PHILEMON---PERSONAL PLEADINGS
INTRODUCTION
1. Philemon is the fourth and last of Paul’s “prison epistles”.
A. It is the only private letter of Paul’s to have survived. “If I were to covet any honor of authorship, it would be this: That some letters of mine might be found in the desks of my friends when their life struggle is ended.” --Nicoll
B. The four prison epistles each reveal a different aspect of the character of Paul”.
1) Ephesians---as the theologian
2) Philippians---as the saint
3) Colossians---as the apologist
4) Philemon---as the gentleman
C. Hence, we learn much of the real character of Paul through this letter. We find him courteous, lovable, humble, holy, unselfish.
2. It is the briefest of all the Apostle Paul’s writings.
KEY WORD: receive (vs. 12, 15, 17). Note the added emphasis on the word each time he uses it.
1. “Receive him” (v. 12)
2. “Receive him forever” (v. 15)
3. “Receive him as myself” (v. 17)
KEY THEOLOGICAL PHRASE: “Put that on mine account” (v. 18)
1. From Greek word “ellogeo”
2. Means to reckon in, set to one’s account, lay to one’s charge, impute
3. The foundation word for the Biblical doctrine of “imputation”. (Gen. 15:6; Lev. 16:20-23; cf. Rom. 4)
DATE: Probably the same as that of Colossians; 62 to 64 A.D.
TO WHOM WRITTEN: Philemon
1. Lived at Colosse
2. Was a leader in the church there (v. 2) (Church probably started in his home)
3. Was a slave owner of a relatively high social class; a free citizen of the Roman Empire
4. A convert of Paul’s (vs. 19-20)
KEY VERSE: 18
OCCASION OF THE LETTER
Onesimus - “Profitable” had become unprofitable
1. “Onesimus, who was probably a domestic slave of Philemon, had absconded; and verse 18 would seem to indicate that he had stolen money from his master, by which to effect his get-away. He made his flight right out of “Asia”, away west, overseas across the Aegean and Adriatic, to Rome, that populous haven of concealment to which many another such fugitive had fled. He little thought he would ever see Colosse again; but there, in Rome, he came under the influence of Paul, was truly converted, and later returned to Colosse a changed man.” --Baxter
2. Such an act on the part of Onesimus, in running away from his master, put him in great jeopardy. As a runaway slave he could expect under Roman law
A. Scourging
B. Mutilation
C. The arena
D. Crucifixion
3. Paul writes Philemon to
A. Tell him of the conversion of Onesimus, and to plead with him that he would receive the slave back again as a “brother beloved” and not as an “unprofitable” servant.
B. To assure Philemon that he, Paul, would personally guarantee any loss to him incurred from Onesimus’ action. (v. 18)
4. In his letter to Colosse, Paul commends Onesimus, the converted runaway to the entire church. (Col. 4:9)
TYPOLOGY OF THE BOOK
“The sinner is God’s property, and he has not only run away, but robbed Him. The Law affords him no right of asylum, but Grace concedes him the right of appeal. He flees for refuge to Jesus, whom God counts as Partner. In Him he is begotten anew, as a son, and finds both an Intercessor and a Father; he returns to God, and is received, not as a slave, but as Christ Himself, and all the debt is put to Christ’s account.” --Author unknown
VALUES OF THE BOOK
1. Its PERSONAL value - the light which it throws upon the character of Paul
2. Its ETHICAL value - its balanced sensitiveness to what is right
3. Its PROVIDENTIAL value - its underlying suggestion that God is behind and above all events
4. Its PRACTICAL value - its application of the highest principles to the commonest affairs
5. Its EVANGELICAL value - the encouragement it supplies to seek and save the lowest
6. Its SOCIAL value - its presentation of the relation of Christianity to slavery and to all unchristian institutions
7. Its SPIRITUAL value - the analogy between it and the Gospel story
--Scroggie
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK
I. PAUL’S GREETING (vs. 1-3)
II. PAUL’S PRAISE OF PHILEMON (vs. 4-7)
III. PAUL’S DESIRE FOR ONESIMUS (vs. 8-20)
IV. PAUL’S CONFIDENCE IN PHILEMON (vs. 21, 22)
V. PAUL’S BENEDICTION (vs. 23-25)