Revised by Mary Hinkle Shore (2/25)
A careful reading of this the shortest of Paul’s letters (only 335 words in Greek) gives the best evidence for its background. While PaulThe Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was the author of several New Testament letters and the founder of many Christian communities. More is in prison (verses 1, 9, 10), an enslaved person by the name of OnesimusSlave of Philemon for whom Paul appealed in his Letter to Philemon. More has shown up and been led to faith in Christ (verses 10, 16). After his having perhaps “ministered” to Paul for a brief time (verse 13), Paul now sends him back to his enslaver, Philemon, with this letter (verse 12). Although he might have wished to keep Onesimus with him to attend to his needs (verse 13), Paul sends him back with this letter requesting that Philemon will receive back his slave as one who is now more than a slave, indeed a “beloved brother…in the Lord” (verse 16).
The letter is addressed ostensibly as a personal letter to Philemon, but it is not meant for Philemon alone. The letter is addressed also to Apphia, Archippus, and to the church that meets in Philemon’s house, and it begins and ends with references to “you” plural. These stylistic details make clear that the letter assumes a more public reading. From beginning to end the carefully orchestrated rhetoric of the letter underscores the fact that Paul is using his best resources to encourage Philemon to do a “good deed” with respect to Onesimus (verses 6, 14, 21).
Although some details thus seem clear, others lie in obscurity. Paul is in prison; but which of his imprisonments, and thus the letter’s place of origin, is not named. Paul expresses confidence that Philemon will do even more than he requests (verse 21), but he never states exactly what that good deed might be. Readers can assume that the good deed has to do with how Philemon will receive and treat the returning Onesimus, yet the issue of slavery is never directly addressed, and Paul never states whether he hopes that Philemon will manumit (or set free) Onesimus.
