New Testament

Philemon

Paul asks Philemon to receive his runaway servant Onesimus back "as a brother beloved."

Overview

Who

Written by Paul, who calls himself "a prisoner of Jesus Christ," writing with Timothy (1:1). He signs part of it in his own hand (1:19).

Written to Philemon, a believer and fellow-worker of Paul, with Apphia, Archippus, and the church that met in Philemon's house (1:1-2).

When

Traditional view: About AD 60-62, during Paul's imprisonment in Rome, at the same time as Colossians.

Scholarly view: Nearly all scholars accept that Paul wrote it. Some place his imprisonment at Ephesus (about AD 54-55) or Caesarea (about AD 57-59) instead of Rome.

Where

Written to Colossae, a town in the Lycus valley of the province of Asia. The letter does not name it, but Colossians names Onesimus as "one of you" and sends a message to Archippus (Colossians 4:9, 4:17).

Written from Prison (1:1, 1:9-10). The letter does not name the city; Rome is the traditional view.

Why

To appeal to Philemon to receive back Onesimus, his servant, who had left him and had become a believer through Paul, "not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (1:10-16). Paul offers to repay any debt himself (1:18-19).

Slavery was part of ordinary household life in the Roman world. Onesimus had been "unprofitable" to Philemon and had "departed" (1:11, 1:15). He travelled back with Tychicus, who also carried Colossians (Colossians 4:7-9).

Outline

1:1-3 Greeting
1:4-7 Thanksgiving for Philemon's love and faith
1:8-21 Paul's appeal for Onesimus
1:22-25 A request for lodging; greetings

Key themes

Paul appeals for love's sake rather than commanding (1:8-9).
In Christ a servant becomes "a brother beloved" (1:16).
Paul takes another's debt on himself (1:18-19).
Faith shows itself in love toward all the saints (1:5-7).

From the letter's own text, compared with Colossians; dating views summarized from standard introductions.

Chapters

The world around the text

About AD 60-62. This follows the traditional view that Paul wrote from Rome. If he wrote from Ephesus (about AD 54-55) or Caesarea (about AD 57-59), Nero was still emperor and the setting is much the same.

Places in and around the letter. Ancient region names are approximate.

Who ruled

Roman emperorNeroAD 54-68
Emperor over Rome, Asia and Judea. Paul, a Roman citizen, had appealed to Caesar, who in these years was Nero. Acts 25:10-12 Acts 28:16Suetonius, NeroTacitus, Annals 13-16
Governor of the province where Colossae stoodThe proconsul of AsiaOne-year terms
Asia was governed by a proconsul appointed for a year at a time, who heard cases in the province's leading cities. Acts 19:38Strabo, Geography 17.3.25
Governor of Judea and Jewish client kingFestus and Agrippa IIc. AD 59-62; c. AD 50-90s
Festus and King Agrippa heard Paul's defense in Caesarea and sent him on to Rome as he had asked. Acts 25:12Acts 25:23-26:32

What was happening

AD 58-63
WarRome and Parthia fight over Armenia
Roman armies under Corbulo campaigned in Armenia until the two empires made peace in AD 63. Tacitus, Annals 13.34-41, 14.23-26, 15.1-17, 15.24-31
c. AD 59-60
The churchPaul's voyage to Rome
Paul sailed for Rome as a prisoner, was shipwrecked on Malta, and reached Rome the following spring. Acts 27:1-28:16
AD 60
DisasterEarthquake in the Lycus valley
An earthquake ruined Laodicea, about 16 km (10 miles) from Colossae; Laodicea rebuilt without Rome's help. A later Christian historian says Hierapolis and Colossae fell in the same disaster. Tacitus, Annals 14.27Orosius, History Against the Pagans 7.7.12Colossians 4:13
AD 60-61
WarBoudica's revolt in Britain
Boudica, queen of the Iceni, led a rising that burned Colchester, London and St Albans before the Romans defeated her. Tacitus, Annals 14.29-39
c. AD 60-62
The churchPaul under guard in Rome
Paul lived two whole years in his own rented house, guarded by a soldier, receiving all who came to him. Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians are traditionally dated to these years. Acts 28:16 Acts 28:30-31 Philippians 1:13
AD 61
RulersA slave-owner's murder shakes Rome
When the city prefect Pedanius Secundus was killed by one of his slaves, the Senate upheld the old law that all 400 slaves of his household be executed, despite protests from the crowd. Tacitus, Annals 14.42-45
AD 62
The churchJames, the Lord's brother, is killed
Between governors, the high priest Ananus had "James, the brother of Jesus who was called Christ" stoned in Jerusalem. Josephus, Antiquities 20.197-203Galatians 1:19
AD 64
The churchFire in Rome, and Nero blames the Christians
After a great fire burned much of Rome, Nero blamed the Christians and put a "vast multitude" to death. Tacitus, Annals 15.38-44Suetonius, Nero 16.2

Colossae

Where Philemon and the church in his house lived. A small town in the Lycus valley of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia, about 190 km (120 miles) east of Ephesus.

Three towns in one valley: Colossae stood near Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul names believers in all three, and the letters to Colossae and Laodicea were to be swapped and read in both churches. Colossians 4:13 Colossians 4:15-16
An old city past its prime: The Greek historian Herodotus called Colossae "a great city of Phrygia" in the 400s BC. By Paul's day nearby Laodicea had outgrown it; Strabo lists it only as a small town. Herodotus, Histories 7.30Strabo, Geography 12.8.13
Wool: The valley was known for its wool. Pliny mentions a dye color named after Colossae, colossinus, a reddish purple. Strabo, Geography 12.8.16Pliny, Natural History 21.51
The church there: Paul had not visited it himself. Epaphras, a Colossian, first taught the gospel there, and the church met in homes such as Philemon's. Colossians 1:4-7 Colossians 2:1 Colossians 4:12 Philemon 1:2

Rome

Where Paul wrote from, on the traditional view: the capital of the empire, where he waited under guard to be heard by Caesar.

A prisoner in his own house: Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier guarding him, bound with a chain, yet free to receive visitors and preach. Acts 28:16 Acts 28:20 Acts 28:30-31
Friends with him: The same people send greetings in Philemon and Colossians: Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke. Philemon 1:23-24 Colossians 4:10-14

Daily life and culture

Slaves and masters · 1:15-16: Slaves served in households of every size, as laborers, servants, stewards and teachers, and many were later freed. Roman law gave a master almost complete power over a slave. Paul's letters address believing slaves and masters directly. Colossians 3:22-4:1Ephesians 6:5-9 1 Corinthians 7:21Tacitus, Annals 14.42-45
A name that means "useful" · 1:10-11: Onesimus was a common name for slaves and means "useful" or "profitable." Paul plays on it: once unprofitable, now profitable. Philemon 1:11 Colossians 4:9
Asking a friend to plead · 1:8-21: Roman lawyers discussed slaves who went to a friend of their master to ask him to plead for them, and held that such a slave was not counted a runaway. Pliny the Younger wrote a letter of this kind, begging a friend to forgive a freedman who had come to him in tears. Justinian, Digest 21.1.17.4 (citing Proculus)Pliny the Younger, Letters 9.21, 9.24
Churches in homes · 1:2: Christians had no church buildings yet. They met in the homes of believers who had room to host them. Romans 16:5 1 Corinthians 16:19 Colossians 4:15
Signed in his own hand · 1:19: Paul usually dictated his letters to a scribe and wrote a line or two himself as his mark. Romans 16:22 Galatians 6:11 2 Thessalonians 3:17 Colossians 4:18
Guest rooms · 1:22: Travellers preferred to stay with friends rather than at inns. Paul asks Philemon to get a room ready, hoping to be released. Philemon 1:22 Philippians 1:25-26 Romans 12:13

Scripture first, then ancient writers on these years and places (Tacitus, Suetonius, Josephus, Strabo, Herodotus, Pliny, Roman law). Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.