Onesimus & Philemon

[Note:  This sermon is based on the book of Philemon.  The entire book is quoted in the sermon and is reprinted here in italics throughout.]

 

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.

Thus begins one of Paul’s most personal letters.  Throughout this sermon, I’m going to be breaking up the letter, which is only one chapter long and one entire book in the New Testament.  This will give us a chance to really look at what Paul was saying and how he goes about it.  Much of this sermon has come from a book I have been reading by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan entitled, “The First Paul.” 

Some background first.  Paul is purported to have written several books of the New Testament.  Most are letters to churches, either that Paul had had some hand in founding or, in one case, a church he was planning to visit.  The letters can be divided into three groups:  those seven books that are undisputed by scholars to be by Paul; then there are three letters that scholars agree were not written by Paul; and finally there is a group of three letters which are disputed with scholars disagreeing on whether they were written by Paul or not.  Our letter this morning falls into the first category: it was clearly written by Paul and there’s agreement about that.  Most of Paul’s undisputed letters were written sometime around the year 50 c.e., a couple of decades at least before the earliest gospels were written.  Thus Paul’s letters are the oldest of the New Testament books.

In this letter to Philemon, Paul begins in a standard way of starting a letter during that time.  What’s different is that he calls himself a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” which is unusual for him.  Normally, in his other letters, he names himself as an “apostle of Christ Jesus” but in this case he defines himself as a prisoner.  In fact, in the letter, as we’ll hear, he uses the word “prisoner” twice and the phrase “during my imprisonment” twice also.  It’s important to Paul that Philemon knows he is in prison as he writes this.

You might well be wondering who this Philemon is that he should be the recipient of a personal letter from Paul.  We know little of Philemon, only that he was a Christian and probably fairly well off, and that Paul knew him from visits to his home.  Though Paul addresses this letter to others, it is Philemon who is really the intended reader.

Paul’s letter continues:

I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for 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 bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 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 both 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 be of service 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.

After the niceties of the start of the letter, Paul gets right to the heart of the matter quickly.  It appears that Onesimus, a slave belonging to Philemon, has found his way to Paul and is seeking his aid.  It was not uncommon during this era for slaves, if they find a way to do so, to appeal for mercy at the feet of those who were above their masters.  Thus Onesimus, likely in some trouble with Philemon, having fled from Philemon, appeals to his master’s superior, namely Paul.  It’s interesting to note that Paul is considered Philemon’s superior.  It seems that it’s an agreed upon situation.

It’s in this passage that Paul makes a little pun that we miss because we don’t know the original Greek.  Onesimus means “useful,” and was a common name for slaves of this era.  By saying that Onesimus was useless but is now useful, Paul is emphasizing how the formerly pagan slave has become a brother in Christ.

In fact Paul goes on to say that directly:

Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, 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.

Onesimus, once only a pagan slave, is now a brother; a beloved brother at that.  And not just a brother to me, Paul writes, but also to you, Philemon.  Paul is being sly here and backing Philemon into a corner.  Previously he wrote how Philemon’s good deed regarding Onesimus might be voluntary and here he declares Onesimus his brother, both in the flesh and in the Lord.  What can Philemon do?

Paul begins to conclude his letter:

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 my account. 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 say.  One thing more—prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.

Poor Philemon doesn’t know what hit him.  As if Paul had an account with Philemon.  As if Paul, the itinerant preacher, could repay the cost of a freed slave.  And, oh, by the way, Paul adds, once I’m freed from this prison, I’m going to be stopping by, using your guest room, and checking up on you. 

Paul uses the word “obedience” in this passage, indicating that this isn’t a request at all, but actually a command.  One is not obedient to requests; one complies with requests.  One is obedient to a command.  Paul is pulling no punches here. 

The conclusion of the letter seems fairly formulaic:

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.

Think about this though: if this is a personal letter about a private concern between Paul and Philemon (and of course Onesimus), how private does it sound?  At least five other people know about this letter and its contents.  It may be personal but it’s not private.  Those five people will know about the plight of their Christian brother, Onesimus, and likely they, too, will be checking in on Philemon to see how all this ended.

Paul ends the letter with a blessing of grace.  Indeed, Philemon may be feeling like he needs it.  But Paul knows freedom in Christ is for everyone.  And that includes living freely.  In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul writes those famous words that  “there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28)  Christ is the great equalizer in society, including a society run by imperial forces, including a society in which the gap between the rich and the poor grows increasingly.  Paul, truly believing that we are all one in Christ, sets forth to live that by bringing Onesimus to freedom.

© Gerry Brague, September 2010, San Francisco