Interpretation of the Epistle of St. Apostle Paul to Philemon

Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria gained experience in explaining the Holy Scriptures when, as a rhetorician of the Great Church, he instructed the people. Most of his written interpretations arose at the request of the Greek Empress Maria, whom he calls his pious patron. These works became an outstanding synthesis and transposition of the established patristic traditions, primarily the heritage of the Antiochian theological school and St. John Chrysostom. As a rule, the author presents abbreviated versions of extensive interpretations of the ancient Church Fathers, borrowing only what is necessary for understanding the text. The commentary also includes his own explanations, which often concern disputes with heretics, especially later ones, and issues of dialogue with the Latins. Thanks to his clear, concise presentation and clear semantic emphasis, his commentaries were accessible to a wide range of readers, became widespread and had a significant influence on both Byzantine and Western European theology. In the “Commentary on the Epistle of St. Apostle Paul to Philemon,” Blessed Theophylact emphasizes the edifying value of this letter, which teaches care for others and hope for salvation for any person, regardless of his origin or previous mistakes. In the comments there is a call not to despise virtuous slaves and not to be ashamed of them (for example, St. Paul calls the slave Onesimus his “child”). The interpretation emphasizes Christian principles such as mercy, forgiveness, the dignity of every person in Christ, and the transformative power of the Gospel. Christ rejects neither slave nor master who come to Him. For there is one Lord of all - He, and most of all the Father. And this is evident both from many others, and from this epistle, in which Philemon is the master and Onesimus the slave: both, to say the least, beloved of Paul. From the very beginning, Philemon was a wonderful man: Phrygian by birth, faithful in his lifestyle, helping the saints in need and giving alms. Onesimus was first an escaped slave: he stole money from Philemon’s house and fled. While in Rome, he heard (the sermon) of Paul and from him, being in chains, catechumens and baptized, he himself became a man worthy of wonder. Therefore, the apostle, considering it unprofitable for Philemon to grieve over the bad deed and flight of Onesimus, and wanting to heal the wound of his heart that he received from a slave, sends Onesimus to him with this approving message. Some, however, say that this message should not be counted among others, since it concerns an unimportant matter; but look how useful it is. Firstly, it teaches us to have concern for those who are apparently insignificant, just as the Lord says: “Do not despise one of these little ones” (Matthew 18:10). Secondly, that if a slave, so unreasonable and unkind, was converted, then no one should despair for themselves, and especially those who grew up in freedom. Thirdly, under the pretext of piety, slaves should not be separated from their masters if they do not wish. Fourthly, one should not treat virtuous servants with contempt and not be ashamed of them when Paul calls Onesimus his child. Therefore, who would not deign to include this, which contains so much useful information, among other epistles? Phil.1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ Immediately from the very beginning he teaches the master not to be ashamed of his slave who has become a fellow slave. For for the sake of Christ everything is beautiful, even the bonds in which he himself rejoices, so that he is named after them. By this he strongly begs, showing that it is right for those held in chains for Christ to be given pleasure. As if he were not pleased with the request, he adds Timothy to the interrogation, so that Philemon would bend to the request of many. Philemon, our beloved and co-worker. If he is a lover, he will show mercy. If he is a collaborator, he will not detain his slave, but will again send him to the service of preaching, which he himself serves. For even a slave will do the same thing for his master if he is returned again. Philm.1:2. and Apphia, (sister) beloved, and Archippus, our companion. Perhaps Apphia was the wife (of Philemon), and Archippus was the friend. If he is a combatant, he will take part in this too. This was the same one (Archippus) about whom he writes in his letter to the Colossians: “Cry to Archippus, observe the service that you have received” (Col. 4:17). And your home church. The apostle calls the church all the believers in the house (Philemon), including slaves. Pay attention to humility,” he exhorts them too, so that they assist him in his request. Phil.1:3. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. How will God's grace be with us? If we also forgive our debtors. How will the world be? If you too make peace with the slave. Phil.1:4. I thank my God, always remembering you in my prayers. Every time, he says, I remember you - and I always remember when I pray - so many times I thank God for your virtue. What kind of virtue is this, he explains further. Phil.1:5. Hearing about your love and faith that you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, . Here he praises him for his kindness. From Phrygia one would not have heard in Rome about his love and faith if it had not been great. Since you love all the saints, that is, the faithful, you must also love Onesimus, for he is already faithful, so that through this you can show yourself to love the Lord. Do you see what compulsory thoughts he gathers in his mind to satisfy the request? Phil.1:6. so that the communication of your faith may be effective in the knowledge of every good thing you have. I thank, says the apostle, God for your love, praying that your faith, which you have in common with us, will be effective - active and living in your knowledge of every good deed, that is, so that you love it and put it into action. For faith is alive when we are diligent in every good deed, just as it is dead when there are no good deeds. He added: “even in you” to show that even now Philemon already has every good deed in himself, as if saying: (in the knowledge of) every good deed is now in you, that is, in you that already exists. Having said: “communion of faith,” St. Paul unites Philemon with himself and creates one. There is a common faith and it is one-creative, so you must also philosophize with me. Or he calls almsgiving, which comes from great faith, communion of faith. So, the apostle says: I create memory of you by praying, so that your sociable and gracious disposition never ceases, but more and more may you pour out on those in need every good thing “that is within you,” that is, that you have. To Christ Jesus, he says, every good thing that you do to those in need, especially to the saints, ascends. So now, if you accept Onesimus and please me, then you will do the same to Christ himself. Phil.1:7. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, That is, we have joy, and not only joy, but also great consolation in bondage because of your love, that is, your humane and sociable disposition of heart. because through you, brother, the hearts of the saints are calmed. . Very wisely the apostle sets to work, reminding him of his good deeds to others in order to soften him more, until he considers that if he gives to others, strangers, then all the more should he give it to Paul, his teacher. And he didn’t just say: “you give to the saints,” but you give rest to the “wombs of the saints,” that is, that they wholeheartedly accept your love for mankind, as generously and with comforting cordiality offered to them. Phil.1:8–9. Therefore, having great boldness in Christ to command you what should be done, out of love I better ask, Since, he says, you are such towards all the saints that their hearts are calmed by you, much more am I about Christ, that is, as the one who gave birth to you according to Christ, I had the boldness to command you, not as your master, but out of the love that I have for you and you for me. “It is necessary to eat”, or - commands you what is necessary, that is, so that you do what I need; or - that you honor all the saints: therefore, I, according to what is needed, that is, what falls to my lot, I had the boldness to command you, but I pray. For I have such a necessary matter to beseech (you). none other than me, Paul the Elder, and now a prisoner of Jesus Christ; Being such, he says, an envoy, I should be worthily listened to, as befits the elder Paul, that is, having authority both in terms of teaching dignity and age, and now having received another, more important advantage - this is being in bonds for Christ. Do you see how many reasons there are for conviction? Philippians 1:10–11. I ask you about my son Onesimus, whom I gave birth to in my bonds He has not yet mentioned the name of the one for whom he is interceding. He first softens Philemon with the praise of the servant, calling him his son. Why does he call him that? Because, he says, I gave birth to him, that is, I announced the gospel and commanded him to baptize him who believed, and this in difficult circumstances: in bonds. Having thus softened his heart, he finally mentions the name. he was once unfit for you Knows that confession of sin extinguishes anger; that's why he says so. and now it’s fit for you and me; I return it; Since he became pious and holy, and therefore, he says, he is useful to both of us. If it is useful to Paul, who requires such great zeal, then of course it is also useful to Philemon. At the same time, it also makes it clear that if he is useful to me, then he should be sent back to me. That is, I pass it on to you, use it as you wish. By what he conveys to him, he quenches his anger even more. Phil.1:12. You accept it as my heart. That is, accept him with love, rather not him, but my womb, for this is how I love him and carry him in my soul. Phil.1:13. I wanted to keep him with me, so that instead of you he would serve me in prison for the gospel; Pay attention to the wisdom (of the apostle), how little by little he put him (the servant) in the place of the master. “Yes, instead of you,” he says, “will serve me.” It also shows that he wants the master's benefit. If, he says, you are obliged to serve me, and he does it instead of you, then this obviously benefits you. Phil.1:14. but I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, And with this he softens Philemon most of all. The matter was so necessary: ​​in bonds, and, moreover, for the sake of God, he intended to serve him; however, the apostle did not want to do this against the will of Philemon. Therefore, should we not show mercy to someone who could have used it himself, but did not want to? so that your good deed is not forced, but voluntary. He did not say: out of need, but: “like out of need,” as if saying so: of course, even by holding him against your will, I truly would not have saddened you; however, it seemed to many that this was being done out of necessity and against your will. Therefore, now I preferred that in no case should this seem forced to anyone, but, without a doubt, voluntary. Phil.1:15. For perhaps that is why he went away for a while, Since Onesimus fled with evil intent, Paul turns this flight into a useful deed. Maybe, he says, he ran away by God’s dispensation. It is also commendable that he calls flight separation, so as not to irritate the master with the name of flight. And by shortening time, he calms anger. “For an hour,” he says, “separate.” At the same time, it also shows that for as long as he was with Paul, he was also with Philemon. Therefore, he was only absent for the time that he spent before meeting Paul; and this is an insignificant time, like one hour. Therefore, from now on, if he, having been released by you, is with me, then understand that he serves you. so that you can accept it forever, That is, you will use it. 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. He says that flight has brought many benefits: instead of one hour, you have it forever. After all, a person’s whole life, in comparison with eternity, is nothing; especially the time to escape. So instead of a slave, accept a brother; instead of the obscene - the beloved; “and according to the flesh,” that is, in worldly things - he is worthy of love, as helpful, “and in the Lord,” that is, in spiritual matters. Phil.1:17. So, if you have fellowship with me, then accept him as you do me. That is, if you realize that you are being philosophical with me, then accept him as you accept me. Who would not the apostle put to shame? Who would not want to receive Paul? Phil.1:18. If he offended you in any way, or should, consider it on me. He didn’t say: he stole, but more softly: “I’m offended, or I have to eat.” It is plausible that he spent the stolen goods. Therefore he says: credit me with this debt, consider me a debtor. Phil.1:19. I, Paul, wrote with my hand: I will pay; He says this excellently, writing with spiritual grace and, as it were, saying: for greater confidence that I will pay the debt, my own handwritten letter serves. I’m not telling you that you owe me yourself. So that it does not seem reproachful to Philemon that the apostle, as if not hoping for him, does not ask him for a slave-thief just like that, but also gives a signature in his own hand - for this gave a sign that Philemon is hard-hearted and inattentive to his teacher - the apostle (with the above words) makes it clear that he hopes for him very much. For not only, he says, with your property, but beyond that, you owe me with yourself. Phil.1:20. So, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; From his heartfelt speech, the apostle again moved on to something more important, begging: “may I use you,” he says, “that is, may I enjoy your benefits, not in worldly affairs, but in those in the Lord.” rest my heart in the Lord. 1. Rest, he says, my love for you, or my heart for the sake of Christ. For you are not doing good to me, but to Christ. Phil.1:21. Hoping for your obedience, I wrote to you, knowing that you will do more than I say. I, he says, wrote to you, not giving orders or out of pride, but hoping for your obedience. What iron will these words not soften? Phil.1:22. And together, prepare a room for me. Philemon might have thought: if not for Onesimus, then you would not have deigned to speak to me. The Apostle heals this in advance, saying: I wrote it not only for him, but to ask you to prepare a monastery for me; and at the same time, to also frighten him, because the apostle will come and condemn him if he does not accept Onesimus. for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you. . We learn two things from this: first, how great the power of prayer is, if the great Paul also needs their help; second, that he must humble himself if Paul needs the prayers of his disciples. Phil.1:23. Epaphras, a prisoner with me for the sake of Christ Jesus, greets you, This Epaphras was sent to Paul by the Colossians; from this it is clear that Philemon was from the Colossians. He calls him “captive”, showing that Epaphras was also in great sorrow, thereby making Philemon feel that if Epaphras suffers with Paul, then Philemon will not show mercy to Onesimus for him. The “captive,” he says, not for the sake of anything human, but for the sake of Christ Jesus, suffering with me for the Gospel. Phil.1:24. Mark, Aristarchus, Dimas, Luke, my colleagues. 2. At first Demas was respected, as is testified to here about him, as a colleague of Paul, but then, out of frivolity, he fell away from Paul, as Paul actually writes (about this) in his letter to Timothy, written, obviously, after this letter. “Leave Dimas for me; Luke is one with me” (2 Tim. 4:9). So Luke, who was placed here last, became the first of all when Demas fell away. Thus, no one should rely on himself, but whoever stands must watch so as not to fall. By saying: “assistant,” he shows that they, together with me, are asking you and it is worthy to show favorable attention to such persons. Do you see how we benefited from this seemingly short and self-explanatory message? Make sure from this that nothing in Scripture should be left without examination, but in everything, as spoken from the Spirit, one should look for some spiritual meaning and derive benefit. And of course, the Comforter, who spoke all Scripture, will give to those who seek good things to find what they are looking for. From Him may we always be enlightened and guided to the true knowledge of God and life, not being carried away by false teachings and not being seduced by the false sweetness of the world. Let any of us who is a slave ennoble himself with faith and virtue, and whoever is a master, let him be jealous, seeing slaves as saints and apostles, so as not to be inferior to them in the kingdom of the Master, for our sake he has accepted the form of a servant, Christ, our true God. To him be glory and power and honor now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. In Slavic: “about the Lord,” but all our interpreters read: “about Christ.” Blazh. Theophylact ends his interpretation of the message with verse 24. You might be interested in: