LESSON TEN
P A U L'S
LETTER TO PHILEMON
AN
INTERPRETATION
2
KEY CONCEPTS AND CONSIDERATIONS
* The Background and Context of Paul's Letter to Philemon
Who
What
When
Where
Why
* Illustrations of textual, translation, historical, form,
composition, grammatical, lexical, and rhetorical
criticism
OVERVIEW
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This final lesson focuses upon Paul's letter to Philemon as a case study illustrating
and applying the terms and concepts of LESSON NINE. A translation of this short
provocative letter is found on page 183 (Figure Ten A). Initially, the reader of this lesson
should become familiar with Paul's letter to Philemon. Read the letter and experience
your first impressions. It might be helpful to record these impressions prior to reading
the comments on the background and context of this letter.
This lesson begins by explaining the background and context of the letter to
Philemon. Many of the methods of literary criticism discussed in LESSON NINE will be
in operation. A simple who, what, where, when, and why approach will be taken.
Answering these basic questions will necessitate the use of several interpretive methods.
These will be indicated along the way in bold type. Additional insights will follow
utilizing additional methods. A worksheet is provided at the end of the lesson allowing
the student to refine and develop the analyses further.
BACKGROUND & CONTEXT
The translation you have just read (Figure Ten A, page 183) is mine. It is based
on the Greek text prepared by the United Bible Societies in 1966 (see references for this
lesson, page 185). To my knowledge, and in my judgment, there are no signficant variant
readings among differing Greek texts of Philemon. There are a few insignificant
variants, one of which will be commented upon here for the purpose of illustrating
textual criticism.
I translated verse 25 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."
The last two words "you all" represent the one Greek word humon present in the Greek
text I was using. Humon, in Greek, is a second person plural personal pronoun. The
English "you" is often ambiguous, being either singular or plural. The Greek humon, the
plural for "you," is distinguished from sou, the singular. Now, some Greek manuscripts
read sou rather than humon. The difference seems insignificant. Paul is either
expressing that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with just Philemon (sou) or with
everyone mentioned in the letter (humon). The variant sou, present in some Greek
manuscripts, appears to me to be some scribe's attempt to harmonize the pronouns of
verses 23 and 25. The "you" of verse 23 is singular (sou, actually se, a form of sou).
Some scribe may have intentionally, or unintentionally, changed the original humon (in
my opinion) to sou for this reason. Humon is the more difficult reading and to be
preferred (a review of page 154 may be helpful on this point). In addition, the choice for
a plural ending compliments the fact that several individuals (Apphia, Archippus, and the
church in Philemon's house) were mentioned at the beginning of the letter. Finally, this
wish is found in all of Paul's other letters and the plural humon is always used.
The translation theory adopted here actually varied from verse to verse (review
Figure 9B, page 166, and the explanation on page 162 for translation theories). Overall, I
would judge my translation a paraphrase. My aim was to make the letter readable to an
American audience living in the late 1990's. However, some verses reflect formal
equivalence, and some dynamic equivalence. In two verses I employed a partial
interlinear style by transliterating the actual Greek word, putting it in italics and in
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(parentheses). These words will receive specific comment later. The initial steps of
textual and translation criticism have been completed. We are now prepared to
consider the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of this letter.
WHO
Who is involved in the letter of Paul to Philemon? And, Who are these people?
In order to answer these questions the use of historical criticism is necessary. The
discussion regarding historical criticism in LESSON NINE (pages 155-56) made a
distinction between internal evidence and external evidence. Internal evidence refers to
information gathered from within the text itself, whereas external evidence refers to
information outside of the text in question, in this instance the letter of Paul to Philemon.
A list of the characters mentioned may be a good starting place. One finds: Paul; Jesus
(referred to as: Christ Jesus; Christ; the Lord Jesus Christ; the Lord Jesus; and the
Lord); Timothy; Philemon; unnamed church members; Apphia; Archippus; Onesimus;
Epaphras; Mark; Aristarchus; Demas; and Luke. All of these characters are mentioned
elsewhere in documents of the first century, primarily the writings of the New Testament,
except Philemon and Apphia, presumed by most commentators to be husband and wife.
All of the characters listed refer to actual people who lived in the first century. No
known sources would cause one to question either the actual existence of any of the
characters mentioned, nor the way in which they are described. For the purpose of
minimizing the discussion, and keeping the length of the lesson reasonable, only three
characters will be commented upon. These are the three main characters of the letter,
namely, Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus.
Paul is known to us from fourteen documents in the Christian bible whose
authorship have been attributed to him (note: not all scholars would concede that Paul
authored all fourteen documents; nevertheless, there is a consensus that he did author at
least half of these). Paul is known in history as the great Jewish/Christian missionary to
the Gentiles. His Hebrew name is Saul, his Greek name Paul. He is believed to have
come from the city of Tarsus, in ancient southeastern Asia Minor. From the undisputed
Pauline writings one learns that Paul was a strict law abiding Jew of the Pharisee party
who had persecuted the early Christians but due to a conversion experience on the road to
Damascus (in ancient Syria) he suddenly became a zealous preacher for the cause of
Christ. Paul claims that the risen Christ appeared to him and commissioned him to be the
apostle to the Gentiles. The contours of his personality can be gleaned from a study of
these undisputed writings. These contours are corroborated by what we learn of Paul
from the letter to Philemon. All in all a full portrait of Paul can be developed.
Philemon, as stated above, is only known to us through this letter. He appears to
be married (to Apphia, verse 2), with at least one child (Archippus; verse 2). He appears
to be a well respected Christian leader (verses 1 and 5) who hosts a church in his house
(verse 1). He appears to be the owner of a slave named Onesimus (verses 10-16). He
also appears to have become a convert to Christianity through the preaching of Paul
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(verse 19). He appears indebted to Paul for his conversion (verses 19-21), at least from
the perspective of Paul. This is about all one can know of Philemon.
The existence of Onesimus is corroborated by another New Testament document,
the letter of Paul to the Colossians. In chapter four, verse nine, Onesimus is mentioned as
a faithful and beloved brother, a known resident of the city of Colossae, and as a traveling
companion of one named Tychicus (a messenger or errand person for Paul). In the letter
to Philemon Onesimus is portrayed as a convert to Christianity through the preaching of
Paul (verse 10), a slave of Philemon (verse 16), one who formerly was useless, but, in
light of his Christian conversion, has been restored to usefulness (verse 11). He appears
to have been separated (verse 15) from Philemon, although it is not clear how, or for what
reason. Many commentators surmise that Onesimus had run away and perhaps stolen
some money from Philemon (this seems implied by verses 18 and 19). At any rate, one
learns that Onesimus is returning to Philemon at the request of Paul (verse 12). With
these thumbnail sketches of the three main characters we are in a better position to
inquire about what was going on. What prompted the writing of this letter?
WHAT
In order to answer the question, "What prompted the letter of Paul to Philemon?"
a shift from historical criticism to form criticism is necessitated (note: although we shift
our focus from one criticism to the next, one should not forget that all the methods of
criticism are simultaneously in operation. This was discussed in LESSON NINE under
the concept of the hermeneutical circle. This concept may be reviewed on page 153).
The form of a document, or its literary genre, can be correlated with the situation that
occassioned the letter. Three specific forms compete for the proper designation of Paul's
letter to Philemon: (1) Some would suggest that the letter is pastoral, the spiritual growth
and needs of Philemon, and perhaps his church, being in view; (2) Some would suggest
that the letter is a promissory note, the needs and well-being of Onesimus being in view;
(3) Others would argue that the letter is a persuasive plea, the personal interests and
needs of Paul himself being in view.
Evidence, from within the text of Philemon itself, could be gathered to support all
three suggestions. All three appear as purposes of the letter. One of these purposes, in
my opinion, dominates the structure and rhetoric of the letter. Which one will be
revealed below when our attention shifts to why this letter was written. But, first, the
situation of the letter needs to be clarified.
The letter appears to be occasioned by the return of the converted slave Onesimus
to Philemon (verse 12). The letter hints that the relationship between Onesimus and
Philemon is strained (verse 18). Onesimus may have run away and he may have stolen
something (verse 18). Paul appears interested in securing Onesimus as his own slave
(verses 13 and 18). Perhaps Onesimus has talents or skills of value to Paul (verse 11).
WHERE & WHEN
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The where and the when of this letter can be answered with relative ease. The
letter is sent to Philemon in the city of Colossae in ancient Asia Minor (see map, Figure
Ten B, page 184). This location is identified from the text of Colossians 4:9 (mentioned
above) which indicates that Onesimus is an inhabitant of Colossae. If Onesimus is an
inhabitant of Colossae and a slave of Philemon, then it would stand to reason that
Philemon resided in Colossae as well. Hence, the letter of Paul to Philemon is sent to
Colossae. But from where? Where is Paul sending this letter from?
No indication of the location from which the letter is sent is indicated in the letter
itself. Paul's imprisonment condition, however, is indicated (see verses, 1, 10, 22, and
23). Four locations for this imprisonment are suggested by other writings by or about
Paul. These locations are: Ephesus, Philippi, Caesarea, and Rome (see map, Figure
Ten B, page 184). Ephesus is recommended on the basis of its proximity to Colossae.
Rome is recommended by traditions which associate the writing of the letter to the
Colossians during the time of Paul's imprisonment in Rome. This is a point about which
it is difficult to be certain. We now turn our attention to when this letter was written.
The dates for Paul's ministry activity, beginning with his conversion and ending
with his martyrdom, are 30 CE (at the earliest) to 68 CE (at the latest). The letter to
Philemon, obviously, fits within this time period. It is possible to be more precise. Paul's
letter writing activity is unknown prior to 45 CE. His first known imprisonment (in
Philippi) takes place about 50 CE. The Ephesian imprisonment is conjectured to be
around 55 CE, the Caesarean imprisonment around 58-60 CE, and the Roman
imprisonment between 60-62 CE. Hence, the letter of Paul to Philemon is plausibly
written between 50 to 62 CE. Dating a document is valuable for reconstructing a feel for
what was going on in the world at the time of the writing of the document. In the case of
Paul's letter to Philemon issues such as Christian self-identity and master-slave relations
are of particular interest. The importance of these issues will be appreciated as we
proceed. It is now time to reflect upon why this letter was written.
WHY
Answering the question, "Why was Paul's letter to Philemon written?" ushers us
past the cursory questions of Who, What, Where, and When to the deeper dimensions of
this letter, requiring greater reflection. At this point our prior textual, translation,
historical, and form criticism needs supplementation from composition, linguistic,
grammatical, and rhetorical criticism. The various features of these criticisms may be
reviewed in LESSON NINE (pages 158-62). Answering the Why question of this letter
requires simultaneous and skillful use of these features. Disciplined patience is advised
at this point.
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Three purposes were identified (above) with the help of form criticism in our
discussion of the situation of the letter. The letter can be understood as pastoral advice
for Philemon, a promissory note for Onesimus, or a persuasive plea for Paul's personal
interests. All three of these purposes are evident in the letter as can be seen from an
outline. Five parts are identified in this outline: (1) an introduction; (2) praise of
Philemon; (3) a plea for Onesimus; (4) a promissory note; and (5) a conclusion.
In my analysis verses 1-4 constitute the introduction. Here, as is typical of first
century letters, the person sending the letter and the person(s) to whom the letter is sent
are identified along with traditional greetings or indications of blessings. One might look
past this traditional format to specific words or phrases for deeper insight. Verses 4-7
appear to extend the greetings and good wishes with praise of Philemon. It is always
good advice to speak favorably to someone prior to discussing some problematic
situation or prior to making some request upon them. Verses 8-16 essentially contain the
plea for Onesimus. Commentators have often noted what appears as the tactful delay of
Onesimus' name. He is not mentioned until verse 10. This perception coincides with
tense atmosphere of the letter. Verses 17-20 contain the promissory note, Paul's I. O. U.
Verses 21-25 simply contain last minute instructions, conclusions, greetings, and a
benediction. The structure of the letter reveals several purposes. A closer look at the
elements within this structure may help in our quest to give a more precise answer as to
why this letter was written.
First, several themes, major and minor, are evident. Minor themes might include
Christian community (verses 1, 2, 22, and 23), the effectiveness of prayer (verses 4 and
22), or ministry (verses 1, 2, and 24). One way to identify themes is to look for the
repetition of words, phrases, or concepts. Jesus, the central person who binds Christians
together, is mentioned throughout the letter in a variety of ways (note the interchange and
arrangement of the titles Lord and Christ). Paul's imprisonment is repeated often (verses
1, 9, 10, and 22). Repeated words, like good/goodness, love/loving, brother, useful,
useless, or slave, may also provide keys or insights into this letter.
Two of the major themes of this letter are: (1) Christian forgiveness; and (2)
Christian social identity and status in relation to civil social identity and status.
Comments begin with the latter. This letter reveals an interesting exchange between and
among the three main characters of the letter based on their respective status both within
the Christian community and outside of it. As Christians Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus
are equal. They are all brothers, redeemed by the one Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet, Paul may
be viewed as superior in two ways. He is an apostle and the one who is responsible for
the conversions of Philemon and Onesimus. Does Paul in any way abuse his privileged
position?
Those who answer no appeal to the fact that he does not mention his apostleship,
but only his imprisonment. This is a significant consideration in light of the fact that in
all of the other letters attributed to Paul, except one (Philippians), he begins with the
words "Paul, an Apostle." Certainly, the invocation of his apostleship lends authority and
would demand compliance with his requests. But, in this letter, Paul clearly states,
"Hence, rather than using my position in Christ to command you to do what is right, I
will appeal to you on the basis of love" (verses 8 and 9).
But those who answer yes, suggesting that Paul is close to abusing his position,
call our attention to the apparent contradiction of verses 8 and 9 in relation to verse 21,
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where Paul states, "I have written you confident that you will obey me." Other armtwisting, subtle innuendoes, or insinuations are apparent. Can you find any of these?
How about Paul's quick qualification to his I. O. U. in verse 19? What do you make of
his "not to mention the debt you owe me." Sounds to me that he just mentioned it. The
insinuation and intimidation seem clear. This line of reasoning raises problems in the
area of inspiration criticism (review LESSON NINE, pages 150-52). Do sacred texts
reveal moral defects? Especially of prominent leaders? More to the point, do sacred
texts convey purposes that may be tainted? These are serious charges and should be
pursued with sensitivity. Nevertheless, the evidence of the letter should neither be
avoided nor distorted. Paul should neither be exonerated nor falsely charged.
The relation of Philemon and Onesimus also requires serious reflection. Prior to
Onesimus' departure he was simply a slave, an inferior to Philemon, at least socially
speaking. Now that Onesimus has become a Christian he enjoys a double status. As a
slave he is inferior, but as a Christian brother he is an equal. Paul appeals to this new
status as leverage. It is clearly a part of his persuasive strategy. Hear again appropriate
portions of verses 15-20: ". . . in order that you could have him back forever, no longer
as a slave, but as a dear Christian brother, . . . receive him as you would receive me."
Paul appears to be utilizing Onesimus' new found status as leverage for Philemon's kindly
reception. If Onesimus had run away, or if he had stolen from his master, or both, he
would be liable to strict punishments under Roman law. Among these are death,
branding, exile, double labor, and amputation (cf. Jensen, 1973, p. 57). For Onesimus the
stakes are high and they are serious. Did these possible consequences affect his
conversion? Is this an example of a "jail-house" conversion? Worse yet, is one to infer
that Christians are to give Christians special privilege? Would Philemon have been asked
to treat a non-Christian returning slave any differently? If you answer no, on the basis of
twentieth century standards of fairness, then what do you make of Paul's appeals for
special treatment of Onesimus on the basis of his conversion to Christianity? These are
difficult questions.
One final consideration before moving on to the theme of forgiveness. Paul
employs a pun in verse 20 which causes me to decide that the dominate purpose of this
letter is a persuasive plea for Paul's personal interest. Verse 20 states: "You see, my dear
Christian brother, I'm interested in gaining some benefit (onaimen) from you in the
Lord." The pun intended is on the name Onesimus. Paul is cleverly asking Philemon to
consider loaning, or giving transfer of ownership, of Onesimus the slave to himself. The
benefit he desires is Onesimus.
Serious questions and charges have been made with regard to the morality,
intentions, and purposes of all three of the main characters of this letter. Perhaps I have
engaged in hyper criticism. Other commentators would defend the moral uprightness of
these characters with great vigor. Interpretations will vary. As I stated in LESSON
NINE, "And, even though there are rules to follow, interpretive conclusions differ.
Hence, there is art, as well as science, to exegesis" (page 164). Conclusions should be
arrived at with respect to the possibility of differing perspectives.
In my judgment the value of the letter of Paul to Philemon is in its clear theology
of forgiveness rather than in its controversial portrayal of the moral intentions of the
characters.
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Martin Luther, the great Protestant reformer, is credited with identifying a
significant analogy within Paul's letter to Philemon. (cf. Lightfoot, 1976, p. 317). Luther
suggested that the relations between the three main characters, Paul, Philemon, and
Onesimus, provide an analogy to the relations between Christ, God the Father, and
humanity. What follows is an explanation of Luther's insight. As Christ interceeds to
God on our behalf so Paul interceeds to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus (verse 10). As
Christ is willing to pay our debt to God so Paul is willing to absorb the debt of Onesimus
(verse 19). As Christ elevates the converted sinner to a new status so Paul recommends
the new status of Onesimus (verse 16). As Christ transforms useless sinners to useful
saints so Paul recommends the new found usefulness of Onesimus (verse 11). As Christ
identifies with his followers so Paul recommends that Philemon "receive him [Onesimus]
as you would receive me [Paul]" (verse 17). Other elements of a theology of forgiveness
could be discovered. But the ones just mentioned, intercessary prayer, substitution for
debt, elevation to a new status, transformation of character, and reciprocal identification
should suffice to demonstrate how clearly and forcefully the letter of Paul to Philemon
provides an analogy to the Christian gospel.
A full theology of forgiveness emerges from the story line of this letter. It is this
theology of forgiveness, in my judgment, that merits a place in the Christian canon for
the letter of Paul to Philemon.
CONCLUSION
An interpretation of Paul's letter to Philemon has been offered. A simple Who,
What, Where, When, and Why approach was adopted for the sake of simplicity and
initial comprehensiveness. Many of the interpretive methods of LESSON NINE were
illustrated. The skill with which they were employed is left to the judgment of the reader.
The letter of Paul to Philemon is a classic, regardless of one's views about its
place in the canon. Some great commentaries have been written on this letter.
Recommended are those of Lightfoot (1976, original 1879) and Petersen (1985). The
reader is challenged to try his or her hand at interpreting aspects of this letter. A
worksheet is provided on page 186 for this purpose.
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FIGURE TEN A
A TRANSLATION OF PAUL'S LETTER TO PHILEMON
1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus and Timothy the Christian brother to Philemon and to the
church which meets in your house. We love you and recognize that you are committed to the same goals
we are. 2. We especially want to acknowledge Apphia our sister in Christ and Archippus our companion
in ministry. 3. Grace to you all and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. I continue to give thanks to my God when I think of you in my prayers. 5. I keep hearing of
your exemplary love for all Christians and the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus. 6. My prayer
is that the way you live your Christian life will be evidence of all the good things available to us through
Christ. 7. So far your loving behavior to all Christians has given me great joy.
8. Hence, rather than using my position in Christ to command you to do what is right 9. I will
appeal to you on the basis of Christian love. You might, however, remember that I am a senior Christian,
and also in prison because of my commitment to Christ. 10. I am making a request of you concerning one
who has become like a child (teknon ) to me, someone who has become a Christian as a result of my
preaching during my imprisonment. I am speaking of Onesimus (Onesimon ). 11. In the past he was
useless to you, but now, having changed, he would be of use not only to you but also to me. 12. So, I am
sending him back to you but wanting you to know how much he means to me. 13. I had thought about just
keeping him here with me, my idea being that he could be of service to me while I was in prison for
preaching the gospel. In a sense he could serve me on your behalf. 14. But I did not want to go ahead
with this idea without your consent. Whatever good you do should be done freely, rather than being forced.
15. Maybe he was separated from you for a while in order that you could have him back forever, 16. no
longer as a slave, but as a dear Christian brother. I remind you that he is especially dear to me as a
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Christian brother and I know that this represents your feelings as well, even though you consider him one
of your slave employees.
17. So, if you consider me your friend in Christ receive him as you would receive me. 18. If he
has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge it to my account, 19. I, Paul, am writing this as
an I. O. U., I will repay it; not to mention the debt you owe me, that is to say, you were converted to Christ
by my preaching as well. 20. You see, my dear Christian brother, I'm interested in gaining some benefit
(onaimen ) from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
21. I have written you confident that you will obey me and even do more than I say. 22. And, by
the way, prepare a guest room for me, because I believe I will be released from prison through everbody's
prayers. 23. My fellow prisoner Epaphras greets you, 24. as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my
fellow workers.
25. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
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LESSON TEN:
REFERENCES
Aland, K., M. Black, B. Metzger & A. Wikgren, Eds. (1966). The Greek
New Testament. Stuttgart: United Bible Societies.
Jensen, Irving, (1973). Colossians and Philemon. Chicago: Moody
Bible Institute.
Lightfoot, J. B. (1976). Saint Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and
to Philemon. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Petersen, N. R. (1985). Rediscovering Paul: Philemon and the
sociology of Paul's narrative world. Philadelphia: Fortress.
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WORKSHEET TEN
1. The three main characters of Paul's letter to Philemon are:
__________________, _________________, & _____________.
2. The letter was plausibly written sometime between:
a) 30-42 CE; b) 40-52 CE; c) 50-62 CE
3. The letter was written to Philemon, an inhabitant of:
a) Ephesus; b) Rome; c) Colossae; d) Philippi
4. The letter was written to Philemon by Paul from:
a) Ephesus; b) Rome; c) plausibly either a or b; d) probably neither a nor b
5. Identify the missing characters from Luther's insight that the letter contains a gospel
analogy:
a. Christ
_________________
b. God
_________________
c. Humanity
_________________
6. Identify the significant elements of a theology of forgiveness as suggested by Martin
Luther:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
7. Essay A: Attempt to exonerate or convict any one of the three main characters of
improper moral motivations using the evidence of the letter itself.
8. Essay B: Interpret the actions of any one of the three main characters using the
perspectives of any one or all of the moral theories developed in LESSON EIGHT.
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