PAUL, A PRISONER, &C.— St Paul intimates, Philemon 1:8 that he chose to lay aside all his apostolic authority, and to beg it as a favour of Philemon to be reconciled to Onesimus; and, in order to touch and melt the heart of Philemon, he begins with styling himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ. This af... [ Continue Reading ]
APPHIA,— This was a Roman name. St. Paul writes it _Apphia,_ after the Hebrew manner; the Romans wrote it _Appia._ She is conjectured by some of the fathers, and asserted by others, to have been the _wife_ of Philemon; and as she is mentioned next to Philemon, and before_Archippus,_ who was a minist... [ Continue Reading ]
_PHILEMON 1:4_.— The apostle does not proceed immediately to the main subject of the Epistle; but, after the usual salutations, comes nearer to the point; with the most admirable address thanking God that Philemon had been as generous and kind already, and had done as much in other instances, as he... [ Continue Reading ]
HEARING OF THY LOVE AND FAITH,— "Hearing, with greater pleasure than I can express, of the steady faith which thou hast, and always maintainest, toward the Lord Jesus Christ, as the great object to which our faith as Christians is directed, and of thy ardent love to all the saints, who are the excel... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE COMMUNICATION OF THY FAITH, &C.— "It is therefore matter of my most fervent prayer, thatthese promising openings may be abundantly answered; and that thy communion with us in the faith of our blessed Redeemer, the advantages of which thou dost now so happily share, may be more and more appa... [ Continue Reading ]
_PHILEMON 1:8_.— After this preparation, the apostle comes to the main subject of his Epistle; which was, to request Philemon to take Onesimus into his favour again. The main argument which he urges is, that he, through divine grace, had converted Onesimus to genuine Christianity, who would therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL THE AGED,— It is generally thought that this Epistle was written about the year of Christ 62; and if we suppose St. Paul to have been twenty-four years old when Stephen was stoned, which is consistent with his being called a _young man;_—that being about the year 34, (for we have not _data_ suf... [ Continue Reading ]
I BESEECH THEE FOR MY SON ONESIMUS,— The order of the original words is this: _I entreat thee for a son of mine, whom I have begotten in my bonds,—Onesimus._ Thus the mind is kept in an agreeable suspense; and it must have affected Philemon in such a manner, as to render it impossible for him to wit... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEE UNPROFITABLE, BUT NOW PROFITABLE, &C.— The word _Onesimus_ is generallyknown to signify_profitable,_ and _Onesiphorus_ is much of the same import: they were names which might perhaps have been given to slaves by way of good omen, expressing expectation that they would bring advantage to thei... [ Continue Reading ]
MINE OWN BOWELS:— There are a number of passages in the ancient Greek and Latin writers, where children are called the _bowels_ of their parents. Observe how the apostle rises in his expressions: in Philemon 1:10 it was, _my son Onesimus:_ here it is _mine own bowels,_ or "my most dearly and tenderl... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE BONDS OF THE GOSPEL:— This is the fourth time that St. Paul has, in this short Epistle, put Philemon in mind of his bonds: he touches them a fifth time, Philemon 1:23. And whoever will be at the pains to compare the places in which he has mentioned those bonds, and other afflictions, will fin... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THY BENEFIT— That is, "Thy _goodness_ to Onesimus, in readily pardoning him, and treating him kindly for the future.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR PERHAPS HE THEREFORE DEPARTED— As Philemon 1:13 were thrown in by way of parenthesis, this 15th verse must be considered as connected in sense with Philemon 1:12. As the event had been so happy, St. Paul ascribes it to God: Onesimus designed no such thing by his flight; Philemon did not send him... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT NOW AS A SERVANT,— The word Δουλον should have been translated _a slave._ Slaves were then bought and sold, like cattle, in the market; and the descendants of such slaves were born slaves: they did not receive wages, nor could they at their pleasure hire themselves to other masters, but were loo... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU COUNT ME THEREFORE A PARTNER,— _"If, therefore, thou esteemest me_ as _a_ friend and _companion_ in Christ." L'Enfant translates it, "I conjure thee, therefore, by all that is common between us, receive him as myself." But the main thought which prevailed in the apostle's mind, seems to have... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE HATH WRONGED THEE,— Here is a plain confirmation of the doctrine of restitution. Where any person has injured another, he is obliged by the laws of God and conscience to make reparation as far as he is able, even where the law of the land may not compel him to do so; unless the injured party f... [ Continue Reading ]
I PAUL HAVE WRITTEN IT WITH MINE OWN HAND,— The apostle seems commonly to have dictated, and another person to have wrote down what he said; or to have written a copy, and another transcribed it; (see 2 Thessalonians 3:17. 2 Peter 3:1.) but he probably wrote all this letter with his own hand; not on... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, BROTHER,— The word 'Αναπαυσον, rendered _refresh,_ is very emphatical; it literally signifies to _appease,_ or _quiet;_ which strongly intimates the emotion which the apostle felt, through the ardour of his concern for Onesimus, and seems to represent the eagerness of his desire for his re-esta... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THY OBEDIENCE— The word 'Υπακοη frequently signifies _obedience._ Here it must be understood for _compliance,_ inasmuch as the apostle had declared, Philemon 1:8 he could have commanded, but chose rather to entreat.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WITHAL PREPARE ME, &C.— The apostle's desiring Philemon to prepare him a lodging, shews that he had expectations of being set at liberty, and that then he designed them a visit at Colosse: it may also lead us to conclude, that this Epistle was written not long before the apostle was set at liber... [ Continue Reading ]
BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT,— 'Υμων, _your,_ is in the plural number, and denotes not Philemon's spirit only, but that of his whole family also, or all the persons addressed in the beginning of the Epistle. See 1 Thessalonians 5:28. We have frequently hinted at the excellence of this Epistle; which must be... [ Continue Reading ]