translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: PHM

label: NET study note

text: The phrase a prisoner of Christ Jesus implies that Paul was being held prisoner because of his testimony for Christ Jesus. Paul’s imprisonment was due to his service to Christ, in the same manner as John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos because of his testimony ( Rev 1:9 ).


text: Apphia is thought to be the wife of Philemon.


text: I always thank my God. An offer of thanksgiving ( εὐχαριστῶ , eucaristw ) to God is a customary formula for Paul in many of his epistles (cf. Rom 1:8 , 1 Cor 1:4 , Eph 1:16 , Col 1:3 , 1 Thess 1:2 , 2 Thess 1:3 ). The content of the thanksgiving typically points to the work of God in the salvation of the believers to whom he [Paul] writes.


text: Your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. In accord with Paul, John also advocates this combination of “faith in Christ and love for the saints.” The believers’ invisible faith becomes visible in the demonstration of love for others. This, of course, is not only desired, but commanded ( 1 John 3:23 ). Although Paul’s comment here may appear as a stock expression to the casual reader, praising Philemon for his track record of faithfulness to Christ demonstrated in love for the saints is actually integral to the author’s argument in this short but pithy letter. Paul will soon ask Philemon to demonstrate this love toward Onesimus, his runaway slave.


text: During my imprisonment. Apparently Onesimus became a believer under Paul’s shepherding while he [Paul] was a prisoner in Rome.


text: So that you would have him back eternally. The notion here is not that Onesimus was to be the slave of Philemon eternally , but that their new relationship as brothers in Christ would transcend the societal structures of this age. The occasion of Onesimus’ flight to Rome would ultimately be a catalyst in the formation of a new and stronger bond between these two men.


text: With my own hand. Paul may have considered this letter so delicate that he wrote the letter himself as opposed to using an amanuensis or secretary.


text: The statement you owe me your very self means that Paul was responsible for some sort of blessing in the life of Philemon; though a monetary idea may be in mind, it is perhaps better to understand Paul as referring to the spiritual truth (i.e., the gospel) he had taught Philemon.


text: Refresh my heart in Christ. Paul desired that Philemon refresh his heart in the same way that he [Philemon] had refreshed the hearts of other believers (cf. Phlm 7 ), that is, by forgiving and accepting Onesimus. In this way the presence and character of Jesus Christ would be vividly seen in Philemon’s attitude toward his runaway slave.


text: Epaphras is probably a shortened form of the name Epaphroditus. This is probably the same individual whom Paul spoke of as “my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier” in Phil 2:25 (see also Phil 4:18 ). He is also mentioned in Col 1:7 and 4:12 , where he is a founder of the church in Colossae (BDAG 360 s.v. ᾿Επαφρᾶς ).


text: Aristarchus accompanied Paul on his collection-journey when Paul left for Rome in Acts 27:2 . He is also mentioned as a fellow prisoner in Col 4:10 .


text: Demas is most likely the same individual mentioned by the Apostle Paul in 2 Tim 4:10 . Apparently, he later on abandoned the faith because of his love of the world.