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Philemon, Reconciliation

There are several books in the Bible that make us feel uncomfortable. The most prominent of these is the Song of Songs, which we've already discussed on this blog. Another book that makes us uncomfortable is the book of Philemon.

Background

The book of Philemon was written by Paul to a man named Philemon. Now it usually assumed that Philemon was written while Paul was in prison in Rome, around AD 62. Some scholars, however, think that this was written earlier while Paul was in Ephesus. 

Now the book of Acts does not say if Paul was ever imprisoned in Ephesus, but that doesn't mean it never happened. Paul did stay in the city a long time. It also makes sense that Paul would meet Onesimus in Ephesus as opposed to Rome. Onesimus was a slave that escaped from Colossae, which is in Turkey. Slaves were marked as slaves. It is very unlikely that he made it all the way to Rome without being apprehended. 

Another thing to consider is Paul's promise to visit Philemon soon. It seems that he is nearby, and not way off in Rome. There is evidence to suggest that after being imprisoned in Rome the first time, Paul went off to Spain, not back to Greece and Turkey. In either case, the contents of the letter remain the same.

Themes

There is one theme in the book of Philemon; the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. This makes us uncomfortable, because Onesimus is Philemon's slave and Paul does not condemn slavery. 

To our modern sensibilities this book is abhorrent. Slavery is generally condemned as one of the most evil things in existence. We look at our own history and cringe when we think about slavery in our country. So when we read a book like Philemon, a book about a runaway slave, we expect Paul to condemn Philemon for owning slaves as a Christian. This is not what happened.

What concerns Paul is not slavery, but the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. Philemon is a Christian. Onesimus, since running away and meeting Paul, is now also a Christ-follower. Paul's concern is about reconciling the broken relationship between two brother's in Christ.

By running away, Onesimus most likely caused Philemon a great deal of trouble. He also most likely stole things from Philemon. Philemon, by law, had the right to kill Onesimus. He was a runaway slave, and the master had complete authority over him.

What Paul wants is for Philemon and Onesimus to view each other not as slave and master, but as fellow servants of Christ. For Paul the less important thing is their social positions. What matters is that followers of Christ treat each other as brothers. Once the relationship is reconciled before Christ, the rest takes care of it itself.

Theological Point

Reconciliation is the mission of all Christians. Christ has reconciled us to God and enables us to be reconciled to each other. Our social station, be it free or slave, takes a back seat to believers. We are called to be reconciled to one another, forgiving each other of wrongs regardless of what society says is right.

Philemon, by all rights, could have had Onesimus executed. But Paul pleaded with him in Christ to welcome Onesimus back with open arms as a family member. Onesimus, by all rights, wanted to run away and be free. Still Paul tells him to return to Philemon and restore the relatonship. 

This makes us cringe. We want Paul to stand up and decry slavery. Instead he does something far more subtle; he points to Jesus as the foundation for our interactions with each other. This shifts the focus away from the social positions of master and slave and puts it on the Cross. Starting there, all injustice is brought into focus and can be dealt with in a holy way.

Conclusion

I think this blog about Philemon is longer than the actual book itself. Philemon is a short, personal letter that gives us a practical example of the type of reconciliation Paul talks about at length in Romans and Galatians. It shows that Paul practiced what he preached, and it also shows us how to relate to one another. Next week tune in for 1 Corinthians!

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