Philemon 1–25 (NKJV)
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. 8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 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. 17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. 25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
“The Lord works in mysterious ways.” A similar saying that is in the Bible is this: “How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33). Consider how God works in this story with Paul and Philemon. Paul is in prison in Rome, and Philemon is a Christian in Colossae. In prison with Paul are Epaphras and Onesimus, who are also from Colossae. Onesimus is a captured run-away slave, Paul has converted him, and now Onesimus is about to be returned to his owner… guess who? Philemon. So Paul makes an appeal on behalf of his new “son in the faith” Onesimus to fellow Christian, Philemon.
What kind of appeal should that be? Paul could simply say, “Slavery is wrong. Therefore, release Onesimus from slavery when he is returned to you.” We know he said elsewhere to Christians who were slaves not to let it bother them, but if they could gain their freedom, do so (1 Cor 7:21). So, rather than condone slavery, Paul shows that it is obviously something to be avoided, if possible. However, instead of immediately overthrowing cultures, institutions, and practices, Christianity addresses people directly, and those people then address these other things. Thus, wherever Christianity has permeated a culture sufficiently, slavery is seen to be wrong and eradicated. More mysterious ways of the Lord in play here.
So, yes, Paul could have easily made this letter to Philemon a simple command. Instead, he makes a masterful appeal, hoping that Philemon will see the proper path himself and voluntarily do what is right. Again, the emphasis is on instilling godly character rather than forcing certain outcomes. Bottom line: God cares more about our character than about our circumstances.
Let us pray: O almighty God, grant that we may know Your Son, Jesus Christ, as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that following in His steps, we may steadfastly walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
