This Epistle is a private letter of the Apostle Paul to his friend Philemon, in favour of a slave, called Onesimus, who had fled to Rome. There he met Paul, who converted him to Christ, and sent him again to Philemon, taking with him this letter.
It is not just a private letter; it is part of the apostolic teaching to be received by the whole Church. The Epistle is divided easily into three parts:
a) Paul the prisoner (v. 1). It is believed that the letter was written at the same time as the Epistle to the Colossians, while Paul expected to appear before the Emperor, to whom he had appealed in Caesarea (Acts 25:11). Timothy was also with him, along with the brothers mentioned in verses 23 to 25.
b) The church in the home (1-3). Philemon was a member of the church in Colossae and had meetings in his home. It seems that he was converted by Paul (v. 19), who calls him "a fellow labourer"; Apphia was probably his wife and Archippus may have been a son, who had a special ”ministry” of the Lord (Colossians 4:17).
c) Philemon, an appreciated man (4-7). How many people and churches Paulo remembered in his prayers! See Romans 1:9, 1. Corinthians 1:4, Philippians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:3 ... This is a service that every believer can do, in his private prayers. Philemon was a man who loved the believers (v. 5) and Paul in his prayers begged that those who are helped by Philemon may recognize that these good works are the fruit of faith in Christ (6-7).
Paul, as an apostle, could tell Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus as a brother. However, he does not instruct, but rather requests this as a personal favour to him from Philemon, “Paul the aged" and "prisoner of Christ" (v. 9). He says that Onesimus is his “own heart"(v. 12), very cherished, and he would have liked to keep him in Rome to serve him as a representative of Philemon, while he (Paul) was suffering imprisonment for love of the Gospel; in this way Onesimus would be "useful" for both (such was the meaning of the name Onesimus). But this would only be with the consent of Philemon, to whom the slave legally belonged (11-14).
"My son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains" (v. 10). We do not know how they met. Maybe the runaway slave, being hungry and penniless in the great capital, surrendered to Paul (whom he had already met in the home of Philemon), asking him for help. In any case, Paul directed him to Christ and Onesimus became a believer; so then the apostle sent him back to Philemon, but to be received as a "beloved brother" and "companion", as if he were Paul himself (15-17).
Paul promises to pay Philemon personally for any damage caused by Onesimus - although Philemon owed the apostle much more - even his own conversion. Now Paul wants to be encouraged again by knowing that his son in the faith, Philemon, will forgive and receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ, Onesimus being now a spiritual son of Paul (18-21).
Paul has confidence that he will be released and will soon visit Philemon and the church in Colossae. Many churches would be praying for him, while waiting for the decision of the Supreme Court. In fact, he was released a little after writing this Epistle.
Various companions are mentioned here. Epaphras was a Colossian believer who had helped Paul a lot (Colossians 1:7; 4:12); Mark, Barnabas's nephew, has already been reconciled with Paul and restored to the Lord's service (Colossians 4:10); Lucas is the "beloved physician" of Colossians 4:14 and 2 Timothy 4:11; Aristarchus is a Macedonian (Acts 19:29). Demas is the "co-worker" who later forsook the apostle (2 Timothy 4:10).
With the Apostolic Blessing Paul finishes the letter, which was taken to Philemon by the hands of Onesimus, who returned to Colossae along with Tychicus (Colossians 4:7-9).
Philemon, the owner victim of theft, represents God, against Whom we all have sinned.
Onesimus, the runaway slave, is a figure of us, sinners, without means of saving ourselves from the divine justice.
Paul, the friendly mediator represents the Lord Jesus, who tells every sinner that trusts in Him: "I have already paid your debt, with My own blood" (Colossians 1:13 -14 and 1.Peter 3:18).
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,
5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,
6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting,
9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—
10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,
11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,
16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.
19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,
24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Philemon