Philemon 1:1

Παῦλος δέσμιος, “Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus.” St Paul uses no title of office (ἀπόστολος) or of service (δοῦλος); he simply reminds Philemon of his present condition, that from the very first Philemon may be moved to sympathy with him and his request. Cf. Colossians 4:18, note, also Philemon 1:9 infra. The appeal is strengthened by the absence of the article (contrast Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 4:1).

Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ. His imprisonment is different from that of criminals. It is Christ who has brought him into prison. Cf. Philemon 1:9; Philemon 1:13; Ephesians 3:1. See Winer, § 30. 2 β and note.

καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ�. See notes on Colossians 1:1. Timothy as well as St Paul was interested in the case of Onesimus. Cf. the following ἡμῶν. He was probably much at Ephesus with St Paul on his third missionary journey (cf. Acts 19:22), and may well have entered into friendly relationship with Philemon then.

Φιλήμονι. Here only. The name is not uncommon in Greek writings and inscriptions. Philemon and Baucis were the aged peasants in Phrygia who entertained Jupiter and Mercury unawares (cf. Ovid, Met. VIII. 626 sq.), and a Phrygian named Philemon, and apparently a slave, became notorious at Athens. “Otherwise the name is not distinctively Phrygian. It does not occur with any special frequency in the inscriptions belonging to this country; and though several persons bearing this name rose to eminence in literary history, not one, so far as we know, was a Phrygian” (Lightfoot, p. 370).

That our Philemon was at Colossae when this epistle was written may be gathered from the facts that the epistle to the Colossians states that Onesimus belonged to that town and was immediately returning there (Colossians 4:9), and this epistle (written, as it would seem, at the same time) speaks of his being sent back to Philemon (Philemon 1:12). Also the connexion of Philemon with Archippus suggests, at the least, connexion with Colossae (Colossians 4:17). That he was converted by means of St Paul is, apparently, implied in Philemon 1:19; and that he endeared himself to St Paul and Timothy and was associated with them in Christian work is stated in the following words. That he was a man of some substance is implied not only by his “owning a slave (I)” (as van Manen satirically puts it, Enc. Bib. 3694), but also by possessing a house large enough to form the meeting-place of a body of Christians (Colossians 4:2), and further by his hospitality to, as it seems, even brethren from a distance (Colossians 4:5-7). As to the place where St Paul became acquainted both with him and, as it would seem, with his wife and son, we have no information, save that it was not at Colossae (Colossians 2:1); presumably Philemon came to Ephesus or its neighbourhood, either on a short visit for business or pleasure, or possibly to stay some time (cf. Priscilla and Aquila). Of his nationality we have no hint, but there is nothing to suggest that he was not a Gentile.

τῷ�. ἡμῶν doubtless belongs to both. Because the phrase is unique D* d Ambrst add ἀδελφῷ after ἀγαπητῷ. For ἀγαπητῷ see Colossians 1:7, note, and also Philemon 1:16 infra. For συνεργός see Colossians 4:11 note and also Philemon 1:24 infra.