Philemon | An Unexpected Path to Reconciliation

How does Paul address slavery in Philemon?
Why is Onesimus important in the New Testament?
What does Paul’s letter to Philemon teach about forgiveness?

This episode of God's Plan, Your Part explores Paul's letter to Philemon, an intriguing one-chapter book in the New Testament that revolves around a deeply personal issue: reconciliation between Philemon, a Christian slave owner, and Onesimus, his runaway servant who has since come to faith. Paul, writing from prison, appeals to Philemon not only to forgive Onesimus but to welcome him back as a brother in Christ. 

In the discussion, Ryan and Jenny delve into the complexities of Onesimus' status as a "bondservant," which differs from modern views of slavery. Unlike the oppressive chattel slavery that existed centuries later, Onesimus’ servitude would have been a contractual relationship with mutual obligations.

The hosts also highlight Paul's strategic language. Though he had the authority to command Philemon’s obedience, Paul chooses to appeal out of love, urging voluntary forgiveness and acceptance. This approach not only emphasizes the power of humility and gentleness in relationships but also reinforces the Christian ethic of voluntary grace rather than forced compliance.

Through the story of Philemon and Onesimus, this episode raises the broader question of how believers can model reconciliation, even in situations where relationships have been broken by offense or social expectation. Philemon's decision to accept Onesimus would have likely influenced his community, setting an example of unity, forgiveness, and the transformative power of the gospel. 

In closing, God's Plan, Your Part reflects on the sovereignty of God, using Paul’s appeal for Onesimus' reconciliation as a reminder that God’s plan often involves difficult, countercultural choices. The hosts invite listeners to see how God may be working in their lives, even in unforeseen ways, to bring about redemption and unity, emphasizing that following Christ often means loving and forgiving in ways that challenge societal expectations.

#FaithInAction #NewTestamentInsights #BiblicalReconciliation #PhilemonStudy #GodsSovereignty #ChapterADayJourney #OnesimusRedemption #ChristianUnity #BibleInLife #CounterCulturalFaith

Transcript

 Philemon

Philemon

[00:00:00] Hey everyone. Welcome to God's plan. Your part year two, where this year we're reading through and studying the entire new Testament one chapter at a time. Thanks again for joining us in discovering God's plan and your part in it. Hey everyone. Happy Monday. Today we are diving into the book of Philemon.

It's pretty simple. It is one chapter. It's only 25 verses and it is very clearly a letter written from Paul with a pretty unique purpose. It's literally just. dealing with one person, uh, in a very specific situation with that person. It can be a controversial book, so we'll dive into it here in just a second.

Yep, really short, short and to the point. I kind of like that. I don't know. There's one issue in this book. I can appreciate that too. Don't have to go fishing around for what's going on here. So this character, however, that is like the emphasis of the book. I say it wrong. Oh, Nesimus. Yeah. He is not bound to this chapter in book.

We've seen him other places. You were saying we have [00:01:00] Seen and heard of him in Colossians as well. So this is a repeat name, however, a single instance and kind of story and point here. So we talked about Onesimus when we did our episode on Colossians chapter four and Colossians chapter four, verse nine, Paul says, Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you, uh, they will tell you everything that has taken place.

So he's referring to Onesimus. And he's actually talking about sending Onesimus home, it's actually, I'll start in verse 8, sorry. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. And with him, Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one with you.

So it's obvious, from Colossians, and now two from Philemon, that Paul has crossed paths with Onesimus. He is a fan of Onesimus, and if you would have read Colossians or heard that chapter before with us, you would probably be surprised to know that he's not like, the star of the show in a good [00:02:00] way. Um, in this chapter we're reading for today.

So when I was like going over our, uh, study Bibles, like introduction to the chapter, well to the book chapter, whatever you want to call it. Um, it was somewhat of a surprise to me cause I was like, Oh, this guy's not. Actually, a great dude at first, um, and if you would have read Colossians with us, it might be kind of confusing, like, oh, wait, he's like really seeming to be like this good influential person in Colossians, but then here in, um, Philemon, we're getting kind of the backstory that sheds light onto other things.

All right, so let's get right to the controversial point. Onesimus is an escaped bond servant. Some, uh, translations will actually say an escaped. slave. The reason we don't use slave or I can say me personally, I suppose the reason I don't use slave is because it's not really a fair representation of what Onesimus was.

Um, when, when we hear slave, we think, I would [00:03:00] guess you think like civil war, 1800s, um, you know, 1700s slavery, um, where people groups were sold into slavery and were used as slaves. You owned them forever. You owned their descendants forever. It was wrong. There was not benefits on both sides for, for people.

Like, there would have been in this situation. The bond servants are like trying to Essentially work on their financial position, which is not the same as what we often tend to think about. It is complicated, and I don't want to like over, uh, clean it up. Uh, Onesimus was essentially responsible to Philemon.

Philemon had oversight of Onesimus. Um, something happened where Onesimus definitely escaped. The, our study Bible suggests that perhaps he had stolen something. Um, At the very least, he ran away, and he was not allowed to run away. Well, and Philemon was a very well off, wealthy Correct. person. [00:04:00] Because, as a bondservant, he most likely had committed to serving Philemon for some period of time, and he would have been completely available to Philemon for some period of time.

Certainly, if he stole something and then ran away, he Did wrong, but also just by running away, he broke their agreement and their contract And he did something wrong now. He meets, uh paul and apparently Uh comes to understand the gospel comes to relationship with christ, which is unique because philemon earlier apparently during paul's ministry in ephesus Did exactly the same thing.

So here we have both men philemon essentially like the the wealthy roman person um who would have You Had some level of ownership over Onesimus, and Onesimus, who was the bondservant, who was supposed to be serving Philemon, both of them had crossed paths with Paul, both of them came to accept the gospel, both of them came to follow Jesus Christ, and now we have this situation where Onesimus, um, is seen as incredibly valuable [00:05:00] because of his relationship with Christ, and he's, uh, made to return to, uh, Philemon, uh, who probably was a little bit upset that his bond servant ran away.

Well, but I think something that I can kind of pull from this as like an overarching idea or big idea from this chapter is that God is planning things out for his own good. Regardless of how we feel about a situation. So for Philemon, I'm sure the last thing that he was expecting to hear was Paul saying, Oh, Hey, by the way, this guy has turned his life around.

He's like accepted Christ. And he's going to come back to you and you've got to make the decision. Right. I seriously doubt he was thinking that. If anything, he would have probably expected Paul to say, Oh, hey, I met that guy that like cheated you out of whatever you were supposed to have gotten from him.

Um, so I think it's really cool just to see God's sovereignty in situations where it feels like things are so, so, Messed up, but it's crazy how, oh my goodness, are you serious? Like that's how that worked [00:06:00] out. Like all these connected pieces that ultimately bring glory back to God. I think it's really cool.

It's also interesting that Onesimus apparently has agreed to go back. So he is escaped. He is run away. He could just. Stay run away because he got away with whatever he had done and he doesn't have to go back but he does apparently and you know, we just know from these letters back and forth, but apparently he agrees to go back and Essentially like make up for the wrong that he committed and continue to serve under Philemon now.

I do want to point out There is some, some powerful language stuff in these verses. If you look at verse eight, this is Paul appealing to Philemon accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required. Yet for love's sake, I prefer to appeal to you. I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus.

I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. That when he's referring to fatherhood, it [00:07:00] means that he came to know Christ under him. Uh huh. It's interesting that he is essentially laying out like, hey, I, as an apostle, can tell you what to do, and you would have to obey me.

But instead of going that route, I'm going to ask you, appeal to you, to obey me. Now, essentially, it's just semantics. He's saying exactly the same thing. Uh, but he's saying, like, hey, I'm a believer. You're a believer. You are thankful for what I've done in your life. I'm going to appeal to you to, to release essentially, or like, like, um, bring Onesimus back.

Please listen to me. So it's interesting that, uh, Paul is willing to use his apostolic authority. Uh, but he's also recognizing that, Hey, like, I would rather not do that. Can you just do what I'm asking you to, because you know, what's right. And so this is what he's asking him to do, like essentially forgive him and welcome him, um, not come after him.

I think verse 15 kind of picks up that big idea that I was talking about, 15 and 16 I guess. It says, For this perhaps, referring to, um, the time that [00:08:00] Onesimus had essentially escaped and been away from Vilemon. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while. that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bond servant, more than a bond, but more than a bond servant as a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you both in flesh and in the Lord.

So I think that's like so cool. It's again, just talking about how God, he is Piecing all of these things together in his sovereignty. He is behind all of it So I just think I don't know there's a reference to Genesis 45 8 in our Bibles that kind of goes back to the story way back With Joseph what you intended for evil God intended for good.

Yeah. Yeah, but even he says it was not you who sent me here but God Essentially like the brothers who were trying to get rid of their Their brother Joseph, um, forever because they were jealous of him. God intended for that to happen. That terrible, awful event when Joseph felt so betrayed [00:09:00] by his brothers.

But in reality, he didn't realize that years down the road, God would be using him to bless his brothers. So it's just like, it's, it's that cool, I mean, like, we can try to be in control as much as we want to, but God is the one who ultimately, sovereignly has everything in his hands. So it's just comforting knowing that for me, especially because, man, do I ever like to be in control of things.

It's also this, this short letter also highlights how important personal reconciliation was to early believers. Paul's saying like, Hey, it's, it's important that you forgive this man and welcome him into your home because he will be useful for you, uh, in your home. Now, remember we're, we're. Assuming here that he could have stolen something, uh, and and if nothing else at least broken his financial contract and run away.

So It's interesting that paul's saying hey i'm appealing to you Please welcome him home because this is an important part of your reconciliation This would have been a significant thing to overcome And paul's essentially saying like [00:10:00] hey Christ is more important than anything. And I think he purposely, um, makes an even bolder statement by saying Onesimus is our brother and you should treat him as you would treat a brother.

Um, remember Philemon might be very upset with him and certainly might be wrestling with thinking that he's much higher status than him. And Paul saying, Hey, we're all brothers here, forgive him and welcome him. This is significant. So this letter highlights that point. It's the importance of Christian reconciliation.

Um, I do want to talk about a little bit more of the controversy. Um, this, this is, Oh, you have, you're stopping me. You want to say something else? I was just going to say that kind of relationship that you were talking about, that's really important for this time period, like in order for it to be, uh, resolved and like reunited again, essentially in that time, there was no place for this.

Right. Um, our study Bible mentions that at the beginning, like as it gives you like an overview, um, All of the ingrained status distinctions for the surrounding Greek and Roman culture. [00:11:00] So like, not only is it like something that's hard to do and like, as a Christian be like, I know I'm supposed to do this.

Culture is also telling him at that time. This is not what you do. Like you are in charge and he is not. He owes you everything. So it would have been like very counterculture in many different ways. But what's interesting is if he makes that decision, the, the impact that those Christians can have in that area is probably significant.

So I think that's kind of cool too. And don't forget that this letter is, is Paul's gentle kind of appeals. Um, but what's on the backside of this is essentially, I think as a reader, like if, if you don't, Listen to me. Um, there will be some church discipline coming because you're not, you're not reconciling.

And I'm, I'm genuinely asking you to reconcile and you, and you should. And we've seen Paul, um, encouraged church discipline in other settings and situations where people refuse to work out their differences. Now, Anyway, back to your, um, Yeah. [00:12:00] So there, there is controversy with this book because it has been, the Book of Philemon has been used to support slavery, essentially saying like escaped slaves should be, um, under the, the will of their masters and they should willingly return.

So like it has been used poorly and improperly. to encourage, uh, escaped slaves to return to their masters and return to their slavery. Um, the, the major problem with this is this is not what's happening in this book. Like, this is a bond servant relationship that was a contractual agreement to promote the financial status of somebody and they would have entered into it willingly and would have been released from it at a, after a set term.

So it's not even the same thing. Um, and we know that like all men are made in God's image, uh, you, one man cannot own another man. Um, but much like I have a job and I have a commitment to my employer, uh, Onesimus would have agreed to this role and would have had a commitment to Philemon. Uh, [00:13:00] I don't want to clean it up too much more like it's, it's, we don't do things this way anymore.

Um, so it is definitely a unique relationship, um, but it's interesting that, that Paul is. Even if you, even if you have a catch in how you feel about this letter, it's interesting that Paul is forcing Philemon, the guy with the authority, to recognize that he should seek reconciliation and forgiveness from the guy who did him wrong, and should recognize himself as equal status and stature with the guy who had run away.

So this is still, uh, pretty controversial, and obviously the people who would have misused this book to support slavery probably wouldn't have read it. Pointed out those points. I think it's really important to remember too, this is like reflecting back to a time well before a lot of like the civil war kind of things that you and I would have immediately thought of.

But I love our study Bible. I say that a lot, but I think it really lays things out in a way that's like really helpful to understand. Um. Thank you. So, just a little shout out. If you need one of these bibles, please [00:14:00] reach out to us because it's been so helpful to us. Not only that, but also with um, Logos, Logos, Logos, uh, software.

I always say the wrong thing, but that's been really helpful too. However, when talking about these bond sermons, it's really helpful. Our Bible says that it, people were not necessarily, slaves because of their race. Um, and they were not without their legal rights. The reason that they were typically bond servants was because, um, it may have been a punishment for a crime.

I would envision something similar to like community service. That's what I think of right away. Um, or as a way to pay off a debt, which we talked about before, like, Oh my goodness, I have all this debt. I need to go and work for someone so that I can do this. So essentially it'd be like. Like, if somebody who was, I mean, like, a criminal that was, like, doing community service work in order to, like, gain back or, I guess, shave off time or whatever, or somebody who's, like, I need, I need money right now because I'm stuck in this financial [00:15:00] crisis, but if you're one of those people and you decide to run away, And like, essentially just break the trust of the person who's willing to help you out.

That's really bad. That's not a good look. So, I think it's, again, it's just really helpful to put it into that perspective and not let your brain go to what is like much more recent history that uses some common language but is not the same thing. And no matter what, even with the, the, the complexities of what these relationships are like.

Paul is reminding them that they are equals, that one is not more valuable than the other. They should be reconciled one to another. So even these people in different, you know, groups and categories and social status, they're being encouraged to care for each other and see each other as equals, which is the beauty of the entire thing, because he's basically coming back around, like defy all culture odds.

Like, don't even give into that for a second, because By you giving and extending love, it's a [00:16:00] reflection of Christ. It's also just an example to the culture, and it's an example of what we're supposed to be doing. Although you were wronged, like, make up for it by, like, showing love that's not completely deserved in this instance.

So I would say, um, As a your part for today, look and reflect on, um, God's sovereignty in your life today. What do those, those things look like for you? Um, I know a lot of times in our own lives, specifically mine just recently, um, there were a lot of things that I had in my mind is going a certain way, specifically with the birth of our youngest daughter.

There were a lot of things that I wanted to go a specific way and it did not go that way. And there was a lot of trust and a lot of things that were like, Very terrifying to me, um, that I had to just give up and ultimately God's like sovereignly still working in my heart and my life that I need to, to trust him in these situations where I don't feel like I have complete control because I don't, [00:17:00] because it's ultimately God's plan that's working out.

So that's just my own like quick recent example, but think about how God is sovereignly working in your own life through some of those things that are not the most exciting or you don't want to forgive someone or. Um, things are not working out the way that you saw them happening. So just remember that as we are reflecting on and ending the chapter and book of Philemon today.

And we will be back again with Hebrews in the next episode. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Before we get to the reading, I want to recommend another podcast that I'm a part of called God's Whole Story. This year, we're releasing one episode a week on Monday mornings, overviewing one book of the Bible each week.

So God's plan. Your part is a deep dive chapter by chapter where God's whole story is taking it one book at a time. If you enjoy this podcast, you'll enjoy that one. Go check it out. Now here's the reading. Philemon, chapter 1, verse 1. Paul, a prisoner for Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother. To [00:18:00] Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, and Apphia, our sister, and Archippus, our fellow soldier, and the church in your house.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have towards the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Accordingly, I Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you. I, Paul, an old man, and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus, I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. I am [00:19:00] sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel. But I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion, but of your own accord.

For this, perhaps, is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bond servant, but more than a bond servant, as a beloved brother Especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.

If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it, to say nothing of your owing me, even of your own self. Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write [00:20:00] to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. Epaphras. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of God's Plan, Your Part. Don't forget, you can find us on just about every social media platform and YouTube. Let us know what you thought of today's episode, and if you have any questions, go ahead and post them there. You can also reach out to us directly at GodsPlanYourPart at gmail.

com. As always, If you don't have a Bible, or if you'd like to use the one that we use, uh, reach out to us via email, and we'll be happy to send one to you. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you again [00:21:00] tomorrow.