First Intro to Philemon

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/21/2017 11:32 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                Focus: 1^st Intro to Philemon

            I want to look at this first introduction of Philemon from the pen of Warren Wiersbe, and then we will look at some of the things that John MacArthur has to say about this shortest of Paul’s letters that is found in the New Testament.

            Dr. Wiersbe entitles his commentary on Philemon “A Tale of Two Cities.” 

            Paul was a prisoner in Rome, his friend Philemon was in Colossae, and the human link between them was a run-away slave named Onesimus.  The details are not clear, but it appears that Onesimus robbed his master and then fled to Rome, hoping to be swallowed up in the crowded metropolis.  But, in the providence of God, he met Paul and was converted!

            “Now what?  Perhaps Onesimus should remain with Paul, who needed all the assistance he could get.  But what about the slave’s responsibilities to his master back in Colossae?  The law permitted a master to execute a rebellious slave, but Philemon was a Christian.  If he forgave Onesimus, what would the other masters (and slaves) think?  If he punished him, how would it affect his testimony?  What a dilemma!

            “Along with the Epistle to the Colossians, this letter probably was carried to Colossae by Tychicus and Onesimus (Col. 4:7-9).  In it, we see Paul in three important roles as he tried to help Philemon solve his problems.  At the same time, we see a beautiful picture of what the Father has done for us in Jesus Christ.  Martin Luther said, ‘All of us are Onesimuses!’  and he was right.”      

            We just concluded looking at the book of Colossians by looking at different men that Paul was familiar with along with them being familiar with the people of Colossae, and we mentioned that because Paul had not been in Colossae as far as we know, Paul named many different men to show the people of Colossae that he was the one writing the letter.  He also wrote the last part in very large letters which he did in most of his letters to show his readers that it truly was he who was sending the letters.

6/21/2017 11:45 PM