The Strand Study Bible

PHILEMON

Author: Paul Theme: Understanding Forgiveness ( Heb 12:15 b )

About the Author: Paul, whose name means “little,” was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5), and a native of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia (Acts 21:39 & 22:3). Also called Saul, Paul inherited the rights of Roman citizenship (Acts 22:28) because his father was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). At the age of perhaps thirteen (Acts 26:4-5), Paul was sent to Jerusalem and there became a student of orthodox Judaism under Gamaliel, a teacher of the law (Acts 22:3). Paul is first mentioned in Acts 7:58 where we find him consenting to the death of Stephen. His fanatical devotion to Judaism and his extreme hatred for Christianity made him the acknowledged leader of the Christian persecution. The spread of Christianity forced Paul to travel far and wide for his victims. Armed with authority from the High Priest, Paul journeyed toward Damascus where he had heard there were many Christians. It was while he was approaching that city that his wonderful conversion took place (c. AD 37 - Acts 9:3-6). For the next thirty years (from c. AD 37 to 67), until his death, Paul would go on three missionary journeys and face two Roman imprisonments. He would write thirteen epistles (fourteen, if you count Hebrews) and become known as the preacher to the Gentiles. About the Book : Paul writes to Philemon and intercedes on the behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave of Philemon, asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus and to receive him back, not as a wayward slave but now as a brother in the LORD. Philemon was written along with Colossians from Rome approximately AD 62, during Paul’s First Roman Imprisonment (Acts 28:29-31). Helpful Background: Philemon, a well-to-do businessman of the city of Colosse, had a slave (Onesimus), who had apparently robbed him (vs 18) and then fled to Rome. Some time later, while in Rome, Onesimus was saved under Paul (vs 10). Paul then convinced his new convert to return to his master, Philemon, with the epistle bearing Philemon’s name. Tychicus, accompanied by Onesimus, delivered the Philemon and Colossian epistles, along with two other epistles: Ephesians - c. AD 62, and Philippians - c. AD 63 (Eph 6:21-22, Colo 4:7-9 and Phile 10-12). Notes of Interest: 1. There are no OT quotations or characters found in Philemon 2. There are no prophecies referred to in Philemon 3. There is 1 inset map used in the book of Philemon . It is numbered chronologically (#67) Outline of Philemon : 1. Paul intercedes for Onesimus (Phile 1) Philemon 1 Greetings from Paul and Timothy to Philemon Date Written - c. AD 62 3 4 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 5 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 1:1 Paul didn’t say he was a prisoner of the Roman Empire because he was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ; he said he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ . There is a difference! Paul was a bond slave to Christ, not a chained slave to the Roman Empire. If Paul’s Lord and Savior wanted him in bonds, he was in bonds because His Lord and Savior put him there. As far as Paul was concerned, the Romans didn’t put him in bonds, His Lord and Savior did. J. Vernon McGee in Thru The Bible (I Cor. - Rev.) notes: If we had been there we might have had a conversation with Paul like this: “Poor Paul, its too bad these Romans put you in jail.” “They didn’t put me in jail.” “Oh, we know what you mean. Those hatful religious rulers brought a charge against you.” “They didn’t put me in jail either.” “Who put you in jail, then?” “Jesus Christ. I’m His prisoner.” 1 If it was God’s will for Paul to be in bonds, he was going to be in bonds. If it was God’s will for Paul to be in need, he was going to be need (Phil 4:10-13). If it was God’s will for Paul to be sick, he was going to be sick (II Cor 12:7-9). Whenever we, as believers, come to the same conclusion that Paul came to (that we are prisoners of the Lord, not those who lord it over us), we realize that our circumstances are controlled by the Lord. 1 McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible (I Cor. –Rev.), Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 1983. Print. 2052 1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, 2 And to our beloved 1 Apphia, and 2 Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church 3 in thy house: 1. Note - Apphia was probably Philemon’s wife 2. Note - Archippus was probably Philemon’s son (Colo 4:17) 3. Rev 3:17 4. or, “favorable regard” - Joel 2:13 5. Colo 1:3 & Eph 1:16 6. Colo 1:4 & Eph 1:5 7. or, “sharing” 5 6 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 6 That the 7 communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledg- ing of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.