In previous articles, it was established that the book of Philemon was found to be a letter from Paul to Philemon, delivered by a man named Onesimus. Also, Onesimus had probably been a runaway slave of Philemon’s (more on that in the previous article).
I can imagine Onesimus being afraid as he made the trip back to his master. Would Philemon fly off the handle before reading Paul’s letter? Would Paul’s request be heeded, or would Philemon punish Onesimus? It might have felt like a long trip to Onesimus, as he carried that letter back to Colossae.
Paul, though, gave Philemon the benefit of the doubt, and trusted him to do the right thing.
So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
Philemon 1:17-21 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/phm.1.17-21.NIV
Paul asked Philemon to accept Onesimus back, and even offered to pay for expenses that Onesimus had incurred. We don’t know for sure, but Onesimus might have stolen from Philemon when he left, or there could have been a cost to the household of replacing the labor that Onesimus would have otherwise provided.
I imagine a favorable situation where Philemon would treat Onesimus (upon his return) as a family member, where each party worked for the good of the whole household. Perhaps Onesimus was good at a skill or general labor and could maintain the house and property, while Philemon managed the larger operation to ensure that Onesimus had plenty of good food, clothing, shelter, and community. But, I’m just speculating here.
Still, a positive outcome wasn’t guaranteed, despite this letter. For Onesimus to still return to Philemon, despite any concerns he may have had, is a good example of how faith and trust is truly tested. We discover whether or not our faith is genuine when we do what we believe to be right, even when it could go badly for us.
However, if Philemon accepted Onesimus back, that would bring joy to Paul’s heart. Sometimes, like what Paul hoped for here, one of the best feelings that we can experience is to know that two people who we care about have restored their broken relationship!
Finally, in Philemon 22-25, we find a sweet conclusion. Paul – despite his restrictions – still hoped to visit Philemon again, which Philemon was (or should have been) praying for. There’s no “mic drop”, no final point to drive home Paul’s request, no veiled threat if Philemon didn’t respond to Paul’s letter in the right way. Paul had made a sincere request to a friend, on behalf of another friend, and the letter doesn’t end with any hard feelings that this request had to be made in the first place. This is a good example for us today: We can challenge someone to do the right thing, without being offensive about it.
Paul mentioned a few others who also sent greetings. Some of this was probably cultural, but I can imagine Epaphras chained up close to Paul while Paul wrote this letter, along with other workers milling about, saying “Hey, tell them ‘hi’ from me”, or “Give Philemon our best”. Who knows, but maybe Paul wrote several drafts of this letter to get it “just right”, and asked those around him for help while he was doing so?
And, Paul closed the letter by pronouncing a blessing of Jesus’ grace upon Philemon. We might say that there were “no hard feelings”.
So, as this mini-series on the short letter of Philemon from the Bible wraps up, let’s consider Paul’s model of making a request on behalf of a fellow Christian, especially when we have to make difficult requests of others [ref. Ash, p. 232]. May we be polite, loving, respectful, and not disagreeable, even as we ask someone else to set aside their gut reaction and do the right thing in a tough situation.
You might be called upon this week to be an advocate for others, stepping in on their behalf to help others treat them as God treats us: with love and kindness, mercy and grace. In this short letter, Paul offers us a good example to start from.
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 