Philemon 1:5

Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; HEARING - the ground of thanksgiving. It is a delicate mark of authenticity, that he says "hearing" as to churches and persons whom he had not seen or then visited. Colosse, Philemon's residence, he had never yet seen. Yet Philemon 1:19 implies that Philemon was his convert. Philemon, doubtless, was converted at Ephesus, or some other place where he met Paul. LOVE AND FAITH. The theological order is first faith, then love, the fruit of faith. But he purposely puts Philemon's love first, as it is to an act of love he is exhorting him. TOWARD ... TOWARD - different Greek: toward [ pros (G4314) in 'Aleph (') G; but A C Delta,...

5._Hearing of thy love and faith. _This praise, which he bestows on Philemon, includes briefly the whole perfection of a Christian man. It consists of two parts, faith in Christ, and love towards our neighbors; for to these all the actions and all the duties of our life relate. Faith is said to be in Christ, because to him it especially looks; in like manner as in no other way than through him alone can God the Father be known, and in no other than in Him can we find any of the blessings which faith seeks. _And towards all saints. _He does not thus limit this _love _to the _saints, _as if there ought to be none towards others; for, since the doctrine of “love” is, that “we should not despise our flesh,” (Isaiah 58:7) and that we should honor the image of God which is engraven on our nature, undoubtedly it includes all mankind. But since they that are of the house

1-7 Faith in Christ, and love to him, should unite saints more closely than any outward relation can unite the people of the world. Paul in his private prayers was particular in remembering his friends. We must remember Christian friends much and often, as their cases may need, bearing them in our thoughts, and upon our hearts, before our God. Different sentiments and ways in what is not essential, must not make difference of affection, as to the truth. He inquired concerning his friends, as to the truth, growth, and fruitfulness of their graces, their faith in Christ, and love to him, and to all the saints. The good which Philemon did, was matter of joy and comfort to him and others, who therefore desired that he would continue and abound in good fruits, more and more, to God's honour....

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 that, if we do not allow of the arrangement in the MSS. referred to, we shall be obliged to have recourse to the transposition, because _faith_ must refer to _Jesus_ _Christ_, and _love_ to the _saints_....

HEARING OF THY LOVE AND FAITH - Either by Onesimus, who, after his conversion, would be disposed to state all that he knew that was favorable of Philemon, or hearing it by some other persons who had come from Colosse to Rome. The faith which is mentioned here refers to the Lord Jesus; the love, to the saints. The order in the Greek is indeed the same as in our version, but it is not unusual by synthesis, or uniting two or more things together, to arrange words in that manner. Thus Matthew 12:22, “The blind and dumb both spake and saw;” that is, the blind saw, and the dumb spake. The meaning is, that he had strong faith in the Lord Jesus, and ardent love toward all who were Christians. See a similar declaration in Colossians 1:4....

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;...

HEARING OF THY LOVE AND FAITH,.... Those two spring from the free favour and love of God, and are the pure gifts of his grace; and therefore thanks are to be given for them to God; nor are they to be ascribed to the power and will of man; they are the fruits of the Spirit of God; and are the principal ingredients in sanctification, which is entirely his work; and they are in all regenerate persons; and are the evidences of regeneration; by which it is known that men are passed from death to life; and they always go together, and are inseparable from each other: there cannot be true faith where love is wanting, for faith works by love; and there cannot be real love, where there is not faith; they only love the saints aright, who love them in the faith, and because of it; and these graces are visible, and to be known by their fruits, whereby they come to be heard of, and talked of, as thes...

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 ...

INTRODUCTORY. Paul writes from prison, sending greetings from himself and Timothy to Philemon a dear friend with whom he had worked probably during his stay in Ephesus Apphia (presumably Philemon's wife), and Archippus (Colossians 4:17, possibly his son) his spiritual comrade-in-arms, together with the brethren of their household. He is constantly hearing of the love and loyalty displayed by Philemon both towards the Lord Jesus and towards all the saints (Philemon 1:5): the hearts of God's people have been greatly cheered by his kindness, and the thought of one who in so true a sense is a brother has been a great joy and comfort to Paul (Philemon 1:7), so that it is with great thankfulness to God that he makes mention of

This is a letter from Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, and from Timothy, the brother, to Philemon our well-beloved and our fellow-worker; and to Apphia, the sister, and to Archippus, our fellow-soldier, and to the Church in your house. Grace be to you and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God when I make mention of you in my prayers, for I hear of your love and your faith, which you have to the Lord Jesus, and to all God's dedicated people. I pray that the kindly deeds of charity to which your faith moves you may be powerfully effective to increase your knowledge of every good thing that is in us and that brings us ever closer to Christ. You have brought me much joy and encouragement, because, my brother, the hearts of God's people have been refreshed by you. The letter to Philemon is extraordinary, for in it we see the extraordinary sight...