The Writings of Philemon

The Apostle Paul sits in his room on the third floor of a house in Rome. It seems like a normal house except this is Paul’s prison. He is chained to guards but a friend named Onesimus is there to help Paul. Onesimus serves Paul. He takes care of him. Onesimus is no longer who he used to be. He wasn’t originally from Rome. Earlier in his life Onesimus wasn’t a Christian. He wasn’t even free. Before meeting Paul, Onesimus was a slave. But Onesimus ran away from his master. He fled to Rome, looking for a better life. In Rome he met someone who introduced him to Paul. When Onesimus’ met Paul and heard the gospel his life changed forever. Now he was a Christian, in the service of Paul. Onesimus had a good life and everything was working out well for him in his new life. Then one day he told Paul his story as a runaway slave. Paul was like a father to Onesimus and Onesimus wanted to tell Paul about his former life. However when he told Paul his story, Onesimus discovered that Paul knew his owner when he was a slave, a man by the name of Philemon. Paul instructs Onesimus that he must return back to Philemon and make things right with his owner. Onesimus is scared. Running away as a slave carried a death penalty. But Paul reassures Onesimus that all will be well. Paul writes a letter to his friend Philemon, explaining the situation with Onesimus and encouraging Philemon to forgive Onesimus and accept him as a brother.

Would this letter work? Would it be enough for Philemon to forgive Onesimus? Would Philemon be so angry that he would make an example of Onesimus to the other slaves? Onesimus had no idea how his owner Philemon would respond to Paul’s letter. How effective would this letter be in teaching Philemon forgiveness centered in Christ?

Philemon was shocked to see Onesimus when he came back to the estate. He was even more surprised to learn that Onesimus had been with Paul and had carried a letter back from Paul. Philemon decided to hold off on his judgment against Onesimus until after reading the letter. Paul sees God’s goodness at work. Paul wants Philemon to discover that the slave who ran away from him is now a brother in Christ. Philemon is amazed at the heart that Paul has for this runaway slave. Perhaps Philemon remembered Paul’s previous teaching that in Christ there are no slaves. 

Paul also knows that with true forgiveness and reconciliation, a greater good for everyone will take place. Philemon is happy to learn in the letter that Paul himself wants to come visit. Is it possible that the three of them, Philemon, Onesimus and Paul, could be friends, even brothers in Christ, sharing a meal together? There would no longer be slaves and slave owners. With true forgiveness and reconciliation there would now only be brothers in Christ. Philemon sets the letter down and welcomes Onesimus back, fully forgiven. History records years later a great church would rise up in Ephesus, the place where Philemon lived. The pastor of that church was a man named Onesimus.