“the absence of all personal connection with the Colossian church will partially, if not wholly, explain the diminished fluency of this letter. At the same time no epistle of Paul is more vigorous in conception or more instinct with meaning. It is the very compression of the thoughts which creates the difficulty. If there is a want of fluency, there is no want of force.”
This epistle is the only private letter of Paul which has been preserved, and the only one in the New Testament except 3 John.*
Onesimus, a slave, had run away from his master, Philemon, of Colossae, and had hidden himself in Rome, where he came under Paul’s influence and was converted to Christianity.
In his loyalty to the civil law, Paul felt that Onesimus, in fulfilment of his Christian duty, should return to his master. He had probably robbed Philemon, and should make at least this restitution. He therefore sent Onesimus back to Colossae under the escort of Tychicus, who carried this letter to Phile- mon.
Paul did not attack slavery as an institution. He did not charge Philemon to emancipate his slave. For the final extinc- tion of slavery he relied on the spirit of the Gospel, and on its principle that all men are brethren in Christ and alike servants of the one heavenly Master.
After salutations to Philemon and his household, and ac- knowledgments of Philemon’s loving service to the Church and to himself, he introduces the main subject of the letter. He asks as a personal favor that Philemon will kindly receive Onesimus. He praises the ministries of the latter to himself, playing upon his name, “ once wnprofitable but now profitable,” and expressing his desire to keep him with himself. This, how- ever, he will not do without Philemon’s consent. If Philemon shall see fit to retain him in his own service, he will find him,
* Possibly 2d John, though xupfa lady may refer to a church. See on 2 John, ver. 1.