More Than a Bondservant: Part 1

How God Transfigures Our Relationships

WRITTEN BY DREW MATZ

“it is one of the most succinct and tender demonstrations of Christian love”

Philemon is one of the shortest books in the Bible, clocking in at merely 25 verses in length. Yet, despite its brevity, it is one of the most succinct and tender demonstrations of Christian love in the whole of the New Testament. From these few verses, we can learn how to advocate for one another, emptying ourselves out for the sake of the least among us.

Background

The short epistle centers around Paul and a character named Onesimus – a runaway slave who appears to have befriended Paul during his imprisonment. Paul describes Onesimus – whose name means useful – as having now become a brother, implying his conversion to Christianity. Paul’s letter is addressed to Philemon, the slave’s owner and Paul’s friend in Christ. The letters intent is persuasive in nature, exhorting Philemon to recognize the Gospel’s transformation of his relationship with Onesimus.

Paul seems to have already had a warm and affectionate relationship with Philemon, who apparently hosted Church gatherings in his own home (v.2). Philemon must have met Paul in Ephesus, where Paul was involved in ministry and likely converted to Christianity through Paul’s efforts there. Like most house patriarchs who were Roman citizens, Philemon was a slave owner. Onesimus appears to have wronged Philemon in some way and deserted Philemon. Though the nature of Philemon’s betrayal is unknown, it seems Onesimus tracked down Paul in prison – most likely to appeal to him for help. In this, it seems Paul shared the Gospel with him, and Onesimus becomes a Christian while with Paul.

Sharing Together

Paul’s letter to Philemon is his shortest we have. Yet, it is masterfully structured and nothing short of brilliant in its content. His focus is to appeal to Philemon’s sense of brotherhood in Christ, and he does this by reminding Philemon of their mutual participation in the love of Christ:

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.[a] 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.

Philemon 1:4-7

“The slave and master relationship is transformed into a relationship of brotherhood. ”

The word used here for “sharing” is koinonia, and denotes the idea of a mutual participation. In Christ, each person has a specific role to play.  No one role is inherently more important than another, but each brings an invaluable gift to be used in Jesus’ kingdom. It must be understood how radical of an idea this is. According to this view, the distinction between slave and free becomes obsolete. The slave and master relationship is transformed into a relationship of brotherhood. In Greco-Roman culture, a slave was merely property – devoid of any inherent dignity or personhood apart from the whims of the slave’s master. However, in Christ we see how this notion is turned upside down – a notion we will explore in more depth in the next post.

Article written by Drew Matz

A native of Southeastern Ohio, Drew moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he earned an MA in Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary, cultivating a love for Historical Theology and Biblical Languages. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management from Franklin University. Being from the Appalachian Foothills, Drew is passionate about the outdoors and the natural wonder it inspires. Drew currently resides in Fort Wayne with his wife and daughter.