A Commentary in Simple English on Philemon

1. Versions

The English "Authorised Version" "The Newberry Bible", Hodder and Stoughton, London.

The "Revised Version", Oxford University Press, 1887.

R A Knox, The New Testament, Burns Oates and Washbourne Ltd. London 1951.

"The Moffatt Translation of The Bible", Hodder & Stoughton, London 1957.

Dr R F Weymouth "The New Testament in Modern Speech", James Clarke & Co, London 1908

"The Amplified New Testament", Marshall Morgan & Scott, London 1968

"The New English Bible", Oxford University Press & Cambridge University Press 1970

"The Bible in Today's English “Version, United Bible Societies

"The Zondervan Parallel New Testament in Greek and English", Zondervan, Grand Rapids, America, 1986

"The Revised English Bible", Oxford University Press & Cambridge University Press, 1989 (R.E.B. in the notes).

"God's New Covenant", Heinz W Cassirer, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1989

The Letters of St Paul. Arthur S Way, Marshall Morgan & Scott Ltd London & Edinburgh, 1951

2. Works on Philemon

Calvin's Commentaries: The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, with the Epistles of Timothy, Titus and Philemon translated by T A Smail, Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh & London, 1964.

Colossians and Philemon in The Expositor's Bible by A MacLaren, Hodder & Stoughton, London 1888.

St Paul's Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon, R C H Lenski, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis. 1964.

Colossians and Philemon: G B Wilson, Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 1980.

The Message of Colossians and Philemon: R C Lucas, Inter Varsity Press, Leicester, 1980.

3. Other Works

Articles in "Journal for the Study of New Testament" (abbreviated to JSNT in the notes). University of Sheffield - JSOT Press 1983-1994.

NOTES

[1.1] An article by John G Nordling in Journal for the Study of the New Testament (JSNT) 41 pages 97-119 "Onesimus Fugitivus: A Defence of the Runaway Slave Hypothesis in Philemon" (JSOT Press Sheffield 1991) is most helpful. The article by Andrew Wilson in JSNT 48, pages 107-119 (Sheffield 1992) "The Pragmatics of Politeness and Pauline Epistolography: A Case Study of the Letter to Philemon" is an impressive analysis of Paul's politeness in this letter.

The view that Paul was in Rome has been questioned because of the distance from Colosse. See "Hellenistic Letter - Forms and the Structure of Philippians", Loveday Alexander in JSNT 37, pages 87-101 (1989) for very useful material on letter writing in the New Testament period.

C S Wansink in "Chained in Christ" 130 in the JSNT Supplement Series (Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield 1996) argues the case against Onesimus being a runaway slave in detail. (pp 179-198). Although he is so full in his presentation of perceptions of prisons in the ancient world, he says almost nothing about the sort of house arrest, which Paul seems to have been experiencing. This greatly weakens his case, as does a failure to grasp that Paul does not ask for Onesimus to be freed. Even if he remains a slave, Philemon is to receive him as a fellow Christian. Surely all this implies real repentance on the part of Onesimus.

[1.2] (Verse 1) Unless, as some scholars suppose it was the Epistle we know as Ephesians, which may have been an open or circular letter sent to a number of churches including Laodicea. For Laodicea, see also Revelation 3: 14-22: but this may be about thirty years later.

[1.3] (Verse 2) The names Philemon and Epaphras have been found on inscriptions in Laodicea. Apphia is a rarer name but it has been found at Colosse.

[1.4] (Verse 2) For Colosse, see Colin Hemer, ‘The Letters to the Seven Churches in Asia in their Local Setting‘, JSOT Press, Sheffield 1986, pages 181-182. There was a bishop Epiphanius of Colosse about 450 AD. About 700 AD. the city was deserted. (S E Johnson in The Biblical Archaeologist Reader 2 at p 357).

[1.5] (verse 6) G.B.Wilson says of verse 6: " The meaning of almost very word in this difficult verse is disputed." I have tried to bring out some of the shades of meaning. The R.E.B. is helpful.

[1.6] (verse 7) It has been suggested that Philemon had used his wealth to help other Christians who had suffered in the great earthquake of AD 60.

[1.7] (verse 8) William Barclay in "The Revelation of John Volume 2" in The Daily Study Bible series, (St Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Third Impression 1964) gives useful information (pages 210,211). "Greek and Roman Slavery" by Thomas Wiedemann (Croom Helm, London 1981) casts doubts on the common assumption that there was a high proportion of slaves in the Early Church - but without adequate reason, in my view. His material covers not only the New Testament period but also several centuries before and after and must therefore be used with discretion.

Wiedemann also gives material on the legal position regarding the release of slaves. We may blame Christian slave owners of those days for not releasing their slaves. But there were various legal restrictions on the release of slaves. If Onesimus was under the age of 30, his release might have been a problem. It was not simple; what status would the freed slave have?

One reason why Roman law limited the number of slaves who could be set free was that the Roman Empire had to feed huge numbers in Rome with free corn and bread. Slaves set free would add to this number. They would not find paid work! Why pay someone to do a job if a slave would do it for nothing? So the Caesars preferred to see the masters feeding their slaves.

[1.8] (verse 8) Giving a slave his freedom might mean setting him free to starve. One of the "good works" of the early churches was caring for slaves who were too old to work and had been turned out by their masters.

[1.9] (verse 10) Although the word play on the name Onesimus seems so obvious, none of the old Greek writers seem to notice it. (But see Wansink, p 182)

"Old man" is sometimes translated "ambassador". Wansink (pp 157-164) discusses this issue in detail and prefers "old man". Prisoners needed help and support. They depended on friends for food. An old man also depended on others.