The epistle of Paul to Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s letters, but for all its brevity, it is full of food for the soul, and directions for the feet. It contains a word of greeting in the first three verses, followed by a thanksgiving for the witness and testimony of Philemon, and then comes the main purpose of the letter, which is a request on the part of the apostle Paul to the one to whom the letter is sent: the short note concludes with a hope that Paul can soon visit Philemon personally, and a request that Philemon will convey Paul’s “salutations” to some of the other believers there with him.
The epistle is one of those parts of the Word of God that very much invite “sanctified speculation” with regards to what lies “between the lines.” Philemon himself was converted under the ministry of Paul at some point in his life; and of his Christian calibre there can be little doubt. Paul speaks about the “love and faith” which Philemon manifested “toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints,” and tells him that he has “great joy and consolation” in his love, “because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.” It is this very standing of Philemon that gives Paul “confidence” to make his request of him, to the glory of the Lord.
Paul’s request is on the behalf of a runaway slave from Philemon’s household, named Onesimus; and it’s at this point, especially, that one is tempted to “speculate” – with a sanctified imagination, of course: One thing is sure, Onesimus had come to faith in Christ under Paul while Paul was imprisoned at Rome. He speaks of him as his “son,” whom, he says, “I have begotten in my bonds.” Just why Onesimus absconded from the home of Philemon, just why he made his way to Rome, just how he came into contact with Paul in his Roman prison – all of those questions lie unanswered. Did he continue with a life of crime that he had begun in Philemon’s house, once he had fled to Rome, and, therefore, ended up in prison in close proximity to Paul? Did he deliberately seek out the Lord’s apostle once he found himself like the prodigal with nowhere to turn? Whatever, the time had now come for Onesimus to go back to Philemon once more, and so, the aged Paul sends him with this letter in his hand, in which he simply requests Philemon to take Onesimus back into his service, and forgive him the wrong that he has committed against him.
It is the way that Paul makes his request that is full of interest, and typical of the Lord’s great servant. It is couched in gospel terminology, and provides one of the great gospel “texts” of the Word of God – in verse 18: “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account.” “In time past he was unprofitable to you,” says Paul, “but now is he profitable.” Grace has worked in his heart; and what parent hasn’t kept their hope alive for a wayward son or daughter with the words of Paul, in verse 15: “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever?"
In a very real sense, the epistle to Philemon is like Paul himself: little in stature, but mighty in word.