Philemon 1:1-21

“If, therefore, you have any regard to justice (to say nothing of mercy, nor the revealed law of God,) render unto all their due. Give liberty to whom liberty is due, that is, to every child of man, to every partaker of human nature. Let none serve you but by his own act and deed, by his own voluntary choice. Away with all whips, all chains, all compulsion! Be gentle toward all men; and see that you invariably do unto everyone as you would he should do unto you.”

-John Wesley, Thoughts Upon Slavery, 1774

Slavery has been a blot on human society throughout recorded history. Scholars estimate that in the Roman Empire, fifteen to twenty-five percent of the population was composed of slaves. Slaves came from captives of war, piracy, children of enslaved mothers, and people working off debts. The Roman economy, during its flourishing, relied heavily on slave labor. As the Christian gospel spread throughout the provinces of the empire, it was inevitable that some converts to the faith were slave owners. Such was the case with Philemon, a local church leader in Colossae.

The Apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon expresses the deep affection Paul has for Philemon, who he calls “our beloved coworker.” He writes to Philemon and “to the church in your house.” This house church, a center of Christian fellowship, prayer, and ministry, was a household that included at least one slave, one by the name of Onesimus. The evidence from Paul’s letter suggests that Onesimus has departed the household of Philemon, either as a runaway or as an outcast after some kind of dispute.

We don’t know if Philemon had any knowledge of Onesimus’ whereabouts. But he must have been surprised by the contents of Paul’s letter. Not only did it reveal that Onesimus had been in Rome, spending time with Paul. But it also contained the news of Onesimus’ conversion to the Christian faith. Paul writes, “I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.” (v. 10) This new relationship as fellow members of the Body of Christ transformed Paul’s attitude toward Onesimus and guided his counsel to Philemon regarding his estranged slave. Whatever had caused the breach in their relationship, Paul now encourages forgiveness and reconciliation on the basis of their bond as Christian brothers. He is sending Onesimus “home” to Philemon.

In the Roman Empire, slaves could be severely punished for even minor infractions or disobedience. To run away from one’s master could cost a slave his life. If, indeed, Onesimus had run away, he was facing possible execution. We would hope that Philemon’s redeemed heart would prevent him from inflicting the severest penalty. But Onesimus would have good reason to fear punishment were he to return to Philemon. This helps us understand the tenderness of Paul’s appeal to Philemon. He declares his love for Onesimus and his gratitude for the ways Onesimus has served him during his imprisonment. He writes as if the slave has been a representative of Philemon and his household, ministering to the needs of the apostle. “I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel.” (v. 13) But he believes it’s best for Onesimus to be restored to his master, “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother.” (v. 16) Paul even offers to pay whatever financial restitution might be required.

At the end of this brief letter, Paul gets even more personal and persuasive: “If you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.” (v. 17) “Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.” (v. 21) The letter is addressed not only to Philemon, but also to “our sister Apphia,” and “our fellow soldier Archippus.” How could these coworkers in the Colossae house church resist Paul’s appeal? By following Paul’s admonition, they would be preserving their relationship with the Apostle and, more importantly, bearing witness to the power of the gospel to heal broken relationships and break down the walls that divide classes of human beings.

Why did Onesimus go to Rome to seek out Paul? No doubt he was acquainted with the Apostle because of Paul’s visits to the home of Philemon. He had heard Paul’s teaching, sensed his spirit, and perhaps even received kind treatment from Paul. Maybe Onesimus thought Paul could intercede with Philemon on his behalf. We can only wonder how the story turned out and hope that it became an example of unity through Christ, in whom “there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free, but Christ is all and in all!” (Colossians 3:11)

This letter provides a window into the character of Paul’s oversight of the churches he had helped to plant across Asia. He resists using his authority as an Apostle to command local church leaders. Rather, he appeals to them on the basis of love, his spiritual influence, and the shared calling be ministers of reconciliation in the world.

This short letter has figured prominently in historical debates about slavery, being used by both pro-slavery and anti-slavery interpreters. Those who tried to build a case for biblical support of slavery have cited the absence of any words from Paul condemning the practice. They argue that Paul is returning Onesimus to his rightful “owner,” albeit with the encouragement to treat the slave as a brother. In the United States, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 required that slaves escaping from the service of their masters be returned to the state or territory from which they fled. The Letter to Philemon was cited as support for these laws, considering that Paul, so they argued, had followed the same course of action with Onesimus.

Opponents of slavery highlighted Paul’s emphasis on the new relationship between Philemon and Onesimus, based on the slave’s status as a brother in Christ. If the grace of God ennobles all believers together in the Body of Christ, obliterating the artificial divisions between people, how can Christians claim ownership of another human being?

Considering the different perspectives on the letter to Philemon and other scripture texts that speak to the issue of slavery, we can wish that the Bible was more explicit in its condemnation of the practice. We should always be offended by depictions of slavery, even when they are in the Bible. Though the spirit of the Bible, especially the New Testament, is unmistakably oriented toward the equality of all people before God, the words of certain texts have been misappropriated to justify the dehumanizing practice of slavery. To this day, slavery persists among the peoples of the earth. And the “civilized” nations of North America are not exempt. Examples include sex trafficking that lures people, including children, into sex through coercion for the profit of others; some migrants are forced into bonded labor to pay for travel costs; there is state-imposed forced labor in prisons for little or no pay. The church is called to name these injustices and to work for the liberation of those trapped in systems of enslavement.

Wherever and however human beings are forced into servitude for the pleasure or profit of others, it is a violation of the imago dei and a sin against the redeeming love of Christ. As John Wesley has written, “Away with all whips, all chains, all compulsion! Be gentle toward all [people]; and see that you invariably do unto everyone as you would [they] should do unto you.”