Welcome back to my study/review of The Epistle to Philemon. If you missed the previous parts of this study, you can find them HERE.
Philemon 1-7
1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 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. 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
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This is the introduction to the letter. From this we can gather that Paul is in prison, with Timothy, and that Philemon is a well-respected Believer. For more detail on the greeting, let’s look first at The Pulpit Commentaries:
A prisoner of Christ Jesus. He writes a private letter, as friend to friend, and therefore does not describe himself by his official title of apostle. Having to plead the cause of a slave, he begins by putting himself into a similar position as the “bondman of Jesus Christ”—”to obtain thereby the more ready compliance” (Chrysostom). By such a reverend bondage he beseeches Philemon, “and the bondage of Paul was liberty to Onesimus” (Scipio Gentilis). Timothy, etc. He was, then, with St. Paul at the time of writing; therefore at Rome; and this fixes the date of composition at all events before that of the Second Epistle to Timothy, when the apostle was again at Rome (2 Timothy 1:17; 2 Timothy 4:6, 2 Timothy 4:16). Fellow-worker with St. Paul in promoting the spread of the gospel, either by his wealth and influence, less probably by preaching. The time when would be that of St. Paul’s long stay at Ephesus and its neighborhood (Acts 19:8-22).
As the note states, the information from verse one – when combined with information elsewhere – seems to indicate that this letter was composed by Paul during his imprisonment in Rome. The note also points out that Paul likely mentioned his status as a prisoner, rather than as an Apostle, due to the personal nature of the letter and due to the cause for which it was written.
Paul, by identifying himself as a prisoner, likely makes Onesimus more sympathetic and relatable. Continuing on to verse two, this time looking at a note from Ellicott’s Bible Commentary:
(2) Apphia.—The name is usually taken to be the Roman name Appia. But the occurrence of such a name in a Græco-Asiatic family, though of course possible, is perhaps improbable; and Dr. Lightfoot has shown that it occurs in the form Apphia in many Phrygian inscriptions, and may therefore be naturally supposed to be a native name. There seems little doubt that Apphia was Philemon’s wife, like himself “the beloved,” though not the “fellow-labourer” or “partner” of St. Paul.
Archippus our fellow soldier.—From this mention of Archippus we may certainly conclude that he was a member of Philemon’s family; the ordinary conjecture makes him his son. The name “fellow-soldier,” applied elsewhere only to Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25), as the name “soldier of Jesus Christ” to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:3), appears to denote ministerial office in Archippus, which agrees with the charge to him in Colossians 4:18 to “take heed to his ministry and fulfil it.”
Church in thy house.—See Note on Colossians 4:15. The specially domestic and personal character of the Epistle need not induce any limitation of the phrase to Philemon’s own family. As the joining of Timothy’s name in giving the salutation did not prevent the Letter from being St. Paul’s only, so the joining the Church in the house in the receiving of the salutation does not prevent its being addressed only to Philemon and his family, who were, like himself, interested in Onesimus.
As the note above indicates, Philemon appears to be the host of a Church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately 100 miles (160 km) from Ephesus in Asia Minor. It is thought by some that the Epistle to the Colossians was written at the same time as the Epistle to Philemon, and perhaps both were delivered at the same time. As noted in the introduction post to this series, many of the New Testament Commentaries that focus on Philemon cover it together with Colossians.
Cntinuing on to verse 3 in The Pulpit Commentaries:
Grace to you, and peace. The secular formula of salutation was χαίρειν (Acts 23:1-35. Acts 23:26); in Latin, multam or plurimare salutem ant plenissimam. St. Paul’s formula was almost invariably as above, “Grace to you, and peace” (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:3; and others). To Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2) and Titus 1:4, “Grace, mercy, and peace.”
I thank my God always. We ought, therefore, to thank God, not only for gifts bestowed upon ourselves, but also for those bestowed upon others. This is an habitual phrase of St. Paul (comp. Romans 1:8; i Corinthians Romans 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:3). “It is to be noted that for the thing on account of which he gives thanks, he at the same time prays” (Calvin). For no good work is ever so complete in us that it does not need to be “continued and ended” in us by God. Making mention of thee in my prayers. The foregoing remark attain applies. Grotius observes that “we learn from this that all addresses to God may be called prayers προσευχὰς, even those in which nothing is asked but thanks are given.” But this is apparently not such a case; the petition which St. Paul offered for Philemon being stated in Philemon 1:6. And thus Chrysostom explains the passage. “Always” may be connected with “I thank,” or with “making mention,” preferably the former (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Calvin, Lightfoot).
Hearing of thy love, and of the faith … saints. He would hear of these instances of Philemon’s faith and love naturally through Epaphras (see on Philemon 1:2). Refer “faith” to “the Lord Jesus” and “love” to “all the saints” (a chiasmus, or cross-reference). Note that the phrase is πρὸς (i.e. erga, towards) τὸν Κύριον, but εἰς (i.e. upon) τοὺς ἁγίους; perhaps because Christ cannot now be reached by bodily efforts, but only aspired towards by the soul; while the poor can actually be reached and ministered unto. “Ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always” (Matthew 26:11). All Christians are called “saints” in the Scriptures, as Ephesians 1:1, and invariably. What a reminder to them of their “holy calling” (2 Timothy 1:9)! Meyer notes, however, that it is not uncommon with St. Paul to vary the preposition (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16).
These notes explain that many of the phrases used by Paul are done formally, and there is evidence of his use of these forms in other Letters. In verse five, the note points out that “saints” is a term applied to all Believers.
saints = ἅγιος hágios, hag’-ee-os; from ἅγος hágos (an awful thing) (compare G53, H2282); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):—(most) holy (one, thing), saint.
In the Western part of the Church, you might be more familiar with the Greek term for saints, “hagia,” via its inclusion in the naming of the Hagia Sophia, one of the most beautiful buildings on earth, a place that is at present a mosque, though previously was a Christian Church.
Continuing to verse 6 in Ellicott:
(6) That the communication of thy faith . . .—The general idea of St. Paul’s prayer for Philemon is clear—that his “faith may become effectual,” i.e., energetic and perfected, “in full knowledge.” This is exactly the prayer which, in different forms and degrees of emphasis, opens all the Epistles of the Captivity. (See Ephesians 1:17; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 1:9.) It describes the true order of Christian life, so fully and beautifully drawn out in Ephesians 3:17-19, beginning in faith, deepened by love, and so growing to knowledge.
But it may be asked, “Why the communication of thy faith?” (1) The phrase is unique, but the word rendered “communication” is the well-known word generally rendered “communion,” or “fellowship,” except where (as in Romans 15:26; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 9:13; Hebrews 13:16) it is used technically and derivatively of “the communication” of almsgiving. The phrase, therefore, should probably be rendered the “communion of thy faith,” i.e., “thy fellowship in faith.” (2) But, again, the question arises, “With whom is this fellowship? With God or man?” The answer probably is, “With both.” Perhaps for growth in divine knowledge the communion need only be with God. But we observe that the knowledge is not merely “of every good thing,” i.e., of all that is of God, but of “every good thing which is in you (or, better, in us) towards Christ Jesus.” It is, therefore, the knowledge of good—that is, of God’s gift—as dwelling in man by the unity which binds all to Christ Jesus. (3) Now for knowledge of this, fellowship with man is needed, as well as fellowship with God. The soul which dwells alone with God, even in the holiest seclusion, knows what is good in the abstract, but not what is good in man in the concrete reality. But Philemon’s house was a centre of Christian life. St. Paul might, therefore, well speak of this his two-fold “fellowship in faith,” and pray that it might grow into full knowledge at once of God and of man as in Him. (4) That all such growth must be “towards Christ Jesus,” dependent on unity with Him and serving to deepen such unity, is the characteristic doctrine of all this group of Epistles, especially of the Colossian Epistle, of which Onesimus was one of the bearers.
Finally, we will look at verse seven from The Pulpit Commentaries:
We have great joy and consolation. The preferable reading is, as in A, C, F, G, N, and Revised Version, I had much joy and comfort (see Philemon 1:5). “Plenius inculcat et edocet, quare dixerit, gratias ago,” etc. (Jerome). The bowels of the saints; hearts (Revised Version). Either
(1) their bodily wants, the cravings of their hunger; or
(2) their hearts and affections, supplied and satisfied by the good deeds of Philemon.
This is another peculiarly Pauline expression (see 2 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 7:15 -these two are very similarly used in 2 Corinthians 7:7, 2 Corinthians 7:12, 20—and three other places). “To refresh the bowels is (in Paul) to be taken as meaning a lightening of troubles, so that they may rest with minds free from all sorrow and annoyance” (Calvin). Brother. How persuasively the sentence is turned! An old commentator remarks, “Paul does not yet come to his request, but prepares and softens beforehand the mind of Philemon” (Scipio Gentilis). This course of proceeding is exactly what Quintilian prescribes to an advocate, “His velut fomentis, si quid erit asperum, praemolliemus, quo facilius aures judicum admittant” (‘De Institut. Orat.,’ 4.3).
The note for verse 7 reminds us why studying the underlying language, and the updated translations available, can be helpful.
hearts = σπλάγχνον splánchnon, splangkh’-non; probably strengthened from σπλήν splḗn (the “spleen”); an intestine (plural); figuratively, pity or sympathy:—bowels, inward affection, + tender mercy.
In the present, there is quite a difference in meaning between “the hearts of the saints have been refreshed” and “the bowels of the saints have been refreshed.” Yet, the King James Version says the following:
7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
The meaning of words can change over time. Thus, it is important to understand the original language and its original meaning and intention. Any work of writing was written in a particular time, place, and to a particular audience. You should read and understand an ancient text as it was written originally.
That gets us through the introduction portion of the Letter. When we will pick this up, Paul will begin advocating to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus.
🙏🙏