Introduction to the Book of Philemon

Introduction

Roman Slavery

This epistle may require some background information regarding the slavery situation in the Roman Empire. Slavery made a profound impact on the growth of the Roman Empire as nearly every industry moved toward total reliance on slave labor. Rome’s military conquests were the primary source of slaves. The armies captured thousands, who were then sold to boost the investments of private citizens who backed the army. But as the Roman armies moved forward, they also captured skilled and educated slaves. These slaves commanded higher prices and held important roles in the government or in people’s households. Besides wars, slave traders also kidnapped people to sell. Some people became slaves due to crimes, birth, unpaid debts, or even their own choice. The exact number of slaves cannot be determined in history but the percentage was very high as the Roman historian Tacitus wrote that the citizens of Rome were alarmed by their increase in number.^[1] But history does record that in some locations like the Island of Delos that it was not uncommon for them to sell over 10,000 slaves in one day.^[2]

Most of them were employed on the country estates, but hundreds were kept in the family residences in the cities, where every kind of work was deputed [appoint someone to perform a task] to them. In the imperial household, and in the houses of nobles and of wealthy citizens, the minute subdivisions of labor, and the number of particular functions to each of which a slave or a corps of slaves was assigned, excite our laughter. Some of these functions required intelligence and culture. The familia or slave-household included not only field-laborers and household drudges, but architects, sculptors, painters, poets, musicians, librarians, physicians, readers who beguiled the hours at the bath or at the table,–ministers, in short, to all forms of cultivated taste, no less than to common necessities.^[3]

No matter what their job was, the law considered slaves as personal property, just like livestock or wagons. They could be given away, sold, traded, or taken for debts. Their master had complete control over their lives and bodies. Slaves couldn’t marry, but they could have a concubine, and the master would decide on these relationships. The master had total control over how punishments were handled, including some unusual forms of torture and to the extreme, death. Under Roman law slaves had essentially no rights. Eventually by the 4th century A.D. killing a slave without cause became a crime.

Paul and Slavery

Paul would have known about slavery all his life in both Hebrew and Gentile circles. Even though God’s law gave slaves more protection than Greek or Roman laws and promised they would eventually be free, it still allowed people to own human beings (see Exodus 21:2-6, 20; Leviticus 25:44-46; Deuteronomy 23:15-16). Many believers have wondered about the social system of slavery, especially in light of the absence of Biblical repudiation. Some have questioned how Paul dealt with this subject. In this letter and wherever he mentions slavery in his other epistles, Paul acknowledges and accepts slavery as a reality and that he doesn’t state anything negative or disagree with the concept. He sees it as a situation where Christians can serve God and have their own responsibilities that the Christian community supports. In his first epistle to the church in Corinth he wrote, “Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity. For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of people. Brothers and sisters, each person is to remain with God in the situation in which he was called.” (1 Corinthians 7:21-24, CSB) He tells slaves to make the most of their situation to serve God and stay in it, even if they might get the chance to become free. He also wrote, “Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 3:22-4:1, CSB) Here he encourages slaves to be witnesses for Jesus.

Does Paul’s lack of decrying of slavery mean that he supported slavery and that he thought it was acceptable to own another human being? No, we see that elsewhere Paul taught that all people were equal, “For God shows no partiality.” (Romans 2:11, ESV) “It is not that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality. At the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality.” (2 Corinthians 8:13-14, CSB) and “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, ESV)

Some point out that if Jesus and the apostles attacked the practice of slavery at that time that it would have distracted from spreading the gospel message. If they had done so, chaos from such a social reform would likely result in slave insurrections and divided households, as well as potentially lead to a great loss of slave lives.

Had the early Christians begun an open crusade against slavery, they would have been crushed by the opposition, and the message of the Gospel would have become confused with a social and political program. Think of how difficult it was for people to overcome slavery in England and America, and those two nations had general education and the Christian religion to help prepare the way. Think also of the struggles in the modern Civil Rights movement even within the church. If the battle for freedom was difficult for us to win in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, what would the struggle have been like back in the first century?^[4]

Navigation

Select (only one chapter in this epistle)

1 · Bibliography

Outline

I. Opening Greeting (Philemon 1:1-3)

II. Philemon’s Love and Faith (Philemon 1:4-7)

III. Paul’s Plea for Onesimus (Philemon 1:8-22)

IV. Final Greetings (Philemon 1:23-25)

Copyrights

Unless otherwise noted or verses marked ESV, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001, 2016, 2025 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025.

Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All sections and chapter of this book were written using the following reverse interlinears as the primary source of the original Scriptural texts:

Old Testament
McDaniel, C. (2009). The English-Hebrew Reverse Interlinear Old Testament English Standard Version. Lexham Press. This reverse interlinear aligns the ESV Old Testament with the Lexham Hebrew Bible. Copyright 2009 Lexham Press.

New Testament
Schwandt, J. (2009). The English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament English Standard Version. Lexham Press. This reverse interlinear aligns with the ESV New Testament with the SBL Greek New Testament. Copyright 2009 Lexham Press.

Introduction (Continued)

Acceptance as a Legitimate Book of the Bible

This epistle was included in early collections often associated with the pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus). Plus, it was referenced by Ignatius, Eusebius, Jerome, Chrysostom, found in the Syriac and old Latin translations, ascribed to Paul by Origen, and was mentioned by several other early church theologians and leaders. It is also included in Athanasius’ list of New Testament books accepted as canon. But much of the attention it received was from criticism that the epistle contained nothing to edify the reader. Some like to point out that the epistle's diction is not typical 'Pauline' and that some of the words and expressions used cannot be found in any of his other epistles. But this epistle in unique, and as such, should not be considered a fake or unedifying.

Philemon is Paul’s only letter of a private nature. It concerns a runaway slave, Onesimus, who had robbed his master, Philemon, and escaped from Colossae to Rome. There Onesimus met the imprisoned apostle Paul. Paul wrote to Philemon concerning Onesimus. Paul sent both the letter and Onesimus back to Colossae. By comparison to Paul’s other letters, Philemon is little more than a postcard, but it comes from the tender heart of a friend writing as a friend rather than as an apostle exercising his authority.^[5]

Purpose of Epistle

Paul wrote Philemon, to ask him to forgive and welcome back his runaway slave, Onesimus. It’s understandable that Onesimus might have felt a bit apprehensive when the decision was made to return to his master. Even though Philemon was seen as a good person, Onesimus, as a runaway slave, deserved punishment. At the very least, he could serve as a warning to other slaves. Paul stepped in as a peacemaker, urging Philemon to show kindness to this new Christian. Undoubtedly hoping that Philemon would forgive Onesimus as well as release him from bondage.

[1] Tacitus, C. (1906). Annales (Latin) (C. D. Fisher, Ed.). Perseus Digital Library. Translated by Logos.

[2] Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Colossians and Philemon (Vol. 6, p. 233). Baker Book House.

[3] Vincent, M. R. (1897). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Epistles to the Philippians and to Philemon (pp. 162–163). C. Scribner’s Sons.

[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 272). Victor Books.