Philemon
John Dominic Crossan, “Paul and Slavery,” In Search of Paul, p. 107-110
9-11 Ivan Steiger, Ivan Steiger Sees the Bible, p. 313
16 John Dominic Crossan, “Paul and Slavery,” In Search of Paul, p. 110
“Paul and Slavery”
Paul sees an impossible or intolerable opposition between a Christian master owning a Christian slave. How can they be equal in Christ, but unequal in society? How can they be equal and unequal at the same time? He does not and would never accept the idea that they could be equal spiritually, internally, in the assembly, but unequal physically, externally, in the world. Both are Christians, and they must be equal “both in the flesh and in the Lord.”
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and 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 always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you — I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus -10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. 15 Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
1:1 παυλος δεσμιος χριστου ιησου και τιμοθεος
ο αδελφος φιλημονι τω αγαπητω και συνεργω ημων 1:2 και απφια τη αγαπητη και αρχιππω τω συστρατιωτη ημων και τη κατ οικον σου εκκλησια
1:3 χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη απο θεου πατρος ημων και κυριου ιησου χριστου
1:4 ευχαριστω τω θεω μου παντοτε μνειαν σου ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου 1:5 ακουων σου την αγαπην και την πιστιν ην εχεις προς τον κυριον ιησουν και εις παντας τους αγιους 1:6 οπως η κοινωνια της πιστεως σου ενεργης γενηται εν επιγνωσει παντος αγαθου του εν ημιν εις χριστον ιησουν 1:7 βγαρ εχομεν πολλην και παρακλησιν επι τη αγαπη σου οτι τα σπλαγχνα των αγιων αναπεπαυται δια σου αδελφε
1:8 διο πολλην εν χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον 1:9 δια την αγαπην μαλλον παρακαλω τοιουτος ων ως παυλος πρεσβυτης νυνι δε και δεσμιος ιησου χριστου 1:10 παρακαλω σε περι του εμου τεκνου ον εγεννησα εν τοις δεσμοις μου ονησιμον 1:11 τον ποτε σοι αχρηστον νυνι δε σοι και εμοι ευχρηστον 1:12 ον ανεπεμψα 1:12 συ δε αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα προσλαβου 1:13 ον εγω εβουλομην προς εμαυτον κατεχειν ινα υπερ σου διακονη μοι εν τοις δεσμοις του ευαγγελιου 1:14 χωρις δε της σης γνωμης ουδεν ηθελησα ποιησαι ινα μη ως κατα αναγκην το αγαθον σου η αλλα κατα εκουσιον 1:15 ταχα γαρ δια τουτο εχωρισθη προς ωραν ινα αιωνιον αυτον απεχης 1:16 ουκετι ως δουλον αλλ υπερ δουλον αδελφον αγαπητον μαλιστα εμοι ποσω δε μαλλον σοι και εν σαρκι και εν κυριω
1:17 ει ουν με εχεις κοινωνον προσλαβου αυτον ως εμε 1:18 ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογει 1:19 εγω παυλος εγραψα τη εμη χειρι εγω αποτισω ινα μη λεγω σοι οτι και σεαυτον μοι προσοφειλεις 1:20 ναι αδελφε εγω σου οναιμην εν κυριω αναπαυσον μου τα σπλαγχνα εν κυριω 1:21 πεποιθως τη υπακοη σου εγραψα σοι ειδως οτι και υπερ ο λεγω ποιησεις
1:22 αμα δε και ετοιμαζε μοι ξενιαν ελπιζω γαρ οτι δια των προσευχων υμων χαρισθησομαι υμιν
1:23 ασπαζονται σε επαφρας ο συναιχμαλωτος μου εν χριστω ιησου 1:24 μαρκος αρισταρχος δημας λουκας οι συνεργοι μου
1:25 η χαρις του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου μετα του πνευματος υμων αμην