, listening to him or seeing him praying and listening to him speaking of another world altogether, not overwhelmed in his spirit by the prison conditions but using them for liberty and access into another realm.
G.A.B. His prayers were not for his own release, they were for the welfare of the saints.
J.D.G. Yes, and also when you come to Colossians, he speaks of Epaphras praying too, praying for the saints, not exactly praying for his own release. It seems that some of those who visited Paul must have been apprehended too, Epaphras is a fellow-captive in the Colossian epistle, and Aristarchus. Some of those who visited Paul must have been apprehended by the Roman authorities for whatever reason, we do not know, but it must have had to do with the glad tidings. Paul was in prison because he preached to the Gentiles.
Rem. There is a relationship between persons which rises above all the circumstances in which they are found. Of one of the brethren that goes to Paul, it says, “has not been ashamed of my chain … sought me out very diligently, and found me”, 2 Tim 1: 16,17. There was a relationship with Paul which rises above all the circumstances.
J.D.G. That was Onesiphorus, He had been in Rome – it may have been at this time too – “sought me out very diligently”. I like what you said, there is tenderness and affection which rises above the circumstances. Persons who are in the goodness of the grace of God, the riches of His grace – I was thinking of that this morning. In Ephesians 1 it says, “he has taken us into favour in the Beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace” (vv 6,7). Here is a man who has come into redemption through Christ’s blood, “forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace”. Here was the runaway slave – how was he going to be received in the local place when he had run away and wronged the master who might well have been bitter about it? Paul is appealing to Philemon in his affections; things have changed now.
T.L. Paul may be restricted by the Imperial power but he preaches about another kingdom under the Lord Jesus Christ.
J.D.G. It says, “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom unhinderedly”, Acts 28: 31. There used to be a brother who called this Paul’s currency – that is what his currency was in prison – “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ”. That was what went on in the prison. The soldier was there all the time with his chain, but Paul was liberated in his spirit and in his prayers. He says, “I thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers”. Personalities are spoken of here – Philemon and his wife, as appreciating her too, then “Archippus our fellow-soldier”, I suppose that is a fellow-soldier in the work of the gospel. It says in the Colossian epistle “and say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, to the end that thou fulfil it”, Col 4: 17. Archippus must have needed a little bit of stimulation.
T.D.E. Can you say something about, “the assembly which is in thine house”? The prison epistles give us some of the greatest and most exalted thoughts of the assembly, but here it is, “the assembly which is in thine house”.
J.D.G. I suppose they met in his house, he provided for them, he was a rich man, he had the wherewithal to do that and provided for the assembly which was in his house. Paul takes it out of the personal side only. It has been pointed out in the teaching that he does not add the thought of mercy because he brings in the thought of the assembly. He is elevating it. What struck me was that it was good to see that Paul was speaking to Philemon personally about a slave who had run away, who is coming back, he is anticipating him being received by Philemon, but not only by Philemon but by the local assembly, so he addresses the assembly in his house which dignifies it. He is really making it a wider issue than just Philemon and the slave.
T.D.E. That is helpful, and, “if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with it”, 1 Cor 12: 26. There is a sense in which anything that we do individually has a collective bearing as well.
J.D.G. You can understand the situation at the time – there were many persons who were slaves. Some slaves were in fellowship and they were still slaves, they might have been in their meeting in Colosse. Here is one whom Paul is sending back because he had run away. You might say the last man who should have got his liberation. The slaves would work for persons other than Christian masters. Paul teaches that in his epistles, they had to serve their masters. We do not understand the situation as it was at that time, but here is one that was converted and Paul sends him back and commends him to Philemon to liberate him and also to receive him as a brother. He brings the assembly in too, as much as to say, I want you all to take account of this, to get the gain “in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace”, Eph 1: 7. Here is an example of the riches of God’s grace.
G.B. The assembly in the house would not just be a gathering of saints, it would carry a certain dignity. I wondered if there was some correspondence with the Ark when it was in the house of Obed-Edom? Before that there had been a long time in another house, and I think it has been suggested that it might have been covered up and kept there as an artefact, but the Ark meant something in the house of Obed-Edom; it was valued and resulted in the household blessing (see 2 Sam 6).
J.D.G. I am glad of what is coming out. It is the anointed vessel according to Corinthians 12 (see v 12). Here is the dignity of the anointing associated with the gathering in the home, it is more than just a gathering of Christians. It was that, but you are elevating it to the dignity of the assembly which the truth of the body underlies. I think it is helpful bringing out the truth of the body because Onesimus is coming back as a member of the body of Christ.
G.A.B. It is a very current matter, the assembly in the house, because I do not suppose since the early days of the recovery there have been so many gatherings of the saints held in houses. In the beginning in the Pentecostal time the breaking of bread was in the house but Paul really put it in the assembly. I think we want to maintain that distinction, even if it is literally in a house, that is only the building, but the dignity of the assembly stands whether it is a room like this or whether it is in someone’s drawing room.
J.D.G. I am glad you are bringing that out. There were some persons meeting in a house and someone said to them, are you a house meeting? They said no, we are in fellowship with the saints universally, “Paul a called apostle of Jesus Christ, by God’s will, and Sosthenes the brother, to the assembly of God which is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours”, 1 Cor 1: 1,2. That sets the dignity of it whether it is in a house or a hall. I am glad of that distinction, because in certain parts of the world there are quite a number of independent household meetings or churches but this is different.
G.A.B. I remember a brother and sister in the midlands who were left on their own in a locality and when it came to the time for the meeting they had the chairs set in two circles in the room, the sister put her coat and hat on and came and sat in the second row and the brother sat on the front row and they had their meeting, and she said, When I come and sit down there I feel that I am in the assembly. That makes a distinction; that room might have been used for something else at other times of the day, there it was, “the assembly which is in thine house”.
J.D.G. With the saints in other places, that is involving fellowship, the fellowship of God’s Son. I think too it is an expression of the body of Christ. So Onesimus coming back was coming as one who belonged to that body. The letter to Philemon suggests that it is more than to Philemon, but “to the assembly which is in thine house”. That is greater than to Philemon. It is very interesting because it shows that in leaving out the thought of mercy he is regarding it as a prison epistle and the dignity of an assembly letter. I had not seen that before.
T.L. Unity underlies this too. He says, “in such sort that thy participation in the faith”; it is the faith that is common to all. Would that be right?
J.D.G. That is right, “in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ Jesus. For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother”. Although Paul was in prison he was in contact by letter and by persons; he speaks in one of the epistles about the brethren locally and all that concerned them in the prison in Rome. Here he knows about Philemon, he has an appreciation of him, he must have proved his kindnesses, “hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards al the saints, in such sort that thy participation in the faith”, so it is in active power which can be commended.
D.M. Practically speaking, in days of smallness – there are many localities that are small – where some of these conditions might exist, what is personal can sometimes create difficulty, but he seeks to go above that. It is quite a lesson, because although he writes to the brother where there may have been naturally some personal offence, he clearly shows that the responsibility of brotherhood in the assembly goes beyond that.
J.D.G. That is an attraction for us all. This would be an occasion of quite a serious matter at that time, the slave had run away and gone to Rome to see the sights: whether he ran out of money we do not know, but he found Paul. Paul did not find him, he found Paul. He must have gone there under God’s hand, and the work of God has been wrought in him through Paul’s preaching the gospel to him at that time. Now he is coming back to meet his master whom he has wronged, and what was the reception going to be? But Paul puts in a letter of appeal, above the level of what is natural, above the level of business too.
D.M. Could you say something about anticipation, Paul takes it for granted that Philemon will do all of this. It is quite a nice touch, he puts him in that corner of correctness and ensures that he will behave in such a way, but then credits him that he will do that and do more.
J.D.G. It is a very fine way to appeal. He acknowledges that Onesimus had been wrong, and he says, if he owes anything I will repay it, but then he appeals to him to receive him as a brother, possibly liberate him and give him his freedom. Paul was desirous of keeping him, “I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus”. The meaning of his name, is ‘profitable’ or ‘useful’. But he says, “Wherefore having much boldness in Christ to enjoin thee what is fitting, for love’s sake I rather exhort”. He did not want to command, he wanted it to come from Philemon himself. He gave him the liberty to retain him as a slave, to receive him as a brother, but to go further than that, liberate him. He could retain him as a slave and he could be received into fellowship.
D.M. It rises above debate and argument, really things are resolved in the assembly another way. It says of the wise men that they, “departed into their own country another way”, Matt 2: 12. Paul chose another way here.
J.D.G. It says of Onesimus, “once unserviceable to thee, but now serviceable to thee and to me”. He is saying he was unserviceable to Philemon, he ran away, but he is coming back of his own volition. You could not have forced him to go back, he could have gone out of Paul’s prison and disappeared into the streets of Rome.
G.B. There were obligations on Onesimus as well; he had a believing master, so along with the obligations on Philemon, there are obligations on Onesimus and so there are on all of us.
J.D.G. There were obligations on Onesimus, he had run away, ‘absent without leave’, run away without permission and stolen, but he has gone back willingly and gone back as a converted man. Will he be received as a brother? That is the test for Philemon and those who are in the assembly which is in his house.
G.A.B. He had come into a family relationship with Paul. He says, “I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten”, Paul has other children. John speaks of his children as well. There is the family of God, it is one thing that they are all begotten of God, but it is possible for believers with influence to beget children.
J.D.G. Paul had here, he says, “I exhort thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds”.
C.E. There seems to be complacency through the chapter, everything seems to revolve round trust. You mentioned military terms of being ‘absent without leave’, but there is a duty. Each one of us has to do our duty before the Lord, as to the working of the body that is seen here quite distinctly.
J.D.G. He fulfils his duty; Onesimus was going back, he was carrying the letter, but he was going back. He was being accompanied by Tychicus. He goes back to his master and gives him his letter and submits to whatever he would do, but he was a believer, a converted brother. Here is an appeal, “I have wished to do nothing without thy mind, that thy good might not be as of necessity but of willingness”, an appeal to the work of God in us. How difficulties can be resolved.
T.L. Is there subjection and affection here?
J.D.G. I do not think there is any will working in anybody in the chapter.
T.L. I was wondering that because Paul was not using apostolic authority here, but he is writing to him as a person who is subject to being a prisoner as being part of the government of God. He was pleased to speak in relation to another in relation to grace that he be set free. The person he is speaking about is subject enough to go back in with the possibility of being a slave again, but subject to that in affection for Christ.
J.D.G. Onesimus is a changed man. It is, “Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved”. This does not bring in apostolic authority at all. He is really writing a letter of commendation for this dear slave, acknowledging his history but pointing out that he has been the subject of the work of God in being a converted man. Now he was entitled to be received as a brother, appealing to the affections of the saints in the place to do that.
G.A.B. It has been a feature of servants whom the Lord has honoured, some of us can remember, that they avoided interfering with matters in other localities than their own. They operated rather by influence. That is really what Paul is doing here.
J.D.G. He is appealing as a member of the body of Christ, as a Christian, who is bound up in the circle of the saints, bound up in the one body, bound up in the family of God. He is appealing along those lines that matters may be set right. The person he is commending is converted, there is no will working in the man, he is going back to submit to slavery if that be his lot. I was interested in the fact that he addressed it to the assembly as if it is a greater matter than a mere household matter and bringing in the affections of the saints in a dignified way to influence one another, to influence Philemon, and the carrying forward of Paul’s wishes.
G.A.B. Mr Darby says that he rather hints to Philemon that Onesimus should be released, there is no commandment.
J.D.G. He is exhorting him to receive him as a brother and no doubt that could be done because if Onesimus sought his place to remember the Lord Jesus you could not refuse him because he was a slave. He had come back a converted man, he had received the forgiveness of his sins, the blood of redemption had been shed for him. As you say Paul hints that perhaps the Lord had in mind to use him in a wider way which involves his liberation. It is not just his liberation to go into society and do as he will; it is his liberation with a view to the work of God.
A.M. There is a time when we have all been recovered to this. When you first have to do with Christ you find that at some point there is more room made in your heart for Him than there was before, and there are different things in your life that you may have been accustomed to that take on a very different value. I wondered if that was in line with what you are speaking of.
J.D.G. I think so. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph 1: 7) has affected me and you. We have all had a sinful history, a history of fallen man, whatever it has been it has been there, and then we have been forgiven, received the gift of the Holy Spirit so that the man that comes back is coming back in Christ, the man who went away was the man in Adam. Onesimus ran away wilfully, but he comes back as in Christ. He really comes back like the younger son.
E.J. Mr Stoney has a book ‘Who is in the Testimony?’ What is vital, as I understand it, in the testimony is what is here. There were houses and there were halls, churches, gatherings of people who speak about Jesus. God is wanting all men to be saved, but then the vital question is, Am I in the testimony? That would be involved in the Spirit, Christ in the assembly.
J.D.G. We possess one another, “that thou mightest possess him fully for ever; not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord? If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner with thee, receive him as me”, it is a partnership. We are all in a partnership, a common fellowship from that point of view, but, “possess him fully for ever”.
Ques. With regard to possessing fully, does it suggest with Onesimus coming back there is nothing between these two brothers? They will be able to enjoy fully communion with Christ.
J.D.G. It involves kindredship with Christ, “but go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God”, John 20: 17. It is on a level of kindredship with Christ, “possess him fully for ever … a beloved brother”.
T.D.E. One of the things that marks Paul’s prison epistles is Paul’s unselfishness. He wanted to keep Onesimus for himself to support and serve him, but there is more work for him to be done back in the place that he had come from. Is that one of the things that comes out in these epistles?
J.D.G. Paul would have kept him and used him in the glad tidings, and he could have used his authority over Philemon but he did not want to do that. He wanted to send him back and bring out this spirit of affection, of love and brotherliness, that would liberate the brethren in the place where he was.
T.D.E. I was wondering about the expression, “bonds of the glad tidings”, it seems to me to be significant.
J.D.G. Paul was in chains on account of the glad tidings; it would include that, but I thought it was more than that. This expression, “I have begotten in my bonds”, and in “the bonds of the glad tidings”. I thought it was more his bringing Onesimus into the work of the glad tidings, bound up with Paul, even though he was a prisoner. He was going to be in the bonds of the glad tidings and serviceable to the master.
T.D.E. So, even if Paul is in chains the glad tidings is not bound at all, it is able to proceed in vigour to ones like Onesimus.
J.D.G. If you had a link with Paul you would be liberated to serve in the glad tidings. He sends him back to his master, and then he says, “prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that I shall be granted to you through your prayers”. He speaks of these other persons, “Epaphras salutes thee, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus; Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workmen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”. It is a very rich letter – personalities that they would know something about in the assembly in Philemon’s house and Colosse.
D.M. Do you think he was given a real foretaste as to how profitable Christianity could be despite restriction? I was thinking of Acts 16, he was in extremely limited circumstances but what a result came out of that. Do you think that, in some way, sets the context for a lot of this?
J.D.G. He did not have to await the formal emancipation of slaves? He was liberated in the circle of the family of God in a dignified way. It shows you how Christianity was greater than the systems of men around at that time.
G.A.B. There is rather an interesting point in verse 19. It is almost a principle that the fellowship involves that we are prepared to undertake responsibility for one another, “I Paul have written it with mine own hand; I will repay it”. There was an obligation there, this debt, whatever it was, had to be repaid. Onesimus probably could not repay it, but Paul says, I will do it, so that there might be no impediment to the free working of love and restoration.
J.D.G. Paul was prepared to meet righteousness on behalf of a brother who probably could not meet it financially. It does not say that Paul gave him the money to pay it back, he just says to Philemon that he would repay it when they met. The moral obligation has to be met too in practical matters so that righteousness is maintained.
G.A.B. Besides the practical aspect of it, there is a moral side to it as well. Cain said, “am I my brother's keeper?”, Gen 4: 9. He should have been, we are our brothers’ keepers in that sense. We have to accept responsibility for one another as well as for ourselves.
EDINBURGH (local reading)
4 June 2006
Key to initials
G.Bailey; G.A.Brown; C.English, Glasgow; T.D.Ellis; J.D.Gray; E.Johnson;
T.Lock; A. Marshall; D.Marshall