Philemon

Preface to the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon.

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PREFACE TO THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE

APOSTLE TO PHILEMON.

IT may be thought strange that a short letter, written entirely on a private subject, without reference to the proof or defence of any doctrine of the Gospel, should, by the general consent of the Church of God, from the highest Christian antiquity, have been received into the sacred canon, not only as a genuine production of St. Paul, but as a piece designed by the Holy Spirit for the edification of the Church. However, such is the fact; and we may add, that this very piece was held so sacred that even the ancient heretics did not attempt to impugn its authenticity or corrupt its matter, while making dangerously free with the four gospels, and all the other epistles!

Preface

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EPISTLE OF PAUL THE

APOSTLE TO PHILEMON.

PREFACE

Onesimus a servant, or slave rather, to Philemon, an eminent person in Colosse, having run away from his master, came to Rome, where, hearing some of the discourses, as is probable, which Paul delivered in his own hired house, he became a sincere convert to the faith of the gospel. After his conversion, he abode with the apostle for some time, and served him as his son in the gospel, with the greatest assiduity and affection. But being made sensible of his fault in running away from his master, and of its being his duty to return to him, the apostle sent him back with this letter, in which, “with the greatest softness of expression, warmth of affection, and delicacy of address, he not only requests Philemon to forgive and receive him again into his family, but to esteem and put confidence in him as a sincere Christian.” And when we consider the earnestness with which the apostle solicited Onesimus’s pardon, and the benevolence and generosity of Philemon’s disposition, we cannot doubt that the latter readily received him again, and even gave him his freedom, in compliance with the apostle’s insinuation, verse 21, that “he would do even more than he had asked.” This certainly must have been the case, if this Onesimus was the person of the same name mentioned by Ignatius, in his epistle to the Ephesians, as one of their bishops, as Grotius thinks he was.

Some have thought this letter not worthy to be ranked among the epistles of St. Paul, as being written upon an occasion of no great moment. But it must be acknowledged to contain instructions of great importance to both ministers and people. For therein, as Chrysostom has observed, the apostle has left to the former an excellent example of charity, in endeavouring to mitigate the resentment of one in a superior station toward his inferior, who had injured him, and to restore the inferior to the favour of the other, which he had lost through his unfaithfulness; and that not only by arguments drawn from reason, but by generously binding himself to repay all the loss which the superior had sustained by the injury of the inferior. It also sets before all ministers, even those of the highest dignity in the church, a proper example of attention to the people under their care, and of affectionate concern for their welfare, which, if it were imitated, would not fail to recommend them to the esteem and love of their people; consequently it would give them a greater capacity of doing them good. To these uses of this epistle, Macknight adds that it is therein intimated, “1. That all Christians are on a level. Onesimus, the slave, on becoming a Christian, is the apostle’s son, and Philemon’s brother. 2. That Christianity makes no alteration in men’s political state. Onesimus, the slave, did not become a freeman by embracing Christianity, but was still obliged to be Philemon’s ‘slave for life,’ unless his master gave him his freedom. 3. That slaves should not be taken nor detained from their masters without their masters’ consent, verses 13, 14. 4. That we should not contemn persons of low estate, nor disdain to help the meanest, when it is in our power to assist them; but should love and do good to all men, verses 15-17. 5. That, where an injury hath been done, restitution is due, unless the injured party gives up his claim. 6. That we should forgive sinners who are penitent, and be heartily reconciled to them, verses 17-19. 7. That we should never despair of reclaiming the wicked, but do every thing in our power to convert them. Indeed, if this epistle had served no other purpose but to show the world what sort of man the Apostle Paul was in private life, it would justly have merited a place in the canon of Scripture. For, in it the writer hath displayed qualities which by men are held in the greatest estimation; such as consummate prudence, uncommon generosity, the warmest friendship, the most skilful address, and the greatest politeness as well as purity of manners; qualities not to be found either in the enthusiast or in an impostor.” “Indeed,” as Doddridge observes, “it is impossible to read over this admirable epistle, without being touched with the delicacy of sentiment, and the masterly address, that appear in every part of it. We see here, in a most striking light, how perfectly consistent true politeness is, not only with all the warmth and sincerity of the friend, but even with the dignity of the Christian and the apostle. And if this letter were to be considered in no other view than as a mere human composition, it must be allowed a master-piece in its kind. As an illustration of this remark, it may not be improper to compare it with an epistle of Pliny, that seems to have been written upon a similar occasion; (lib. 9. lit. 21;) which, though penned by one that was reckoned to excel in the epistolary style, and though it has undoubtedly many beauties, yet must be acknowledged, by every impartial reader, vastly inferior to this animated composition of the apostle.” As to the date of this epistle, it appears from verses 1, 10, 13, 23, that it was written when St. Paul was a prisoner, and when he had hopes of obtaining his liberty; (verse 22;) and as Timothy joins him in this epistle, and also in that to the Colossians, it is probable it was written about the same time with the latter, especially as in both epistles Epaphroditus, Mark, Demas, and Luke join in the salutations; and Onesimus, the bearer of this, was one of the messengers by whom the epistle to the Colossians was sent, Colossians 4:9. It must therefore have been written at Rome, about the end of A.D. 63, or in the beginning of 64.

Introduction

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PHILEMON

INTRODUCTION

THIS epistle is a beautiful pendant to Colossians. It is written from the same Roman prison, sent by the same messengers, to the same Asiatic city. Philemon is not greeted among the greeted Colossians, because he has an entire epistle devoted to himself and his. We know, therefore, the date and the circumstantials of this letter.

Onesimus, a slave of Philemon, of high qualifications, having run away from his master took refuge at Rome, and was there converted under the ministry of St. Paul. Nothing could be more forlorn than the condition, or more desperate than the associates, of a loose slave in the slums of the Roman capital; and as Onesimus was acquainted, doubtless, with Paul, at least by reputation, it was quite natural that the fugitive should take refuge with him, feel contrition for his sins, and accept the religion of the apostle and of his master. The apostle’s heart was deeply touched by the penitence of Onesimus, feeling for him a parental affection as a spiritual father, and realizing his future value in consequence of his conversion. This feeling of valuation is evinced by the fact that Paul named him, slave as he was, with honour in his Epistle to Colosse, as “a faithful and beloved brother.” He, nevertheless, foregoes the advantage of his ministry with himself at Rome, and sends him back to Philemon with this letter. As it is a great boon he is asking of Philemon—nothing less than reception, pardon, and emancipation—the letter tasks the strongest powers and deepest feelings of the apostle’s head and heart. He opens with a cordial greeting to Philemon and his associates; passes a high eulogy on the Christian character of his friend; earnestly supplicates that Onesimus may be received as a brother, not as a slave; indicates his hopes of his future usefulness; pledges himself to right all the wrong he had done; and implores Philemon, by his own spiritual debt of conversion, to receive Onesimus as he would Paul himself. Perfectly aware, as we are, that the current of commentators denies that St. Paul indicated emancipation, we see not the first good reason to doubt the fact. To suppose that it required all this energy of expostulation on the part of our great apostle to induce the devout and generous Philemon to receive his returned and converted fugitive without inflicting death, torture, or the branding iron, according to Roman law, is, on the face of it, to suppose him worse than a respectable heathen slaveholder. On the contrary, the reverse view throws a luminous beauty over the whole epistle. And in connexion with this should be taken the clear and more than ordinarily trustworthy traditions in regard to the honourable subsequent history of Onesimus. Says Alford:—

“In the apostolic Canons he is said to have been emancipated by his master, and in the apostolic Constitutions to have been ordained by Paul himself Bishop of Beraea in Macedonia, and to have suffered martyrdom in Rome.—Niceph. A.E., 3:11. In the Epistle of

Ignatius to the Ephesians, we read, chap. i, p. 645, ‘I have received, therefore, your whole community in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, and your bishop in the flesh, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ you would love, and that you would all seek to be like him. And blessed be He who has granted unto you, being worthy, to obtain such a bishop.’ It is just possible that this may be our Onesimus. The earliest date which can be assigned to the martyrdom of Ignatius is A.D. 107; that is thirty-five years after the date of this epistle, supposing Onesimus to have then been only sixty-five. And even setting Ignatius’s death at the latest date, A.D. 116, we should still be far within the limits of possibility. It is at least singular that in chap. ii, p. 645, immediately after naming Onesimus, Ignatius proceeds, ‘I would be refreshed of you always.’ Compare Philippians 20.”

Eusebius classes this epistle among the unquestioned in antiquity, and it is quoted by Tertullian, Origen, and Jerome. The fact that, as noted on the first verse, it was addressed not only to Philemon but to the Church at his house, gave this epistle a churchly reading, (see on vol. iii, p. 5,) and thereby secured its publicity and its perpetuation in the New Testament canon. It has ever been held to be a rare specimen of the epistolary for its skilful address, its delicacy, and the depth of its Christianity.

Preface, Introduction and Dissertations

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Beet's Preface, Introduction and Dissertations for Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and Ephesians (one volume) are given once, under Ephesians.