Philemon 1:10-18
Paul wrote his shortest epistle near the end of his first imprisonment in Rome. He was probably about 63 years old when he wrote this letter to his friend Philemon, a fellow laborer for the Lord and the owner of a servant named Onesimus. Onesimus had robbed Philemon and then fled to Rome, where he met Paul and became a believer of Christ. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon with this epistle, which contains Paul’s request to Philemon that he accept Onesimus, not only as a servant, but as a “brother beloved” (1:16).
Paul places Philemon’s love for him front and center, asking Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he were receiving Paul himself (verse 17). In this letter, Paul is giving us a practical example of the substitutionary work of Christ, as he does no better in any other writing.
First, he lists Onesimus as one time “unprofitable”, but now “profitable to thee and to me” (verse 11). Without Christ we are entirely unprofitable to anything or anybody as it regards the eternal things, but with Christ we are profitable to everything and everybody that we encounter.
Second, he prompts Philemon to receive Onesimus as “mine own bowels” (verse 12). This phrase was used often in the Word as an analogy of love. The world in that time considered the deepest part of someone’s love or affection to come from their “bowels of compassion” (1 John 3:17). By asking Philemon to receive Onesimus by Paul’s “own bowels”, he is asking him to receive him as he would receive Paul’s love. God has shed his love abroad to us through the price that Jesus paid at Calvary (Romans 5:5). Everything that we receive from God, we receive it because of this compassion.
Finally, Paul requests that any damages done by Onesimus should be placed on Paul’s own account. Any financial set-backs that have been caused through the theft of this servant will be paid in full by the Apostle as soon as he arrives. Imagine how Philemon felt as he read these words. Here is a man writing to him from prison, promising to pay him in full for taking this man back into his service. Philemon could not help but pay heed to the request, because the effort being taken to bring Onesimus back into good graces was enormous.
In light of how great the price was that Jesus paid, how can we refuse Him? He has taken all of our wrongs, our failures, our problems and our pains and He has placed them on His account. He laid down His own life, suffering the pain of separation from His Father so that all of our debts could be paid. It is the ultimate insult for any person to believe that their works are needed in order to pay God back for all of His goodness.
Heed the Apostles words regarding working for righteousness:
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4, 5)
Paul wrote his shortest epistle near the end of his first imprisonment in Rome. He was probably about 63 years old when he wrote this letter to his friend Philemon, a fellow laborer for the Lord and the owner of a servant named Onesimus. Onesimus had robbed Philemon and then fled to Rome, where he met Paul and became a believer of Christ. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon with this epistle, which contains Paul’s request to Philemon that he accept Onesimus, not only as a servant, but as a “brother beloved” (1:16).
Paul places Philemon’s love for him front and center, asking Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he were receiving Paul himself (verse 17). In this letter, Paul is giving us a practical example of the substitutionary work of Christ, as he does no better in any other writing.
First, he lists Onesimus as one time “unprofitable”, but now “profitable to thee and to me” (verse 11). Without Christ we are entirely unprofitable to anything or anybody as it regards the eternal things, but with Christ we are profitable to everything and everybody that we encounter.
Second, he prompts Philemon to receive Onesimus as “mine own bowels” (verse 12). This phrase was used often in the Word as an analogy of love. The world in that time considered the deepest part of someone’s love or affection to come from their “bowels of compassion” (1 John 3:17). By asking Philemon to receive Onesimus by Paul’s “own bowels”, he is asking him to receive him as he would receive Paul’s love. God has shed his love abroad to us through the price that Jesus paid at Calvary (Romans 5:5). Everything that we receive from God, we receive it because of this compassion.
Finally, Paul requests that any damages done by Onesimus should be placed on Paul’s own account. Any financial set-backs that have been caused through the theft of this servant will be paid in full by the Apostle as soon as he arrives. Imagine how Philemon felt as he read these words. Here is a man writing to him from prison, promising to pay him in full for taking this man back into his service. Philemon could not help but pay heed to the request, because the effort being taken to bring Onesimus back into good graces was enormous.
In light of how great the price was that Jesus paid, how can we refuse Him? He has taken all of our wrongs, our failures, our problems and our pains and He has placed them on His account. He laid down His own life, suffering the pain of separation from His Father so that all of our debts could be paid. It is the ultimate insult for any person to believe that their works are needed in order to pay God back for all of His goodness.
Heed the Apostles words regarding working for righteousness:
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4, 5)
