Having looked at the “minor” (i.e., short) books of prophets Obadiah and Haggai in recent articles, the next mini-series (starting with this one) is a study of Philemon, from the New Testament.
While we could spend time talking about the background of this book of the Bible, I think that it speaks well for itself. In fact, much of the Bible can be studied the same way, by simply reading it and letting God speak to us from it. You don’t need a preacher, teacher, commentator, historian, or archaeologist to simply read the Bible and learn God’s truths. (Having said that, there is even more to be appreciated from the Bible once we understand how its various books fit together, and learn about its historical context.) We might bring in a little bit of information from elsewhere in the Bible and other sources as we go through this study, but this book – for the most part – tells its own story.
So, let’s use this short, one-chapter book from the New Testament to teach us a little bit about how to read the Bible, and – as wise theologians sometimes say – “use the Bible to interpret itself”.
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:1-3 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/phm.1.1-3.NIV
We learn some things about this book of the Bible from the start. It’s set up like a letter, which is similar to most other books in the New Testament (especially those placed between the books of Acts and Revelation).
Since it’s a letter, learning who is it from can be useful. This letter is addressed from Paul, and also from Timothy (who Paul mentored in the faith). Now, Timothy might have just been in the vicinity when Paul composed this letter (e.g., “Timothy says ‘hi’ “), or perhaps Paul was establishing – or had established – Timothy as an authority in the church. Or, maybe Timothy had a similar connection (like Paul did) to the other people mentioned in this letter, and wanted to communicate the same message to them. In this study, we’ll tend to treat Paul as the “primary” author (since the letter switches to first-person later), but we shouldn’t forget that Timothy also appears in the opening greeting.
Just as knowing the author(s) of a letter is important, the recipients tell us something about it, too. This particular letter is to someone named Philemon, as well as Apphia, Archippus, and a church. (By the way, if you didn’t already know anyone named Philemon, it may be helpful to point out that “Philemon” was a man’s name in the first century.)
Personally, I would probably guess that Apphia was Philemon’s wife, since she apparently lived in the same home as Philemon and this other guy. She could be Philemon’s sister, I suppose. Or, the reference to “sister” here could mean “sister in Christ”, although it seems like she was probably related to Philemon through blood or marriage.
This brings us to Archippus, who could have been Philemon’s and Apphia’s son. Alternatively, he could have been another relation to them, like a sibling, cousin, or nephew, or he could simply have been someone they had taken into their home. If he was a Roman soldier, he was probably younger and not their parent. However, given some of Paul’s metaphors elsewhere, terms like “sister” and “soldier” could also refer to Apphia and Archippus being fellow members of the church.
And, since there was a church that met in these peoples’ home, they were at least better off than others who didn’t have a place of their own. Note that a formal “church building” wasn’t – and still isn’t – required for Christ-followers to meet in Jesus’ name. Although buildings can certainly be used to facilitate worship, those who make up the church have often met in homes throughout history, and many still do.
Regardless of the specific relationships among these three people mentioned by name, it sounds like Paul cared for them, and that they were close. His greeting sounds warm and sincere. (By the way, when was the last time you or I pronounced a blessing this nice on someone else? Today, we might wish others a good day or a safe trip, which is a good start. Because we have access to the all-powerful God of the universe, though, we can pray for even greater blessings upon others, too.)
Look at that! In three verses, without needing a college degree in first-century Middle-Eastern culture, we can learn quite a bit about this book of the Bible. And, we get an even more complete picture as if we bring in a little bit of knowledge about the rest of the New Testament.
I encourage you to try reading parts of the Bible as if you’ve never read them before (maybe even the rest of this book of Philemon). Temporarily set aside what you’ve learned or what past teaching has told you to focus on from a particular passage, and try to read the Bible with fresh eyes and an open heart. Listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say to you about a passage today. Then, share what you found with someone else.
Of course, being a teacher and student of the Bible myself, I’m not opposed to also using study and experience and history to better understand the Bible. However, sometimes a fresh look is eye-opening. And, who knows: maybe that insight will help you to understand what others (especially those with less Bible knowledge than you) see when they look at the Bible, allowing you to empathize with them and help them learn from the Bible more effectively.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for August 17, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Philippians, Colossians & Philemon, by Anthony L. Ash. © 1994 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 