Philemon

Click here for the previous book, Titus.

CHAPTER 1

It’s the last of the letters claiming to be from Paul.  (Hebrews is often considered to be from Paul, but it never says so).  This one is believed by Biblical scholars to be a real Paul letter.

It’s the shortest one – just one chapter.  It’s also the latest one, being written while Paul was in Rome; roughly 61-63 AD. 

The topic is a popular one in these shorter Paul letters: slavery. It’s not quite the same message as the other letters have.  The others say if you’re a slave, be a good slave and if you’re a master be a good master.  But this isn’t a generalized statement; it’s about one case. 

Philemon is a slave owner who has a runaway slave named Onesimus.  Paul writes to him saying to accept Onesimus, and be good to him.  Apparently, both slave owner and slave are Christians – and Paul approaches this as an issue between Christians.

Paul doesn’t denounce slavery.  It’s part of the air he breathed.  But Paul also doesn’t defend slavery.  Slave or free – look, that’s not what it’s all about.  For Paul, it’s all about being a good Christian.  So Philemon should accept him “no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially by me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord.” 

Paul doesn’t really denounce slavery, but his approach can serve as the basis for the moral attack on slavery.  It’s an interesting letter.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

I do these concluding thoughts for all Bible books, but it sure seems silly doing it for a one-chapter wonder.  Look, it’s a nice letter.  By and large, the letters that scholars believe were written by Paul are better than almost all the others.  Paul comes off like a passionate, sincere, and fairly likable person.  I don’t agree with everything he says, but he’s more likable than his imitators.  

Click here for the next book, Hebrews.