October 1931
468
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K i n g ’ s
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verses, Paul sought to prepare Philemon for the plea which he was about to make for Onesimus. II. T he P lea for O nesimus ( 8 - 20 ). 1. The manner of the plea (8, 9). Paul could enjoin or command, but he preferred to follow the Christian principle and to “beseech” on the ground of grace. Paul called himself “the prisoner of Jesus Christ” ; he would not admit that he was a prisoner of Rome. Rome could have no power over him except it was given by the Lord. The Lord was the only Jailer Paul would confess; Rome was merely His agent or instrument, wholly govern ed and controlled by Him. Assured of this, Paul, though in bonds, could rest in peace. Each believer may have the same quiet composure in every trying circum stance. 2. The subject of the plea (10,11). The Roman law permitted a slave to go to a friend of his master, and ask the friend to intercede for him in any matter. Paul, in today’s lesson, was acting as the friend of a runaway slave, Onesimus. Here is an instance of the tact and shrewdness of Paul. The Greek reads: “a son, begotten in bonds, Onesimus.” Paul gave the name last, as though he de sired the words, “a son, begotten,” to add weight to his plea. Dr. Scofield says: “If it were I [pleading] I would probably have written, ‘He was no good, but I think perhaps he may be converted now. Take him back and try him again any way.’ ” But how different was Paul’s at titude; he spoke of Onesimus as “as son.” In the Epistle to the Cojossians, he re ferred to him as “one of you” saints. 3. The full request (12-20). First, Paul asked Philemon to receive Onesimus (12-14). Onesimus, a converted slave, was returning to his old environ ment to live there a new life in Christ Jesus. He was going back unaccom panied. This fact testified to the reality of his conversion. Paul knew that, first of F R E E ! “THE GATES OF HADES” BY REV. W. E. CLARK A m o st c lear a n d concise stu d y o n th e s ta te of th e d ead in exp o sitio n of Mat> thew 16:18 R. V. Y our copy of th is valu ab le a n d tim ely book of 15 c h ap ters, sale p rice, 50 cen ts, a w aits to be sen t w ith o u t c o st to you. Send u s 5 o r m ore n am es an d ad d re sse s of p erso n s w hom yo u believe m ig h t b e in te re ste d in Home Bible Study Courses B ulletin fully d escrib in g 16 v a rio u s c o r respondence co u rses will b e m ailed to all w hose nam es yo u sen d us, also a copy w ill be sen t w ith y o u r prem ium . Premium Supply Limited. Send in Your List Today W rite to CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL B IBLE IN ST ITU T E O F LOS ANGELES 536 S o u th H ope St., L os A ngeles, C alif.
j ust get there and preach the gospel first. It was a long and hard voyage by water to Rome. Several times the boat almost went down in the stormy sea. 'At last it was wrecked, but thanks to Paul, every one was saved. Paul believed that God wanted him to get to Rome, and so he asked for God’s help when the captain didn’t know how to save the boat. Then Paul was able to tell the captain what to do, and at last they came to Rome. Paul was a prisoner there, but he was allowed to live in a house of his own. Here he gathered together the Jews and Gentiles and preached to them. Out of the many people who came to listen to him, some believed. And so it happened, as Paul had hoped that it would, that a a Christian church was started in Rome. Golden Text-. “There is neither bond nor free . . . for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). * * * This is the only one of Paul’s private letters that has been preserved in the Word of God. It might be called the Ruth of the New Testament. As. the book of Ruth gives a picture of private life during the times of the Judges, so the Epistle to Philemon portrays private life in the early days of Christianity. Philemon has been called “the polite epistle” because of its delicate urbanity. Yet there is nothing in it of insincere compliment. It is manly and straight forward. Dr. Doddridge said : “If this letter were to be considered as a mere human composition, it must be allowed to be a masterpiece of its kind.” And Luther declared that “this epistle showeth a right lovely noble example of Christian love, reminding us of Christ who lovingly pleadeth our cause.” In writing to Philemon, Paul does not call himself an apostle, because he is writing a private letter pleading for an other brother ; while in bonds, he is in terceding for another who is also bound. He is writing to one who owes his con version, under God, to Paul, who desires him to show true Christianity in dealing with one who has injured*him. Tradition tells us that Philemon respondêd to Paul’s request and granted emancipation to Onesimus, who afterward became the Bishop of Berea and died as a martyr in Rome. I. P aul ’ s T hanksgiving (4-7). These verses indicate Paul’s sincere ap preciation of Philemon, and they should not be considered as fulsome flattery. We must not be so afraid that a man will become puffed up that we will withhold from him all merited praise. Encourage ment and cheer are greatly needed. It is better to give the flowers of gratitude to the living than to scatter them upon the tomb of the dead. Paul’s great heart seems to have en compassed all saints ; his thanksgiving and prayers on their behalf were ever ris ing. He thanked God for Philemon’s love and faith (v. 5)—love manifested toward the saints, and faith shown toward the Lord Jesus Christ. In these introductory NOVEMBER 29, 1931 Paul’s Letter to Philemon Lesson : Philemon. Lesson Text : Philemon 4-20.
same Jesus is offered to all, and all who receive Him by simple faith find in Him the eternal God for worship, the sufficient Saviour for the remission of sins, and the just and righteous Ruler for the life. Lesson Questions V. 16. When had the Lord assured Paul that he was to witness for Him in Rome (Acts 23:11)? What events led to the fulfillment of this promise? In whose charge was Paul placed? Did his im prisonment hinder his preaching, or did it enable him to reach a larger company than otherwise? Vs. 17-20. To whom did Paul desire especially to witness ? Why ? How was his desire fulfilled? Was his speech in the nature of a personal defense, or was it a plain statement of facts designated to lead the hearers to an acceptance of the gospel ? Vs. 21, 22. What reply did the leaders make? In what terms did they refer to Christianity? Give several reasons why Christianity was and still is “s p o k e n against.” Vs. 23, 24. How long did Paul speak? How did his hearers respond? Vs. 30, 31. How long did Paul remain in Rome? Where did he live? What did he do? How did his physical bondage re sult in the spiritual liberation of many? Golden Text Illustration A minister who was calling on an old negresS found her bending over a wash- tub. “Aunt Dinah,” he asked, “don’t you get very tired doing that hard work?” “Oh, yes, Massa!” she replied. “I haven’t got much strength; but I ask de Lord, and He gives me de spirit of washin’!” When the Lord gives us the spirit of service, the heaviest tasks will become possible and endurable. —A bbreviated from T he S unday at H ome . Paul in the Greatest City of the World A cts 28:16-24, 30, 31 Memory Verse : “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16: 31). Approach : Besides the wish to go to Jerusalem, Paul had another great desire. He wished to preach the gospel in Rome. Rome was the capital city of the great Roman Empire, the country to which most
of the other coun tries in the world belonged, in t h e days when Paul was preaching. P a u l thought: “If I can just get to Rome and preach to the people there, then those people c a n carry the g o s p e l story all over t h e earth.”
Lesson S tory : So when Paul was put in prison in Jerusalem, he asked to be sent to Rome to have Caesar, the Roman Emperor, try him. Paul could ask for this because he was a Roman citizen. He knew that, in asking to be sent to Rome, it might mean that he would never be set free again, but Paul felt that he would be willing even to die in Rome if he could
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