Epistle to Philemon

Definition and Meaning

The Epistle to Philemon is one of the Pauline epistles of the New Testament. Consisting of a single chapter of twenty-five verses, it is the shortest of Paul's letters. The book takes its name from its recipient, Philemon. Together with Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, which Paul also wrote while in confinement, it is grouped among the Prison Epistles (letters written from prison). Scholars widely accept it as a genuine letter of Paul.

Biblical and Historical Background

The senders are Paul and Timothy, and the recipients are Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church that met in Philemon's house (Philemon 1:1–2). Because Onesimus and Archippus also appear in Colossians 4:9 and 4:17, Philemon is thought to have been a member of the church in the area of Colossae.

According to the traditional interpretation, Onesimus, Philemon's slave, wronged his master and ran away, then met Paul and became a believer, after which Paul sent him back to his master with this letter. Others, however, hold that Onesimus did not run away but sought out Paul to ask him to intercede. The traditional view places the letter's composition in Rome, though some scholars propose Ephesus or Caesarea.

The letter's principal points include the following:

• A play on a name: The name Onesimus means "useful." Paul writes that he was formerly unprofitable but is now profitable (Philemon 1:11).
• A relationship that transcends social status: Paul asks that Onesimus be received "not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (Philemon 1:16).
• A promise to repay on his behalf: Paul asks that whatever Onesimus owes be charged to his own account (Philemon 1:18).

Martin Luther, in his preface to this letter, is said to have compared what Paul did for Onesimus with what Christ has done for us, writing that "we are all his Onesimus." Because Paul did not condemn slavery as such, both defenders of slavery and abolitionists in nineteenth-century America cited this letter in support of their positions.

Use in Korean Churches

Because of its brevity, Philemon is often read and studied in a single sitting when reading through the Bible and in Bible studies. In preaching, it is used mainly for the themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the fellowship of the saints across social boundaries. Paul's words in 1:18, "put that on mine account," are frequently cited to illustrate justification and atonement, in which Christ bears the sinner's debt. In Presbyterian churches with a strong Reformed tradition, this passage is sometimes linked specifically to the doctrine of imputation, by which the righteousness of Christ is credited to the believer.

Denominations do not differ in their acceptance of the book itself; all Protestant denominations recognize Philemon as part of the canon. What varies by denomination is how the book is read in worship. In churches that use the Revised Common Lectionary (a schedule of Scripture readings for worship arranged in a three-year cycle according to the church year), Philemon is appointed as a reading in one year of the cycle. In Korea, the Anglican Church of Korea and some Methodist and Presbyterian churches use this lectionary. In most Korean churches, where preachers choose their own texts, Philemon is seldom chosen as a text for expository preaching.