Master’s Prayer Network

A — Paul Wrote His Letter While He Was a Prisoner

Comments: There is nothing directly in the letter to reveal the city or region where Philemon lived, but Paul included Timothy as he greeted Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus by name, and the rest of the church in general. The local church met in the house of Philemon, but Paul did not give any indication that Philemon was the pastor of the church. There is no mention of Apphia anywhere else in scripture, but Archippus is mentioned in Colossians and it is possible that he was actually the pastor of this assembly. The opening to the three who were named, and to the rest of the church, included the desire that spiritual blessing would be with them in peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul then directed his remarks to Philemon as he expressed that he had thankfulness to God whenever he prayed for him because he often heard of the love and faith he had in the Lord Jesus and in all of the Lord’s people. Paul also prayed that as others shared in Philemon’s faith, they would be able to recognize everything that is right with reference to Christ. This could be a way of saying that Christ should be seen in the conduct of each Christian, and Paul’s further comments could then be applied in general terms to other situations where Christians need to reconcile a matter that has developed to cause separation between them.

B — Paul Made His Appeal for the Sake of Love

Comments: Paul complimented Philemon as a brother who has brought great joy and encouragement to him by knowing that Philemon’s love had refreshed the hearts of other saints. So, Paul began to appeal to Philemon to act out of that love rather than to obey an instruction from Paul as an apostle of Christ. Paul said this was his preference though he was an envoy of Christ Jesus and even a prisoner for him at that present time. Paul then began to explain that Onesimus became a child of his in the faith, as he was converted while Paul was being held as a prisoner. When Paul said that once Onesimus had proved to be useless, that could certainly be true for a slave who became a runaway. Paul planned to send Onesimus back to Philemon and that would allow him to fulfill his responsibility to his master in obedience to the Lord. Paul said now Onesimus was useful to both of them, but Paul was going to send him back to Philemon even though it would be as if he sent his own heart.

C — Onesimus Was Willing to Serve Paul or Philemon

Comments: Paul’s emphasis was not that he was a prisoner of the Roman government, but through the first two, and now this third reference of his condition, declared himself to be a prisoner of the LORD while he continued to spread the gospel. Paul indicated that he would have liked to keep Onesimus there to render personal service that Philemon could not provide due to being separated. However, Paul would not keep him there without express consent, because he would be taking advantage of the situation as if Philemon had with great kindness sent him to serve in his place. Paul said perhaps Onesimus had been away from Philemon with a purpose that had not been expected. But now he could return as a servant and also as a dearly loved brother in Christ, and Philemon could experience that new relationship in an even greater way than could Paul.

Paul may have counseled Onesimus in matters of the Christian relationship for slaves to their masters to prepare him to return. There were similar instructions for slaves in Paul’s letters to Colosse, and also instruction for the slave owners. Colossians 3 “22 Slaves, practice obedience to your earthly masters in everything, not as though they were watching you and as though you were merely pleasing men, but with sincerity of heart, because you fear the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as work for the Lord and not for men.”

D — Paul Expressed Confidence That Philemon Would Grant His Request

Comments: Paul urged Philemon to receive Onesimus back in the warmest manner, even as he would receive Paul if he visited in person. Paul pledged to take personal responsibility to make good any wrong or to repay anything owed by Onesimus as if it was his own account to make right. Paul emphasized that he was putting this pledge in his own handwriting, and he added that Philemon owed him much in a spiritual sense. That may mean that Paul had personally led Philemon to his point of belief in Christ. Paul wanted to see from this brother, a return in the Lord’s work through Christ, that his heart would be refreshed by such spiritual fruit.

Since this letter had others mentioned in the salutation, Paul apparently intended that his expectations would not be read by Philemon alone. We have no record of the group dynamic that may have been at work in this situation, but any others who took any part in this would have been under an obligation to do so carefully in Christian love. Paul expressed complete confidence that Philemon would respond to his request in a most generous fashion. Paul also requested that Philemon prepare a guest room and then to pray that Paul would have the privilege to soon be the guest of his gracious hospitality. This may have also been a subtle way of encouraging Philemon to quickly reconcile with Onesimus in the event that Paul would visit there.

E — Paul Included Greetings from His Companions

Comments: In the opening of Paul’s letter to the Colossians he wrote of the prayers that were offered for them because of their faith in Christ Jesus and of their love for all God’s people. That opening records that Epaphras had been the one who shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with the Colossians some time earlier, and then personally reported to Paul that it had been bearing fruit and growing among them. Epaphras was with Paul at the time the letter to Philemon was written and he was also with Paul when the letter to the Colossians was written. From the content of Colossians chapter 4, it is evident that Paul’s letter to them was carried by Tychicus and Onesimus. Paul described Onesimus as “a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of your own number.” It may be that after Onesimus had returned to Philemon, he subsequently became more generally known by believers at Colosse, and had again been with Paul before returning to Colosse with Tychicus.