Philemon 1

There is a local prison ministry that is familiar to many in Chester County.  Perhaps you’ve wondered where they got their name.  Hats off to Onesimus Ministries, serving the inmates, staff, and families of Chester County Prison for 41 years!  Hats off as well to J. Vernon Myers and Jim Kreider, among others from Mt. Vernon Christian Church who have served the Lord faithfully in that ministry. 

You no doubt saw the name Onesimus in our reading today.  He is not exactly a household name, and for that matter, neither is Philemon, the individual to whom the Apostle Paul wrote this very brief epistle.  In fact Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s letters in the New Testament, consisting of only 335 Greek words.  

What precipitated this letter?  What is so special about Onesimus?  What does he have to do with prison ministry?  Paul wrote this letter to Philemon, a believer in Colosse who was a slave owner.  There was a church that met in his home. One of Philemon’s slaves or bondservants, Onesimus, had run away from him and gone to Rome where thousands of other runaway slaves were already residing.  According to v. 18, it can be inferred that Onesimus had stolen from Philemon.  Under Roman law it was a crime for a slave to run away from his master, and it was punishable by death.   

While Paul was imprisoned in Rome, somehow he and Onesimus met.  A great bond grew between them.  Paul introduced Onesimus to the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 10), and Onesimus became very useful while serving the Apostle and helping to meet his needs. How ironic that an escaped slave on the lam was involved in prison ministry, serving the Apostle Paul.  Onesimus’ name means useful or profitable.  It was a name given to many slaves of that time.  We also find him being useful in Colossians 4:9 where he and another believer, Tychicus, delivered Paul’s letter that we know as Colossians.

Paul was writing to his friend Philemon to ask for a very big favor.  He wanted Onesimus to be with him legitimately and with Philemon’s blessing (vv. 12-14).  He also wanted Onesimus to be welcomed by Philemon (v. 17).  In other words he was asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus and set him free.

A very interesting dynamic took place in Paul’s loving letter to his friend Philemon.  Paul tried to convince him tactfully, diplomatically, emotionally, and lovingly.  Look again throughout this brief letter to see the many times he does this.  He has a large number of positive and encouraging things to say to Philemon. 

I have been taught that he organized his appeal in a way prescribed by ancient Greek and Roman teachers: 1) to build rapport (vv. 4-10); 2) to persuade the mind (vv. 11-19); and 3) to move the emotions (vv. 20-21).  

One verse that may stand out is v. 6, where Paul says to Philemon: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (NIV).  We too can respond by being active in sharing our faith – tactfully and lovingly passing on the good things God has given to us to others. 

We don’t find out from the Bible whether or not Philemon honored Paul’s request, but there are historical sources outside the Bible that have suggested Onesimus became a freeman and later a minister and bishop of the church at Ephesus. It would therefore appear that this story had a happy ending.  So may someone else’s story – if they come in contact with God’s people – meaning each of us, and we are active in sharing our faith.   

Paul Thompson