Philemon

Author: Paul
Type of Book: Prison Epistle
Date of Writing: AD 62
Theme: One in Christ for love's sake

The epistle to Philemon is the last of the Prison Epistles, a personal letter Paul wrote while in prison to a wealthy Christian named Philemon. Philemon had been converted probably while Paul was ministering in Ephesus. Philemon had a church meeting at his home in Colosse, which was in present-day Turkey. There is no biblical record of Paul ever visiting Collose, but it is apparent that the church was started by some of his sons in the faith, and that they looked to Paul as their spiritual leader.

Philemon was a slave owner and one of his slaves, Onesimus, had run away. Onesimus had probably headed to Rome, perhaps thinking it would be easy to go unnorticed in the big city. But while in Rome he encountered the apostle Paul and had become saved. After Onesimus' conversion, Paul encouraged him to go back to his owner to make restitution for leaving while owing money. But in sending him back, Paul gave Onesimus this letter to take to Philemon, in which he encouraged Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother rather than a slave. Paul told Philemon that if Onesimus owed him anything, to charge it to Paul's account. Philemon owed Paul his eternal life, and Paul figured that should cover it.

Besides being an interesting historical anecdote, this book illustrates several important points. First of all, it demonstrates the radical truth that God makes all people, whether slave or free, one in Christ. The book also shows the importance of restitution after a person comes to Christ. And finally, it illustrates the freedom that is in Christ, as He loosens the chains that bind all those who don't know Him.

-from Pastor Chuck Smith from The Word for Today Bible