Paul to Philemon & You
Counter to what you may think, I do not ignore the rubrics or do things out of order to be entertaining or defiant. But when custom does not suit the situation, I make adjustments.
Just so this morning, instead of earlier when you expected it, we’ll read Paul’s letter to Philemon together as part of my sermon. It turns out, this great letter is as much to you as to Philemon.
It’s a personal letter that addresses a situation, and that sets up a story that we have to figure out. As usual in his letters, Paul mentions several people, his companions who are with him, and also friends whom he knows where the letter is going. However, there are three main characters:
First, Paul himself, who wrote the letter. Paul is in prison somewhere; we speculate, maybe Ephesus, maybe Caesarea, or even Rome, we are not sure. Paul wrote this letter to Philemon an apparently well to do slave owner whom Paul led to Christ and who is the leader of a house church (likely the church in Colossae, I'll come back to that). So, Paul, and Philemon.
The third figure is Onesimus, evidently a runaway slave who has offended his owner Philemon (maybe Onesimus stole something), escaped, and went to live with Paul as Paul’s helper. Paul thinks of him as a son. Onesimus seems to be a young man, maybe a teenage boy. As a runaway slave, in the culture of the day, if Onesimus is caught, he faces harsh punishment, humiliation, beating, maybe death.
This was not what you think of as the European American Slave Trade. In Roman times when Paul lived, slaves were likely to be captured enemy soldiers and their family members who traveled with them. Onesimus was not ignorant, maybe he was the son of a captured or killed enemy officer, who knows! Often not dignified by being called their proper name, but a nickname, “Onesimus” means “useful”. “Hey, Useful: bring me a beer”. Another slave might be called KHAzος (stupid) or MAHgeiras (Cook) or TemPAYlis (Lazy). This is Onesimus (Useful).
Paul writes asking Philemon to reconcile with Onesimus. Not grudging forgiveness "let bygones be bygones", but full Christian reconciliation.
Paul’s letter is clever; he plays on words: Onesimus the Useful was once useless but now he’s useful. Paul writes strong hints not at all subtle: Paul says he could command Philemon if he wished, and says he won’t even mention that Philemon owes Paul his very life, but Paul wants Philemon to reconcile with Onesimus not because Paul orders it, but because Philemon wants to as Christian lovingkindness.
At the end, Paul tells Philemon to get a guest room ready, because he, Paul, is coming to visit Philemon as soon as he gets out of prison: a friendly visit, but a veiled threat that Paul is coming to check up and see if Philemon has done the right thing and reconciled with Onesimus.
What Paul asks is astonishing, an upheaval of the social order, not simply reconciliation that leaves everyone in place, a slave restored peacefully to his master, but turning everything upside down - - Paul urges Philemon to take Onesimus back as no longer a slave who owes him everything, but free, free of debt, free of obligations, free, a brother. Unheard of in that day and age, what Paul is asking is outrageous. Listen: (read along 8 / 6)
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To our beloved coworker Philemon, to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church in your house (scholars guess who Archippus and Apphia are, but we don’t really know).
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we share in Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.
Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
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What came of Paul’s request, what happened? We do not know for sure, but there is tradition and happy speculation. We never hear of Philemon again, but Onesimus? Along with Paul’s traveling companions Mark and Luke and others, Onesimus (who Paul says is from Colossae, which may be where Philemon lives), Onesimus is mentioned by Paul at Colossians 4:9 in a way that MAY indicate he WAS set free and sent back to work with Paul.
The Orthodox Church reveres Onesimus as a Holy Apostle.
Early church father Ignatius of Antioch mentions Onesimus as bishop of Ephesus. Maybe the same man? We are not sure, but tradition gives us this happy ending to the story of Onesimus.
Your imagination is as good as any Bible scholar, you can make up your own mind what happened!
Whatever you may decide happened between Philemon and Onesimus, Paul’s letter to Philemon is not just charming, quaint history: it's the Word of God calling not only Philemon, but every Christian in every age, specifically You here this morning, to reconcile with those who have offended you, and to reconcile with those whom you have offended. So listen to the church’s invitation:
Ye who do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith, and make your humble confession to Almighty God. (You may remain seated, or stand, or kneel.)
The Confession of Sin is on page 14 / 12 in your bulletin.
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Homiletic endeavor by the Rev Tom Weller on Sunday, 4 September 2022, in Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Panama City, Florida. Text: Paul's letter to Philemon.
Picture pinched online.