CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING

AUTHOR: During Paul’s two-year imprisonment in Rome (Ac 28:30), probably during AD 60-61, he wrote four “prison epistles,” one of which was Philemon (the others were Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians).

BACKGROUND: References to Paul’s being in prison at the time of writing are found in vv. 1,9-10,13, and perhaps 23. Paul was kept under house arrest—what the Romans called “free custody”—in his own rented house as he awaited trial (Ac 28:30).

Although Paul addresses the letter to Apphia, Archippus, and the church that meets in Philemon’s house (vv. 1-2), the main addressee is Philemon himself, for “you” or “your” (vv. 2,4-21,23) is singular and refers to Philemon. Apparently he was a prosperous businessman living in Colossae (implied in Col 4:9) whose household included several slaves and whose house was large enough to accommodate meetings of the young church. He had been converted through Paul’s ministry, perhaps by Paul himself (vv. 10,19), and had become Paul’s “dear friend and coworker” (v. 1) and “partner” (v. 17) in the gospel service. Although the letter is basically Paul’s personal appeal to Philemon, the plural “you” (vv. 3,22) and “your” (vv. 22,25) indicate that the whole church would have listened to its reading and thus been witnesses of Philemon’s response to Paul’s requests.

Onesimus had apparently run away and taken with him some of his master’s money or possessions (vv. 15,18). Perhaps attracted by the anonymity of a large, distant city, he traveled to Rome seeking a life of freedom. His path crossed Paul’s, and he became a Christian (vv. 10,16) and a useful helper to Paul (v. 11).

An alternative view denies that Onesimus was a runaway looking for freedom. It instead suggests that he left Philemon and looked for Paul so that Paul could become his advocate regarding some serious loss Philemon had experienced. All along Onesimus had intended to return to his master’s household. Paul was therefore not guilty of harboring a fugitive slave. But on this view we would expect Paul to reassure Philemon that Onesimus had always intended to return.

MESSAGE AND PURPOSE: This letter has served as an inspiration for the liberation of slaves. Paul’s clear preference was to keep Onesimus with him (v. 13), but he recognized that Philemon was his legal owner and decided to send him back (v. 12) so Philemon could either reinstate him as a slave who was now also a Christian brother (vv. 15-16) or else set him free for further service to Paul back in Rome (vv. 13,20-21). Onesimus returned to his master with this letter, knowing that Paul was confident of Philemon’s “obedience” (v. 21) but also knowing that neither forgiveness, reinstatement, nor emancipation was guaranteed.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLE: Although it is the shortest and most personal of Paul’s letters, Philemon was included in the New Testament canon for several reasons.

First, it illustrates the breaking down of social and cultural barriers that occurred between Christians (see Gl 3:28). Paul, a highly educated Roman citizen, takes up the cause of a poor runaway slave whose life was in danger because of his theft and flight (Phm 18). Social and cultural barriers are eliminated in Christian fellowship.

Second, it reflects early Christian attitudes towards slavery. Although Paul accepts (but does not endorse) slavery as an existing social condition and as a legal fact (see v. 12), he emphasizes Onesimus’s higher identity as a Christian brother and sets the master-slave relationship on a new footing (v. 16) and so ultimately undermines the institution of slavery. This contrasts with dominant views of the ancient world. For instance, Aristotle defined a slave as “a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave” (Nicomachean Ethics viii. 11. 6).

Third, it shows a skillful pastor at work: Paul gives up his apostolic right to issue commands (vv. 8-9) and prefers to appeal to Philemon’s free choice (vv. 10,14) to follow his Christian conscience in deciding how his love should be expressed (vv. 5,7); he identifies with Onesimus, his spiritual son (v. 10), calling him “my very own heart” (v. 12) and guaranteeing to repay his debts (vv. 18-19); and he gives his requests to Philemon in the hearing of the whole local church (vv. 1-3,22-25).

Fourth, it pictures the heart of the gospel (vv. 16-19). When we come to God in repentance and faith, he gives us a new status and welcomes us as if we were Christ. What we owe God, he has debited to Christ’s account. Christ assumed personal responsibility for the full repayment of our debt to God.

STRUCTURE

Paul’s letter to Philemon follows the form of a standard first-century Greek letter: address and greeting (vv. 1-3), body (vv. 8-20), and closing/farewell (vv. 21-25). Moreover, Paul includes a section of thanksgiving after the greeting (vv. 4-7), a typical feature found in his letters.

OUTLINE

I.Address and Greetings (vv. 1-3)

II.Thanksgiving for Philemon’s Faith and Love (vv. 4-7)

III.Paul’s Appeal for Onesimus (vv. 8-20)

IV.Plans and Hopes for a Visit (vv. 21-22)

V.Final Greeting (vv. 23-25)

PREHISTORY-1500 BC

Slavery comes with the development of agriculture in Mesopotamia. 10,000

References to slavery in the Code of Hammurabi 1750

Egyptians make slaves of the Israelites. 1600

Hittite Code of Nesilim provides for the humane treatment of slaves. 1650-1500

Hebrew laws contain provisions pertaining to slaves and slavery. 1445

1500-132 BC

References to slavery during China’s Shang Dynasty 1500-1066

Economies of the Greek city states are dependent on slavery. 500-400

The Greek city-state of Athens has some 70,000 slaves. 430

In his Politics, Aristotle writes on the nature of the master-slave relationship. 330

First Roman slave revolt in Sicily 134-132

104 BC-AD 54

Second Roman slave revolt in Sicily 104-101 BC

Third Roman slave revolt led by the gladiator Spartacus 73-71 BC

By the time Augustus becomes Roman emperor, there are some 3 million slaves of a total population of 7.5 million Romans. AD 63

In his Geographia, Strabo says there are more than 1,000 temple slaves—prostitutes—in the temple of Aphrodite in 6th-century BC Corinth. AD 20

Roman Emperor Claudius rules that a slave who was old or sick and abandoned by his master should be considered free. AD 41-54

AD 60-407

Paul arrives in Rome. 60

Paul encounters Onesimus, a runaway slave from Colossae. 61

Paul writes his letter to Philemon and sends it and the Letter to the Colossians, by Tychicus and Onesimus. 61

During Nero’s rule, slaves gain the right to complain against their masters in court. 54-68

Gregory of Nyssa (d. 395) and Chrysostom (347-407) oppose slavery based on Christian theology.