Philemon part 4

This is part 4 of a multi-part post. Here are the links to parts 1, 2 and 3.

In this series of posts I seem to be commenting as much on Ephesians as Philemon. Anyway, to continue with Paul's appeal for Onesimus:

(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)

A pun on Onesimus' name, which means "useful." I wonder whether this name tells us anything about Onesimus. It doesn't sound like a name a mother would give to her child; it sounds like a name for a slave. Does this indicate that Onesimus was a slave from childhood? I've never heard an opinion on that one way or another.

In any event, Paul is once again reminding Philemon here that any anger he may have over his loss of Onesimus as a slave should be washed away by his joy over gaining him as a brother in Christ. His value to Philemon as a slave is as nothing when compared to his value as a fellow Christian.

Now before diving into details again, it's good to savor the next few verses as a whole:

I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

This is an impossible task, commenting on Philemon. Like trying to convince someone of the greatness of a painting by talking about it. If you're not already touched by the incredible example of love that Paul demonstrates in this letter, and by his intense desire that harmony and love should reign among Christians, then no commentary will lead you there. And if you're not touched, well, you're not alone. I've yet to meet anyone else who enjoys this letter as much as I do.

Well anyway, to dive in again:

I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.

A truly moving expression of Paul's love for Onesimus, and a formidable shield for Onesimus against Philemon's anger.

I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

Paul's reluctance to part with Onesimus is another expression of his love for him. It's also a strong hint that Paul would like Onesimus to return to him. Paul attempts to blunt any anger Philemon may have toward Onesimus by encouraging him to look upon Onesimus' absence not in terms of labor lost, but as Philemon's opportunity to render service to Paul's mission.

but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.

Paul won't even let the thought that Philemon might disagree with Paul's assessment of the situation enter into his mind; this is truly an offer Philemon cannot refuse.

In all seriousness though, Paul's motivation for sending Onesimus back is becoming clear. The rift between these two men cannot be healed simply by Paul demanding it. Paul wants these men to be truly reconciled. By returning, Onesimus is throwing himself upon Philemon's mercy. Philemon would be within his rights (legally) to have Onesimus tortured, branded on the forehead with an "F" (for "fugitivus"), fitted with an iron collar, or even killed. To us, looking upon this scene from a distance of two thousand years, Onesimus seems perfectly safe: the terms of Paul's letter render it inconceivable that Philemon would harm Onesimus in any way. But put yourself in Onesimus' shoes for a moment. The weight of all Roman society is against you. None of Philemon's friends or associates would have cared, or even given it any thought at all, if Philemon had treated Onesimus in the cruelest manner. There has to be real trepidation in Onesimus' heart. An act of mercy on Philemon's part will have real weight. It will mean something.

Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Paul hints that Onesimus' escape may have been part of God's plan for Onesimus, because it led him to Paul, who led him to Christ. And in any event, Paul encourages Philemon to realize that he should not want to have Onesimus as a slave, which as we have seen is a distinction God cares nothing about, and which will certainly not follow Philemon into eternity. What he should want for Onesimus is brotherhood in Christ, which matters a great deal to God, and which will last for all time.

Now it's time to savor Paul's final plea to Philemon on Onesimus' behalf:

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it--to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Verse by verse:

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.

Given this instruction, it's hard to imagine Philemon harming Onesimus at all.

If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

Paul sweeps away any final objection Philemon may have to reconciliation and puts himself completely in Onesimus' place by offering to personally pay any debt Philemon feels Onesimus owes him.

There's something jarring about this descent into the concrete, "fleshly" matter of monetary compensation for Philemon, after all of the talk of receiving him in the brotherhood of Christ and the spiritual aspects of Onesimus' return. This is a reminder of the fact that Christianity isn't a religion of fuzz and gauze. Jesus didn't descend to Earth, preach the Sermon on the Mount, and then float off to heaven in a cloud. He lived among us, acted out his ministry here in this world, sweated and bled and felt the pain of this world. And neither are we allowed to try to escape this world in happy, gauzy platitudes. As James says, "If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,' but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?"

I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it--to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

It was unusual for Paul to write his letters himself; most were dictated to a secretary. This we know because he points out the exceptions in several letters. E.g. in Galatians 6 he writes, "See with what large letters I am writing to you in my own hand!" Many have speculated that he had poor eyesight, and wasn't able to write for himself regularly.

The fact that Paul writes to Philemon in his own hand reinforces the personal nature of his plea and adds needed emphasis to Paul's offer. He is not making a token gesture; he will repay Philemon for whatever Onesimus owes him, without, we notice, even knowing what that might be.

Of course, there's again the air of an "offer he can't refuse" here. It would be inconceivable for Philemon to send Paul a bill. But just as Philemon's mercy is real, Paul's offer is real. We can have no doubt from reading this that if Philemon had sent Paul a bill, he would, with a heavy heart, have paid it.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

If this letter is representative of Paul's powers of persuasion then it's small wonder he was able to almost singlehandedly build a worldwide Church. Philemon really has no choice but to comply with Paul's wishes, and even to do what Paul has not demanded explicitly, which is to grant Onesimus his freedom.

At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Possibly one last nudge from Paul here in this reminder that Paul and Philemon may meet again one day. A standard farewell from Paul and a job well done.

I'll reserve a few final thoughts on Philemon for one last post before I (mercifully) move on to other topics.