Philemon 1:9

Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. FOR LOVE'S SAKE - mine to thee: in contrast to the "boldness" [ parreesian (G3954)] which I forbear to use (Philemon 1:8). My "love" is reciprocal to "thy love" for which thou art so distinguished (Philemon 1:7). BEING SUCH AN ONE - as thou knowest me to be; namely Paul (the founder of so many churches, an apostle of Christ, thy father in the faith) the aged (my age ought to secure thy respect for my request), and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ (the strongest claims I have on thee: if for no other reason, at least through commiseration gratify me). Lachm...

9._Being such a one_. He claims the right to command on two grounds, that he is _an elder_, and that he is _a prisoner for Christ _He says that, on account of Philemon’s love, he chooses rather to entreat, because we interpose authority in commanding those things which we wish to extort by necessity even from the unwilling, but there is no need of commanding those who willingly obey. And because they who are ready of their own accord to do their duty listen more willingly to a calm statement of what is necessary to be done than to the exercise of authority, with good reason does Paul, when he has to deal with an obedient man, use entreaty. By his example he shows that pastors should endeavor to draw disciples gently rather than to drag them by force; and indeed, when, by condescending to entreaty, he foregoes his right, this has far greater power to obtain his wish than if he issued a co...

8-14 It does not lower any one to condescend, and sometimes even to beseech, where, in strictness of right, we might command: the apostle argues from love, rather than authority, in behalf of one converted through his means; and this was Onesimus. In allusion to that name, which signifies "profitable," the apostle allows that in time past he had been unprofitable to Philemon, but hastens to mention the change by which he had become profitable. Unholy persons are unprofitable; they answer not the great end of their being. But what happy changes conversion makes! of evil, good; of unprofitable, useful. Religious servants are treasures in a family. Such will make conscience of their time and trusts, and manage all they can for the best. No prospect of usefulness should lead any to neglect their obligations, or to fail in obedience to superiors. One great evidence of true repentance consist...

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 could not constitute him an _aged_ man in our sense of the term; yet, when the whole length of his life is taken in, being martyred about four years after this, he may not improperly be considered an _aged_ or _elderly man_, though it is generally allowed that his martyrdom took place in the 66th year of our Lord. But the word πρεσβυς signifies, not only an _old man_, but also an _ambassador_; because _old_ or _elderly_ men were chosen to fulfil such an office,

YET FOR LOVE’S SAKE - For the love which you bear me, and for the common cause. I RATHER BESEECH THEE - Rather than command thee. BEING SUCH AN ONE AS PAUL THE AGED - πρεσβυτης presbutēs - an old man. We have no means of ascertaining the exact age of Paul at this time, and I do not recollect that he ever alludes to his age, though he often does to his infirmities, in any place except here. Doddridge supposes that at the time when Stephen was stoned, when he is called “a young man” (νεανίας neanias, Acts 7:58), he was 24 years of age, in which case he would now have been about 53. Chrysostom supposes that he may have been 35 years old at the time of his conversion, which wo

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;...

YET FOR LOVE'S SAKE I RATHER BESEECH THEE,.... Either for the sake of the great love which the apostle bore to Philemon, being, as he calls him, his dearly beloved, he took this method; or because of Philemon's great love to all the saints before mentioned, he was encouraged to proceed in this manner, hoping on that account to have success; or it may be, it was for the sake of that love with which God had loved him, and which he puts him in mind of, to engage him to grant his request; that seeing God the Father had loved him, and chosen him in Christ; and Christ had loved him, and redeemed him by his blood; and the Holy Spirit had loved him, and sanctified him by his grace, that therefore he would receive his servant again for the sake of this love; who also was the object of it; see Romans 15:30. The Alexandrian copy reads, "for", or "through necessity", as if necessity obliged him to t...

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)...