Studying the writings of the apostle Paul is always a great challenge. Let us consider that the figure of Paul of Tarsus is important in the historical development of the West. It is enough to observe that the texts of Romans and Galatians, concerning justification by faith, are the foundation of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, so Paul’s writings hold great importance in later historical events. On the other hand, we generally associate Paul with a strong cultural background. Just think that he quotes Epimenides in Titus 1:12:
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
Or quoting the same author at the beginning of Acts 17:28, while at the end of the verse he cites Phaenomena by Aratus:
for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
At the same time, we see in Paul a writer of strong theology, generally dealing with complex matters, so much so that even the apostle Peter, in his letter (2 Peter 3:15-16), says :
and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
However, in the letter to Philemon we find a rather domestic matter, not directed toward a doctrinal theological concept, yet we can still see that it contains much, as we will observe.
Love in the Church
It is noteworthy that Paul generally writes to the church, as in his letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, and others. However, here we find a personal letter, addressed to a particular individual. Nevertheless, although the letter is evidently personal, with a specific subject, it is always framed within the context of Christian fellowship. It is written within an ecclesiastical setting, for we first find the reference to Philemon as one who has a church in his house (v. 2):
to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house
Therefore, although it is a letter addressed to a particular person, it seems important that we too, as members of a church, may draw something from it.
It is interesting that in verse 5 it says:
hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints
because it is to be expected that anyone who is part of a church should have love and faith toward the Lord Jesus. However, for Paul, it is important to emphasize that this is an element that must be present, and not something that should simply be taken for granted. It is, therefore, a characteristic that must be possessed and must be evident.
On the other hand, it is important that this is the first thing. The very first thing in the Christian life should be love for Jesus. Nothing else that follows would make any sense if that love for Jesus did not exist. And here, this love above all echoes Matthew 22:37-39:
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
It is precisely the same order that Paul writes in his letter to Philemon. First, he loves and has faith in the Lord Jesus, then he loves “all the saints,” that is, his brothers and sisters in the faith. The first love is evidently toward Christ, and then that love can be extended to others.
And it is at this point that we must look at love toward others. Paul writes in verse 7:
For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
The original word for hearts is actually σπλάγχνα (splagchna), which means the internal organs, such as the kidney, pancreas, or even the heart itself. In Greek culture, the deep emotions and feelings resided in these inner organs. But what is remarkable is that we find this same root, for example, in Matthew 9:36:
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were [a]weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
Where the word we translate as “compassion” is σπλαγχνίσθη (splagchnisthe). Here we see that what Jesus feels is so intense that He is deeply affected inwardly and seeks to do something to remedy the situation. It is like having a kidney illness; one will not sit comfortably at home, but will seek a way to heal the illness, finding a doctor and treatment. Such is the depth of the Greek text: Jesus’ compassion is profound, seeking to comfort the deep needs of human beings. This is also Philemon, who comforts the deepest needs of his brother.
What is notable here is that it leads us to consider that Christianity cannot be limited to sitting on a bench, listening to a sermon, and doing nothing else. The church should be the place where we can comfort the deepest needs. But to know the most internal needs of another, there must be a relationship and understanding. We cannot see a pain in the pancreas at first glance; a specific, detailed examination is required. Likewise, we cannot perceive the pain of people if we do not know them.
It is therefore evident that, despite Philemon’s good example, he is an imperfect human being like us. And we can see that, although he was a member of a church, Onesimus never saw Jesus there. Onesimus met Jesus when he encountered Paul. This matter is crucial. Being a church member does not necessarily mean that we reflect Jesus. And the only way to reflect Him is by knowing Him. Ellen White notes in To be Like Jesus, p. 245:
Catching sight of His loveliness, we long to practice the virtues and righteousness of Christ. It is by beholding Christ that we become changed into His image, and by renouncing self, giving our hearts up wholly to Jesus for His Spirit to refine, ennoble, and elevate, we will be in close connection with the future world, bathed in the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.
and in The Desire of Ages, p. 83:
It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit.
It is important to maintain a continuous walk with God, so that we can reflect Him.
Onesimus and justification by faith
From verse 8, we find the core reason why Paul writes. The letter is written on behalf of Onesimus, a slave of Philemon who had run away. From the text, we cannot establish what he did or why he did it. Some comment that Onesimus was Philemon’s brother, who, due to debts, sold himself as a slave to settle that debt; however, we cannot assert anything. We might think that Onesimus stole from his master and ran away, or that he committed some act against his family. We simply do not know. What we can know is that the only fate that awaited Onesimus was death. A runaway slave deserved death. Otherwise, if he were allowed to live, he would serve as an example for other slaves to flee as well. Thus, Onesimus’ destiny was to die.
However, even though we do not know the details of his encounter with Paul, we know that there, more than meeting the apostle, he met Christ. It is interesting that a true encounter with Christ produces a significant change of state. Verse 16 says:
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
The encounter with Jesus transforms a slave into a brother. It grants him a different dignity, a higher status. And it is interesting to note the wordplay in verses 10 and 11:
I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me
for Onesimus means “useful.” It is interesting that Onesimus went from being useful to being useless, but the encounter with Christ restores usefulness to his life once again. At the same time, it restores his dignity. First he was Onesimus, then he became useless, but then he returned to being Onesimus. The encounter with Jesus restores original identity and dignity.
It is even noteworthy that, for Paul, he is not merely a slave; he considers him as a son, as we see in verse 10:
I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains
Just as the encounter with Jesus leads us to be seen by God as His children, for as 1 John 3:1 points out:
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
And not only does a restoration occur, but also every debt is fully paid. It is notable that Paul points out in verses 18 and 19:
But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay, not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.
Onesimus did not have to repay anything; everything was charged to Paul’s account. And it is interesting that the letter is signed by Paul himself, serving as a guarantee that it is authentic, written by his own hand, for we must remember that during his imprisonment, Paul required assistants and secretaries to write his letters. Now, this serves as a parallel to the work of Jesus, where it does not matter what we have done before, Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient to pay for our sin. Christ Himself is both the sacrifice and the guarantee. Only the blood of Jesus pays our debt, as is stated in Romans 6:23:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Onesimus faced death as his punishment; that was the price to pay. However, Paul only extends a letter acting as his guarantor before Philemon, and the debt is thereby canceled. In the same way, our only destined fate is death, but Jesus places our debt on His account. Onesimus had no merits, money, or anything, now he had an intercessor, the apostle. Today, we have an intercessor, Jesus, as Hebrews 7:25 states:
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
so that He is our advocate, as 1 John 2:1 indicates:
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Now, although the encounter with Jesus completely transforms, it is important to note that it requires a step of faith. For Onesimus, returning to his master meant going to die; however, he had to exercise faith that Paul’s letter alone was enough and that Philemon would read it so that he could live. Onesimus might have thought that it was not sufficient, or wondered why he should return if, after reading the letter, he would be killed anyway. Onesimus’ faith in Paul’s letter allowed him to approach Philemon again and live. Onesimus had to do nothing else. He did not have to defend himself, for he had no excuse; he was guilty, had nothing to offer, and only had to believe that Paul’s writing was sufficient—he only needed to deliver the letter and nothing more.
This is how God’s grace works: it restores our dignity, covers our debt, and requires nothing from us, only the belief that it is sufficient.
It is interesting that a matter as profound as justification by faith, a topic of great relevance for understanding Scripture at the time of the Reformation, is found within a letter of a domestic, not doctrinal, nature. Doctrine and theology are found in the everyday, in simple things. It is not merely an intellectual matter; it permeates all aspects of life. Doctrine is not only knowledge, but also a way of living.
Relationship with the parables of Jesus
Now, the story of Onesimus bears great similarities to three parables told by Jesus, which, when studied in the context of the letter to Philemon, provide interesting insights that complement what has been discussed. I will only mention a few details to keep the writing concise.
The first and most evident is the relationship with the parable of the prodigal son, found in Luke 15:11-32. In both accounts, we find a man who leaves, loses his way (becomes useless), and returns (becomes useful). In both, there is a restoration. In the case of Onesimus, we see a rise from slave to beloved brother, while in the prodigal son, he is given the best robe and a ring, so we also see an elevation of honor.
Secondly, verses 18 and 19 remind us of the story of the Good Samaritan, for in Luke 10:35, regarding the Samaritan, it says:
On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
Thus, in the story of Onesimus, we see that Paul faithfully reflects Jesus, just as the Good Samaritan is a figure of Christ who promises to return and pay our debts.
The third parable to consider is that of the two debtors. It is interesting that in the account of Matthew 18:23–35, we find a debtor who was forgiven but refused to forgive another who owed him a lesser amount. In the letter to Philemon, we find Onesimus as a debtor to his master, who was to forgive him. But we also see that Philemon is mentioned as a debtor, for in verse 19 Paul says:
I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay, not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.
Now, the outcomes are apparently different, for in the parable in Matthew, the man did not forgive the debtor even though he also owed, whereas in the case of Philemon and Onesimus, we understand that the master forgave the slave. It is interesting to see this parallel, where we can observe the two paths that can be taken in the Christian journey: to follow God’s will, or not to do so.
The reason to doing everything
Finally, it is important to consider that the foundation for all that should be done operates around love. The first characteristic was love for God, and then for others. It is notable that the reception of people who enter the church, or those around us, should be done in the way indicated in verse 12:
I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
The original Greek says:
ὃν ἀνέπεμψά σοι αὐτόν, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα
where the last word, σπλάγχνα (splagchna), is the same one we examined at the beginning. Literally, Paul is telling Philemon to receive his innermost parts. More than receiving him as if he were himself, it is receiving him, indicating that Onesimus is a part of him. How profound it is that our treatment of others should be as if Jesus were sending Himself.
And the only reason for doing this is found here:
Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,
for Paul could have used his authority as an apostle to command Philemon to receive Onesimus. In the same way, God could command us to care for, help, and watch over others simply because He is God. However, the reason, verse 9 teaches us, is that:
yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you…
Just as God loves us, He does not compel us; He pleads, out of love, that we love. This should be the kind of Christianity we ought to cultivate.