1 00:00:00,030 --> 00:00:05,370 Okay, Philemon for Beginners, the title of this class, Slavery and the 2 00:00:05,370 --> 00:00:12,269 Early Church. Only one lesson, Philemon is a one chapter book, I believe 3 00:00:12,269 --> 00:00:17,789 we can get through that using the time that we have. Let's talk about 4 00:00:17,789 --> 00:00:23,990 slavery in the first century, to begin with that's the context of this book. 5 00:00:23,990 --> 00:00:29,490 Slavery in the first century was quite different than the slavery for example 6 00:00:29,490 --> 00:00:36,630 in early American history, in the first century slavery was not based on culture 7 00:00:36,630 --> 00:00:46,020 as it was here Africans who were seized and sold into slavery by both African 8 00:00:46,020 --> 00:00:52,829 and European traders at the time. This was not the nature of the slavery that 9 00:00:52,829 --> 00:01:00,239 existed in Roman times, first century times. In the first century Roman Empire 10 00:01:00,239 --> 00:01:06,420 slaves were the spoils of war and all kinds of people, all 11 00:01:06,420 --> 00:01:13,710 nationalities, black white Asian, all kinds of cultural individuals of 12 00:01:13,710 --> 00:01:18,630 different cultures is what I'm saying were conquered by the Roman military and 13 00:01:18,630 --> 00:01:24,360 thus became slaves, some were rich some were poor, some had different 14 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:29,189 cultures different education the thing they had in common is that they were 15 00:01:29,189 --> 00:01:34,920 conquered by the Romans and put into slavery. In many cases people sold 16 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:40,259 themselves into slavery because of debt and these type of slaves were called 17 00:01:40,259 --> 00:01:46,909 bond servants, you see that term many times in a New Testament bond servants. 18 00:01:46,909 --> 00:01:52,649 Roman masters usually treated their slaves with a measure of respect and 19 00:01:52,649 --> 00:01:59,100 these had responsible positions in the household in many cases, slaves could 20 00:01:59,100 --> 00:02:05,009 marry they could accumulate wealth and purchase their own freedom as was the 21 00:02:05,009 --> 00:02:11,430 case with many. Under Roman law slaves were set free at the age of 30 22 00:02:11,430 --> 00:02:19,200 many of them were born into slavery. As many as two-thirds of the Empire at that 23 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:24,209 time were slaves but this number decreased rapidly in the first century 24 00:02:24,209 --> 00:02:30,150 and continued falling as Christian ideas began to take hold in that pagan society. 25 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:36,450 Of course this brings us to consider the ownership of slaves by Christians in the 26 00:02:36,450 --> 00:02:42,000 first century. We know this is the case because Paul provides instructions for 27 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,329 both slaves and masters in his letters so obviously there were slaves 28 00:02:48,329 --> 00:02:52,669 who were Christians and there were masters who were Christians and 29 00:02:52,669 --> 00:03:00,269 Christian individuals owned slaves at that time. For example we read in 30 00:03:00,269 --> 00:03:05,430 Ephesians chapter 6 Paul writes, "Slaves, be obedient to those 31 00:03:05,430 --> 00:03:09,569 who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the 32 00:03:09,569 --> 00:03:14,730 sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but 33 00:03:14,730 --> 00:03:20,459 as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render 34 00:03:20,459 --> 00:03:25,319 service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good things each 35 00:03:25,319 --> 00:03:29,810 one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. And 36 00:03:29,810 --> 00:03:34,949 masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both 37 00:03:34,949 --> 00:03:40,560 their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him." So note 38 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:47,120 the instructions that he gives to masters and slaves: sincere obedience, 39 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:51,389 serve unto the Lord in other words serving your master as if you were 40 00:03:51,389 --> 00:03:57,750 serving the Lord, serve with the hope of a blessing, and then of course the 41 00:03:57,750 --> 00:04:04,500 masters to treat their slaves with sincerity, and a reminder that God will 42 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:12,060 judge both slaves and masters. Another place where we have instruction for 43 00:04:12,060 --> 00:04:18,419 slaves Colossians chapter 3 verse 22 Paul writes again, "Slaves, and all things 44 00:04:18,419 --> 00:04:23,669 obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who 45 00:04:23,669 --> 00:04:27,539 merely please men, but we sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 46 00:04:27,539 --> 00:04:34,319 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men. Knowing 47 00:04:34,319 --> 00:04:38,580 that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord 48 00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:43,680 Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of 49 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:50,669 the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Masters, grant to your 50 00:04:50,669 --> 00:04:56,129 slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven." So we 51 00:04:56,129 --> 00:05:02,659 notice here a certain consistency as far as the instructions are concerned. 52 00:05:02,659 --> 00:05:06,509 Let's look at the lists that we get from Colossians: again 53 00:05:06,509 --> 00:05:12,150 sincere obedience, serving the Lord in other words you're serving your master 54 00:05:12,150 --> 00:05:19,130 as if you're serving the Lord in that spirit, serve with the help of a blessing 55 00:05:19,130 --> 00:05:24,930 the other idea injected into Colossians is the Lord serves with you, the idea 56 00:05:24,930 --> 00:05:31,919 that the Lord will help you the slave do a good job strengthen you in that role 57 00:05:31,919 --> 00:05:38,069 that you have, that God will punish evil slaves, and then of course that masters 58 00:05:38,069 --> 00:05:45,090 judge fairly and that masters also have a Master in heaven. Again pretty 59 00:05:45,090 --> 00:05:50,159 consistent teaching as far as master/slave relationship. What you don't 60 00:05:50,159 --> 00:05:54,930 see here is what? Well what you don't see is let's rise up let's start a 61 00:05:54,930 --> 00:06:01,889 revolution let's there's no not even a hint of that in this. Now in other 62 00:06:01,889 --> 00:06:07,650 passages I Corinthians 7:17-24 Paul urges slaves to accept their 63 00:06:07,650 --> 00:06:12,810 present situation but if the opportunity to gain their freedom comes up he says 64 00:06:12,810 --> 00:06:17,490 they should take their freedom. So he wasn't promoting slavery as 65 00:06:17,490 --> 00:06:25,759 an end result he was commenting on what existed in society. 66 00:06:25,759 --> 00:06:32,699 Paul's approach to this social evil was not to start a movement or to use 67 00:06:32,699 --> 00:06:38,100 violence to attack the established order of things, he worked through the 68 00:06:38,100 --> 00:06:44,130 church in providing God's Word and will on this issue. Now the early church 69 00:06:44,130 --> 00:06:48,960 what's interesting is the early church recognized no status difference between 70 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:56,880 slave and master everyone sat together in the assembly. So that was one way that 71 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,470 the church the early church gave the signal not let's start a revolution 72 00:07:01,470 --> 00:07:09,360 let's start a war but gave the signal of how does God see you? So when the master 73 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,470 and the slave came into the assembly there wasn't like a back row or a side 74 00:07:13,470 --> 00:07:19,110 row or on the floor where the slave sat and upfront or in the back let's put 75 00:07:19,110 --> 00:07:28,170 it that way where the masters would sit, everyone sat together. Slaves in the 76 00:07:28,170 --> 00:07:32,730 early church were allowed to serve as elders and unlike pagan gravestones that 77 00:07:32,730 --> 00:07:38,880 noted if the deceased was a slave Christian graves did not mark if one had 78 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,010 been a slave or not it wasn't an issue and of course it wasn't an issue why 79 00:07:43,010 --> 00:07:48,210 because Christians are citizens of the heavenly kingdom they're only passing 80 00:07:48,210 --> 00:07:57,270 through. According to Ignatius, 2nd century Bishop, church funds were often 81 00:07:57,270 --> 00:08:04,440 used to buy the freedom of slaves or for slaves. Some Christians even surrendered 82 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:11,070 their own freedom in order to ransom and free others. Clement again another early 83 00:08:11,070 --> 00:08:18,840 church father speaks of this. Marriage among slaves was protected, and early 84 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:24,380 Christians urged non-Christians to free their slaves or allow them to purchase 85 00:08:24,380 --> 00:08:30,330 their freedom. And so beginning with Paul and other Apostles and teachers a 86 00:08:30,330 --> 00:08:37,020 campaign of teaching exhortation examples of individuals setting their 87 00:08:37,020 --> 00:08:43,979 slave free and the equal status given them in the church slavery eventually 88 00:08:43,979 --> 00:08:50,940 died out in the Roman Empire. And so in this historical and social context that 89 00:08:50,940 --> 00:08:54,870 Paul, in this historical and social context 90 00:08:54,870 --> 00:09:01,320 that Paul writes the brief epistle to Philemon urging him to free a runaway 91 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:07,290 slave okay. So let's take a little look at the letter itself the letter was 92 00:09:07,290 --> 00:09:13,730 written by Paul while he was in Roman prison awaiting his trial before Caesar 93 00:09:13,730 --> 00:09:20,490 sometime between 61 and 63 AD. While in prison Paul was allowed to receive 94 00:09:20,490 --> 00:09:24,300 visitors and send and receive correspondence if you remember our 95 00:09:24,300 --> 00:09:29,700 study of the book of Acts he wasn't like in a dungeon shackled to a 96 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:34,560 to a post or a pillar he was allowed his own private quarters, he was allowed to 97 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:38,730 receive people and teach and so on and so forth, some historians think that as 98 00:09:38,730 --> 00:09:44,610 his trial drew closer he was taken out of that particular setting and 99 00:09:44,610 --> 00:09:50,160 put in a regular prison but either way he had a certain amount of liberty to 100 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:57,209 receive visitors and also to send and receive correspondence. So the two main 101 00:09:57,209 --> 00:10:03,570 individuals mentioned in this letter are first of all Philemon he was a man of 102 00:10:03,570 --> 00:10:08,670 wealth and importance who was converted by Paul we'll read about that verse 19 103 00:10:08,670 --> 00:10:13,560 and probably came into contact with the Apostle while he was in Ephesus while 104 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:19,950 Paul was there and while Philemon was there, later on Philemon moved to or he 105 00:10:19,950 --> 00:10:25,080 returned to Colossi and was a member of the church there you know the letter to 106 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:31,170 the Colossians well that town that city that church Philemon was a 107 00:10:31,170 --> 00:10:38,130 member of that church. And then Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon 108 00:10:38,130 --> 00:10:43,920 who had run away and made his way to Rome and while there he came into 109 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:49,230 contact with Paul and was converted and he remained with Paul and ministered to 110 00:10:49,230 --> 00:10:55,649 Paul's needs. So during this period Epaphroditus, one of Paul's co-workers 111 00:10:55,649 --> 00:11:01,200 who had planted the church at Colossae there's the connection all right, 112 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:08,720 Epaphroditus arrives in Rome with a gift for Paul from the Philippian church. 113 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:14,850 While there while he was there and here are some of the cities right you give 114 00:11:14,850 --> 00:11:20,640 you a fix there there's Ephesus right there and Philippi, there's Paul in Rome 115 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:26,970 okay and see the church at Colossae Asia Minor there. So while they're Epaphroditus 116 00:11:26,970 --> 00:11:32,700 tells Paul of some trouble in the form of false teaching that is brewing 117 00:11:32,700 --> 00:11:38,790 in the church at Colossae. And so in Philemon verse 23 we learned that 118 00:11:38,790 --> 00:11:43,770 Epaphroditus is detained for a while with Paul but later he's released and 119 00:11:43,770 --> 00:11:49,140 he's given a letter to take back to the Philippians thanking them for their gift. 120 00:11:49,140 --> 00:11:54,360 So Epaphroditus arrives in Rome has a gift for Paul from the Philippians 121 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:58,650 while he's there he tells Paul aside from the Philippians who are doing 122 00:11:58,650 --> 00:12:06,540 pretty good the church at Colossae is having problems okay. So after Epaphroditus 123 00:12:06,540 --> 00:12:15,600 is departure Paul writes several other letters okay. One of these letters 124 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:22,880 is for the Colosian church regarding the false teachers and the heresy that they are 125 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:28,320 that they're dealing with, a second letter is a personal letter to Philemon 126 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:34,550 who was a member of that Colossian church regarding his runaway slave Onesimus, and 127 00:12:34,550 --> 00:12:40,980 then thirdly he writes another letter to Ephesus that was experiencing problems 128 00:12:40,980 --> 00:12:48,540 of unity and fellowship. So these three letters were delivered by Tichicus one 129 00:12:48,540 --> 00:12:55,380 of Paul's co-workers, Onesimus one of Paul excuse me Onesimus was placed in 130 00:12:55,380 --> 00:13:03,000 the care of Tichicus to protect him against arrest by slave catchers bounty 131 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:08,410 hunters that were roaming around looking for slaves. So if he's in the protective 132 00:13:08,410 --> 00:13:13,460 custody of Tichicus he is safe from these individuals. 133 00:13:13,580 --> 00:13:17,780 And Tichicus would return him to Philemon along with Paul's 134 00:13:17,790 --> 00:13:25,680 letter okay. So we got all the characters straight and the letters straight? So 135 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:31,530 let's take a look at an outline here of of this brief epistle, Paul's greeting to 136 00:13:31,530 --> 00:13:37,590 Philemon verses 1-3, Paul's prayer concerning Philemon verses 4-7, 137 00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:44,600 Paul's appeal to Philemon verses 8-20, and Paul's requests and blessing on 138 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:51,690 Philemon verses 21-25. So there's a brief outline little sketch of what's 139 00:13:51,690 --> 00:13:56,880 going on who did what who's writing to whom and why. Let's take a look at the 140 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:02,310 text begin with that greeting shall we verse 1-3 Paul says, "Paul, a prisoner of 141 00:14:02,310 --> 00:14:07,170 Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved brother and fellow 142 00:14:07,170 --> 00:14:12,840 worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the 143 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,950 church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father in the Lord 144 00:14:16,950 --> 00:14:23,190 Jesus Christ." So Paul summarizes his personal situation by referring to 145 00:14:23,190 --> 00:14:27,660 himself as a prisoner of Christ meaning his imprisonment is in the cause of 146 00:14:27,660 --> 00:14:35,400 Christ, and Timothy is with him caring for his needs. Philemon is the 147 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:42,870 recipient of the letter, Apphia his wife, Archippus probably their son. The church 148 00:14:42,870 --> 00:14:48,840 met in their home which was located in the city of Colossi. Paul not only offers 149 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:55,050 a precious blessing, grace and peace on Philemon and his family but 150 00:14:55,050 --> 00:15:00,420 also comments on his value in Christ as a beloved brother and co-worker with 151 00:15:00,420 --> 00:15:04,980 Paul. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Paul wrote you and said that about you, I 152 00:15:04,980 --> 00:15:13,250 mean be marvelous wouldn't it. So this would be high praise for any Christian 153 00:15:13,250 --> 00:15:20,610 by an inspired Apostle because it's not obviously not false flattery 154 00:15:20,610 --> 00:15:23,460 he's not flattering him like empty flattery 155 00:15:23,460 --> 00:15:29,000 he's an inspired Apostle he speaks the truth he speaks from God 156 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:37,020 and so Philemon is the real deal he is who Paul says he is very loving man good 157 00:15:37,020 --> 00:15:44,070 coworker. Paul continues with his prayer verses 4-7 he says, "I thank God 158 00:15:44,070 --> 00:15:48,660 always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and 159 00:15:48,660 --> 00:15:54,080 of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and 160 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:59,070 I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the 161 00:15:59,070 --> 00:16:04,290 knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake. For I have come 162 00:16:04,290 --> 00:16:08,790 to have much joy and comfort in your, love because the hearts of the saints 163 00:16:08,790 --> 00:16:15,090 have been refreshed through you, brother." So Paul's prayer of thanksgiving is 164 00:16:15,090 --> 00:16:20,040 motivated by what he knows about Philemon, that's what's moving him to 165 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:25,670 pray, his love of God and those who belong to God 166 00:16:25,670 --> 00:16:31,170 meaning Philemon's love of God and those who belong to God that thing about 167 00:16:31,170 --> 00:16:36,960 Philemon is what motivates Paul to pray. His faithfulness to God and the saints 168 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:43,080 both slave and free, and Philemon love and faith have been a blessing to 169 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:49,920 everyone. Now what has not said yet is that he will base his requests on the 170 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:56,940 knowledge of these qualities, in other words I am motivated to pray because of 171 00:16:56,940 --> 00:17:01,680 your faithfulness and your love for everyone and 172 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:06,270 you're a good worker and because you're like this he doesn't say 173 00:17:06,270 --> 00:17:11,160 it yet but because you're like this I'm going to ask you something very special but 174 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:20,940 this is just the basis okay. He makes the appeal in verses 8 to 21 verse 8-9 175 00:17:20,940 --> 00:17:24,570 we'll just read that for the moment he says, "Therefore, though I have enough 176 00:17:24,570 --> 00:17:29,700 confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love's sake 177 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:36,120 I rather appeal to you-since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a 178 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:41,160 prisoner of Christ Jesus-" So at first glance it would seem that Paul is 179 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,850 pulling rank, certainly that's the way I saw it when I 180 00:17:44,850 --> 00:17:51,570 first read this, as an Apostle I could order you to do as I command 181 00:17:51,570 --> 00:17:56,930 because I'm an Apostle and you're not an Apostle so I can tell you what to do. 182 00:17:57,350 --> 00:18:04,350 When he says the confidence in Christ what he speaks of when he says this 183 00:18:04,350 --> 00:18:10,800 confidence of Christ is not I'm sure Jesus will back me up in this that's not 184 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:16,830 what he's saying he's telling Philemon that in the situation that he will be 185 00:18:16,830 --> 00:18:22,590 talking about which will be the return of Onesimus he is so confident in the 186 00:18:22,590 --> 00:18:29,490 will of Christ and Philemon's Christian maturity which he's already talked about 187 00:18:29,490 --> 00:18:34,740 his faith and love that he could simply tell him what to do, in other words not 188 00:18:34,740 --> 00:18:39,810 order I if I just explained to you what the what the right thing is to 189 00:18:39,810 --> 00:18:43,790 do I'm confident that you will do it. 190 00:18:44,450 --> 00:18:50,310 That's how sure I am of you. So Paul's sure of one thing 191 00:18:50,310 --> 00:18:57,690 he's sure of what Christ would do in this situation I have confidence in that 192 00:18:57,690 --> 00:19:04,950 and he's also sure of Philemon's faith and love and that Philemon wants 193 00:19:04,950 --> 00:19:09,660 to do what Christ wants him to do he's so sure of that that you know he could 194 00:19:09,660 --> 00:19:16,410 just kind of just just tell him hey this is what I want you to do a period and he 195 00:19:16,410 --> 00:19:22,740 would do it. However, because of Paul's love and his knowledge of Philemon's 196 00:19:22,740 --> 00:19:29,730 love he will not frame his requests in this way but put the entire matter on a 197 00:19:29,730 --> 00:19:38,700 higher plane not simply doing the right thing but doing the loving thing. You 198 00:19:38,700 --> 00:19:42,720 know you ask somebody for a favor you kind of know for sure that 199 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:48,150 they're going to do it for you, ask your mom okay my mom never refuses right 200 00:19:48,150 --> 00:19:53,070 to do a favor you could just say hey this is what I need and 201 00:19:53,070 --> 00:19:58,350 could you be here at 2 o'clock you know you could do it that way or you could 202 00:19:58,350 --> 00:20:04,559 frame the request in such a way that mom can offer it to you so she gets the 203 00:20:04,559 --> 00:20:09,950 pleasure of offering you something, this is what's going on here 204 00:20:09,950 --> 00:20:15,389 he knows that Philemon would do the right thing he wants to frame it in such 205 00:20:15,389 --> 00:20:21,470 a way to give Philemon the opportunity to do the loving thing, to 206 00:20:21,470 --> 00:20:28,950 participate in the thing. So his reference to age, talks about he's an 207 00:20:28,950 --> 00:20:35,759 old apostle, Paul is about 60 years old approximately when he writes 208 00:20:35,759 --> 00:20:41,730 this an old 60 years if you've been if you've had like the last three or four 209 00:20:41,730 --> 00:20:45,509 times in your life and you've been shipwrecked then you've been 210 00:20:45,509 --> 00:20:50,549 beaten to death and you've starved and been cold and spent years in jails and 211 00:20:50,549 --> 00:20:59,220 this and that you you're 60 years as a you know a well-worn 60 years. So his 212 00:20:59,220 --> 00:21:03,690 reference to age and imprisonment is a reminder to Philemon of Paul's long 213 00:21:03,690 --> 00:21:08,129 service and suffering when considering what will be asked of him in the next 214 00:21:08,129 --> 00:21:14,909 passage. Let's face it, to lose the service and the financial value of a 215 00:21:14,909 --> 00:21:24,049 slave by granting him freedom without cost, did we forget the money aspect here? 216 00:21:24,679 --> 00:21:34,379 In those days the farthest I could get it was in 79 AD, 79 AD a slave in the 217 00:21:34,379 --> 00:21:39,389 Roman Empire sold for 625 denarii equivalent of 218 00:21:39,389 --> 00:21:47,850 32,000 dollars, that's a lot of money a lot of money. So I wasn't just 219 00:21:47,850 --> 00:21:52,679 about I'll do me a small favor you used to think Onesimus was a slave and 220 00:21:52,679 --> 00:21:57,269 now I just want you to think of him as a free person yeah sure there's money 221 00:21:57,269 --> 00:22:00,980 involved cost involved. 222 00:22:01,559 --> 00:22:08,830 So in these verses Paul makes a specific appeal he kind of gets down to it verse 223 00:22:08,830 --> 00:22:14,379 10 he says, "I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my 224 00:22:14,379 --> 00:22:22,779 imprisonment, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to 225 00:22:22,779 --> 00:22:27,330 me." So he names the runaway slave Onesimus 226 00:22:27,330 --> 00:22:36,299 a little wordplay here, Onesimus his name the name Onesimus means useful 227 00:22:36,299 --> 00:22:42,820 that's what his name means useful. And Paul's connection to him in other words 228 00:22:42,820 --> 00:22:47,320 he converted him while in prison gave birth to him meaning he brought him 229 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:53,080 to Christ. So it's interesting the play on words using Onesimus' name he 230 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:58,989 says he was useless to you know this useful he was useless to you Philemon 231 00:22:58,989 --> 00:23:05,139 both spiritually because he was a pagan and financially he had run away, so this 232 00:23:05,139 --> 00:23:12,309 slave named useful was useless to you, now he says he is useful to you spiritually 233 00:23:12,309 --> 00:23:18,940 because now he is a believer and shares your faith and he's now useful to you 234 00:23:18,940 --> 00:23:23,679 physically because he was returning Philemon to Philemon's 235 00:23:23,679 --> 00:23:29,619 household. Many times in those days freed slaves often worked for their former 236 00:23:29,619 --> 00:23:35,830 masters earning a salary almost like a promotion, so if they were 237 00:23:35,830 --> 00:23:38,590 married and they had their quarters and they had their jobs and so on and so 238 00:23:38,590 --> 00:23:42,039 forth and they saved their money and they bought their freedom why 239 00:23:42,039 --> 00:23:45,070 would they throw away the job that they had and the money that they were earning 240 00:23:45,070 --> 00:23:50,320 now they they were serving at a different status. Verse 12 and 13 says, "I 241 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:55,539 have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished 242 00:23:55,539 --> 00:23:59,950 to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my 243 00:23:59,950 --> 00:24:07,479 imprisonment for the gospel;" Again very interesting interplay of ideas here. Paul 244 00:24:07,479 --> 00:24:12,059 offers Philemon a spiritual way of seeing things through the eyes of faith 245 00:24:12,059 --> 00:24:17,800 where events and people act to God's will and providence. So he's 246 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,040 saying this is not just a runaway slave found by me 247 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:28,660 Onesimus, a slave sent by Philemon to care for Paul in prison and finding 248 00:24:28,660 --> 00:24:33,640 salvation there, so through the eyes of faith can you not see that God has used 249 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:41,200 his runaway status and the fact that he found me and I brought him to salvation 250 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:46,240 and now he's serving me, he's saying to Philemon look at 251 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:53,740 this through the eyes of faith, see this as you have sent Onesimus to me to serve 252 00:24:53,740 --> 00:25:01,450 me and help me during my time in prison see the situation in this way through 253 00:25:01,450 --> 00:25:11,740 the eyes of faith. Verses 14 to 16 he says, "but without your consent I did not 254 00:25:11,740 --> 00:25:15,670 want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by 255 00:25:15,670 --> 00:25:20,380 compulsion but of your own free will." There's the idea of framing it in such a 256 00:25:20,380 --> 00:25:28,240 way that Philemon has a say in it Philemon has at least the opportunity to 257 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:34,600 offer generosity. "For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a 258 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:41,890 while, that you would have him back forever. No longer as a slave, but more 259 00:25:41,890 --> 00:25:47,140 than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but now how much more 260 00:25:47,140 --> 00:25:52,780 to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord." Of course doing the right thing required 261 00:25:52,780 --> 00:25:58,510 something of Paul as well as Philemon, Paul had to give up something too, Onesimus 262 00:25:58,510 --> 00:26:06,640 was taking care of him while he was in prison. So according to the law 263 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:13,380 Onesimus belonged to Philemon and only he could legally free him. 264 00:26:13,380 --> 00:26:19,780 So Paul wants Philemon to do this freely and not have it imposed on him by Paul 265 00:26:19,780 --> 00:26:26,279 status as an Apostle or a favor because of his age or his suffering in prison. 266 00:26:26,279 --> 00:26:37,950 Again, how gentle how meek Paul is in dealing with Philemon. Again Paul asks 267 00:26:37,950 --> 00:26:43,499 Philemon to view this situation through the eyes of faith, not simply a runaway 268 00:26:43,499 --> 00:26:50,099 slave returned to his owner but God working to convert a pagan slave 269 00:26:50,099 --> 00:26:56,489 into a believing servant ministering to Paul in prison and a brother in Christ 270 00:26:56,489 --> 00:27:02,549 to his former master, something that would be a spiritually maturing 271 00:27:02,549 --> 00:27:10,440 challenge not for Onesimus, for Philemon. It's not just the money it's not just the 272 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:17,339 money it's the social status that changes. So we'll talk about that a 273 00:27:17,339 --> 00:27:23,570 little more in a minute. Verses 17 he says, "If then you regard me as a partner, 274 00:27:23,570 --> 00:27:29,070 accept him as you would me. But if he has wronged you in any way or owes you 275 00:27:29,070 --> 00:27:35,879 anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I 276 00:27:35,879 --> 00:27:41,729 will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). 277 00:27:41,729 --> 00:27:44,999 Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; 278 00:27:44,999 --> 00:27:51,889 refresh my heart in Christ." So Paul addresses the cost of what he is asking 279 00:27:51,889 --> 00:27:57,719 Philemon. You know sometimes somebody asks you to do something I don't know a 280 00:27:57,719 --> 00:28:02,789 favor okay they they ask you to could you come and help me mow my lawn alright 281 00:28:02,789 --> 00:28:07,469 whatever my equipments broken could you know it'll take a couple hours Saturday 282 00:28:07,469 --> 00:28:12,119 morning and you say sure I'll come do that so you go and you help the person 283 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,869 mow their lawn you know a couple hours and that's it and they said well thank 284 00:28:15,869 --> 00:28:19,919 you you know and in their mind well you know you had nothing to do you came over 285 00:28:19,919 --> 00:28:24,599 you mowed and you and your buddies and that's good what they don't 286 00:28:24,599 --> 00:28:29,909 know is that you had other plans for Saturday morning and you had things set 287 00:28:29,909 --> 00:28:35,999 up for Saturday morning and your back was aching Saturday morning in other 288 00:28:35,999 --> 00:28:41,559 words the person who asked you the favor did not know how much granting that 289 00:28:41,559 --> 00:28:49,419 favor was going to cost you. So Paul wants to make sure that Philemon knows 290 00:28:49,419 --> 00:28:54,760 that Paul knows how much this is going to cost 291 00:28:54,760 --> 00:29:04,200 Philemon, so that his gift so that his affirmation will receive full value in 292 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:12,669 Paul's eyes okay. So Paul addresses the cost of what he is asking Philemon 293 00:29:12,669 --> 00:29:17,770 first of all the actual value of Onesimus as a slave, you know the thirty 294 00:29:17,770 --> 00:29:24,760 plus thousand dollars you know poof that's gone, Paul says put it to 295 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:29,020 my account that you think Paul had six hundred and twenty five denarii in his 296 00:29:29,020 --> 00:29:36,340 purse after having spent the better part of four years in jail? And then of course 297 00:29:36,340 --> 00:29:41,020 the cost of replacing him and his service now he has to pay somebody else 298 00:29:41,020 --> 00:29:46,000 to do what Onesimus may have been doing. And then there may have been other 299 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:52,059 damages or lost items connected to his running away. And then of course as I 300 00:29:52,059 --> 00:29:57,549 mentioned before there was the social challenge of accepting back a former 301 00:29:57,549 --> 00:30:07,419 slave as an equal brother in Christ. It's like the CEO I'm making this example but 302 00:30:07,419 --> 00:30:21,090 the CEO of General Motors his daughter marries the guy who just started working 303 00:30:21,090 --> 00:30:27,970 in the housecleaning department of General Motors in one of the plants in 304 00:30:27,970 --> 00:30:34,000 some faraway place you know a big difference in social levels here then 305 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,299 all of a sudden whoops these things are made even. Not 306 00:30:37,299 --> 00:30:41,380 only that Onesimus was a runaway slave, it's different if you're having the 307 00:30:41,380 --> 00:30:46,299 slave and the slave buys his freedom and and so on, no no no no this was a runaway 308 00:30:46,299 --> 00:30:52,270 slave, who knew what people were saying about Onesimus when he took off 309 00:30:52,270 --> 00:30:56,950 who knew what would have happened to him if the slave catchers the 310 00:30:56,950 --> 00:31:04,929 bounty hunter's would have caught him? So Paul is asking Philemon, let's 311 00:31:04,929 --> 00:31:13,360 just wipe the slate clean you just take them back as an equal brother family. So 312 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:21,370 whatever Onesimus owes Paul says transfer that debt to me in the same way 313 00:31:21,370 --> 00:31:28,830 that we transfer our debt for sin to Jesus on the cross, see the parallel here? 314 00:31:29,940 --> 00:31:37,000 So what is unsaid here is if Paul owed Philemon this debt, would Philemon press 315 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:44,230 to collect it? Remember what I said at the beginning, Paul says the reason one 316 00:31:44,230 --> 00:31:50,410 of the reasons I pray is because I know how faithful you are I know how loving 317 00:31:50,410 --> 00:31:58,240 you are so his request is based on his knowledge of Philemon as a man. Paul 318 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:02,020 also reminds Philemon of his own personal debt for the salvation of his 319 00:32:02,020 --> 00:32:09,160 soul since Paul converted him, both he and Onesimus owe Paul a greater debt than 320 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:15,880 Onesimus owes to Philemon, that's the point he's making. You two may 321 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:20,530 owe each other some indebtedness but both of you owe me Paul he says a bigger 322 00:32:20,530 --> 00:32:26,830 debt than you owe each other. So Onesimus was useful in Christian service 323 00:32:26,830 --> 00:32:33,160 by ministering to Paul in prison, now Philemon can be useful to Paul by 324 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:39,550 receiving back Onesimus as a free and equal brother in Christ. This he says 325 00:32:39,550 --> 00:32:45,070 will refresh and encourage Paul as he suffers for the gospel in prison, the 326 00:32:45,070 --> 00:32:50,110 same gospel that saved the souls of both Philemon and Onesimus and put each of 327 00:32:50,110 --> 00:32:56,950 these men into Paul's debt. All right so he moves on last verse Paul's requests 328 00:32:56,950 --> 00:33:01,870 and blessing he says, "Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I 329 00:33:01,870 --> 00:33:07,330 know that you will do even more than what I say." So Paul summarizes 330 00:33:07,330 --> 00:33:11,740 not the appeal of the details of the letter but his feelings and attitude 331 00:33:11,740 --> 00:33:18,070 concerning Philemon. He is confident that knowing Philemon to be a man of faith 332 00:33:18,070 --> 00:33:24,760 and genuine love his response will not be anger or offense resentful obedience 333 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:32,320 or some form of passive-aggressive hypocrisy. He knows that Philemon will go 334 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:37,270 the second mile in his response to Paul's appeal, he is a man of faith in 335 00:33:37,270 --> 00:33:45,220 love and he will respond in this way. We get a hint of his positive 336 00:33:45,220 --> 00:33:49,900 response to this when reading Paul's letter to the Colossians where Paul 337 00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:55,570 refers to Onesimus and calls him a faithful beloved brother, Colossians 4 338 00:33:55,570 --> 00:34:03,450 verse 9. Also interesting historically Ignatius who a church father writer 339 00:34:03,450 --> 00:34:13,230 lived 35 AD to 108 AD in an early writing he was based in Antioch this 340 00:34:13,230 --> 00:34:19,000 Ignatius, he mentions that Onesimus eventually served as an elder in the 341 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:25,030 church at Ephesus. And so the writings of the early fathers are not inspired 342 00:34:25,030 --> 00:34:29,250 but they help us understand the history of the church at that time. 343 00:34:29,250 --> 00:34:35,800 Verse 22 to 25 he says, "At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope 344 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:40,530 that through your prayers I will be given to you. Epaphras," 345 00:34:40,570 --> 00:34:44,860 Epaphroditus they used both names this is the same person "Epaphras, 346 00:34:44,860 --> 00:34:48,910 my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, 347 00:34:48,910 --> 00:34:54,700 Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be 348 00:34:54,700 --> 00:35:00,940 with your spirit." So we know that Paul won his freedom from Roman 349 00:35:00,940 --> 00:35:06,010 prison and spent the next two years revisiting various congregations he had 350 00:35:06,010 --> 00:35:11,290 established on his previous missionary journeys. He had originally wanted to go 351 00:35:11,290 --> 00:35:16,300 to Spain right he wanted to go to Spain to preach the gospel there but once he 352 00:35:16,300 --> 00:35:18,980 was in once he was released from prison he changed his 353 00:35:18,980 --> 00:35:23,599 mind and decided to go back and visit the churches that he had 354 00:35:23,599 --> 00:35:28,339 established. So this request for lodging suggests that he was confident in his 355 00:35:28,339 --> 00:35:34,369 eventual release. Not all who are mentioned are in prison with him here 356 00:35:34,369 --> 00:35:39,290 but they were individuals who visited and worked with Paul however they were 357 00:35:39,290 --> 00:35:44,030 known by Philemon and this is why they're mentioned. Paul closes with 358 00:35:44,030 --> 00:35:48,470 another blessing similar to the one in the opening verse but this time offered 359 00:35:48,470 --> 00:35:56,270 to only Philemon himself. We know in 66 AD Paul again was arrested it was in 360 00:35:56,270 --> 00:36:00,940 prison for a second time during the persecution of Christians under Nero. 361 00:36:00,940 --> 00:36:08,030 Paul wrote his final epistle which is II Timothy and from prison at that 362 00:36:08,030 --> 00:36:14,750 time and he was executed by beheading the following year in the year 67 AD. So 363 00:36:14,750 --> 00:36:19,760 through God's providence a runaway slave is converted by an apostle in a Roman 364 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:25,640 jail who not only knows the slaves owner but has also been responsible for his 365 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:32,030 conversion as well. Today we would say it was a God thing it was a God thing, I 366 00:36:32,030 --> 00:36:38,660 mean in the city of Rome how did one slave eventually hook up bump into Paul 367 00:36:38,660 --> 00:36:45,380 in jail how did that happen? And how is it that Paul happens to know that one 368 00:36:45,380 --> 00:36:50,660 slave's master, and not only that he converted that slaves master I mean you 369 00:36:50,660 --> 00:36:55,730 know it's a God thing right? This slave is then returned with a letter asking 370 00:36:55,730 --> 00:37:00,619 the slave owner to receive back his slave as a free and equal brother in 371 00:37:00,619 --> 00:37:05,839 Christ. As far as we know Onesimus was freed, accepted as a 372 00:37:05,839 --> 00:37:10,940 brother in the Lord and served as a leader in the church at Ephesus the same 373 00:37:10,940 --> 00:37:15,950 congregation where the Apostle John served. So here's the one lesson I'd like 374 00:37:15,950 --> 00:37:25,130 to draw here or highlight: Christians see life through the eyes of faith. 375 00:37:25,130 --> 00:37:29,660 Paul presented Onesimus' story and Philemon's response through the eyes of 376 00:37:29,660 --> 00:37:32,930 faith in order to make sense of it, it was 377 00:37:32,930 --> 00:37:37,190 God's providence that sent Onesimus to him in prison and then back to 378 00:37:37,190 --> 00:37:41,960 Philemon for restoration as a free and equal brother in Christ. This wasn't 379 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:48,410 about the cost of a runaway slave it was a seed planted by God in the 380 00:37:48,410 --> 00:37:54,950 early church surrounded by a pagan empire where slavery was common, 381 00:37:54,950 --> 00:38:02,330 it was a teachable moment recorded in a personal letter to one man and this 382 00:38:02,330 --> 00:38:08,990 letter has been read throughout history by millions of people. In the letter it 383 00:38:08,990 --> 00:38:15,140 had capsulated the spirit and wisdom of God about this evil, slavery, which was 384 00:38:15,140 --> 00:38:20,090 eventually discontinued and condemned as Christianity spread throughout the 385 00:38:20,090 --> 00:38:27,500 Empire and the world. God continues to work in this way to this day in big ways 386 00:38:27,500 --> 00:38:32,300 on the world stage as well as intimate ways in our lives, 387 00:38:32,300 --> 00:38:38,240 never underestimate the God thing never underestimate that never 388 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:45,080 think that God doesn't continue to work in fabulous ways today. So these things 389 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:50,240 are not hidden but can only be seen with the eyes of faith that's the point I'm 390 00:38:50,240 --> 00:38:56,900 making, try to see things in your own life through the eyes of faith. Our task 391 00:38:56,900 --> 00:39:03,050 is to ask God to open our own eyes of faith so that we can see clearly what He 392 00:39:03,050 --> 00:39:09,590 is doing in our own lives and believe me He is doing something as well as what He 393 00:39:09,590 --> 00:39:15,050 is doing on the world stage around us. Try to keep this vision of 394 00:39:15,050 --> 00:39:20,900 faith, your eyes open as eyes of faith and it will help you it help all 395 00:39:20,900 --> 00:39:25,130 of us make sense of what God is doing even if it doesn't make sense to people 396 00:39:25,130 --> 00:39:30,620 in the world okay. So one man's take on the book of Philemon a little bit of 397 00:39:30,620 --> 00:39:34,970 information about the history of slavery in the first century church. That's it 398 00:39:34,970 --> 00:39:38,830 we're done, thank you for your attention.