PHILEMON
DAY SIXTEEN
READ If your
Bible has an introduction to the book of Philemon, read that. If not, read
Philemon.
INTRODUCTION
The book of Philemon contains a different sort of Bible reading
than what we are used to. Not only is it a letter to a specific person about a
specific topic, the instruction in it may seem inapplicable to current day
readers. At first glance there does not seem to be any teaching or instruction
that is common to all.
Paul is the author of this letter. He wrote it from prison, or
house arrest at the very least. The letter is addressed primarily to Philemon.
We can tell by the greeting that Philemon is very dear to Paul. Paul had
converted him in the past and Philemon was his faithful disciple. We also learn
in this book that Philemon is a slave owner.
In more modern history, this letter has fuelled both sides of
the argument surrounding slavery. As we go through this short book, we’ll see
that Paul never spoke against slavery. In fact, Paul was sending a man who had
been Philemon’s slave back to him. It’s likely that Onesimus (Philemon’s slave)
had run away and likely stolen a few things when he left. Because Paul did not
condemn slavery in this letter, those who were in favour of slavery throughout
history used this book to prove men could be slave owners.
On the other hand, this book was used by those opposing slavery
to prove slavery as wrong. Paul was in prison when he wrote this, yet he was
careful to call himself a prisoner of Christ. His only master was Christ and no
other man, not even those who held him under arrest. Throughout his letter Paul
uses family words to describe his relationship with Onesimus and strongly
instructs Philemon to treat him as a brother, one who shares in the family of
Christ. This spoke clearly to those fighting for the abolition of slavery that
the only One who could truly own another person was God Himself. In our relationships
with others, we are to work to develop family-like relationships. Many used
this book as further confirmation that under Christ we now live to an even
higher standard than what has been assumed in the Law, and that the law of love
and forgiveness trumped the freedom to be a slave owner.
As we read through this letter we will dig past the surface
instruction to Philemon to uncover the truths that motivated that instruction.
It’s unlikely anyone in our culture today has a slave they need to treat like family.
Instead, we need to discover the heart of God and His characteristics that
challenge and disturb such a strong system of slavery with family-like
relationships.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1.
Thank the Lord for the real people in Scripture we
can learn from. Thank Him for letters like this one that reveal how practical
Christianity is in the life of a believer.
2.
Ask Jesus to begin working in your heart and
preparing you for what He wants you to learn and notice in this letter.
3.
Take a few minutes to pray for people in today’s
culture who are in some form of slavery (human trafficking, child labor,
inhumane working conditions, etc.). Pray that God would be their strength and
that He would send them a “Paul” to bring them the gospel.
