THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO PHILEMON. _Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle._ -Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that used by the Byzantine historians, 5570. -Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5563. -Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5554. -Year o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:2. APPHIA. απφια. Under the word απφα _Suidas_ says: Αδελφης και αδελφου ὑπακορισμα· _Appha_ is the affectionate address of a brother or sister; or the diminutive of a brother and sister, used to express kindness and affection. Hence the apostle, referring to the meaning of the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:4. _I THANK MY GOD_] For all the good he has bestowed upon you, _making mention of thee always in my prayers_, that thou mayest hold fast all that thou hast got, and get all that thou dost farther need.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:5. _HEARING OF THY LOVE AND FAITH_] His _faith_ in Christ Jesus, his _love_ to the saints. Several excellent MSS. and some versions put _faith_ before _love_, which makes a more natural reading. There is no figure of speech which would vindicate our saying _faith in the saints_; so... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:6. _THAT THE COMMUNICATION OF THY FAITH_] The words ἡ κοινωνια της πιστεως σου, the _fellowship_ or _communication of thy_ _faith_, may be understood as referring to the _work_ of _love_ towards the _saints_-the poor Christians, which his _faith_ in Christ enabled him to perform, _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:7. _FOR WE HAVE GREAT JOY_] This verse does not read harmoniously. The Greek authorizes the following arrangement: _For_ _we have great joy and consolation in thy love, O brother, because_ _the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee_. The apostle speaks here of the works of char... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:8. _WHEREFORE, THOUGH I MIGHT BE MUCH BOLD_] It would be better to read: _Wherefore, although I have much authority through_ _Christ, to command thee to do what is proper; yet, on account of_ _my love to thee, I entreat thee_. The tenderness and delicacy of this epistle, says Dr. P... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:9. _PAUL THE AGED_] If we allow St. Paul to have been about 25 years of age at the utmost, in the year 31, when he was assisting at the martyrdom of Stephen, Acts 7:58; as this epistle was written about A. D. 62, he could not have been at this time more than about 56 years old. This... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:10. _I BESEECH THEE FOR MY SON ONESIMUS_] It is evident from this that Onesimus was converted by St. Paul while he was prisoner at Rome, and perhaps not long before he wrote this epistle.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:11. _WAS TO THEE UNPROFITABLE_] Alluding to the meaning of Onesimus's name, as has been already noted; though the apostle uses a different Greek word to express the same idea.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:12. _WHOM I HAVE SENT AGAIN_] The Christian religion never cancels any civil relations; a _slave_, on being converted, and becoming a free man of Christ, has no right to claim, on that ground, emancipation from the service of his master. _Justice_, therefore, required St. Paul to se... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:13. _THAT IN THY STEAD HE MIGHT HAVE MINISTERED UNTO ME_] As Philemon was one of Paul's converts, he became thereby his spiritual father, and had a right to his services when in need. This was a strong argument, not only to induce Philemon to forgive his servant, but to send him bac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:14. _THAT THY BENEFIT SHOULD NOT BE AS IT WERE OF_ _NECESSITY_] If the apostle had kept Onesimus in his service, and written to Philemon to forgive him and permit him to stay, to this it is probable he would have agreed; but the _benefit_ thus conceded might have lost much of its re... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:15. _HE-DEPARTED FOR A SEASON_] This is another most delicate stroke. He departed thy _slave_, thy _unfaithful slave_; he departed _for a short time_; but so has the mercy of God operated in his behalf, and the providence of God in thine, that he now returns, not an unfaithful _sla... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:16. _NOT NOW AS A SERVANT?_] Do not receive him merely as thy _slave_, nor treat him according to that condition; _but as a_ _brother_-as a genuine Christian, and particularly dear to me. _BOTH IN THE FLESH AND IN THE LORD?_] There is no reason to believe that Onesimus was of the _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:17. _IF THOU COUNT ME THEREFORE A PARTNER_] If thou dost consider me as a _friend_; if I have still the place of a friend in thy affection, _receive him as myself_; for, as I feel him as my own soul, in receiving _him_ thou receivest _me_. There is a fine model of recommending a fr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:18. _IF HE HATH WRONGED THEE, OR OWETH_ THEE _AUGHT_] Had the apostle been assured that Onesimus had _robbed_ his master, he certainly would not have spoken in this hypothetical way; he only puts a possible case: If he have wronged thee, or owe thee aught, place all to my account; I... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:19. _I PAUL HAVE WRITTEN_ IT _WITH MINE OWN HAND_] It is likely that the whole of the letter was written by St. Paul himself, which was not his usual custom. See notes on 2 Thessalonians 3:17. But by thus speaking he bound Philemon to do what he requested, as an act of common civili... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:20. _YEA, BROTHER_] It is even so, that thou art thus indebted to me. _Let me have joy of thee_, in forgiving Onesimus, and receiving him into thy favour. In the words εγε σου οναιμην, which we should translate, _let me have_ PROFIT _of thee_, there is an evident _paronomasia_, or p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:21. _HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THY OBEDIENCE_] I know that it will please thee thus to oblige thy friend, and I know that thou wilt do more than I request, because thou feelest the affection of a son to thy spiritual father. Some think that the apostle hints to Philemon that he should ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:22. _BUT WITHAL PREPARE ME ALSO A LODGING_] Does not the apostle mention this as conferring an obligation on Philemon? I will begin to repay thee by taking up my abode at thy house, as soon as I shall be enlarged from prison. But some think he wished Philemon to _hire_ him a house,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:23. _EPAPHRAS, MY FELLOW PRISONER_] Epaphras was a Colossian, as we learn from Colossians 4:12: _Epaphras, who is one of you_. But there is no account there of his being in prison, though the not mentioning of it does not necessarily imply that he was not. Some time or other he had... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:24. _MARCUS, ARISTARCHUS_, c.] These were all acquaintances of Philemon, and probably Colossians and may be all considered as joining here with St. Paul in his request for Onesimus. Some think that _Marcus_ was either the evangelist, or _John Mark_, the nephew of Barnabas, Acts 12:... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Philemon 1:25. _THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST_ BE _WITH YOUR_ _SPIRIT_] By using the _plural_, νμων, _your_, the apostle in effect directs or addresses the epistle, not only to Philemon, but _to all the Church at his house_. _AMEN._] Is wanting as usual in the best MSS. The subscription... [ Continue Reading ]