The purpose of this letter is simple, Paul writes to Philemon, friend and convert in Colossae, asking him to welcome back Onesimus, no longer as a runaway slave, but now as a brother in the Lord.

v8-9. At this point in his letter, Paul outlines his request to Philemon. Here Paul, as an apostle, indicates his right to encourage and direct a fellow brother to act in a certain way. An elder, or teacher, in Christ has this right, and this is especially so for an apostle. Yet, Paul does not use this authority to command Philemon to accept Onesimus back with kindness rather than vengeance. Instead, he prefers to make his appeal on the basis of Christian love - because of the love that binds believers together in Christ. Paul makes his appeal as "an old man" (possibly "ambassador") and "prisoner of Christ Jesus."

v10. Paul finally gets to mentions the name of Philemon's runaway slave, a person Paul has "fathered in his imprisonment." Onesimus obviously met Paul in prison and was converted through his ministry.

v11. Onesimus, meaning "profitable", was once useless, but is now useful (a play on words).

v12-14. Paul would rather keep Onesimus with him, but out of fair play and a respect for the law (the return of a runaway slave), he sends him back. Onesimus has been a great asset to Paul and seeing he is Philemon's slave, the service rendered is, in a sense, Philemon's.

v15-16. Writing in the passive voice, "he was separated from you", Paul implies that there is divine purpose in what has happened, because now Onesimus is a believer and Philemon can have him back as a brother, rather than a slave.

v17-20. Paul now asks Philemon to welcome Onesimus back, not out of compulsion or because it is the right thing to do, but out of Christian love. Onesimus is now a member of a new society where all members are brothers. He may be a slave in the flesh, but he is also an equal in the Lord. Paul wants a "benefit" from Philemon, not the return of Onesimus to Paul, but rather Philemon's kindly love expressed toward his runaway slave.

v21-22. At this point, Paul indicates his intention to visit Philemon. This could be a subtle prod to get Philemon to act in the right way. 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. The prayer of faith is 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.

v23-24. Personal greetings.

v25. Blessing. May God's favour touch your true self. The "your" is plural, reminding us that the letter is to the church, probably the Christian fellowship meeting in Philemon's home.

One of the most sought after personal qualities in private enterprise is dynamic leadership. Being a "leader of men" is a valuable asset for those who aspire to a management team.

There are many training courses available for middle-order management which claim to teach leadership techniques. They do, to a degree, teach the skills which make for good leadership. Yet, when it comes down to it, leadership is more inherited than learnt.

Although we can identify some of the obvious abilities (such as intelligence, authority, friendliness.......), the crucial ability in secular management today is charisma. Men are driven to succeed, to capture the world, to dominate and to possess, and it is interesting how ambitious women mimic their male colleagues in this game. These territorial motivations are powerful and can achieve great ends, either for good or evil.

There are other leadership qualities found in secular management. The "father figure" was once very common, but is less so today. When Paul the apostle writes to Philemon to ask him to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus, he would have had reasonable success if, as an apostle, he commanded Philemon to accept Onesimus back. Within the church today there is still some degree of willingness to do what the Minister or Elders of the church have decided.

Although leadership in the Christian church often employs the "father figure" style, there is an increasing tendency toward charisma - powerful (hormonal) leadership. Yet, if Paul's letter to Philemon is any guide, we would do better to rely on the authority of love, rather than hormones or fatherly advice.

Paul's request to Philemon was that he warmly accept Onesimus back as a brother in the Lord. He did not ask for his freedom, nor did he ask Philemon if he would be willing to allow Onesimus to return as Paul's personal servant. This Paul would dearly like, but he certainly does not request it. On the basis of Christian love, Paul asks for the establishment of Christian fellowship in service to the Lord. He asks Philemon to affirm community, to affirm church. So, he maintains the principle of applying Christian love to kingdom business, rather than his own selfish ends. What better leadership model is there?

Discussion

1. How does love relate to Paul's request?

2. Discuss the different leadership styles you have observed.