More than a Slave—A Beloved Brother—Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 13C/Proper 18 (Philemon)

 

Underground Railroad Memorial, Detroit

Philemon  NewRevised Standard Version Updated Edition

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To our beloved coworker Philemon, ² to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church in your house:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. ⁶ I pray that the partnership of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we share in Christ. ⁷ I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

⁸ For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, ⁹ yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰ I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. ¹¹ Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. ¹³ I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel, ¹⁴ but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. ¹⁵ Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, ¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. ¹⁸ If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹ Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

²² One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you.

²³ Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, ²⁴ and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers.

²⁵ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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                        Slavery was ubiquitous in the ancient world. In many ways, it was the foundation of society. It’s just the way things were in the first century Roman Empire. It does appear that slaves made up a significant portion of the early church. After all, we have passages in Ephesians, Colossians, and 1 Peter that tell slaves to obey their masters. It also appears that the church included slave owners as well. If slavery is so deeply ingrained in society, how does a fledgling religious community respond? As we consider that question, we might then consider how the church(es) have responded since the first century. For Americans, we only have to look back to the antebellum era to see how Christians used texts like Ephesians and 1 Peter to defend slavery. The same is true for this brief letter written by Paul to a man named Philemon, who was a believer and a slave owner. The subject of the letter is a runaway slave named Onesimus who is the legal property of Philemon.

This might not be the easiest passage to preach, and yet wrestling with it might prove helpful for the church as it ponders its first-century origins and the implications for life in the present.  While most modern Christians (at least I hope) find the idea of slavery repugnant. They may, as I do, reject any defenses of slavery based on Scripture. While we may understand why Paul writes the way he does, that doesn’t give Christians a warrant to keep slaves.  

                So, what should we make of this letter which is just one brief chapter in length? It’s a very personal letter. There’s little question among scholars that Paul wrote the letter. He writes to a specific person, Philemon, along with a woman named Apphia, whom he calls a sister. Then there is Archippus, whom Paul refers to as a “fellow soldier.” Since Paul is not a soldier, that reference is rather interesting. Finally, Paul addresses the church meeting in Philemon’s house. That a church is meeting in Philemon’s house and that he’s a slave owner, suggests he was a person of wealth and likely influence in the larger community.

The central element of the letter is the status of Onesimus, who is Philemon’s runaway slave who has come to faith and fled to Paul seeking refuge. In other words, Paul isn’t writing primarily to a congregation, though the fact Paul brings the congregation into the conversation, perhaps as a witness to the request he makes here. All of this makes this letter intriguing and rather different from anything else he writes.

                As for Paul’s status as he writes the letter, he speaks of being in prison along with Epaphras who sends greetings (Philemon 23) along with Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, whom Paul names as co-workers (Philemon 24). All of these figures are mentioned in the Colossian letter (Col. 4:10-14). As for Epaphras, in the Colossian letter, he is said to be part of that congregation (Col. 4:12) These names appear in the closing verses, which for some reason are omitted in the lectionary reading. If I were to use this in church, I think I would read the entire letter as the closing gives us a hint at Paul’s situation and it allows us to connect the Philemon letter to Colossians. With that in mind, even though the lectionary reading cuts off at verse 21, which concludes his request of Philemon, I’ve added in the omitted verses, which bring the letter to a close and hint at Paul’s situation. As to where and when this imprisonment takes place is not revealed. Paul doesn’t reveal where Philemon resides. Scot McKnight suggests that Paul is imprisoned in Ephesus, putting the date around 53-55 CE. Onesimus is named in Colossians 4:9 as a beloved brother who is part of that congregation. While there are questions about Pauline authorship of Colossians, the reference to Onesimus is intriguing. If we put all of this circumstantial evidence together, Paul is sitting in an Ephesian jail cell but has access to co-workers and even runaway slaves. He’s writing to a church leader in Colossae (McKnight, Philemon, NICNT, p. 37).

                The letter begins with a typical greeting from Paul and his primary co-worker—Timothy. Paul greets Philemon and his community, offering a word of peace and grace. After noting that he gives thanks for Philemon in his prayers, he commends Philemon for his love of the saints and faith in Jesus. He notes that he prays that Philemon’s partnership in the faith will become effective as he comprehends the good they share in Christ. He speaks of the joy and encouragement he has received from Philemon’s love for the saints.  All of this suggests that he is preparing Philemon for a big ask as Paul’s co-worker in the faith (Philemon 4-7).

                With this setup, Paul makes his ask of Philemon. Paul is now ready to speak from this relationship rooted in Christ. Though he might boldly command Philemon to do his duty, Paul writes that he’s not going to go that route (though he could, which is why he mentions it). Instead, he’s going to appeal based on love, asking Philemon. He speaks of his own status as an old man and a prisoner for Jesus. Do this for me, he’s telling Philemon. Have compassion on me, a prisoner for Jesus who is now well on in years. Paul might not be commanding Philemon, but he’s making it clear that he expects Philemon to do the right thing. He makes this appeal on behalf of Onesimus, who might be a runaway slave, but he’s more than a slave.

                Paul speaks of Onesimus in parental terms. He speaks of his own fatherly relationship with Onesimus. Though Onesimus might have been useless to Philemon, now he’s of use both to Paul and Philemon. Though Paul is deeply attached to Onesimus, he is now sending him back to Philemon. Now, many have asked why Paul does this. Why doesn’t he just tell Philemon to free Onesimus? In fact, why doesn’t Paul order all believers to free their slaves? Wouldn’t that be the right thing to do? If Philemon is a slave owner, which means he participates in this oppressive system, why is he even allowed to be a church leader? As we ponder these questions, we might ponder the relationship of Onesimus to Philemon. After all, Onesimus had run away and sought refuge with Paul. Scot McKnight provides the interested reader with a helpful exploration of all these questions, along with a discussion of first-century slavery that provides the context for this letter (McKnight, Philemon).

                It appears that Paul understands Philemon to have a legal claim over Onesimus and that he’s not in a real position to provide refuge to Onesimus. In other words, Paul has no right to free him from his enslavement. To do so would be to break the law. In fact, even harboring Onesimus (if he had run away) could put Paul in legal jeopardy. That jeopardy would be on top of whatever got him thrown into jail as it was. Whatever the circumstances, Paul appears to appeal to Philemon’s faith as a means of providing a way of freedom for Onesimus. Perhaps as this letter got shared through the churches, it provided a way toward freedom for others who are the property of Christian slave owners.

When Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon, he changes Onesimus’ status. It might be helpful to remember here that in the Galatian letter, Paul made it clear that in Christ there is no slave or free. Rather we are all one in Christ (Gal. 3:28). That might not change one’s status outside the church, but surely it changes the status of those within the church. How can a believer keep another believer in slavery?

 Onesimus is in fact, Paul’s own heart. While Paul wanted to keep Onesimus with him as another co-worker who could fulfill Philemon’s obligations to Paul, he wants Philemon to give his consent. That way Philemon’s good deed is voluntary and not coerced. It would seem to me that Paul isn’t going to take no for an answer, but Paul doesn’t expect a no answer. He knows Philemon and he is confident that Philemon will do the right thing. Paul even goes so far as to suggest that all of this is part of a larger plan, such that Philemon might lose him for a short time but will receive him back forever. Here’s the kicker. Onesimus might have started as a slave, but Paul is clear that Onesimus will no longer be a slave. Instead of being a slave, he will be a beloved brother to Paul and Philemon. In making this claim, Paul makes it clear that you can’t keep a sibling in slavery.

Having set up the foundation of the relationships with both Philemon and Onesimus, in which Paul is essentially the father in the faith to both, making both siblings whom Jesus has entrusted to Paul’s care, Paul asks Philemon, if he considers Paul to be a partner in ministry to welcome Onesimus as he would welcome Paul. Thus, even as Paul might send another co-worker to represent him and expects his co-worker to be treated as Paul would be treated, the same is requested on behalf of Onesimus. In other words, Philemon cannot treat this ministry partner as a slave. However, even as Paul makes this ask, he also tells Philemon that if Onesimus has done anything to wrong him, then charge it to Paul’s account. He will repay whatever is owed, even manumission. To make his point, he writes this request/offer in his own hand. Then comes the kicker. Even as Paul offers to pay Onesimus’ debt, Paul reminds Philemon of his debt to Paul. After all, Philemon owes his very being to Paul. With that, he asks that Philemon give him this request, which would appear to include the manumission of Philemon as repayment for Philemon’s place in the realm of God. So, Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon, knowing that Philemon will obey this request to refresh Paul’s own being. He expects Philemon to do even more than he asks. What that might be, is not detailed, but it leaves something for us to ponder. Although we don’t know what happened between Philemon and Onesimus, if this letter is related to the Colossian letter, Philemon isn’t mentioned, but Onesimus, “the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you,” is said to accompany Tychicus, who bears the letter from Paul to the Colossian church (Col. 4: 7-9).

Paul doesn’t ever directly oppose slavery. He does suggest that in the body of Christ one is neither slave nor free (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). He tells Philemon to receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ. At the same time, we hear Paul tell the slaves who are part of the Colossian congregation (and perhaps a significant number are slaves) to obey their masters and to do so in the fear of the Lord and not only their masters (Col. 3:22-24). This is a confusing word, that has been used to rationalize slavery, but it’s important to remember the context. Paul could be telling Christian slaves to keep their heads down and do what is required of them in that context without justifying Christians owning slaves. Now, might Philemon hear this not only as a request to free Onesimus, who is a “brother in the Lord” but as a suggestion that he do even more and free all his slaves? In the end, we don’t know. If Paul wanted Philemon to offer manumission to Onesimus, wouldn’t he have directly said that? Paul isn’t afraid to speak directly, but perhaps in this case he wanted to make Philemon and all who read it figure this out for themselves.

Ultimately, this reading from Philemon raises important issues for the church as we consider the nature of our relationships both inside the community of faith and outside it, especially when it comes to matters of justice. For one thing, it invites us to examine the way in which we read Scripture. Thus, even as some appealed to this letter to support the institution of slavery during the antebellum period (after all, didn’t Paul send Onesimus back?), abolitionists pointed to the same letter suggesting that Paul’s word to Philemon overturned slavery. For my part, I will side with the abolitionists. So, while Paul didn’t overturn slavery or other unjust relationships, we might ask if his message to Philemon is subversive to the institution of slavery. After all, Jesus’ message of the kingdom of God as contained in the Lord’s Prayer with its word about debt forgiveness was/is subversive. Recognizing that he wasn’t in a position to overturn a ubiquitous social construct, Paul, like Jesus, could plant seeds. Might this be true for us as well? We might not have the power to overthrow all unjust regimes, but working together, we can plant seeds that will lead to justice. Perhaps that is what occurred here, as seen in Onesimus’ rise to prominence in the church at Colossae. So, as we ponder these questions and concerns, we receive this final word in the letter: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Philemon 25).