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 kindred of Philemon; and we must take the term flesh, here, as referring to the right which Philemon had in him. He was a part of his property and of his family; as a slave, this was his condition; but he now stood in a twofold relation to Philemon:

1. According to the flesh, as above explained, he was one of his family.

2. In the Lord; he was now also a member of the heavenly family, and of the Church at Philemon's house. Philemon's interest in him was now doubled, in consequence of his conversion to Christianity.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising