as a Christian, far more valuable than he was as a pagan slave. Perhaps his flight was divinely permitted, in order that he might return to his master as a Christian brother. He hints delicately at Onesimus’ possible thefts, offering his personal security for the amount stolen, though intimating that Phile- mon is already in his debt for his own conversion. He is sure that Philemon will comply with his request. He thinks he will soon be released from prison, and asks his friend to prepare him a lodging in view of his visit.
The epistle has always been celebrated as a model of Christ- ian tact and courtesy. Paul waives his apostolic right to com- mand, and throws himself upon the appeal of Christian friend- ship, backing it with a delicate allusion to his sufferings for the Gospel’s sake. Without palliating Onesimus’ fault, he throws round him the protection of his own confidence and esteem. He softens the phrases which describe the slave’s flight and theft. He does not say “he ran away,” but “he was separated from thee.” He does not say “he stole,” but, “if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee aught.” With exquisite tact he assumes that Philemon will regard Onesimus’ ministries to the prisoner as his own, and will rejoice in them as an expression of his own affection.
Few sections of Scripture contain within the same space more topics for the preacher. Among these may be noted, Fellowship in Christian service (1, 2, 11, 12, 18, 19): Friendship founded in faith (3, 5-7, 20): The practical quality of love and faith (2, 5, 6, 7): The true method of Christian persuasion : The power of the Gospel to deal with the worst: The Christian method of dealing with bad social institutions: The union of all classes and conditions in Christ.*
The letter has often been compared with the younger Pliny’s epistle to Sabinianus, written under similar circumstances. Doddridge remarks that although antiquity furnishes no exam- ple of the epistolary style equal to Pliny’s letter, Paul’s letter
* These and other topics are most beautifully and forcefully treated by the Rey. Alexander Maclaren in his volume on Colossians and Philemon ; ‘‘ Exposr tor’s Bible.”
XXXVili INTRODUCTION.
to Philemon is far superior as a human composition. Dr. Davidson says: “It puts Paul’s character in a light which none other of his writings exhibit. The qualities which dictated its composition are eminently attractive. Dignity, generosity, pru- dence, friendship, politeness, skilful address, purity, are appar- ent. Hence it has been called, with great propriety, ‘ the polite epistle.’ True delicacy, fine address, consummate courtesy, nice strokes of rhetoric, make it a unique specimen of the epistolary style. It shows the perfect Christian gentleman.” Ewald: ‘“¢ Nowhere can the sensibility and warmth of tender friendship blend more beautifully with the higher feeling of a superior mind, nay, of a teacher and apostle, than this brief and yet so eminently significant letter.” Renan: “ A little chef-doewvre of the art of letter-writing.” Calvin: “ Though he handleth a subject which otherwise were low and mean, yet after his man- ner he is borne up aloft unto God. With such modest entreaty doth he humble himself on behalf of the lowest of men, that scarce anywhere else is the gentleness of his spirit portrayed more truly to the life.” Maclaren: “ Without thought of effect, and with complete unconsciousness, this man beats all the famous letter-writers on their own ground. That must have been a great intellect, and closely conversant with the Fountain of all light and beauty, which could shape the pro- found and far-reaching teachings of the epistle to the Colossians, and pass from them to the graceful simplicity and sweet kind- liness of this exquisite letter; as if Michael Angelo had gone straight from smiting his magnificent Moses from the marble mass, to incise some delicate and tiny figure of Love or Friend- ship on a cameo.”