Biblical Overview — Philemon

If you have kept up with these overviews, you will see that so far we have looked at Jude and
Obadiah, which are two of the one chapter books in the Bible. Even though Philemon only has
25 short verses and is just like Jude, there are still 2 more books in the New Testament that only
have one chapter and have just 2 more verses, when combined. Do you know what they are?
For this month Philemon caught my attention. If I am honest, I forgot the letter from Paul
existed. Coming in with only 25 verses, it is unlike any other book, as it is a personal letter to
Philemon. Commentaries say he most likely was a wealthy member of the Colossian Church.
Paul penned this letter, with his own hand (vs 19) while in prison for the first time, around 60
AD. It is also noted in verse 19 that Philemon owed Paul his very self, which alludes to Paul
converting Philemon.
Paul’s personal letter to Philemon is the shortest of all Paul’s writings and deals with the practice
of slavery. Based on the letter we understand that Philemon was a slave owner who also hosted
a church in his home (vs 2)
According to commentaries, it was likely that Philemon had journeyed to Ephesus and heard
Paul’s preaching and became a Christian. The slave Onesimus robbed his master, Philemon, and
ran away, making his way to Rome and to Paul. Onesimus was still the property of Philemon,
and Paul wrote to smooth the way for his return to his master. Through Paul’s witnessing to
him, Onesimus had become a Christian (vs 10) and Paul wanted Philemon to accept Onesimus
as a brother in Christ and not merely as a slave.
As slavery was common place, Paul had warned slave owners that they had a responsibility
towards their slaves and showed slaves as responsible moral beings who were to fear God,
(Ephesians 6)
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as
you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as
slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were
serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for
whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the
same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is

in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Understand that in the New Testament slaves guarded doors (Acts 12.13–14),
Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.
When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and

exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

They managed their owners’ wealth (Matt 25.14–30),
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his

wealth to them.

And they Prepared feasts (Luke 15.23).
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a
ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have

a feast and celebrate.

In researching, I found that even though Paul did not condemn slavery while writing to
Philemon, he presented Onesimus as a Christian brother instead of a slave. The reason Paul did
this was when an owner could refer to a slave as a brother, the slave had reached a position in
which the legal title of slave was meaningless. The early church did not attack slavery directly
but it laid the foundation for a new relationship between owner and slave.
So why was Philemon included in the sixty-six books we call the Bible?
I believe that in today’s society we may not have slavery, but we do have barriers that hinder our
relationships. Barriers that come from the world’s labels. We are separated through race, social
status, sex, personality differences, just to name a few. These barriers are found in our
neighborhoods and churches. What Paul wants us to see is that we need to tear down these
barriers that hinder relationships and start living as brothers and sisters in Christ, just as he
asked Philemon to do with Onesimus.
Jesus came so that we could be reconciled to God. As Christ followers we became brothers and
sisters in the family of God, why do our relationships not reflect that reconciliation?