Philemon 1:17-25
More on my post from yesterday on Paul’s “demand” of Philemon. That “demand” is reinforced twice in today’s reading. First, as to any debt that Onesimus may have owed to Philemon: …I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. (v. 19b) Second, two verses later: Confident of your obedience… (v. 21a) So yeah, Paul appeared to be more than a bit heavy-handed!
My Study Bible had a comment from Martin Luther on verses 17 to 19. It was nice to think that we are reading, digesting, and commenting on the same verses that Luther did some 500 years ago.
One final comment on Philemon… At the same time, prepare a guest room for me… (v. 22a) I’m sure languages and formalities were different back in the 1st century A.D. than they are today, but still Paul seems a bit demanding again – even if he had added “please” to his directive. I was thinking – Mark Bruner has stayed with us probably 8-10 times since we first met him in 2004. Whenever he is visiting the USA and hoping for a St. Andrew’s stop, he always asks us well in advance if we might have room for him. It’s never any form of a directive, like “Please prepare my guest room!” So unlike Paul here…! And BTW, advance notice… Mark will be attending Asbury’s “Spring” commencement on November 14. We’re hoping for a joint reception for him and Samuel on Friday, November 13. GLORY!
Slava Bohu!
Paul apparently invested a lot into Onesimus. Mentoring. Discipling. To the point of potentially covering financial debts. How are we at discipling younger, less mature Christians?
How are we at being true disciples ourselves?