Paul’s letter
to Philemon appears last in most Bibles because it is his shortest epistle. It stands out in other ways. Most of the apostle letters are addressed to
churches rather than to individuals. His
pastoral
letters are directed to individuals who were aides in his ministry, but
they focus on issues of church building.
Philemon is a very personal letter to a
friend addressing a touchy subject. The letter
was delivered at the hands of Onesimus, a runaway slave who probably
stole
some money
when he took flight from Philemon’s home.
Onesimus ended up seeking out Paul in Rome. Under the apostle’s teaching he became a Christian.
So what is the right thing to do? Paul wrote a lot about the importance of authority
and of submitting to civil laws. He also wrote about the essential equality of
all Christians, including free people and slaves, and by extension the equality
of all people. Paul does both. He respected authority by sending Onesimus
home to his master. He appealed to
Philemon’s Christian ethic
by sending the letter asking him to forgive the slave, now a brother in Christ,
and to free him.
This little letter is rich with lessons
in Christian ethics, firm teaching,
gentle persuasion, and friendship. It is hard to write about it without going on
longer than the letter itself.
Paul also wrote
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