The Apostle Paul's teaching on slavery has two themes.  The first and most prominent should appear under this simple heading: Submit.  The first goal of the Christian slave was not insurrection.  As with the more general New Testament instruction on how the church is to fit into the imperfect social structures of this world, it is our aim to lead a quiet and peaceful life, to be diligent in all our labors, and to serve others as unto the Lord.  But there is another word that we hear that might seem to move in a different direction: Freedom.  In fact, the apostle instructs slaves in a different letter (1 Corinthians 7:21) that if they can gain their freedom, they should do so, this despite the fact that Paul sometimes states a general rule that it is best for everyone to try to stay as they are.  But for slaves, first submission, second freedom.

 

This letter to Philemon, a man whom Paul had led to the Lord, is not about slavery in general, but about one slave in particular, Onesimus. Onesimus was a non-Christian slave belonging to this Christian man, Philemon.  He had run away from his master, and had somehow fallen into the company of Paul.  His master was apparently a great Christian man, a man of exemplary love and faith, a man who cared for others in the church.  Paul prayed that Philemon's life would be full of the kind of quiet and fruitful witness that would lead others to want to have a part in such a great faith.  Paul's knowledge of Philemon was not simply through the reports of others.  He seems to have been a guest in his home in the past, and to have been personally blessed through the hospitality of this man.

 

Perhaps this good association between Paul and Philemon helped the apostle in making a bold request that Philemon free the slave Onesimus. Paul himself was not exactly a free man at the time he wrote this letter, but a prisoner of some civil authority.  He knows well that a man who is under the authority of others does not need to be released from such a role in order to serve Christ in an exemplary way.  Yet this situation demanded Paul's unusual plea.

 

Paul had become the father in the faith to Onesimus during the apostle's imprisonment.  Onesimus had run away as one who did not call upon the name of the Lord, but now by God's grace he was a changed man.  This man Onesimus had been useless in terms of the faith before he ran away, but now he was very useful in Paul's ministry.  Paul was sending Onesimus back to Philemon with the expectation that Philemon would free this man of his own accord.

 

Paul asked Philemon to consider his former slave as a brother in the Lord, which he certainly had become.  Despite this new relationship, Paul did not want this slave freed as a matter of apostolic compulsion, but as the free and generous act of a strong Christian man

 

Paul did remind Philemon of his own role in Philemon's conversion,  We each have been freed from a fate that we could never have handled.  By the death of the one man, Jesus Christ, many have been released from the guilt and bondage of sin.  It is our new relationship with Jesus, and the freedom that we now enjoy in Christ that allows to take steps that would lead to greater freedom for those who are in our charge.

 

When we hear of others living out their faith in Christ so that in some small way, are able to contribute to the freedom, health, and usefulness of others in their charge, this does refresh our own hearts in Christ.  We are reminded that Christ is our great Emancipator.  Even if we found ourselves under the thumb of some cruel authority, we can still rejoice in the freedom that has come to us through the death of our Redeemer.  

 

Paul concludes this letter with his hope that he will visit Philemon very soon.  How can a rich 1st century man, release another, and forgive him from all his former rebellion?  Only in Christ.  Paul wants to see this great gospel success in person.

 

This final letter of Paul in the Bible leaves us with a great hope of freedom from bondage, and a new joy in our willingness to freely serve the one who died for us.  We do set our hearts on things above, but we are aware that there are great works of voluntary release that are before us in our lives here below.  This willingness to free others is a testimony to the fact that we ourselves have been freed from a bondage that required a perfect Redeemer.

return to top