Day 298 – Philemon – Introduction

“It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.” Philemon 1:15-16 NLT

Life has many walls and fences that divide, separate, and compartmentalize. Not made of wood or stone, they are personal obstructions, blocking people from each other and from God. But Jesus Christ came as the great wall remover, tearing down the sin partition that separates us from God and blasting the barriers that keep us from each other. His death and resurrection have opened the way to eternal life to bring all who believe into the family of God.

Roman, Greek, and Jewish cultures were littered with barriers as society assigned people to classes and expected them to stay in their place – male and female, slave and free, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile, Greek and barbarian, pious and pagan. But with the message of Christ, the walls came down, and Paul could declare, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” (Col 3:11)

This life-changing truth forms the backdrop for the letter to Philemon. One of several personal letters by Paul, the letter to Philemon is Paul’s personal plea for a slave. Onesimus was the slave of Philemon, a member of the Colossian church and Paul’s friend. But Onesimus had stolen from his master and had fled to Rome. There he had met Paul, responded to the Good News, and come to faith in Christ. So, Paul wrote to Philemon and reintroduced Onesimus to him, explaining that he was sending him back, not as a slave, but as a brother. Tactfully, he asked Philemon to accept and forgive his new brother in Christ.

This small book is a masterpiece of grace and tact, a profound demonstration of true Christian fellowship in action and the power of Christ to unite those who have been separated by barriers.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the practical letter to Philemon from which we can learn valuable truths regarding those closest to us and those who we feel have betrayed us. Thank You for helping us to navigate difficult relationships with Your Word. Amen.