Philemon Blog 1

This epistle, a letter of recommendation, was written by Paul and was addressed to Philemon about Onesimus. At the time of writing this, Paul was most likely in prison and trying to help Philemon and Onesimus come to reconciliation because they were brothers “in the flesh and in the Lord” Philemon 16. Craig S. Keener believes that Onesimus was a slave of Philemon who escaped while running an errand (Keener 643), while Allen Callahan disagrees saying that “nowhere…does the letter suggest that Onesimus ‘belongs to’ Philemon. Nowhere does Paul refer to Philemon as a ‘lord’ or ‘master’” (Callahan 2147). Whether or not Onesimus was a slave of Philemon, this letter is Paul’s way of saying that “love between those in the Lord cannot be fulfilled when love has grown cold between those who are brothers in the flesh” (Callahan 2148). Overall, some interpreters do not think that this letter takes any position on slavery, which would make even more sense if Onesimus was not owned by his brother, Philemon.

When I read the introduction from the New Interpreter’s Study Bible and then the letter to Philemon, I thought that it was very ironic that Paul said to Philemon “When I remember you in my prayers, I always think y God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus” Philemon 4. I suppose Paul is pointing out that if Philemon loves the saints of the faith, surely he loves his brother. That could win the argument for Paul without Paul even arguing. Surely Philemon as he read this letter for the first time was thinking of his brother (why not, wasn’t his brother the messenger?).

WORKS CITED

Callahan, Allan. “The Letter of Paul to Philemon.” Pages 2147-2148 in The New Interpreter’s Study Bible with the Apocrypha. Edited by Walter J. Harrelson et al. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003.

Keener, Craig S. “Philemon,” Pages 642-646 in The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993.