The Book of Philemon

Paul wrote this "prison letter" as a personal request to a man named Philemon. It was most likely written during Paul's first imprisonment at Rome.


The letter concerns two men: Philemon, a slave owner and church member at Colosse; and Onesimus, Philemon's slave who had run away to Rome for freedom.


Paul wrote to Philemon to deal with the specific issue of his runaway slave, Onesimus. According to Roman law, a runaway slave could be punished by death. Paul, pleads on Omesimus' behalf and asks Philemon to graciously receive his servant back as a fellow Christian and as Paul's companion. He asks Philemon to treat Onesimus with the same love and consideration he would show to Paul himself.


This letter is organized very tactfully, in a structure resembling the writing style taught by many ancient Greek and Roman teachers: to build rapport, to persuade the mind and to move the emotions. Paul's appeal to Philemon goes as follows: 1. He makes his plea to Philemon as a fellow Christian, asking him to receive Onesimus back, not as a slave but as a brother in Christ. 2. In a wordplay, Paul suggests that Onesimus was formerly "useless", but now is truly "useful" to both Paul and Philemon. 3. Paul wishes that Onesimus could remain with him in Rome to help him with practical needs while he is imprisoned, but he feels obligated to send him back to his lawful master. 4. Paul offers himself as a debtor for any loss suffered because of Onesimus' absence, and he reminds Philemon of how he is in debt spiritually to Paul.


Three major features characterize this letter. 1. This is the shortest of all Paul's letters. 2. More than any other New Testament portion, it illustrates how Paul and the early church dealt with the problem of Roman slavery. Rather than attacking it directly or stirring up armed rebellion, Paul defined Christian principles that removed the harshness of Roman slavery and shifted attention to godly character development among those involved. In time, this approach and these principles led to the banishment of slavery within Christianity. 3. It provides unique insight into Paul's inner life, as he identifies himself with a slave so closely that he calls Onesimus "my very heart" (verse 12).