Philemon 1

Ver. 1.—fellowlabourer,] Hence some persons suppose Philemon to have been a minister of the Gospel. But the appellation is of ambiguous signification; being given, not only to ministers, but to such pious persons, whether men or women, as assisted the Apostles in any manner, whilst they were employed in preaching. Drs. Whitby and Macknight.

Philemon 1:2

2.—Apphia,—Archippus] Some of the Fathers suppose that “Apphia” was the wife of Philemon. “Archippus” was probably one of his family; Lightfoot says, his son. He may have been called the “fellowsoldier” of the Apostle, as being a minister engaged

with him in the work of the Gospel, Phil. ii. 95; Col. iv. 17. Drs. Whitby and Macknight.

—and to the church in thy house:] That is, all the rest of his Christian family, or all such as were wont to assemble in his house to perform Divine service; for Christians then had not liberty publicly to perform that duty. Dr. Wells, Burkitt.

Philemon 1:5

5. Hearing of thy love and faith, &c.] Namely, of thy faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and of thy love towards all saints. Compare Col. 1. 4. This transposition of the words is not uncommon. See an instance of it in Matt. xii. 22. Drs. Wells and Whitby.

Paul desireth Philemon to forgive his servant Onesimus. Anno DOMINI 64.

Philemon 1:6

6. That the communication of thy faith may become effectual &c.] As if he had said, And my prayer is, that thy liberality to the saints, which is the fruit of thy faith, may become effectual to the acknowledgment of thy good works by other Christians, who bear of such instances of thy charity. Dr. Whitby. Or, it cannot but be a matter of the deepest satisfaction to me, to have such ample testimonies of your Christian sincerity, in your generous relief of the indigent and suffering members of that holy profession. “The communication of thy faith;” your sharing and partaking of the (Christian) faith: “By the acknowledging of every good thing;” by your manifesting every good thing to be in you. Pyle. By using the plural pronoun “you,” the Apostle praised all the members of Philemon’s family, for their works of charity to the saints; but more especially Philemon himself, as it is here insinuated that his family was led to do these benevolent offices in imitation of him. Dr. Macknight.

Philemon 1:7

7. — because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee.] Perhaps the Apostle meant, that the knowledge of Philemon’s charitable actions gave great joy even to the saints who had no need of his good offices. Dr. Macknight. “The bowels,” in Scripture language, denote tender affection, whether of love, or of pity, mercy, or compassion. It is evident that this application of the word is taken from that commotion or yearning of the bowels, which is felt in tender affection, whether of love or pity. Hence, when such a tender affection is gratified, the bowels are said to be refreshed, appeased, quieted; as here and in the 20th verse. Parkhurst.

Philemon 1:8

8. — though I might be much bold in Christ] That is, in respect of the Apostolical authority committed to me by Christ. Dr. Wells.

Philemon 1:9

9. — Paul the aged.] He was probably at this time more than sixty years of age. Dr. Whitby.

Philemon 1:10

10. — whom I have begotten in my bonds:] One whom I have converted to the faith, since I was a prisoner. Dr. Hammond.

Philemon 1:11

11. — unprofitable.] Injurious; see Rom. i. 28; Eph. v. 11. Thus the Latin word for ‘useless’ means injurious. Pyle. The Apostle, by mentioning the change wrought on Onesimus, insinuated to Philemon the obli-

gation he lay under to him for having made his unprofitable slave a faithful and affectionate servant to him for life. Dr. Macknight.

Philemon 1:12

12. — him, that is, mine own bowels:] St. Paul thus styles Onesimus, either from the tender affection he bore him; or rather as being his son in the faith of Christ: compare ver. 10. Thus children are sometimes called, both in Greek and Latin authors. Parkhurst.

Philemon 1:13

13. — that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me] That he might have done me those good offices, which I know yourself would gladly perform, if you could. Pyle.

Philemon 1:14

14. — that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.] If Onesimus had remained with the Apostle in Rome, and Philemon had pardoned him at the Apostle’s intercession, that favour would not have appeared so clearly to have been bestowed voluntarily, as when Onesimus returned and put himself in his master’s power, and was received again into his family. The Apostle, therefore, sent him back to Philemon, that his receiving him might be known to have proceeded from his own merciful disposition. Dr. Macknight.

Philemon 1:15

15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, &c.] The Apostle here made the same kind of apology for Onesimus, which Joseph did for his brethren. The providence of God often brings good out of evil: yet we should not therefore do evil that good may come. Dr. Macknight. See Gen. xlv. 5.

— for ever.] Or, “for life,” which was probably the Apostle’s meaning. But some suppose that it signifies Philemon’s having Onesimus as a brother “for ever:” the relation between Christians as brethren being to subsist in the next world. Dr. Macknight.

Philemon 1:16

16. — above a servant, a brother beloved.] Although Christianity doth not take away the degrees of persons, and dissolve the civil differences between man and man, yet it maketh us all equal and fellow brethren in Christ. Burkitt.

— unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?] To thee, who hast a double relation to him, as one of thy family, and one of thy faith. Dr. Hammond.

Philemon 1:17

17. If thou count me therefore a partner,] Namely, in thy friendship. Drs. Whitby and Wells.

Philemon 1:19

19. — how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.] Implying what great things he had done for Philemon in his conversion; so great as made Philemon a debtor, not only of his own goods, but of himself too. The Apostle however only glances at this with great modesty. Burkitt.

Philemon 1:20

20. — refresh my bowels in the Lord.] My bowels yearn on Onesimus. Remove my anxiety concerning him, whom I so tenderly love, by pardoning him, and receiving him again into thy family. This is the most natural interpretation of the passage. Drs. Macknight and Whitby. See the note from Parkhurst on ver. 7.

Philemon 1:21

21. — knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.] In this beautiful passage, ver. 8—21, we have the greatest variety of arguments and motives of the strongest kind, couched in terms the most soft and persuasive. On the one hand we have Philemon’s reputation for goodness, the respect due to his own character, his friendship for St. Paul, the reverence claimed by the Apostle’s age, the compassion due to his bonds: on the other, we have Onesimus’s repentance and return to virtue, his conversion to the Christian religion, and consequent claim on Philemon’s piety as his spiritual brother; his faithful services to St. Paul, the tender interest the Apostle took in his concerns, a promise of restitution for any pecuniary loss, accompanied with an insinuation, that Philemon was indebted to the Apostle for what was much more than the pardon of his repentant slave, even his own existence as a Christian, the forgiveness of his sins, and his admission into the kingdom of heaven. But the intercessor insists not on his authority as an Apostle, or his claims to Philemon’s gratitude: he submits all to his free generosity; and closes with a declaration of his full confidence, that, under the influence of that, Philemon would do more than he himself thought it necessary to desire. Can there be a doubt, whether such an address proceeded from a fanatick, weak and extravagant, claiming a spiritual authority which had no other foundation than his own spiritual arrogance, and exercising this authority, as such a temper must have exercised it, indiscriminately and violently, unreasonably and mischievously? or whether this Epistle was not rather the effusion of a mind, replete with good sense, versed in the knowledge of the human heart, animated with the best and tenderest feelings; but whose every feeling was regulated by the clearest reason, claiming no authority to which there was not the most indisputable title, and exercising that authority with the soundest discretion? Dr. Graves.

Philemon 1:22

22. — through your prayers.] The Apostle knew the efficacy of the prayers of the church, for preservation of Christ’s eminent servants from impending dangers, as in the case of St. Peter, Acts xii.: and therefore in most of his Epistles he very earnestly intrests the prayers of the church, that he might be enabled to preach the Gospel with freedom and success, Eph. vi. 19; Col. iv.

8; 2 Thess. iii. 1: and that he might be delivered from the malice of his persecutors, Rom. xv. 30, 31; 2 Thess. iii. 2: or else he expresses his confidence that their prayers would be effectual to that end, as here, and at 2 Cor. i. 10, 11; iv. 14, 15; Phil. i. 19. Had he thus conceived of prayers, directed to angels and departed saints, it is very remarkable that he should not afford one instance of them in all his epistles. Dr. Whitby.

— I shall be given unto you.] I shall have liberty from my bonds, and be permitted to come and visit you. Dr. Hammond.

Philemon 1:23

23, 24. — Epaphras, — Marcus, &c.] Concerning these persons see Col. i. 7; iv. 12, 14; Acts xii. 12; xix. 29; and the notes on those passages.

Philemon 1:25

25. — be with your spirit.] The plural pronoun “your” shews that the Apostle did not pray for Philemon alone, but for all the saints at Colosse, who had obtained like precious faith with him. Burkitt.

Whether Philemon pardoned Onesimus in consequence of this letter is not known. Only from the earnestness with which the Apostle solicited his pardon, and from the generosity and goodness of Philemon’s disposition, we may conjecture that he actually pardoned Onesimus; and even gave him his freedom, in compliance with the Apostle’s insinuation, according to the interpretation of some commentators, that “he would do more than he said,” ver. 21. For it was no uncommon thing in ancient times, to bestow freedom on such slaves as had obtained the esteem and goodwill of their masters by their faithful conduct. At all events, the anxiety which the Apostle shewed for the welfare of Onesimus, in return for his affectionate services, could not fail to cherish good dispositions in the breast of Philemon. Nor is it possible even at this day, so long after Philemon and his slave are both gone, to read this letter without experiencing in some measure the same happy effect.

In the mean time, if this epistle had served no other purpose than to shew the world what sort of a man the Apostle Paul was in private life, it would have been a valuable accession to the canon of Scripture. For in it the writer hath displayed qualities which are by men deservedly held in the greatest estimation; such as an high spirit arising from a consciousness of his own dignity, consummate prudence, uncommon generosity, the warmest friendship, the most skilful address, and the greatest politeness, as well as purity of manners: qualities not to be found either in an enthusiast, or in an impostor. Dr. Doddridge observes, that ’this epistle, considered as a mere human composition, is a masterpiece of its kind. For, if it is compared with an epistle of Pliny, supposed to have been written on a similar occasion, that epistle, though penned by one who was reckoned to excel in the epistolary style, and though it has undoubtedly many beauties, will be found by persons of taste much inferiour to this animated composition of the Apostle Paul.’ Dr. Macknight.