treatise on Christian love. Here was a man whose faith was obviously directed toward th e Lord Je su s Christ as well as to believers. The effective testimony he gave evident ly bore much fruit. He had displayed tender affections toward the saints who were refreshed by his witness. He enriched the lives of the believ ers. In verses 8 to 13 we have Paul’s plea for Philemon’s runaway slave. By virtue of his apostolic authority, Paul was perhaps free to charge Philemon concerning the proper ac tion to take with regard to his slave. Yet, because of Christian love, he rather pleads with him as an aged friend, and a prisoner of Jesus Christ, to restore Onesimus in love. He had led him to the Lord and felt a special interest in seeing Onesimus
A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF PHILEMON
by Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson
O NE op the smallest books in the Word of God is Philemon. While it contains only 25 verses, it is vir tually loaded with spiritual truth. The Apostle Paul is the author, un der the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was written about 61 or 62 A.D. It was dispatched by the Apostle from his prison in Home by Tychicus, as also were the books of Ephesians and Colossians. Philemon was a Christian who lived in the city of Colosse. This is now in the country of Turkey. He had a slave, Onesimus, who had robbed him and run off to the city of Rome. There the renegade came in contact with Paul, and was con verted to Jesus Christ. Now, the Apostle sends him back to his mas ter with this priceless letter of re conciliation and recommendation. Verses 1-7 give us the greeting and the commendation of Philemon. Verses 8-21 contain Paul’s interces sion for the slave, and verses 22-25 his concluding words and greetings. Paul calls himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ, not of the Roman emperor. He viewed his imprisonment as the direct will of God. The early church evidently met in Philemon’s house, as was the cus tom. The benediction in verse 3 was very characteristic of Paul’s writ ing (cf. Eph. 1:2). Verses 4 to 7 are Paul’s commen dation of Philemon. It is a beautiful 18
I have seen the face of Jesus, Tell me not of aught beside. I have heard the voice of Jesus, All my soul is satisfied.
Making plans for the new semester and College Dayis Mr. Bill Carden and his staff in the Biela College Admissions Department.
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