Author,
Date and
Place of
Writing
Paul
wrote
this
short
letter
(see vv.
1,9,19)
probably
at the
same
time as
Colossians
(c. a.d.
60; see
Introduction
to
Colossians:
Author,
Date and
Place of
Writing)
and sent
it to
Colosse
with the
same
travelers,
Onesimus
and
Tychicus.
He
apparently
wrote
both
letters
from
prison
in Rome,
though
possibly
from
Ephesus
(see
Introduction
to
Philippians:
Author,
Date and
Place of
Writing;
see also
chart,
p.
2261).
Recipient,
Background
and
Purpose
Paul
wrote
this
letter
to
Philemon,
a
believer
in
Colosse
who,
along
with
others,
was a
slave
owner
(cf. Col
4:1; for
slavery
in the
NT see
note on
Eph
6:5).
One of
his
slaves,
Onesimus,
had
apparently
stolen
from him
(cf. v.
18) and
then run
away,
which
under
Roman
law was
punishable
by
death.
But
Onesimus
met Paul
and
through
his
ministry
became a
Christian
(see v.
10). Now
he was
willing
to
return
to his
master,
and Paul
writes
this
personal
appeal
to ask
that he
be
accepted
as a
Christian
brother
(see v.
16).
Approach
and
Structure
To win
Philemon’s
willing
acceptance
of
Onesimus,
Paul
writes
very
tactfully
and in a
lighthearted
tone,
which he
creates
with a
wordplay
(see
note on
v. 11).
The
appeal
(vv.
4–21) is
organized
in a way
prescribed
by
ancient
Greek
and
Roman
teachers:
to build
rapport
(vv.
4–10),
to
persuade
the mind
(vv.
11–19)
and to
move the
emotions
(vv.
20–21).
The name
Onesimus
is not
mentioned
until
the
rapport
has been
built
(v. 10),
and the
appeal
itself
is
stated
only
near the
end of
the
section
to
persuade
the mind
(v. 17).
Outline
Greetings
(1–3)
Thanksgiving
and
Prayer
(4–7)
Paul’s
Plea for
Onesimus
(8–21)
Final
Request,
Greetings
and
Benediction
(22–25)
