Distinguished Producer

Paul of Seattle

Podcast Introduction

Today is Epistles Sunday, and we’ll read the book of Philemon. It’s another one chapter book. Before reading the book, I’ll give you a brief introduction, then after the reading I’ll have some comments. And of course I’ll have an “On This Date In Church History” segment for you, too. I’m calling today’s episode “Restitution."

Design: Steve Webb

Comments on Philemon

Onesimus was a slave, and I’ll address the issue of slavery in a moment. But first let’s talk about Paul’s letter to Philemon.

In addressing the letter Paul says, "To Philemon our dearly loved coworker..." The entire letter is written within this framework. He does not come from his position as an apostle, but as a close friend. 

Philemon lived in Colosse, and when Onesimus ran away, he made his way to Rome, where Paul was a prisoner of the Romans. Somehow Paul and Onesimus met, and Paul led him to the Lord. After this, Onesimus became a great help to Paul.

Running away was a crime punishable by death, but once he became a Christian, Onesimus and Paul agree that Onesimus must return to Philemon as a way to make restitution. Legally, Onesimus was the property of Philemon. However, Paul appeals to Philemon as a beloved friend, asking that Philemon accept Onesimus back not as a slave, but as a fellow believer. 

The name Onesimus means "profitable" or "useful", and in his appeal, Paul makes a play on words, saying that Onesimus had been useless or unprofitable to Philemon in the past because he had run away, but now as a fellow believer he could truly live up to his name and be useful to both Philemon and Paul.

Paul said that if Onesimus owed Philemon any money, he (Paul) would personally pay the debt. But he also gently reminded Philemon that he owed Paul his life, since Paul is the one who brought him to Christ. 

Paul's offer is a parallel of what Christ has done for us. We owed a debt that we could not pay, but Jesus took that debt upon Himself.

Paul’s love for both Philemon and Onesimus is evident in this short letter, isn’t it? If the message of the Gospel could be boiled down, it’s all about forgiveness. And Paul, who at one time persecuted Christians, even to the point of holding the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen to death, could speak first-hand about being forgiven. Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision, as he was headed to Damascus on another mission to persecute Christians and asked him, “Saul, why do you persecute me?”

I won’t recount the whole story here, but Paul, whose original name was Saul, was convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, and lived the rest of his life serving the God who forgave him. Asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus as Jesus forgave him was at once a “big ask” and completely in character with who Saul became once Jesus got hold of his heart and changed his name to Paul.

If we who have been forgiven of so much cannot find it in our hearts to forgive those who do wrong to us, I think it’s time to reevaluate.

Jesus said, “They will know you are my disciples by your love.” Is that how the world knows us? 

Slavery

When the topic of slavery comes up, our minds generally think of the kind of slavery that existed in the 16th to 19th century when Africans were hunted by slave hunters (many of whom were also African), sold to slave traders, and then sold to slave owners. 

The Bible clearly condemns this. 

Exodus 21:16: “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death." ESV

1 Timothy 1:8-10: "8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars,