PHILEMON

Summary

Philemon is about reconciliation and relationships between Christians. Onesimus (which means “useful”) was a slave of a believer named Philemon in Colossae. Apparently Onesimus had stolen from Philemon and fled. At some time while Paul was under arrest, Onesimus met him and became a Christian. Paul apparently wrote this letter at the same time as Colossians and gave it to Onesimus to carry back to Philemon (see Col. 4:9). Paul appealed to Philemon to accept Onesimus back into his household, but as a brother in the Lord rather than a slave. In Paul’s estimation, Onesimus was far more “useful” (v. 11) now that he was a Christian. Paul even promised to pay whatever debt Onesimus might owe Philemon.

Context

  • The events described in Philemon occurred in the region of Asia Minor, near Ephesus or Caesarea Philippi. Philemon was likely written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, between 60 and 64 AD.

    Original Languages

    Greek

    Saul (Jewish) / Paul (Greek)

    • Born in Tarsus, a Roman citizen with privileges that protected him in certain situations of persecution (Acts 22:28)
    • Of Israelite lineage, from the tribe of Benjamin. A Jew born and raised by Hebrew parents (Acts 23:6)
    • He was a Pharisee (Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:5)
    • A disciple of the Jewish teacher Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
    • As a Pharisee, he despised Christians. He approved of Stephen’s stoning (Acts 8:1) and persecuted the church, imprisoning Christians (Acts 8:3)
    • After his encounter with Jesus, he converted and became the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13)
    • He completed three (possibly four) missionary journeys, each lasting several years, during which he established churches across Europe and Asia Minor
    • He wrote at least seven books in the Bible

    Genre

    EPISTLES

    Literature Style

    Letter - Epistle

    “For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever”

    – Philemon 1:15

    Keyword

    Brothers through Christ

    PHILEMON

    Structure

    1. Introduction (1-3)
    2. Praise for Philemon (4-7)
    3. Plea for Forgiveness of Onesimus (8-22)
    4. Conclusion (23-25)