The Prison Epistles (Part IV)

Philemon

Unlike the other prison epistles, Philemon is not a letter to a church with instructions; rather, it is a personal letter to a friend, in which Paul asks a favor. Prison could not stop Paul from sending personal letters to friends, and we shouldn’t allow our current situation to stop us from staying in contact with our friends—because our God made us for community. If we’re not careful, these new measures related to the coronavirus pandemic can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression if we choose not to reach out to our friends. Thankfully, we have great technological resources to stay connected with those we care about.

The entire book of Philemon is 25 verses long, and the favor Paul asks has to do with Philemon’s slave, Onesimus.

“I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.” (Philemon 1:10-12)

Onesimus was a fugitive slave of Philemon, having stolen from his master and fled to Rome to hide. At some point Onesimus came into contact with Paul while he was imprisoned and Paul led him to Christ. The name Onesimus was common for slaves in that day; the name means “helpful, useful, or profitable.” We have talked a lot on this site about the freedom that we find in Christ, and Onesimus experienced that freedom as well. In this letter, Paul appeals to his friend Philemon to accept this new freedom that his former slave has found.

“He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.” (Philemon 1:16-17)

Not only was Onesimus a slave but he had stolen from his master and therefore Philemon would have had every right to kill Onesimus for his crime, but Paul pleads for him. What happens in this letter is a great mirror of what Jesus has done for us, for we are all Onesimus. Not only are we born slaves to sin (Romans 6:20), but we have all sinned against our Master (Romans 3:23) and the penalty for this sin is death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus paid the price of our sin (Galatians 3:13) and He sits at the right had of God, pleading for us (Romans 8:34). 

“One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.” (Philemon 1:22)

Finally, we read that Paul is so certain God will answer Philemon’s (and others’) prayers for his release, that he asks Philemon to prepare a guest room for him. Can we have that same confidence in God regarding this virus? So confident He will answer our prayers and free us from this that we make plans with friends? Let’s continue to pray that God will bring an end to this virus, and let’s act with a confident hope that He will answer our prayers.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed