Philemon 1:20

Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. LET ME - `let me [emphatic: egoo (G1473) sou (G4675)] have profit [ onaimeen (G3685), referring to the name Onesimus, "profitable"] from thee, as thou shouldest have had from Onesimus:' for 'thou owest thine own self to me.' IN THE LORD - the sphere of Philemon's being profitable to Paul. MY BOWELS - gratify my feelings by granting this. IN THE LORD. 'Aleph (') A C Delta G f g read 'in Christ.' The element in which Paul's feelings are to be refreshed. The latter clause answers to the former of the verse....

20_Yea, brother_. This affirmation is used in order to increase the ardor of the exhortation; as if he had said — “Now shall it be clearly proved that there hath been no variance between thee and me, but that, on the contrary, thou art sincerely attached to me, and that all that thou hadst is at my disposal, if thou pardon offenses and receive into favor him who is so closely related to me.” _Refresh my bowels in the Lord. _He again repeats the same form of expressions which he had previously employed. Hence we infer that the faith of the gospel does not overturn civil government, or set aside the power and authority which masters have over slaves. For Philemon was not a man of the ordinary rank, but a fellow-laborer of Paul in cultivating Christ’s vineyard; and yet that power over a slave which was permitted by the law is not taken away, but he is only commanded to receive him kindly by...

15-22 When we speak of the nature of any sin or offence against God, the evil of it is not to be lessened; but in a penitent sinner, as God covers it, so must we. Such changed characters often become a blessing to all among whom they reside. Christianity does not do away our duties to others, but directs to the right doing of them. True penitents will be open in owning their faults, as doubtless Onesimus had been to Paul, upon his being awakened and brought to repentance; especially in cases of injury done to others. The communion of saints does not destroy distinction of property. This passage is an instance of that being imputed to one, which is contracted by another; and of one becoming answerable for another, by a voluntary engagement, that he might be freed from the punishment due to his crimes, according to the doctrine that Christ of his own will bore the punishment of our sins,...

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 play on the name of _Onesimus_. See on Philemon 1:2; Philemon 1:11. _REFRESH MY BOWELS_] Gratify the earnest longing of my soul in this. I ask neither thy money nor goods; I ask what will _enrich_, not _impoverish_, thee to give....

YEA, BROTHER, LET ME HAVE JOY OF THEE IN THE LORD - “By showing me this favor in receiving my friend and brother as I request.” The phrase “in the Lord,” here seems to mean that, if this request was granted, he would recognize the hand of the Lord in it, and would receive it as a favor from him. REFRESH MY BOWELS IN THE LORD - The “bowels,” in the Scriptures, are uniformly spoken of as the seat of the affections - meaning commonly the upper viscera, embracing the heart and the lungs; compare the notes at Isaiah 16:11. The reason is, that in any deep emotion this part of our frame is peculiarly affected, or we feel it there. Compare Robinson’s _Lex_. on the word σπλάγχνον splangchnon See this illustrated at length in Sir Charles Bell’s” Anatomy of Expression,”

EXPOSITION PHILEMON 1:1 A PRISONER OF CHRIST JESUS. He writes a private letter, as friend to friend, and therefore does not describe himself by his official title of apostle. Having to plead the cause of a _slave_,_ _he begins by putting himself into a similar position as the "bondman of Jesus Christ"—"to obtain thereby the more ready compliance" (Chrysostom). By such a reverend bondage he beseeches Philemon, "and the bondage of Paul was liberty to Onesimus" (Scipio Gentilis). TIMOTHY, etc. He was, then, with St. Paul at the time of writing; therefore at Rome; and this fixes the date of composition at all events before that of the Second Epistle to Timothy, when the apostle was again at Rome (2 Timothy 1:17;...

YEA, BROTHER, LET ME HAVE JOY OF THEE IN THE LORD,.... Through the apostle was his spiritual father, having been the instrument of his conversion, yet he calls him his brother, as being a partaker of the same grace, and a minister of the same Gospel; and intimates to him, that should he grant his request, and receive his servant again, it would give him great joy and pleasure, and that not of a carnal, but of a spiritual kind, even joy in the Lord; he should rejoice in the presence of the Lord, and before him, concerning him; he should rejoice in his faith in the Lord, and love for him, and obedience to him; all which would be discovered in such a conduct: the Syriac version renders it, as an assurance to himself, I SHALL BE REFRESHED BY THEE IN OUR LORD; not doubting but that he would gratify him in the thing he asked of him, which would be a refreshment to him; the Vulgate Latin versi...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATION _ 1. The greeting (Philemon 1:1)_ 2. Recognition of Philemon's faith and love (Philemon 1:4) 3. Concerning the reception of Onesimus (Philemon 1:8) 4.The conclusion (Philemon 1:22) Philemon 1:1 He speaks of himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus; the Lord had made him a prisoner. He addresses Philemon (meaning: friendly, loving), the beloved, and his fellow-laborer. Apphia was probably the wife of Philemon; Archippus is called “fellow soldier”; he ministered in the Colossian assembly ...

THE REQUEST ON BEHALF OF ONESIMUS. Paul might confidently presume to issue commands to Philemon Paul an ambassador, and at the time of writing actually a prisoner, of Christ Jesus but for love's sake he prefers to make entreaty. He entreats Philemon, therefore, on behalf of one who has become his son, the child of his imprisonment, Onesimus an unprofitable servant, it is to be feared, to Philemon in the past, but now the reverse of unprofitable to him, yes, and to Paul too. Paul sends him back this dear fellow whom he has come to love as his own heart though sorely tempted to keep him to render service on Philemon's behalf to one who is a prisoner for the gospel's sake. He has been reluctant, however, to take any steps without Philemon's consent; he did not wish a benefit of this kind to wear the appearance of compulsion; it must be a matter of free-will. Moreover, it may have been God's...

A MAN TO WHOM IT WAS EASY TO APPEAL (Philemon 1:1-7)...