Philemon

8-20

2. A call to Christian love and acceptance, v8-25

i] Paul's appeal to Philemon

Having commenced his letter with the usual greetings and thanksgiving, Paul now directly asks Philemon, a friend and convert in Colossae, to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus as a brother in the Lord.

This passage serves as a the center of the letter and consists of Paul's appeal to Philemon to show love toward his runaway slave Onesimus. Paul first notes that he could command Philemon, but intends to appeal to him instead, v8-9. He then relates how he met Onesimus and led him to Christ, v10-11, and how he is now sending him back to his legal master, v12. Paul would rather have kept Onesimus as his own assistant, but would not even consider such without Philemon's approval, v13-14, and so, under the purpose of God, he is now sending him back, not just as a slave, but as a Christian brother, v15-16. Paul then directly asks Philemon to accept Onesimus back as a Christian brother, v17, offering to pay for any out-of-pocket expenses that he may have incurred, v18-19. Finally, Paul looks for a positive response to his request, a response which will fill him with joy, v20.

Paul concludes his letter by indicating his intention to visit Philemon, v21-22. This could be a subtle prod to get Philemon to respond positively to his request. As for Paul's hoped-for release from prison being an answer to prayer, it is unnecessary to draw a direct correlation between the two, as though intercession can gain God's intervention for us in times of trouble. A prayer of faith is always dependent on the revealed will of God. God's intention is for the realization of the kingdom of God and he will use His servants to achieve this end. It would be nice if that involved Paul's release. Paul then begins to wind up with personal greetings, v23-24, and a final blessing, "may God's favor touch your true self", v25. We should note that the "your" is plural, reminding us that the letter is to the church, probably the Christian fellowship meeting in Philemon's home.

The opening Gk. sentence, v8-12, is constructed around the main verb parakalew, v9, which is repeated again in v10, "I appeal, urge, beseech", the focus being on Paul's appeal to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, an appeal made on the ground of love.

dio "therefore" - Expressing a logical result, "accordingly / so it is that", Zerwick.

ecwn (ecw) pres. part. "although [in Christ] I could be" - having. The participle is adverbial, concessive, as NIV.

en Cristw/ "in Christ" - "Because of their Christian relationship", O'Brien, so also Dunn.

parrhsian (a) "bold" - boldness, confidence, frankness, openness, plainly. Modified by "much/many", so "I have much boldness and openness" = "I am very bold", but obviously with the sense "I could be very bold."

epitassein (epitassw) pres. inf. "and order [you]" - to order [you]. The infinitive is probably best classed as complementary, completing the sense of the participial phrase "having boldness", although possibly epexegetic. Here of giving an authoritative command.

to anhkon acc. "what you ought to do" - that which is required, fitting. Probably an accusative of respect; "with respect to your duty", Harris, "one's duty", Martin, so also Dunn, although probably better "what is proper for Philemon, as a Christian, to do in the circumstances concerning Onesimus", O'Brien, so also Moo, Fitzmyer.

mallon "yet" - rather. "[I could be bold and order you ........,] but I would rather."

parakalw (parakalew) pres. "appeal" - appeal, urge, beseech. Main verb.

dia + acc. "on the basis of" - because of, on account of. "Because of love"; "for love's sake", Weymouth.

thn agaphn (h) "love" - In the sense of "brotherly love." "Yet, because we love one another", Barclay.

w]n "I then" - being [such a one as Paul]. The participle is adverbial, probably causal, "because I am such"; "since I am", NASB.

toioutoV ... wJV "as" - such a one as. The words are best taken as correlative and lay the ground for Paul's right to command, ie. they connect with the words that follow, cf. Lightfoot 337; "Being such an one as Paul an ambassador ..... and now a prisoner ........ I appeal to you", Lightfoot. "Being what I am, Paul, ....", NJB.

presbuthV (hV ou) "an old man" - an adult male of advanced years*. Not in a self-defacing sense, reflecting the attitude of western society toward senior people, but rather of someone who is wise and experienced carrying the authority of their years. The word can be used of an ambassador or an elder/leader of a church. "I Paul an ambassador for Christ", Cassirer.

nuni "[and] now" - [and] now [also].

Cristou Ihsou "[a prisoner] of Christ Jesus" - The genitive is probably adjectival, possessive; "a prisoner belonging to Jesus Christ."

se acc. "[I appeal] to you" - [I appeal] you. Accusative direct object.

peri + gen. "for" - concerning, about, with reference to. Here with the less common sense "for / on behalf of." "Paul is interceding on Onesimus' behalf rather than making a request about him", O'Brien.

egennhsa (gennaw) aor. "became my son" - I gave birth to. "He is like a son to me", CEV, although probably more pointedly with the sense of converted, "while here in jail I fathered a child, so to speak", Peterson.

Onhsimon (oV) "Onesimus" - Paul has placed the name of the person of whom he is making his appeal at the end of the Gk. sentence given that "the name of Onesimus is likely to make Philemon see red", Pfitzner.

en + dat. "in [chains]" - Probably temporal here, "while I was in prison", Moffatt, as NIV, but also possibly causal, "because in prison I became his father in the faith", Barclay.

pote "formerly" - formerly, at one time, once. "Who was once of so little use to you", Cassirer.

ton .... acrhston adj. "useless" - useless, unprofitable, worthless. The name Onesimus derives from the verb oninhmi, "useful", which provides Paul with the source of his pun, although as Dunn notes, "Onesimus must have been heartily sick of it by this time."

nuni de "but now" - "But now-a-days", Phillips.

eucrhston adj. "useful" - profitable, useful. "Once he was useless ...... now he is useful."

o}n "-" - whom. Continuing the Gk. sentence which began in v8 with this pronoun referring back to Onesimus in v11.

anepemya (anapempw) aor. "I am sending" - I sent back. The aorist is punctiliar with most translations emphasizing aspect, so expressing the verb in the present tense rather than past. Note how Paul is maintaining his authority over Onesimus as one who has led him to the Lord. So, Paul is sending him back, rather than Onesimus asking to come back, even though Onesimus may well have wanted to come back. "Paul takes the initiative", Moo.

auton, tout "him - who [is]" - him, that [is]. The auton here is emphatic, nicely expressed in the NIV.

ta .... splagcna (on) "[my very] heart" - [is my] entrails, inward parts. "A part of myself", JB, but better "my own heart", NJB, which expresses the special place Onesimus has in Paul's life and the strong emotional bond between the two.

soi dat. "back to you" - to you. Dative of indirect object.

The second Gk. sentence, v13-14, opens with the relative pronoun "whom", referring to Onesimus. The two verses are antithetical with two main verbs "was desiring" and "wanted", both with a complementary infinitive and followed by a hina purpose clause. In this sentence Paul expresses his high regard for Onesimus, stating his preference for keeping him in order to help him while in prison, but at the same time stating his intention of not doing so without Philemon's consent.

eboulomhn (boulomai) imperf. "[I] would have liked" - was desiring, willed, wanted. The "I", egw, is emphatically stated. The imperfect is durative; this with the following aorist verb "wanted" gives the sense "I was wishing for a time ...... but then I decided", Moo.

katecein (katecew) pres. inf. "to keep" - to keep, retain, hold on to. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "was desiring". "I would have preferred to keep him with me", Fitzmyer.

o}n acc. "him" - whom [I was desiring .... to keep]. This relative pronoun, which commences the sentence, functions as the object of the verb "was desiring".

iJna + subj. "so that" - that. Forming a purpose clause, "in order that", or hypothetical result, "so that".

uJper sou "he could take your place" - on behalf of you / in your stead. Either way, the preposition makes the point that Philemon, who has often assisted Paul in his ministry, and now, due to distance can only give limited assistance, has actually assisted Paul with his physical needs through his runaway slave Onesimus.

tou euaggeliou (on) - "for the gospel" - of the gospel. The classification of this genitive is by no means clear, but it is probably ablative, a genitive of origin, so Lightfoot, ie. Paul's imprisonment comes out of his preaching of the gospel.

The intent of Paul's words here are somewhat unclear, see "any favor you do" below.

de "but" - but, and. Here adversative.

poihsai (poiew) aor. inf. "[I do not want] to do [anything]" - [nothing I wanted] to do. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "I wanted".

cwriV + gen. "without" - without, apart from. "Unless you agree to it first", CEV.

iJna mh + subj. "so that" - that. Forming a purpose clause; "in order that ...." formed with the subjunctive of the verb to-be, h\/. The NIV reverses the order of this clause. Lit. "in order that the good you do (the good of you) might not be under (as according to) constraint, but under (according to) free will"; "so that this kindness of yours might be done not under compulsion but of your own free will", Cassirer.

to agaqon adj. "any favor [you] do" - the good [of you]. Adjective serving as a noun. This "good" is best viewed as an "act of kindness", Harris. Some suggest that the act of kindness that Paul is referring to is the return Onesimus to serve Paul, cf. Pfitzner, but it is very unlikely that Paul is seeking this benefit from Philemon. The act of kindness is surely Philemon's kindly acceptance of Onesimus on his return, so Fitzmyer. In fact, it is quite possible that Onesimus wants to return, and this as a Christian duty. The central thrust of Paul's words to Philemon must control our understanding of this verse. Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon, asking that Philemon accept his as a brother, rather than a runaway slave. Paul is not demanding this kindness of Philemon, but asking him to act out of love. Such a kindness is no great sacrifice for Philemon, for he is gaining a brother. For Paul there is great sacrifice in that he is losing the assistance of a caring brother while in prison.

kata ekousion adj. "spontaneous" - according to (= under) willing = free will.

mh wJV kata anagkhn (h) "not forced" - not as according to (= under) necessity, constraint.

This next sentence, v15-16, is introduced by gar, "for", often left untranslated when this conjunction is explanatory, as NIV. The verse may serve to explain why Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon, ie. he doesn't want to get in the way of God's will, so Fitzmyer, Lightfoot, O'Brien. Moo suggests that Paul is actually explaining the "act of kindness", v14, "specifying its outcome: Philemon will have Onesimus back forever as a dear brother, and, on the other hand ..... God himself is working in the circumstances to bring out just this outcome."

taca "perhaps" - Here expressing a cautious thought. The initial separation of Onesimus from Philemon may well be within the divine will (separated in order to come back for good), although the act of running away, being sinful, cannot be in the divine will, thus the caution - a "caution" we are all very aware of!!!!

dia + acc. "the reason" - because of, on account of.

touto pro. "-" - [because of] this. The pronoun serves a prospective function, referencing the epexegetic hina clause at the end of the sentence, a clause which serves to explain the sense of "this"; "because of this, namely that you might have him eternally no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a dear brother, especially to me, but more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord, he was removed for an hour." Certainly best reformed as a main clause with a supportive purpose / hypothetical result clause; "It may be that he was taken away from you for a time so that you might get him back for eternity, no longer as a slave, but as something more than a slave, ...........", Barclay.

ecwrisqh (cwrizw) aor. pas. "he was separated" - he was removed. Divine / theological passive.

iJna + subj. "that" - that. See above for this hina clause.

This verse is rightly regarded as the theological high-point of the letter. It continues the hina clause begun in v15.

wJV "as [a slave]" - as. Expressing a subjective sense, ie. still a slave, but not as a slave.

uJper adv. "better than [a slave]" - more than [a slave]. "Not merely as a slave, but as a brother-Christian", Phillips.

adelfon agaphton "a dear brother" - a brother beloved.

malista adv. "he is very dear [to me]" - especially [to me].

de "but" - but, and. Here adversative.

posw/ .. mallon "even dearer [to you]" - how much more [to you].

en sarki (sarx koV) "as a man" - in the flesh. "That aspect of human life that is bound by earthly-oriented interests", Moo, so Onesimus is dear to Paul with respect to their earthly relationship; "both as a person and a follower of the Lord", CEV.

We now come to the rhetorical heart of the letter where Paul makes a direct and personal appeal to Philemon, v17-20. Note how some translations include v21 in this paragraph. The appeal is expressed by the use of three imperative verbs: proslabou, "receive" - "welcome him (Onesimus) as you would welcome me", v17; elloga, "put to [my] account" - "if you feel he has wronged or cheated you put it down to my account", v18; anapouson, "refresh" - "grant me this favor brother, such an act of love will do my old heart good", v20.

oun "so" - therefore. Usually serving to draw a logical conclusion, but here probably resumptive, "so", as NIV.

ei + ind. "if" - Forming a conditional sentence, 1st class, where the condition is assumed to be true, "if, as is the case, .... then ....."

eceiV (ecw) "you consider" - you have, hold. Here with a double accusative construction - object "me", object complement "a partner". On such occasions this verb takes the sense "consider / regard / take to be", Harris, cf. BAGD 333b.

koinwnon (oV) "partner" - sharer, partner. Obviously "partner" in the sense of a fellow believer, a brother in the Lord; "if you look on me as a man united to you in fellowship", Cassirer.

proslabou (proslambanw) aor. imp. "welcome" - receive, accept, take to oneself [him as me]. It is unclear what the practical implications of this "welcome" are. Commentators are divided, some suggesting that Paul expects Philemon to release Onesimus from his slavery. Certainly Paul expects Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother in the Lord and this with all the implications of being one in Christ where there is "neither slave nor free." Paul actually asks Philemon to treat Onesimus as if he were Paul. So, there are certainly practical implications. "Welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me", CEV.

ei + ind. "if" - Conditional clause, 1st. class, as above, although here, for the sake of argument.

hdikhsen (adikew) aor. "he has done [you any] wrong" - [anything] he wronged [you]. Obviously Paul is not aware of any wrongdoing, other than Onesimus' running away and therefore the need for compensation for work lost.

elloga (ellogew) pres. imp. "charge [it to me]" - [this] put, reckon, impute [to me]. Variant ellogei, which is correct for a 2nd. singular present imperative. Confusion often results with ew verbs, cf. Moule.

egw PauloV "I Paul" - Emphatic.

egraya (grafw) aor. "am writing" - wrote. Possibly an epistolary aorist, so "I am writing", although Paul may be referring to his previous words and so "I have written this ....."

emh/ dat. "with my [own hand]" - my. Instrumental dative, "with/by my hand, or locative, "in my handwriting." Is Paul saying that at this point he has taken up the pen to personally write the conclusion of the letter, or is he saying that he has written the whole letter personally?

apotisw (apotinw) fut. "I will repay" - In the sense of "I will compensate you for any loss."

iJna + subj. "-" - that [I may not say to you]. The function of this hina clause is unclear. Most commentators agree that there is likely to be an ellipsis (missing words) which serve to introduce the hina clause, with the clause itself expressing purpose; "I put it this way (ellipsis) in order that (iJna) I might not have to say to you that you owe me everything", cf. Moule, Harris, Moo, Fitzmyer, Wilson, Dunn. Lohse suggests that Paul is picking up on the "charge it to me" of v18b. The phrase iJna my legw, "that I say nothing" = inf. "to say nothing", cf. 2Cor.9:4, is used where an "orator pretends to pass over something which he in fact mentions", BDF. So, Paul is making the point that "if the discussion is going to center around debts, then Paul can make a contra-account and remind Philemon that it is in fact he who is indebted to the Apostle", Louse, cf. O'Brien. Simplified in English we end up with something like "if .... he owes you anything charge it to me ......... not in any way to mention the fact that you owe me everything."

oJti "that" - that. Here introducing a dependent statement, indirect speech, expressing what Paul does not want to mention, although will mention, just to make a point.

nai "-" - yes. Emphatic repetition, so reinforcing Paul's request that Onesimus be received in a kindly fashion; "Well then, my brother", Cassirer.

egw "I" - Emphatic.

onaimhn (oninhmi) aor. mid. opt. "[I] do wish [brother] that I may have some benefit" - may have profit, benefit, pleasure. Optative serving to express a wish, as NIV. This verb is very close to the name Onesimus and so Paul may well be crafting another pun.

sou "from you" - of you. The genitive is ablative, expressing source, origin.

en kuriw/ "in the Lord" - "Because of our relationship with the Lord."

anapauson (anapauw) aor. imp. "refresh [my heart]" - refresh, rest, [my inner parts]. "Put an end to my anxiety", Barclay.

en Cristw/ "in Christ" - So often, as with "in the Lord", the phrase generalizes the state of being a Christian in a relationship with Jesus / united to Jesus and is not making some specific point; "my dear friend and follower of Christ our Lord, please cheer me up by doing this for me", CEV.

Philemon Introduction

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