Epistle to Philemon
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The Epistle to Philemon is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. Philemon is now generally regarded as one of the undisputed works of Saint Paul, although it was questioned in the past by some. It is the shortest of Paul's extant letters, consisting of only 335 words in the original Greek text, and 25 verses in modern English translations.
The letter and its reconstruction
Paul, who is apparently in prison (probably in either Rome or Ephesus), writes to a fellow-Christian Philemon and two of his associates. (If the letter to the Colossians is authentic, then Philemon must live in Colossae.) Paul writes on behalf of Philemon's slave, Onesimus. Onesimus is described as having been "separated" from Philemon, once having been "useless" to him (a pun on Onesimus's name, which means "useful"), and having done him wrong.
The dominant scholarly consensus is that Onesimus is a run-away slave: a fugitivus. Apparently Philemon or has encountered Paul and become a Christian believer after fleeing from Philemon's household. Paul now sends him back to face his aggrieved master, and strives in his letter to effect reconciliation between these two Christians.
It is not entirely clear how Onesimus came to be with Paul. Various suggestions have been given: 1) Onesimus being imprisoned with Paul; 2) Onesimus being brought to Paul by others; 3) Onesimus deliberately seeking Paul out, as a friend of his master's.
Paul's letter is cryptic. He tactfully addresses Philemon, speaking of Philemon's Christian compassion. However, at the same time Paul subtly reminds Philemon of Paul's authority over him and the spiritual debt Philemon owes to him. He also points out that Onesimus's conversion has brought about a new state of affairs. And so Onesimus is returned "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother (vs. 16)."
It is less than clear what that critical phrase means, and what Paul wants Philemon to do. Is Onesimus simply to be forgiven, or freed? Is Onesimus still Philemon's slave as well as his Christian brother, or does his position of "brother" supplant that of "slave." In other letters, Paul urges slaves to be obedient to their masters, but here he seems to imply a hope that Philemon will be generous, either by freedom Onesimus or by sending him back to Paul as a servant to assist the Apostle in prison.
There is no way of knowing what happened to Onesimus after the letter. Ignatius of Antioch mentions an Onesimus as Bishop of Ephesus in the early second century, and some commentators have suggested a connection between the slave mentioned by Paul and this Bishop of Ephesus. He has even been suggested as a candidate as the author of the Epistle to the Ephesians, which many scholars believe to have been written by someone other than Paul who was very familiar with his thought.
Significance
Philemon has been of only marginal interest in Christian theology and ethics. The German Protestant reformer Martin Luther saw a parallel between Paul and Christ in their work of reconciliation. However, Luther insisted that the letter upheld the social-status quo: Paul did nothing to change Onesimus' legal position as a slave - and he complied with the law in returning him.
The letter was a cause of debate during the British and later American struggles over the abolition of slavery. Both sides cited interpretations of Philemon for support.
Bibliography
- J.M.G. Barclay, Colossians and Philemon, Sheffield Academic Press 1997 (ISBN 1-85075-818-2)
- N.T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon, Tyndale IVP 1986 (ISBN 0-8028-0309-1)
Online translations
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (King James Version)
- oremus Bible Browser (New Revised Standard Version)
- oremus Bible Browser (Anglicized New Revised Standard Version)
This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.
| Preceded by: Titus |
Books of the Bible |
Succeeded by: Hebrews |
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