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LIFE-STUDY OF PHILEMON

MESSAGE ONE

A SLAVE REBORN TO BE A BROTHER

Scripture Reading: Philemon 1-16

I. THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK

The subject of the book of Philemon is an illustration of
the believers' equal status in the new man. In the new
man all the believers, whether masters such as Philemon
or slaves such as Onesimus, have the same status.
II. INTRODUCTION
The book of Philemon opens with the words, "Paul, a
prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy the brother, to
Philemon the beloved and our fellow-worker." In verse 2
Paul refers to Apphia the sister and to Archippus and to
the church in Philemon's house. According to the family
nature of this Epistle, Apphia must be Philemon's wife,
and Archippus, his son. Philemon lived in Colosse (v. 2, see
Col. 4:17; v. 10, see Col. 1:2; 4:9). According to history, he
was an elder of the church in Colosse. It should be that the
church in Colosse met in his house. Hence, it was the
church in his house.
The introduction to this Epistle concludes with Paul's
word in verse 3: "Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
III. A SLAVE REBORN TO BE A BROTHER
In verses 4 and 5 Paul goes on to say, "I thank my God
always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of
your love and the faith which you have toward the Lord
Jesus and to all the saints." Notice that in verse 5 Paul
speaks first of love and then of faith. In the initial stage
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faith came first, and then love was produced by faith (Gal.
5:6; Eph. 1:15; Col. 1:4). But here love is referred to first
and then faith, because what is dealt with in this Epistle
concerning the equal status of believers is a matter of love,
which comes out of faith. In the new man the members
love one another in faith (Titus 3:15). The relationship is of
love through faith. The apostle appreciates the fellowship
of Philemon's faith (v. 6) and is encouraged by his love (v.
7); thus he entreats him to receive Onesimus because of
this love (v. 9). These two virtues are referred to in a
combined way. Philemon has both of them, not only
toward the Lord, but also toward all the saints.
In verse 6 Paul continues, "That the fellowship of your
faith may become operative in the full knowledge of every
good thing which is in us for Christ." This verse is actually
the continuation of verse 4. Full knowledge here means
full acknowledgment, entire appreciation, and experiential
recognition. By "every good thing" Paul does not mean
natural things (see Rom. 7:18), but spiritual and divinely
good things, such as eternal life, the divine nature, and
spiritual gifts, which are in us, the regenerated believers,
not in natural men.
The Greek word rendered "for" in the phrase "for
Christ" literally means unto, toward. All the spiritual and
divinely good things in us are unto Christ, toward Christ,
for Christ. The apostle prays that the fellowship, the
communication, the sharing, of Philemon's faith toward all
the saints may operate in them in the element and sphere
of the full knowledge, the full realization, of all the good
things in us for Christ, causing them to acknowledge,
appreciate, and recognize all the spiritual and divinely
good things which are in the believers for Christ.
In verse 7 Paul says, "For I had much joy and
encouragement over your love, because the inward parts of
the saints have been refreshed through you, brother." The
word "for" introduces the reason the apostle prays for
Philemon's faith to operate in the saints (v. 6). It is
because his love has refreshed the inward Parts of the
saints
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and has hence rendered the apostle much joy and

encouragement. The Greek word rendered refreshed also
means soothed, cheered.
Verses 8 and 9 continue, "Wherefore, having much
boldness in Christ to charge you what is fitting, because of
love I rather entreat, being such a one as Paul the aged,
and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus." The Greek word
for aged here may also be translated an ambassador (Eph.
6:20). Prisoner here and in verse 23, and bonds in verse
13, indicate that this Epistle was written during
imprisonment, the apostle's first imprisonment in Rome.
In verses 10 and 11 Paul says, "I entreat you
concerning my child whom I have begotten in my bonds,
Onesimus, who formerly was useless to you, but now is
useful both to you and to me." During his imprisonment,
Paul begot Onesimus through the Spirit with the eternal
life of God (John 3:3; 1:13). In Greek the name Onesimus
means profitable, useful, helpful; it was a common name
for slaves. He was Philemon's purchased bondslave, who,
according to Roman law, had no human rights. He ran
away from his master, committing a crime which could
bring the death penalty. While he was in prison at Rome
with the apostle, he was saved through him. Now the
apostle sends him back with this Epistle to his master.
The word useless in verse 11 also means not of service,
profitless. This refers to Onesimus's running away from
Philemon. The word useful also means of service,
profitable. Onesimus became of service because he had
been converted and was willing to return to Philemon.
Verse 12 continues, "Whom I have sent back to you--
him, that is, my very heart." Literally, the Greek word for
heart means bowels, as in verses 7 and 20; Philippians 1:8;
2:1; and Colossians 3:12. It signifies inward affection,
tenderheartedness, compassions. Paul's inward affection
and compassions went with Onesimus to Philemon.
Verses 13 and 14 say, "Whom I resolved to keep with
myself, that on your behalf he might minister to me in the
bonds of the gospel, but without your mind I did not want
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to do anything, that your goodness should not be as of

necessity, but voluntary." Just as the Lord would not do
anything without our consent, Paul would not keep
Onesimus with him without Philemon's consent.
In verses 15 and 16 Paul says, "For perhaps therefore
he was separated from you for an hour that you might
fully have him forever, no longer as a slave, but above a
slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, and how much
more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord." The word
"for" in verse 15 introduces the reason for the sending in
verse 12. The word perhaps here is not only an expression
of humility, but also one which shows no prejudice.
This short Epistle serves the special purpose of
showing us the equality in eternal life and divine love of
all the members in the Body of Christ. In the age of Paul
the life of Christ had annulled, among the believers, the
strong institution of slavery. Since the sentiment of the
love of the Christian fellowship was so powerful and
prevailing that the evil social order among fallen mankind
was spontaneously ignored, any need for institutional
emancipation was obviated. Because of the divine birth
and living by the divine life, all the believers in Christ had
equal status in the church, which was the new man in
Christ, with no discrimination between free and bond (Col.
3:10-11). This is based on three facts. First, Christ's death
on the cross has abolished the ordinances of the different
ways of life for the creation of the one new man (Eph.
2:15). Second, we all have been baptized into Christ and
made one in Him without any difference (Gal. 3:27-28).
Third, in the new man Christ is all and in all (Col. 3:11).
Such a life with such a love in equal fellowship is well able
to maintain good order in the church (in Titus), carry out
God's economy concerning the church (in 1 Timothy), and
stand against the tide of the church's decline (in 2
Timothy). It is of the Lord's sovereignty that this Epistle
was positioned after the three preceding books in the
arrangement of the New Testament.
According to Paul's word in verse 16, Onesimus was
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above a slave, or more than a slave. He was even more

than a free man; he was a beloved brother.
There are a number of intimate terms in this Epistle: a
beloved brother, the sister (v. 2), the beloved and our
fellow-worker (v. 1), our fellow-soldier (v. 2), my fellow-
workers (v. 24), my fellow-prisoner (v. 23), and a partner
(v. 17). These terms indicate the intimate sentiment in the
apostle concerning his relationship with the fellow
members in the new man.
The expression "both in the flesh and in the Lord"
means in the flesh as a slave and in the Lord as a brother;
in the flesh a brother for a slave, and in the Lord a slave
for a brother.
The title of this message is "A Slave Reborn to Be a
Brother." Only through the preaching of the gospel could a
slave like Onesimus be reborn to be a brother. Paul did not
preach the gospel to Onesimus in an ordinary way or in a
careless, superficial way. Paul preached the gospel to him
while he was a prisoner in Rome. This indicates that no
matter what kind of situation Paul was in, he was always
exercised to carry on the preaching of the gospel. He says,
"Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things
concerning me have turned out rather to the advancement
of the gospel, so that my bonds have become manifest in
Christ in the whole praetorium and to all the rest." Nero's
royal guard heard Paul preaching the gospel and even saw
him preaching the gospel. Philippians 4:22 indicates that
certain members of Caesar's household were saved: "All
the saints greet you, and especially those of Caesar's
household." Now we know from the Epistle to Philemon
that the slave Onesimus was saved through Paul.
Paul did not preach the gospel to Onesimus in the way
practiced by most Christians today. Paul regarded his
gospel preaching as an act of begetting. For this reason,
Paul refers to Onesimus as his child begotten in his bonds.
Paul's preaching involved a process of begetting and giving
birth to a child. This indicates that in his preaching of the
gospel Paul ministered the divine life into others. The
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eternal life of God imparted into Onesimus caused him to

be reborn as Paul's spiritual child and brother in Christ.
When we preach the gospel today, we also must preach in
the way of begetting, in the way of imparting Christ as the
divine life into those to whom we preach the gospel.
Furthermore, after begetting this child, Paul did no
neglect him or leave him as an orphan in the care of
others. Because this child was so dear to him, Paul kept
him and loved him. He even referred to him as "my very
heart." Mothers often feel this way toward their child. If
the child were taken away from them, it would seem as if
the mother's heart had been snatched away. Do you have
this kind of feeling concerning one whom you have brought
to the Lord? Probably we do not have much of this kind of
feeling. However, Paul considered Onesimus not only his
child, but also his heart. For Paul to send his child to
Philemon meant that he also sent his heart to him. What
concern we see here!
There are some parents who do not regard their
children in the flesh as their own heart. They may say
within themselves, "God has given me this child, and it is
my duty to take care of him. In this matter I have no
choice." Often Christians who bring others to the Lord
have a similar attitude. In contrast to Paul, they lack a
deep parental concern for the one saved through them.
Although Paul had such a loving concern for his child,
he realized that he was not the right person to keep him.
Because Onesimus was a slave who had escaped from his
master, he had to return. It is possible that Onesimus had
stolen something from Philemon. Verse 18 may indicate
this: "And if he has wronged you in anything or owes
anything, charge that to my account." Onesimus may not
merely have pilfered things from Philemon; he may have
stolen something precious.
Here we see that Paul's concern was that the human
relationship between Onesimus and Philemon would be
rectified. After we have brought a sinner to the Lord, we
should first regard him as our spiritual child and then help
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him to rectify his relationships. For example, if one has

wronged his parents, we should help him to be reconciled
to his parents. If a wife is wrong with her husband, or a
husband with his wife, we should help the wife or husband
to restore the proper relationship with the spouse. This is
an important principle.
In sending back this escaped slave to his master, Paul,
an excellent writer, appealed to Philemon's love. In verses
5 and 6 Paul says, "Hearing of your love and faith which
you have toward the Lord Jesus and to all the saints, that
the fellowship of your faith may become operative in the
full knowledge of every good thing which is in us for
Christ." Because in this Epistle Paul is appealing to
Philemon's love, he puts love before faith in verse 5.
Verse 6 is difficult to understand. Here Paul seems to
be saying, "When the brothers in different localities learn
of what you did in love through faith and have fellowship
regarding your faith, your faith will work in them. It will
become operative in them in the full knowledge of every
good thing which is in us for Christ, because all believers
have the same good things within them." These good
things include the divine life, the divine nature, and the
divine gifts. A full record of these things is found in the
three books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. All these good
things in us are for Christ. The fellowship of Philemon's
faith may be likened to a fan with which we fan into flame
for Christ all the good things within us (2 Tim. 1:6). When
the saints hear what Philemon did in love, the good
deposit within them will be stirred up. This is the
operation of the faith of a certain saint through the
fellowship among the believers.
In the book of Philemon we have an excellent pattern
and example of bringing a sinner to the Lord through
begetting him with the divine life; regarding him as a
child, even as our heart; and helping him to rectify all the
human relationships. In the churches in the Lord's
recovery it is our practice to send back the escaped one and
the divorced or separated wife or husband. We want to
help
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rectify all human relationships. In doing this, we must

have a loving concern and appeal to the love of the other
party. Finally, in keeping with Paul's example in this
Epistle, we must help the newly saved one to come into the
church life. Paul's desire was to bring Onesimus into the
church life. Having been begotten by Paul, Onesimus was
now a slave reborn to be a brother. As the one who had
begotten him, Paul bore the responsibility to bring
Onesimus into the church life, into the fellowship among
the members of the Body.
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LIFE-STUDY OF PHILEMON

MESSAGE TWO

A BROTHER RECOMMENDED FOR THE

ACCEPTANCE OF THE NEW MAN

Scripture Reading: Philemon 17-25

The subject of the book of Philemon is an illustration of

the believers' equal status in the new man. Apparently
this Epistle does not say anything concerning the status of
the believers. Actually, this book touches the heart of this
matter.
When Paul wrote to Philemon, Philemon was in
Colosse and Paul was far away, a prisoner in Rome. One of
his co-prisoners, Onesimus, was brought to the Lord and
begotten by Paul in the Spirit to become not only a
believer in Christ and a child of God, but also a dear child
to Paul himself. Since there was a church in Rome, why
did Paul not recommend this newly saved one to the local
church there? Paul did not do this, because Onesimus was
a runaway slave and his master, Philemon, lived in
Colosse.
The fact that there were churches in Rome and in
Colosse indicates that the churches as the expression of
the Body of Christ are universal. This was true in ancient
times just as it is true today. The first church, the church
in Jerusalem, came into existence approximately 34 or 35
A.D. The Epistle to Philemon was written about thirty
years later. Even during the comparatively short time of
thirty years, churches had been established not only in
Judea, but also in the Gentile world. Thus, the church was
universal. This was according to the Lord's sovereignty to
carry out the commission He had given to Paul. It also was
the fulfillment of Paul's desire to see a new man on earth.
By the spreading of the Roman Empire the various
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nations and peoples around the Mediterranean Sea were

brought into contact with one another and were even
unified politically. There was a great deal of traffic and
communication between people in various parts of the
empire. This communication was altogether related to the
old man. But at the time Paul wrote to Philemon, another
man had come into existence on earth. In the midst of the
old man, the new man had come into being. This is fully
revealed in Colossians 3:10 and 11: "And having put on the
new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge
according to the image of Him Who created him; where
there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and
uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but
Christ is all and in all." Philemon was an elder of the
church in Colosse. In the Epistle to the Colossians Paul
emphasized that all the believers are part of the new man.
Furthermore, in the new man there cannot be Greek and
Jew, slave and freeman. Philemon was a freeman, and
Onesimus was his bondservant. But in the new man they
were of equal status.
In Colossians 4 we have a record of the fellowship of
the new man. Colossians 4:9 speaks of Onesimus, and
verse 17, of Archippus, the son of Philemon. A freeman
and a slave who were members of the same household
were also part of the church as the new man.
The Epistle to Philemon should be regarded as a
continuation of Colossians 4 and considered an illustration
of how in the new man all social rank is put aside. In the
previous message we pointed out that this short Epistle
serves the special purpose of showing us the equality in
eternal life and divine love of all the members in the Body
of Christ. The distinction of social rank and status among
the believers is nullified not by an outward legal act, but
by an inward change of constitution. Ranks have been
abolished because the believers have been constituted of
Christ's life. Christ's life had been constituted into
Philemon, and the same life with the same divine element
had been constituted into his slave, Onesimus. According
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to the flesh, Philemon was a master and was free, and

Onesimus was a slave and was not free. But according to
the inner constitution, both were the same. Because of the
divine birth and a living by the divine life, all the believers
in Christ have equal status in the church, which is the new
man in Christ, with no discrimination between free and
bond.
In Titus 2:9-15 Paul charges the slaves to behave well
in the social system of slavery. He instructed them to live
a Jesusly human life in the midst of such a social system.
But in the Epistle to Philemon he gives the churches an
illustration of how slaves and masters alike have been
reconstituted of the life of Christ. As a result, they all are
part of the new man. In the old social system, which
belongs to the living of the old man, the distinction
between master and slave exists. Paul did not touch this
social system in the way of trying to reform it. On the
contrary, on the one hand he instructed the slaves to live a
Jesusly human life under this social system; on the other
hand, he illustrated how both slaves and masters are
brothers in the Lord and, as members of the new man,
share the same status.
Philemon 16 makes this relationship very clear.
Concerning Onesimus Paul says, "No longer as a slave, but
above a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, and how
much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord."
Through regeneration Onesimus had become more than a
slave and even more than a free man, for he had become a
beloved brother. Now Onesimus had a relationship with
Philemon "both in the flesh and in the Lord": in the flesh
as a slave and in the Lord as a brother. In the flesh
Onesimus was a brother as a slave, and in the Lord he was
a slave as a brother. Philemon, therefore, had to receive
Onesimus and embrace him in a loving, intimate way. Of
course, he was to receive him not in the old man, the old
social system, but in Christ and in the new man. Although
Onesimus was still Philemon's slave, in Christ he had
become Philemon's brother. Now, in the new man,
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Philemon had to receive Onesimus as a brother and one of

equal status. Here we see Paul's recommendation of a
brother for acceptance in the new man.
In the book of Philemon there is no mention of the
expression "the new man." But as we examine the
situation portrayed in this book, we see that Paul was
recommending a brother not to a local church in the city
where he was at the time, but to a local church in a remote
city. This indicates that Paul's recommendation took place
within the sphere of the new man. As we have already
indicated, this can be proved by Colossians 3:11, where we
are told that in the new man there is no bond or free. As
Paul was writing to Philemon, he may have been thinking
something like this: "Onesimus has become a dear brother
in the Lord. Now I wish to recommend him, a slave, to a
brother who is a free man. I want to help them both realize
that as brothers they are equal. One should be received,
and the other must be willing to receive him." This is what
I mean in saying that the Epistle to Philemon is an
illustration of the equal status of the believers in the new
man.
As long as we see that the believers have an equal
status in the new man, there will be no problems among us
concerning social rank, nationality, or race. We shall have
no problems with different peoples. Those who
discriminate among people in any way do not practice the
proper church life. If we would have the genuine church
life, we must receive all the saints regardless of race,
nationality, or social rank. It is a fact that in many places
believers are not willing to do this. As a result, they cannot
have the proper church life.
We should never speak of a church according to race or
color--there is no white church, yellow church, black
church, or brown church. The church has only one color,
and that color is heavenly blue. After you come into the
church life, there must not be deep in your being any
discrimination between believers on the basis of race or
color. As long as such a discrimination exists within you,
as far as you are concerned, you are nullifying the church
life.
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The colors which represent the different races have

already been nullified by the cross. Now we must be
willing to pay the price to have them nullified in the real
and genuine church life.
In society distinctions are still made on the basis of
color, nationality, or social status. But no such distinctions
can exist in the church, in the new man. The old man has
been divided by these distinctions. But in the new man
distinctions on the basis of color have been nullified. Paul
strongly taught this, and we must consider it part of the
full knowledge of the truth.
Again and again we have pointed out that in 1 and 2
Timothy and Titus the full knowledge of the truth
concerns the content of God's New Testament economy
concerning Christ and the church. If we still make
distinctions on the basis of color, race, or nationality, in
this matter we are reprobate concerning the truth. We do
not hold the full knowledge of the truth.
As a Jew, it was not easy for Paul to say that in the
new man there cannot be any Jews. But because this was
part of the full knowledge of the truth, he declared it
plainly and taught it clearly. According to the full
knowledge of the truth, in the universe there is one new
man, one Body of Christ, and one church of God.
Furthermore, there should be only one local church in a
locality. We all need to realize this aspect of the truth.
According to the Lord's sovereignty, the Epistle to
Philemon was written before the Epistles to Timothy and
Titus. But in the arrangement of the books in the New
Testament, Philemon was placed at the end of this group
of four books. These books reveal the practice of God's New
Testament economy, and Philemon shows us a particular
aspect of that practice.
In the practice of the economy of God, it is crucial that
all social ranks and differences among races and nations
are swallowed up. If these ranks and distinctions are
allowed to exist in the church life, the new man will be
nullified, and the proper church life will be destroyed. How
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wonderful that in the New Testament there is a little book

which tells us about a slave who was brought to the Lord
and brought into the church life! If this book had told us
that Caesar Nero had been saved, I would not appreciate it
as much. But this book tells that a slave, one regarded by
the Roman social system as little more than an animal
with no legal rights, was saved. Some may think that it
was not worthwhile for Paul to even write about him.
Others may say that it is sufficient for a slave to be saved
and to have the assurance of heaven. Paul, however,
exercised great wisdom in writing this Epistle. Never has
there been another letter written in this way.
Why did Paul exercise such a loving concern over a
slave who had been saved? He did so because he was
burdened to illustrate that among all the saints and all the
local churches, the believers are equal in the new man.
Onesimus and Philemon are a good illustration of this
equality. Surely it was sovereign of God that Onesimus
was saved in prison through Paul. It was the salvation of
Onesimus that afforded Paul the opportunity to give such
a marvelous illustration concerning the life of the new
man. He could point out that a slave, then in Rome, and
his master, far away in Colosse, were equal as believers in
the new man.
Paul knew that, for the sake of his conscience, he had
to care for Onesimus in a proper way. Paul knew Philemon
and his family very well. Perhaps Paul said to himself,
"Now Philemon's slave has been saved through me. What
shall I do with him? Shall I send him back to his master?
And what shall I say to Philemon about Onesimus?"
Actually, this was a very important matter, arranged
sovereignly by the Lord. No other illustration could better
portray the nullification of the difference of status in the
new man. The case of Onesimus and Philemon illustrates
to the uttermost that in the new man all the believers
have an equal status. Oh, it is crucial that we see this!
Praise the Lord for the salvation of Onesimus, and praise
the Lord for this illustration of our equal status in the new
man!
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I. THE APOSTLE'S RECOMMENDATION

In verse 17 Paul says to Philemon regarding Onesimus,
"If then you hold me as a partner, receive him as myself."
The use of the word partner here indicates the deep
relationship of fellowship in the Lord. Paul appealed to
Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he were Paul himself.
A local church with its elders is in partnership with the
Lord, and the Lord entrusts the newly saved ones to them
just as the good Samaritan entrusted the one he had
rescued to the innkeeper (Luke 10:33-35).
II. THE APOSTLE'S PROMISE
In verses 18 and 19 Paul continues, "And if he has
wronged you in anything or owes anything, charge that to
my account; I Paul have written with my own hand, I will
repay; not to say to you that you owe me even your own
self besides." The phrase, "if he has wronged you in
anything or owes anything," indicates that Onesimus may
have defrauded his master. Concerning this, Paul says,
"Charge that to my account." In caring for Onesimus, Paul
did exactly what the Lord does for us. In verse 19 Paul
says, "I will repay," just as the Lord pays everything for
His redeemed.
In verse 19 Paul also reminds Philemon, "You owe me
even your own self besides." This indicates that Philemon
had been saved through Paul himself.
III. THE APOSTLE'S REQUEST AND CONFIDENCE
In verse 20 Paul goes on to say, "Yes, brother, may I
have profit from you in the Lord; refresh my inward parts
in Christ." The Greek word for profit here, onaimen, is an
allusion to the name Onesimus. This is a play on words
implying that since Philemon owed Paul even himself, he
was an Onesimus to Paul. Hence, Philemon should be
profitable to Paul in the Lord.
In this verse Paul also asks Philemon to refresh his
inward parts in Christ. The word for refresh means soothe,
cheer. Literally, the Greek word rendered inward parts
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means bowels, as in verse 7. Since Philemon refreshed the

inward parts of the saints, his partner asks him now to do
the same for him in the Lord.
In verses 21 and 22 Paul says, "Having confidence in
your obedience, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do
even beyond what I say. And at the same time also
prepare me a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers
I shall be graciously given to you." Paul's expectation that
he would be liberated from his imprisonment and visit the
churches again is also expressed in Philippians 1:25 and
2:24. Paul considered his visit a gracious gift to the church.
IV. THE CONCLUSION
In verses 23 through 25 we have the conclusion of this
Epistle: "Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus,
greets you; as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my
fellow-workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with
your spirit." The apostle always greeted the recipients of
his Epistles, both in the opening and in the conclusion,
with the grace of the Lord. This shows that he trusted in
the Lord's grace for them, as well as for himself (1 Cor.
15:10), to accomplish what he wrote to them. No human
effort avails for the accomplishment of such a high
revelation as the completing revelation of the Apostle
Paul.