Philemon      

v 1. Paul sent this letter to Philemon at the same time he sent the letter to the Colossian church. In several of Paul’s epistles from Rome he refers to himself as a prisoner of Christ or of the Lord.  Usually he stated that he was an Apostle, but here he called himself a fellow laborer. He did not want to use Apostolic authority to demand Philemon to take back Onesimus, but the persuasion of a fellow believer. Sometimes pastors forget they are to be a shepherd who leads the flock, and try to force their own will on others by smugly quoting Heb. 13:17 “Obey them that have the rule over you”. My friends in another part of the country had a pastor who carried this to the point of a cult. He expelled any who questioned him, calling them “heretics”.
While Paul used tact and prudence throughout this letter, in no way was he buttering up or using psychology on Philemon. He simply stated matters in such a way that Christian responsibility was evident.
Philemon was a well to do citizen of Colosse. Paul may not have known face to face, but there is some indication Paul led him to the Lord, possibly at Ephesus. Onesimus, whose name means “profitable”, had run away and had become unprofitable to his master Philemon, probably even stealing from him. Onesimus was saved under Paul and is being sent back to Philemon. Tychicus no doubt carried the accompanying letter along with the letter to the Colossian church. Onesimus was returning with some danger because he could face death for his actions, but he had been taught by Paul to submit to his master, Col. 3:22-25.
v 2. Some think Apphia was Philemon’s wife and Archippus his son. At least Archippus seems to have been the pastor of the church at Colosse which met in Philemon’s large house (maybe took Epaphras place when he went to Rome).

Philemon's Love and Faith

v 3. This salutation was typical of Paul  with the undeserved favor and peace which can only come from God.
v 4. Philemon was another on Paul’s daily or continuing prayer list.
v 5. Philemon was living out 1 Jn. 4:21, And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God loveth his brother also. This was also true of the brethren in Eph. 1:15; Col. 1:4; 1Thess. 1:3 and 2 Thess. 1:3. 
v 6. The prayer was that the more faith and understanding Philemon had, the more he would share it with others.
v 7. Apparently it had been reported to Paul that already other believers were being refreshed by Philemon as he had been by Christ.

The Plea for Onesimus

v 8,9. Paul could have used pressure as an apostle, but makes his appeal on love, and the compassionate fact that he was old and in prison.
v 10. He intercedes for Onesimus as a son, having led him to the Lord while himself was in prison. Not known why Onesimus was at the prison.
v 11. Onesimus was a common name for slaves, meaning useful. Paul uses the play on words to point out he had become useless, perhaps even had stolen from Philemon, but as a believer he is useful to both men.
v 12. This type of touching persuasion would be hard to reject.
v 13,14. Onesimus would have been a help to Paul in Rome, but Paul could not legally detain him, and would have deprived Philemon of choice.
v 15,16. Onesimus might have escaped permanently, but now he not only returns, but is a brother in the Lord, a joy to both Paul and Philemon.

Philemon's Obedience Encouraged

v 17. Intense persuasion to welcome Onesimus back as he would Paul.
v 18,19. Though difficult from prison, Paul vows to personally pay any debt Onesimus may have incurred, writing it with his own hand so it is a legal document, but he drops the reminder that Philemon owes him his very self, for leading him to the Lord.
v 20. Onesimus had refreshed the heart of other saints, v 7, now was his opportunity to refresh the heart of Paul.
v 21. Paul was not only confident Philemon would comply with his request, he expected that he would go beyond that and give Onesimus his freedom, or return him back as a helper to Paul.
v 22. Paul requests Philemon to prepare a guest room for him and pray for his release. That is like taking an umbrella along when you go to pray for rain. If he was praying for Paul, he would also be more inclined to fulfill his request.

Farewell

v 23,24. Epaphras was not a prisoner of Rome, but another bond servant of Christ. Mark had matured since he left Paul on the first missionary journey, and is now profitable to Paul, 2 Tim. 4:11. Other coworkers are listed too.
v 25. This gracious benediction is similar to Paul’s other epistles.

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In the early 90's I started studing the bible by taking college courses, because I believe the Lord wanted me to become a pastor in a Nazarne Church. My goal has changed with all my studies. My wife and I have both joined the Catholic Church. I have read and compared numerous translations and commentaries in my many years of studying the bible. Some of these authorities disagree with each other. I come across information on studies and classes that I have taken 15 to 20 years before and I have no documentation of where it came from. Plus I have given away or returned many books for college classes that I have taken. So if I have failed to give someone the credit that is due them I ask for their forgiveness. The following is a list of translations and commentaries that I still have and use.

1. Apocrypha
2. Confessions of St Augustine
3. Divine Comedy of Dante (Henery Carytr)
4. King James Bible
5. LDS (Mormons)
6. Martin Luther
7. St John of the Cross
8. Budhist
9. Christian-King James
10. Hindu
11. Islam
12. Judaism
13. Sikh
14. Tao
15. Zoroastrian

OUR ETERNAL HOME by Richard W. Dehaan,
PROPHECY STUDY BIBLE by Tim Lahaye
READER'S DIGEST JESUS AND HIS TIMES by the Readers Digest Association Inc,
REFLECTING GOD STUDY BIBLE By Zondervan Corporation;
SAINT JOSEPH EDITION OF THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by Catholic Book Publishing Co.
SEVEN KEYS TO FAMILY POWER by Billy Joe Daugherty,
SIX HOURS ONE FRIDAY by Max Lacado,
THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE by the Zondervan Corporation;
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD by Jocyce Meyer,
THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK by Babbour Publishing Inc,
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER by Charles Mortimer Guilbert
THE BOOK OF HOPE by Tyndale House Publishiers, Inc,
THE BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC by Albert H. Boudreau,
THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel,
THE CATHOLIC ANSWER BOOK by Peter MJ Stravinsiasi
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BIBLE KNOWLEDGE by Mark D. Taylor;
THE DAY CHRIST DIED by Jim Bishop,
THE GREAT BIBLE QUESTION AND ANWERS BOOK by Playmore Inc
THE HOME BIBLE STUDY COURSE by Dr. Harold L. Wilmington;
THE KING JAMES BIBLE ARCHAIE WORDS DEFIND by David W. Daniel
THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMPANION by David W. Daniels;
THE KING JAMES STUDY BIBLE by Thomas Nelson Publishers,
THE LAYMAN’S BIBLE  DICTIONARY by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray;
THE LAYMAN’S PARALLEL NEW TESTAMENT by Zondervan Bible Publisher
THE LAYMAN'S LIST by Calance Stucup
THE MESSAGE BIBLE by Eugone H. Peterson,
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by World Catholic Press;
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE Saint Joseph Edition;
THE NEW STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE by James Strong LL. D S.T.D.;
THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE by Cardinal Francis Arinze
THE TRINITY by Rose Publish
THE VERY FIRST ESTER by Paul L. Maier,
THE WAY CATHOLIC LIVING BIBLE by Tyndale House Publishers;
UNCHRISTIAN by David Kennan and Gabe Lyon
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE by Ronald Greib
VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WORDS By W. E. Vine;
WHAT’S SO SECRET ABOUT THE RAPTURRE? By Christian Record Services, INC
WHEN GOD WINKS AT YOU by Tomas Nelson
WILLMINGTON’S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE by Dr. H.L. Willmington,
WOMAN OF FAITH STUDY BIBLE by Zschech/Heillsong
YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER by New Leaf Press
YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS by Anthony Wilhen

08/19/2011