Interpretation of the Epistle to Philemon

“Commentary on the Epistle to Philemon” (Chapter 1) is one of the voluminous Commentaries on the 14 Epistles of the Apostle Paul, written by Blessed. Theodoret of Cyrus later than all his other comments. In the preface, Bl. Theodoret reveals the purpose of the apostolic letter: the return of the fugitive slave Onesimus to his master Philemon. The interpretation reveals topics such as forgiveness, mercy, the meaning of freedom and human dignity in the eyes of God. Blzh. Theodoret emphasizes that in Christ everyone is equal and should treat each other with love and respect. Philemon was one of those who believed, and lived in the city of Colossae, where his house has survived to this day. His servant, named Onesimus, stole something and fled, fell into the apostolic realm, and the godly Paul at that time was in Rome, in prison. Therefore, there Onesimus was granted saving baptism, and sent him to the master, writing this letter. He who did not care about a servant, a fugitive who deserved punishment, and a predator, but who through spiritual instruction made him worthy of salvation, would ever care about anyone else? Phil.1:1. Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy the brother, Philemon's beloved and fellow worker. Philm.1:2. And Apphia, (sister) beloved, and Archippus, our companion, and your home church. Phil.1:3. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon our beloved and companion, and Apphia our beloved sister, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to your home church, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The apostle called himself a “prisoner,” giving the greatest strength to his request through bonds. For for your sake, he says, I am bound with chains. And if I had chosen peace for myself, did not walk around the universe and did not offer the Gospel to all people, then I would not have experienced this. He praises Philemon, calling him a companion, and adds his wife to him as an accomplice in the faith; it is likely that, without being mentioned, she would begin to oppose what was written in the message; Archippus was entrusted with their teaching; The Apostle wrote about him and to the Colossians: “Cry to Archippus: observe the service that you have received in the Lord, that you may complete it” (Col. 4:17). He made him an accomplice in his petition, and in addition, the whole house, which called the church, as distinguished by piety, so that the servants, having been awarded the apostolic honor, would become associates in conviction. And so blessed Paul called Philemon’s wife “beloved,” as adorned with faith, and let no one be surprised, although some are now offended by this greeting, because, using the very deed for evil, they made the name reproachful, but in ancient times this word was honest and praiseworthy. Phil.1:4. I thank my God, always remembering you in my prayers. Phil.1:5. Hearing about your love and faith that you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the saints. Phil.1:6. So that the fellowship of your faith may be made effective by the knowledge of every good thing you have in Christ Jesus. “I thank my God, always remembering you in my prayers, hearing your love and faith, even to the Lord Jesus and to all the saints, so that the fellowship of your faith will be effective in the mind of every good thing that is in you in Christ Jesus.” Always, says the Apostle, I remember you, praying for your successes; I glorify the God of all, for I hear what faith you have in the Savior Master, and how great your love is, and what services you honor those who respect the Divine; and I ask and pray to the common Benefactor to grant you the perfect possession of blessings. Phil.1:7. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because through you, brother, the hearts of the saints are calmed. “For I have much joy and consolation about your love, as I have cleansed the wombs of the saints with you, brother.” For I am filled with great joy that you provide all kinds of services to the saints. Phil.1:8. Therefore, having great boldness in Christ, I command you what you must. Phil.1:9. Out of love, I ask better, none other than me, Paul the Elder, and now a prisoner of Jesus Christ. “For this reason, having much boldness in Christ, I command you to eat, but for love’s sake I pray even more.” I could, says the Apostle, boldly act with you, as an ardent believer, and command by the right of a teacher, but I do not do this, but I turn to you with a request. Then, to the humility of what was said, he adds a majestic speech: “Such is the elder like Paul.” Look who the petitioner is, the mere mention of the name is enough to inspire respect even in the extremely stubborn. Whoever hears Paul hears the preacher of the universe, who cultivated land and sea, the chosen vessel, and so on, which would require thousands of tongues to enumerate. He added the word “elder”, pointing to the gray hair obtained through labor, and with it giving greater authenticity to the word. There is something else that adds to this. “Now Jesus Christ is also a prisoner.” Almost Paul, almost old age, almost the bonds with which I am subjected as a preacher of the truth. Phil.1:10. I ask you about my son Onesimus, whom I gave birth to in my bonds. Phil.1:11. He was once unfit for you, but now he is fit for you and me; I'm returning it. “I pray to you for my child. “Who will proclaim the might of the Lord” (Ps. 105:2)? Who will worthily praise God's love for mankind? Having deserved punishment, the digger of the wall suddenly became Pavlov’s child. The apostle says how he became a child. “I gave birth to him in my bonds.” Bonds did not prevent spiritual birth. Then he added his name to the praise. “Onesima, sometimes you don’t need anything.” He recalled what had happened before, but immediately pointed out the change. “Now it is good for you and me.” Showed an excess in the change of morals; now, he says, it is useful not only for you, but also for me. “I have exalted him to you”; because he couldn’t hold on to so much that had changed. Phil.1:12. You accept it as my heart. “You, that is, my womb, accept him.” He is my son, says the Apostle, born from my womb. Phil.1:13. I wanted to keep him with me, so that instead of you he would serve me in prison for the gospel. “I wanted to keep him with me, so that instead of you he would serve me in the bonds of the gospel.” You are obliged to serve me as a student to a teacher, and, moreover, a teacher preaching Divine teaching. Therefore, I wanted to take him instead of you, so that he would pay me the debt of your service. Look at the power of the Gospel: it has made the servant equal to the master. Phil.1:14. But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed would not be forced, but voluntary. “Without your will, you can do nothing that you want, so that your good will not be done out of need, but according to your will.” I want you to benefit from this, to benefit by your own consent. And from this it is clear that he brought a saving sermon to the Colossians: for he writes to Philemon as to his own disciple, and here he asks for Onesimus; and in the Epistle to the Colossians he writes that with the consent of Philemon, having taken Onesimus as a collaborator, he sent him along with Tychicus, as having become an associate of the Gospel. “Even about me,” he says, “Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant and co-worker of the Lord, will tell you everything about the Lord, whose ambassador to you on this occasion, so that he understands what is about you, and comforts your hearts, with Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is from you: everything will be told to you, even here” (Col. 4, 7-9). Philemon, having received a message from The Apostle sent Onesimus to him, and the Apostle sent him to Colossae with Tychicus. Phil.1:15. For, perhaps, he left for a while so that you could accept him forever. Phil.1:16. Not as a slave, but above a servant, a beloved brother, especially to me, and much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. “For this sake, be separated for an hour, so that you may receive him eternally, not to anyone like a slave, but above a slave, a beloved brother, more than me, how much more than you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” Flight for him, says the Apostle, became the cause of good things, for from an indecent slave he became a true brother; and if he is my brother, then much more so than you, since he also belongs to you in bodily service. Phil.1:17. So, if you have fellowship with me, then accept him as you do me. “If you have no companion with me, accept him as if he were me.” What is more convincing, what is firmer than these words? If, says the Apostle, you are worthy of any respect for communication with me, then accept me as me, who has allowed this extraordinary change in yourself. Phil.1:18. If he offended you in any way, or should, consider it on me. “If you are offended in any way, or if you have to eat, this will be imputed to me.” The word “this” makes it clear that, having stolen something, he spent it unfairly. Kidnapped by Onesimus, and the divine Apostle asks Philemon to impute this crime to him. Then, with great cordiality, he realizes his duty. Phil.1:19. I, Paul, wrote with my hand: I will pay; I’m not telling you that you owe me yourself. “I Paul wrote with my hand: I will repay.” Instead of an obligation, have this message with you; I wrote all of it myself, I admit that I am a debtor and I promise to pay the debt. Then the Apostle shows that Philemon himself is subject to even greater guilt. “Let me not give you a river, for you owe it to yourself.” Through me, says the Apostle, you have been granted salvation. And from this it is clear that Philemon was worthy of the apostolic teaching. Phil.1:20. So, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; rest my heart in the Lord. “Hey, brother, let me take advantage of you in the Lord: rest my womb in the Lord. May I take advantage of you in the Lord,” that is, may I take advantage of your successes in the Lord, so that I see you enriched with all spiritual blessings. Phil.1:21. Hoping for your obedience, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do more than I say. “Hopefully trusting in your obedience, I wrote to you, O you who know, as you have done even more than I say.” I know the humility of your soul; That’s why I’m writing, boldly trusting that you will do more for me than you asked for. Phil.1:22. And together prepare a room for me; for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you. “Buy and prepare a monastery for me: I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.” And the Apostle said this not simply, but so that, while awaiting his arrival, he would also respect his message. Phil.1:23. Epaphras, a prisoner with me for the sake of Christ Jesus, greets you. Phil.1:24. Mark, Aristarchus, Dimas, Luke, my colleagues. “Epaphras, my captive in Christ Jesus, kisses you, Marco, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my companions.” The Apostle mentioned Epaphras here because he too was a Colossian; for Paul wrote to the Colossians: “You kiss Epaphras, who is from among you, the servant of Jesus Christ” (Col. 4:12). He introduced Dimas to Luke as a well-known and collaborator, for after this he left the Apostle, having loved the present age. Phil.1:25. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! Amen." Those who have been worthy of Divine teaching are obligated to follow these laws; This is how slaves should be taught so that they do not abandon serving their masters and so that everything serves to glorify the Lord Christ. With Him befits the Father with the All-Holy Spirit glory and splendor now and always and unto the ages of ages! Amen. The Epistle to Philemon was written from Rome and sent with the servant Onesimus. You might be interested in: