Philemon 1:5

hearing doubtless from Epaphras, perhaps with Onesimus" confirmation from hispoint of view. The Greek implies a processof hearing; the subject was continuallypresent in conversation.

love See below Philemon 1:7; Philemon 1:9. The whole letter is from love to love.

faith Some commentators (see Ellicott's note, where the view is discussed and rejected) explain this as "fidelity" (as probably Galatians 5:22 and certainly Titus 2:10). But that meaning is rare in St Paul, and needs strong evidence for adoption in any given case. The ruling meaning, "trust, reliance," is quite in place here.

toward … toward The "received" Greek text, retained here by Lightfoot, has two different prepositions, which we may render toward and unto respectively; "toward" the Object of faith, "unto" the objects of love.

toward the Lord … saints R.V. (and so Alford) reads the whole passage; "thy love, and the faith which thou hast toward&c.," making "the faith" only, not "thy love," refer to boththe Lord and the saints; (the man's reliance on Christ coming out ina "work of faith," called briefly "faith" see Philemon 1:6 towards the saints). But Lightfoot, we think rightly, distributes the references of love and faith, cross-wise, to the saints and the Lord respectively. Cp. for support Colossians 1:3-4, a passage written so nearly at the same time. No doubt the arrangement of the Greek, on this view, is peculiar. But in this domestic letter several natural liberties of language occur.

" All saints" :read, all the saints, with whom Philemon had to do. On the word "saints" see note on Colossians 1:2.