2. The Apostle’s Appeal for the Merciful Reception of Onesimus (Continued) (Phlm 1:17–21)

Phlm 1:17. If you count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

The persuasion grows more urgent. Before he said: “receive him as a brother,” but here—“as myself”; and moreover with such stringency that it is made the condition of fellowship with himself. As if to say: choose either to remain in fellowship with me, together with the slave who is now a brother—or, by rejecting the slave, to disrupt fellowship with me as well. Such an intensification was required by what had gone before: he ran away, he cut himself off from my household; how can I receive him? — Having illuminated this flight with the light of God’s providential ordering, the Apostle sobers the masterful spirit, lest it might tempt Philemon to refuse merciful reception of the runaway slave by arousing in him the fear of thereby losing fellowship with the Apostle himself. A more stubborn malady, so natural in a master, required a more powerful remedy. It is here offered: for the Apostle’s words placed Philemon under the necessity of receiving Onesimus; there was no way to avoid it. St. John Chrysostom says: “Nothing so persuades to the granting of a request as not asking for everything all at once. Therefore, the Apostle—observe—after what praises, after what preparation, sets forth this great request. He called Onesimus his son, a fellow-partaker of the Gospel, his own heart; saying: you gain in him a brother, receive him as a brother—and only then does he add also: ‘as myself.’ Paul was not ashamed to say this. If he was not ashamed to call himself the servant of the faithful, but even acknowledged himself as such, then much less could he be averse to this. And the sense of his words is as follows: if you think as I think, if you strive toward the same thing as I, if you count me a friend, then ‘receive him as myself.’” Bl. Theodoret continues this thought: “What could be more persuasive, what more forceful than these words? If, the Apostle says, you deem worthy of any respect your fellowship with me, then receive, as you would me, one who has undergone this extraordinary transformation (that is, from slave to brother).” — Ambrosiaster concludes it thus: “The Apostle shows that he has such a strong disposition toward Onesimus that he agrees to count even Philemon himself—whom he praised so highly above—as his partner only on the condition that Philemon receive him as the Apostle himself. Such a word was bound to strike fear into Philemon, so that if love could not incline him, at least for this reason he might receive him.”

Phlm 1:18. If he has wronged you, or owes you anything, put that on my account.

The final obstacle is removed: he caused you harm. One cannot assert that the Apostle considered Philemon avaricious, knowing how generously he gave. But he could not fail to consider it possible that even in Philemon’s heart there might arise the thought of regret over the injury caused—not from motives of greed, but as in a man who is a careful steward of his household, jealously concerned that everything be in good order, and moreover with a view to increasing the means for charitable giving. Anticipating this, the Apostle heals the infirmity—and without entering into lengthy discussion (for he could have adduced powerful motives for counting the loss as nothing, drawn from the principles of faith)—cuts it off at once: “put it on my account, I will repay.” Had the Apostle begun to reason, worldly prudence would have found objections to everything; but here there was nothing to object to. The one possible objection was: where will you find the means? But Philemon could not fail to know, judging even by himself, that the Apostle—so beloved that people were ready to pluck out their very eyes for his sake—had only to speak a word, and he would be given enough to buy Philemon himself, together with his whole household and all his estate. Thus this “put it on my account, I will repay” cut off, without leaving room for reply, any regret over the loss. But not only this—it also cut off any desire for compensation and placed Philemon in a state, a disposition, and a desire—counting the loss as nothing—to banish from his heart, and even from his very thought, all reckonings whatsoever. Let any person put himself in Philemon’s place, and he will at once see and feel that to take anything from the Apostle was for him a thing unthinkable. After this Philemon’s soul was completely set at peace, and the Apostle’s desire, meeting no further obstacle, was accepted without question for fulfillment. St. John Chrysostom surrounds these words with such observations: “See how and when he mentioned the offense—at the very end, after he had said much about him. Since loss of property usually provokes people more than anything else, lest Philemon should begin to complain of this—for it was probably stolen from him—the Apostle now mentions it and says: ‘if he has wronged you in anything.’ He did not say: if he stole anything; but how? ‘If he wronged you in anything.’ Here he both confessed the fault and at the same time represented it not as the offense of a slave, but as though of a friend toward a friend, expressing it by a word denoting injustice rather than theft. ‘Put that on my account’—that is, count this debt as mine; I will repay it to you.” The words of Ambrosiaster may serve as their continuation: “The Apostle here removes every excuse for anger against the slave; in case Philemon should complain that he suffered such a loss that it already seems that he ought not, and indeed cannot, forgive it. Were this actually so, in that case the Apostle says: ‘put it… on my account.’”

Phlm 1:19. I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will repay it: although I do not say to you how you owe me even your own self besides.

The Apostle assures him that he said this not merely in passing, but with firm determination to make repayment. To this end he gives a promissory note, saying: “Let this epistle serve you in place of a bond; all of it I have written with my own hand, I acknowledge myself a debtor and promise to repay the debt” (Theodoret). The whole letter was written in the hand of St. Paul, but the promissory note proper consists precisely of the words of this verse: “I will repay.” As the intention to repay was firm in St. Paul, so also the assurance left no room for doubt. Both the one and the other secured the victory over Philemon’s heart. St. John Chrysostom says: “These words St. Paul speaks both sincerely—that is, with genuine goodwill—and reprovingly, should Philemon refuse to receive the slave, while St. Paul had not refused to give a bond for him in his own hand. By this he touched Philemon very powerfully and relieved Onesimus of every burden. ‘With my hand,’ he says, ‘I myself have written it.’ Nothing is more ardent, more zealous, and more vehement than this heart!” “Although I do not say to you how you owe me even your own self”—that is, “through me you were counted worthy of salvation” (Theodoret). You owe me your salvation, your eternal blessedness. With what earthly debt can this compare? Wherefore I could say to you: receive Onesimus, and do not take into account the loss he caused you. Set it against the payment of the debt which you yourself owe me. You owe me your very self, whereas what Onesimus owes you is a small amount from your estate. Even if he had ruined all your estate, that would still bear no comparison with what you owe me; for you owe me your very self, and what is your estate compared to yourself? So if Onesimus had ruined all your estate and I asked you to forgive him everything in payment for yourself—and you did so—even then you would not yet have repaid me in full for yourself; much would still remain outstanding. But if you forgive for my sake the small amount which Onesimus owes you, that is scarcely worth reckoning. This is what I could have written to you, says the Apostle, without promising you repayment of the loss. But I do not do this; on the contrary, I promise repayment and will truly repay—so that everything I desire from you consists solely in the gracious reception of Onesimus, my son, our mutual brother in the Lord. Surely you, who owe me your very self, will do this much for me? — Such is the thought discernible in Ambrosiaster: “The Apostle burdens Philemon himself with a greater debt, so that he may the more willingly show mercy to the slave and thereby repay something small on his own behalf” (paraphrase).

St. John Chrysostom sets forth the following motive for writing these words. The words “I will repay; here is a bond for you!” could have given rise in Philemon’s soul to an unpleasant thought—that the Apostle does not trust him, does not believe him capable of such virtue as to forgive Onesimus without compensation. To forestall such a thought, the Apostle speaks to him as it were: do not suppose that I have no confidence in you. Do I not know how you feel that you owe me your very self? I have only to say a word to you and you will do everything. If I arrange this matter otherwise, there are other reasons for that—not my want of confidence in you. — This is an expanded paraphrase of the words of St. John Chrysostom, which are brief and compressed. “Lest it should appear offensive to Philemon that the Apostle, asking him about a slave who is a thief, seems to have no hope of obtaining what he asks—he corrects this too: ‘although I do not say to you,’ he says, ‘how you owe me even your own self,’ that is, you owe not your possessions but yourself. And this he said from love, by virtue of their mutual friendship and because he relies upon him greatly. See how everywhere he takes care about both things—both to ask with full confidence, and not to appear too bold.” Oecumenius and Bl. Theophylact expound this thought more clearly. The latter writes: “Lest it should appear reproachful to Philemon that the Apostle, as though not trusting him, does not ask him about the thieving slave simply (without anything in return), but (offers repayment) and gives a bond in his own hand—for this gave a sign that Philemon was as it were hard-hearted and inattentive to his teacher—lest this should appear so, the Apostle by the cited words conveys that he trusts him and relies upon him greatly.”

But in these words one may discern not only the reason why the Apostle wrote them, but also the reason why he arranged matters as he did. Had the Apostle asked Philemon’s forgiveness without offering repayment, those ill-disposed toward the Gospel could have said: see how he turns the Gospel and the faith into a means for achieving worldly ends. He converted Philemon to the faith and now demands that he receive back the slave who robbed him without requiring restitution of what was stolen. — So that no one might speak thus and cast reproach upon our faith and Gospel, I do not say to you, writes the Apostle, that since you owe me your very self, you should therefore freely forgive the slave who offended you; on the contrary, I promise to pay you all the loss caused by the runaway, and I ask as a favor that you receive him into your good graces. I do not convert the higher into a means for attaining the lower. Our faith does not disrupt the established order of common life, but only infuses into it a different spirit—which is from above, from the Lord.

Phlm 1:20. Yea, brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: refresh my heart in the Lord.

Having removed the thoughts that might have arisen in Philemon’s soul in opposition to his petition and desire, the Apostle, in verses 20 and 21, again begins to incline Philemon to do him the favor of showing mercy to Onesimus—though all that went before was directed toward the same end. Thus St. John Chrysostom understands it: “Leaving the sincere explanations, he returns again to what he had first said, to the matter itself, though the preceding also related to the matter; for with holy men, what they express by way of their inner dispositions also relates to the matter at hand.”

“Yea”—yes, “brother”—do this. “That is, receive him. This must be understood as a supplement here” (St. John Chrysostom). “Let me have joy of you” is not a literal translation of the Greek text, but a paraphrastic rendering of the thought contained in it. The Greek has (an expression meaning) to profit from something; and further, to rejoice in something, or to be made glad by something. The Apostle’s speech is either desiderative or conditional. The sense would be: yes, brother, do this, receive Onesimus. I would desire to receive benefit from you in precisely this manner—you who owe me your very self; or: if you do this, I would myself receive benefit from you, would be helped, consoled, and gladdened by you. Oecumenius writes: “May I rejoice—or, in that case, I would rejoice—in your good deeds or conduct in the Lord.” Bl. Theophylact adds: “May I enjoy your beneficence—not in worldly matters, but in those that are in the Lord.” “In the Lord”—in the spirit of faith in the Lord, in the ways of pleasing Him and finding salvation in Him. In the Apostle’s words a pleasant resonance appeared: receive Onesimus, and you yourself will also be profitable to me—or, I too shall be Onesimus-fied (made profitable), helped and gladdened by you.

“Refresh my heart in the Lord.” All our commentators read: in Christ. Above, in verse 12, the Apostle called Onesimus his heart; but here he speaks of his own heart. He expresses such earnest concern for Onesimus that he has no rest and will have no rest until he sees him again in favorable circumstances. By this he suggests to Philemon: if you love me, if you spare and care for the repose of my heart, receive him and thereby give rest to my heart: for without this it cannot be at rest. If you will not do this for my sake, do it for Christ’s sake; “show mercy to the Lord, not to me” (St. John Chrysostom). “Heart” (lit. “bowels”) St. John Chrysostom interprets as: “my love for you.” Oecumenius repeats the same. Bl. Theophylact adds to this: “Refresh my love for you, or my heart, for Christ’s sake.”

Phlm 1:21. Having confidence in your obedience I wrote to you, knowing that you will also do more than I say.

“I know the submissiveness of your soul; therefore I write, relying confidently that you will do for me even more than what I have asked” (Theodoret). “What stone would not be softened by these words? What wild beast would not be tamed by them and moved to willing compliance with the petition? After attributing to him such great virtues, the Apostle still does not cease to justify himself (as though apologizing), and does so not simply, not commanding or requiring with authority, but saying: ‘having confidence,’ he says, ‘in your obedience I wrote to you.’ As at the beginning of the epistle he said: ‘having boldness’ (verse 8); so here too he says the same, sealing the epistle” (St. John Chrysostom).

Had the Apostle said only this, even by this alone he would have compelled Philemon to fulfill his request—even had Philemon for some reason not entirely wished to do so—because the good expectations that others have of us obligatorily constrain us to justify those expectations. But when he added: “knowing that you will also do more than I say,” he overcame all resistance in him and impelled his energies to fulfill the request the more speedily. “By saying this, the Apostle produces a powerful impulse in Philemon. After this, having such a reputation with the Apostle—that he will do even more than what is asked of him—Philemon was ashamed not to do, if not something greater, at least as much as the Apostle requests” (St. John Chrysostom). “For it is usual that whoever sees that a good opinion is held of him strives to show himself as truly the best possible” (Ambrosiaster).

3. Postscript (Phlm 1:22–25)

a) A practical request with notice of a visit (Phlm 1:22)

Phlm 1:22. But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given to you.

“But withal”—together with that I also ask, or I ask also. “Prepare a lodging” means—a guest chamber, a room for visitors. In the homes of the wealthy both then and now there were and are rooms set aside for the visit of any who might come. Philemon had, it appears, also a special guest house in addition. If there was both a room in the house and also a special guest house, then there was no need to “prepare a lodging”—it was always in readiness. Why then does St. Paul write of this? — In order to testify to his own friendly disposition toward Philemon and his confidence in Philemon’s friendship toward himself—to show by act that he relies upon him completely and, with regard to Onesimus, is assured that what he has written will be done. St. John Chrysostom says: “This too was a testimony that he fully relied upon him; or rather, this too was on behalf of Onesimus—so that they might not be remiss, but knowing that Paul would come and learn all about him, should put aside all resentment and more readily show him mercy. For the reverence for Paul was great—Paul the aged, Paul the prisoner.” So also the rest of our commentators understand it. Theodoret writes: “This the Apostle said not idly, but so that, expecting his arrival, Philemon should honor his epistle as well.” “For,” Ambrosiaster supplements, “it happens that when someone is absent, little attention and care is given to pleasing him.” Oecumenius and Bl. Theophylact add to this: “It might have occurred to Philemon: if it were not for Onesimus, you would not have deigned to say a word to me. The Apostle preemptively heals this possible infirmity, saying: I write not only for his sake, but also to ask you to prepare a lodging for me.” By this he showed him great honor, preferring him above all others. For St. Paul was one whom all would have eagerly vied with one another to receive and refresh.

“For I trust.” It is evident that, in writing this epistle, St. Paul harbored the hope of soon being freed from his bonds. Something in the course of affairs was giving him this hope. “Through your prayers.” He shows the power of the brotherly prayer of the faithful and its necessity for all without exception; and he also testifies to his own humility: the Apostle—the chosen one of the Lord, the wonderworker, who was caught up in prayer to the third heaven—does not allow in himself self-reliance and self-confidence, but humbly awaits help from above through the prayers of others. Bl. Theophylact writes: “From this we learn two things: first—how great is the power of prayers, if even such an Apostle has need of their help! Second—that we need all the more to humble ourselves, if St. Paul humbles himself before his own disciples, awaiting help from their prayers.” “I shall be given to you.” That is, I shall be freed from my bonds and shall come to you; we shall see one another and enjoy our mutual faith and love. I trust that you will pray and obtain this mercy from the Lord. These words show the Apostle’s certainty that they love him greatly and earnestly desire to see him (St. John Chrysostom). He does not ask them to pray, but is confident that they do pray and seek as a great blessing to see the Apostle. “To you”—to all of Philemon’s household, and perhaps to the Colossians in general. For one cannot suppose that, intending to come to Colossae, he had in view Philemon with his family alone. He did not mention it when writing to the Colossians, perhaps also because he wished to honor Philemon in particular, leaving to him the privilege of informing all the faithful—who also gathered for prayer in his very house—of this.

But how is it—the Apostle intended from Rome to go to Spain, and here he writes that he hopes, once released from his bonds, to visit Colossae; while shortly after he would tell the Philippians too that he hopes to come to them soon (Phil 2:24)? Evidently he changed his intention, because after the writing of the epistle to the Romans (some three years had elapsed since then) needs had arisen in the churches of Asia Minor requiring the personal presence of St. Paul—as the epistle to the Colossians itself shows; false teachers had appeared and were troubling the peace of the faithful. Whereas at the time he wrote that there was no longer any work for him in those regions (Rom 15:23–24).

b) Greetings (Phlm 1:23–24)

Phlm 1:23–24. There salute you Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus; Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-laborers.

Greetings are sent from the same persons who sent greetings to all the Colossians. They have been discussed there as fully as was possible. Here only a little may be added. Epaphras there is called a fellow-laborer (Col 1:7), but here a fellow-prisoner. This does not mean that he too was in bonds: for there St. Paul lived on his own account and had the freedom to receive whomever he wished. Epaphras could be with him without hindrance and without being subject to any violence or restrictive governmental measures. He was therefore a prisoner of love for the Apostle. He endured sorrows and deprivations and dangers, certainly; but he bore all with good cheer, unwilling to leave him. Wherefore he was truly as though in captivity—a fellow-prisoner without chains. St. John Chrysostom writes of him: “Paul calls him a ‘fellow-prisoner,’ expressing thereby that he too was in great distress. Thus if not for the Apostle himself, then for the sake of this man the request ought to be granted, for one who is in distress and, having set aside his own affairs, cares for others, ought to be heard. On the other hand, the Apostle here beforehand rebukes Philemon, should he not show mercy to his own slave, when his fellow-citizen has become Paul’s fellow-prisoner and suffers afflictions together with him. And he further adds: ‘my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus’—that is, for Christ’s sake.” “Not a ‘fellow-prisoner’ for any human cause, but suffering together with me on account of the Gospel,” adds Bl. Theophylact.

Of all the others the Apostle said that they are his fellow-workers, that they labor together with him in the proclamation of the Gospel and do for him all that he himself, by reason of his bonds, could not do. The mention of them could not remain without effect upon the purpose of the epistle. Before Philemon’s eyes, they too now came forward as intercessors on behalf of Onesimus. St. John Chrysostom says: “The Apostle greets Philemon also in their name, in order the more readily to incline him to compliance, and calls them his ‘fellow-workers’ so as thereby to urge him more forcefully to fulfillment of the request.” He speaks to him as it were: “These also together with me ask you, and it is fitting to show gracious regard to such persons and to satisfy their desire” (Bl. Theophylact).

Of the persons mentioned in the epistle to the Colossians, only “Jesus called Justus” is omitted here. One cannot doubt that he too, being acquainted with the Colossians, was also acquainted with Philemon, and that a greeting from him could not therefore have been unwelcome. The omission must be attributed to chance, incapable of casting any shadow upon brotherly and friendly relations—and that is enough; there is no need to attempt to determine precisely why it happened so.

c) The closing benediction—v. 25

Phlm 1:25. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Such, in general throughout all his epistles, is the closing benediction of St. Paul. He both confesses himself and teaches others to confess that in the matter of Christianity everything comes from grace. This is the first and last object of Christian desires and prayers—both for others and for oneself.

Grace is the grace of the Holy Spirit, but it is given through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is, however, the way by which grace descended in the beginning and continues to descend to this day. The Comforter does not come if not through Him.

The grace of the Spirit descends upon the spirit of man and thereafter abides with that same spirit. The spirit is something akin to the Divine, and is therefore a vessel and receptacle for grace. It becomes such when, having rejected all that is material, creaturely, and temporal, it surrenders itself entirely to God through faith in the Lord the Savior—Whose fellowship alone can satisfy and give it rest. “Amen.” Truly it is so, and it cannot be otherwise; and whoever has come to know this truth, upon reading such words of the Apostle, will from the whole heart utter: amen, amen, amen!

Let us append at the close how Bl. Theodoret and Bl. Theophylact conclude their exposition of this epistle. The former writes: “These are the laws that those who have been counted worthy of divine teaching must follow; thus one must instruct slaves, that they should not abandon service to their masters, and that everything should serve to the glorification of the Lord Christ.” The latter adds: “See what benefit we have received from this epistle, which appears brief and not requiring explanation? Be assured from this that nothing in Scripture should be left without investigation, but in everything, as uttered by the Spirit, some spiritual sense should be sought, and from everything profit should be drawn for oneself. And certainly the Comforter, Who has spoken all of it, will grant to those who seek rightly, with good intent and zeal, to find also what they seek. May we always be enlightened and guided by Him—both to true knowledge of God and to a life truly well-pleasing to God—neither being led astray by false teachings nor seduced by the false sweetness of the world. Those of us who are slaves, let us ennoble ourselves through faith and virtue; and those who are masters, let us take zeal, seeing slaves who are holy and beloved by Apostles, not to be found lower than they in the kingdom of the Lord, Who for our sakes took the form of a servant—Christ our true God, to Whom be glory and dominion and honor, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.”