Philemon 1:16

(16) Not now as a servant, but... a brother beloved... in the Lord. — In these words we have at last the principle which is absolutely destructive of the condition of slavery — a condition which is the exaggeration of natural inferiority to the effacement of the deeper natural equality. (1) The slave — the “living chattel” of inhuman laws and philosophies — is first “a brother,” united to his master by natural ties of ultimate equality, having, therefore, both duties and rights. (2) But he is also a “brother beloved.” These natural ties are not only strengthened by duty, but made living ties by the love which delights indeed to respect the rights of others, but is not content without willingness to sacrifice even our own rights to them. (3) Above all, this is “in the Lord.” The slave is bought by Christ’s blood, made a son of God, and therefore a brother to all who are members of the family of God. To reject and to outrage him is a rejection and outrage towards Christ. Compare St. Peter’s striking comparison of the sufferings of the slave to the passion of the Divine Sufferer (1 Peter 2:18). They suffer with Him, and He suffers in them. It has been proved historically that only by the aid of this last and highest conception has the brotherhood of love too slowly, indeed, but yet surely — assumed reality. (See Introduction.)

Specially to me, but how much more unto thee? — St. Paul first emphasises his own love for Onesimus, which, indeed, breathes in every line of the Epistle; but then goes on to infer in Philemon a yet greater affection — a natural love towards the nursling of his house, a spiritual love towards the brother “in the Lord,” lost and found again.