Philemon 1-9

1: Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,
2: and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 
3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4: I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
5: because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;
6: and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.
7: For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

8: Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,
9: yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—

*** 

Paul wrote to Philemon, who lived in Colosse, probably the same time he wrote the epistle to the Colossians in 61-63 AD during his first imprisonment in Rome. This short letter is a personal one from Paul and Timothy to Philemon, Apphia (either his wife or close relative), Archippus (Colossians 4:17), a minister of the Colossian church and most likely a family member of Philemon. He also included the church in their house.

As he typically did, Paul sent grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus, and began by letting them know he thanked God for them—for their faith and love toward the saints—and that he was praying for them. He specifically prayed that the fellowship of their faith would become effective through their knowledge of every good thing that is in them for Christ’s sake.

To understand every good thing in us because of Jesus will cause the fruit of our faith to become evident—matured into a good and nourishing fruit for others to partake of. Our faith is rightly implemented when we know and understand all Jesus has done for us.

Paul expressed his joy and comfort over hearing that the hearts of the saints were refreshed through Philemon. Although he was confident enough in his position as an apostle in Christ that he could order Philemon to obey the request he was about to make, he instead “for love’s sake” appealed to him—he asked instead of ordering. He called himself Paul the aged and a prisoner of Christ Jesus. These are all positions deserving of Philemon’s respect—an elder, a prisoner for Christ, and an apostle. Yet, he appealed to him on the basis of love instead.

 

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