Philemon 1:20

Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord; refresh my bowels in the Lord.

The apostle here adds a thought as though it had just occurred to him: For perhaps he for this reason departed for a while that thou mightest have him back for good, no longer as a slave, but above a slave, as a beloved brother, most of all to me, but how much more to thee, in the flesh as well as in the Lord! This is a reference to the dispensation of God, who thus arranged and directed matters that Onesimus was not only led to Rome, but there became personally known to Paul and thus received the knowledge of his salvation. Philemon was to consider the entire affair as though his slave had taken a journey of a few months, and had now returned for good, more closely connected with his master than before. Though still a slave in his station, yet he no longer bore the character of a slave according to the world's acceptation of the term, The disgraceful, degrading element had vanished from the relation. He was now, so far as Paul was concerned, a dearly beloved brother, being the sharer of his bonds and his son in the faith. Much more closely should Philemon, then, consider himself united with his slave by the twofold bond of the material and the spiritual relation. Onesimus, the slave, served the temporal interests of his master, being employed in such work as was of use to his body; Onesimus, the Christian, was bound to him by the ties of a common faith, a much more intimate and cordial relationship than that afforded by any earthly connection.

This being the true state of affairs, the circumstances of the slave's return being such as just pictured, the apostle could urge: If, then, thou considerest me a partner, receive him as myself. Paul here reminds Philemon that their own relationship was not merely that of friends or companions according to the manner of the world, but that of partakers of a common faith. This fact alone placed Philemon under obligation to Paul; for to deny his request was to declare the termination of the fellowship which united them in Christ. Such a contingency, however, being unthinkable, the apostle pleads that Philemon accept Onesimus as though he himself were standing there. This included that he should not think of inflicting the penalty which the laws permitted him to inflict, namely, that of branding the fugitive and even putting him to death, but that he should make a free and unequivocal confession of Christian brotherhood by forgiving the wrong which he had suffered, and receiving Onesimus in that spirit.

Following up the advantage which this argument gave him with another, the apostle writes: But if he has done thee any wrong or owes anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, have written it with my own hand, I will repay; without mentioning the fact to thee that thou owest even thyself to me. Here St. Paul removes a possible difficulty that might stand in the way of a reconciliation such as he wished it. Undoubtedly the offense of Onesimus was that he had embezzled or stolen some of his master's goods before absconding. At the same time, of course, he had deprived Philemon of his services during his absence, a fact which naturally resulted in some damage to the master. But Paul, with characteristic energy, removed this difficulty. He personally guaranteed the payment of the money, if Philemon wanted to insist upon indemnity; let it be charged to his personal account: he pledged himself, with his own handwriting: to make good the shortage. At the same time, however, by a figure of speech which brought out the indebtedness of Philemon to himself in the strongest possible manner: he urged his Colossian friend to remember his obligation to him, namely, that it was due to his work in the Gospel that Philemon was now the possessor of the highest and greatest blessings in life, those guaranteed by the redemption of Christ. In reality St. Paul means to sap, Philemon owed him far more than Onesimus stood in debt for, and could therefore well afford to overlook the transgression of the slave. Pleadingly, therefore. the apostle adds: Yes, brother, let me have profit of thee; refresh my heart in Christ. Here again there is a play on the name of Onesimus, as the apostle asks Philemon to accord him the filial services which he may well expect, and thus to refresh his heart which has been troubled on account of this matter. The real source of the relief afforded by such an action on the part of Philemon would, of course, be the Lord, who would make him willing to perform the duty that lay before him with a willing heart.