Table talk series- Philemon
Table Talk Series- Philemon • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsAim: Introduction to our table talk look at Philemon
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Tonight we start our table talk series in looking exegetically at the short letter to Philemon from Paul. We will look at the background and then look at the chapter (25 verses)
Paul’s shortest letter – 25 verses; private letter (Timothy and Titus addressed personally but applicable to all)
Archippus (v.2) is believed not to be owner of Philemon, but Pilemon and Apphia’s son was Archippus.
Written in about 60/61 during first imprisonment In Rome, he hoped to be released soon and wanted to go, visit and stay with him for awhile. Written to Philemon at Colosse; it is believed that both this letter and Colossians were written about the same time.
Purpose to reconcile him with his slave Onesimus.
To tell of Paul’s news to his fellow works and to the church in Philemon’s house.
How Paul and Onesimus came to be is not said exactly, but somehow they did.
What forced Paul to send Onesimus back, he had been harboring a runaway slave. Could it be that Epaphras came and recognized him and told Paul and Paul sent him back, or, even, that Onesimus had become a Christian and knew he had to go back, especially after seeing Epaphras? We don’t know for us, we just know somehow he showed up in Rome, somehow he met Paul, somehow he was sent back to Colossi to Philemon to be reconciled to him.
Paul would have been great to keep him there with him, but he was a runaway slave and needed to be reconciled with Philemon first. (see v.13-14).
At the time in the Roman empire it was believed there were about 60mil slaves, and many that they could rise up against Rome since 40% were slaves. Slaves were treated not as people but as property and the slave owner had complete control to do or not to do anything, including crucifying if slave got out of hand.
In Christ there is a new relationship between man and man. We are all one body (1Cor12:13) ; Neither Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female (Gal3:28) Neither circumcision/uncircumcision, Barbarian/Scythian, slave or free (Col3:11) - - - Onesimus was a sun away slave, but was coming back to Phileman not only as a slave but a brother in Christ. Everything changes with them, for they are both in Christ. One a slave in Christ, the other a Master in Christ. Paul covers that type of issue in Eph6:5-9 and in Cole3:33-4:1) you can read on your own.
Now there is (v.2) a mention of Archippus, it is possible in doing background on this letter, this personal letter that a fellowsoldier (v.2); a minister to the community as mentioned in (Col4:17) was not in Colossi but in Laodicaea meaning that Phileman household was there too, and Onemisus was really a Laodicean slave. Archippus would hear the letter like everyone else in Colossi or in Laodicea.
Paul reminds Philemon that he owes Paul his very soul (v.19); he knew he was playing on Philemon’s heart and dedication to the Lord (v.21) He was confident that after the reconciliation with Onemisus that he would send him back to Paul to be useful to him there, in prison.
Another interesting fact is that it is common belief that Onesimus became the bishop of Ephesus according to the writings of Ignatius an early Martyr.
So, who did this little slip of a letter, this singe papyrus sheet survive? There is no great doctrine being dealt with, no great attack on any heresy. It is the only letter by Paul written personally to a person. Some believe that the Pauline letters were all compiled by the end of the first century, the time Onesimus would be the bishop of Ephesus and he wanted it included to show the grace of God (all this according to Barclay)
Let’s now turn to the Book of Philemon - Read it
Are there any words that need to be defined? If so what word in what verse?
Can you see the purpose, the occasion, theme for the letter?
What about the mood, atmosphere of the letter?
Summarize: We are going to use all the tools we have to be good bible students, detectives in this series so come with bible, pen, paper and a heart to study God’s word together.