Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker
The letter opens with three names and no titles of rank: a prisoner, a brother, and a beloved fellow worker. Behind the greeting stands Onesimus, whose future rests on how Philemon reads it. So why does Paul, who could have commanded, introduce himself in chains?
Prisoner, not apostle
Paul had every right to sign himself an apostle. Here he sets that title aside.
W. W. FeredayPaul does not introduce himself here as an apostle, but as "a prisoner of Jesus Christ." Here we may notice the wisdom and delicacy of the Spirit of God. When writing to Timothy and Titus, Paul was careful to bring forward his apostleship, for obvious reasons. Authority was as valuable there as leaving it out is precious here. Paul would rest the matter of Onesimus entirely on the ground of divine grace, which he was sure reigned in Philemon's heart. He was not alone in his appeal; he brought Timothy in with himself to give it more force.
Whose prisoner he was
The word "prisoner" does two things at once. Older translations read "a prisoner of Jesus Christ," and Paul does not name Rome as his captor.
The Bible Treasury"Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ." In this he showed Philemon two things. First, that he was a sufferer, and not someone who had kept his place in the world by his confession of Christ. Second, that his prison lost all its misery, because he could see that men were only the hand of the Lord. So he was content to be there, for he was the Lord's prisoner.
This way of seeing his chains is more than a fact about Paul. It shows where a settled heart comes from.
W. W. FeredayIt is very blessed to notice the way the apostle looked beyond men to Christ. He was His prisoner. He did not fret under the tyranny and unrighteousness of the Roman authorities, but looked at the Lord. It was His will for him, and that was enough. Christ was his jailer, as it were. He who sent His angel and released Peter could have done the same for Paul had it suited Him. The heart never finds rest when it looks at second causes.
"Timothy our brother"
Philemon was not in prison and could not share that experience with Paul.
The Bible TreasuryPhilemon had no fellowship with Paul as a prisoner; but here comes the link — "our brother" connects him both with Paul and Timothy. And if the Lord of all is not ashamed to call us brothers, how it will delight the soul of His servant! The Lord put Himself on this standing, where He was one with every saint. It stood on far higher ground than any natural relationship, for they were only brothers to one another because each of them was the brother of Jesus.
"Our beloved fellow worker"
Philemon was no stranger to this work. His home and his hands were already open.
The Christian's FriendPhilemon was a man of means at Colosse, who with his wife Apphia was an heir of the grace of life. He was a worker for the Master as well; so to Paul and Timothy he was dearly beloved, and a recognised fellow-labourer. In his house a company of the saints met, and he refreshed the hearts of the saints. He had received, and he gave.
Calling him a "fellow worker" was no flattery.
William KellyPaul describes Philemon as the fellow-worker of himself and Timothy. Can we imagine such honour without a powerful effect on his soul? It came from a man who was as far as possible from careless speech. Flattering talk was as far from him as covetousness or self-seeking in any form. What a cheer for a man serving God in the middle of all kinds of trial and discouragement!
The greeting that carries the argument
As a list of names, verse 1 looks like a formality. As a set of ties, it is Paul's case.
The Bible TreasuryThe greeting or address, short as it is, contains the substance of the letter... Now the mention of all these names expresses fellowship. These people had no natural fellowship with one another, nothing in common with one another. They were strangers in country, in habit, in language. By union with Christ they now had common relationship, common affections, common service, common warfare. Here is the wonderful power of the cross: it not only brings the soul into peace with God... it also brings men of the most opposite character, and the most different condition in this life, into oneness.
Summary
- Chains, not rank. Paul opens as a prisoner, not an apostle. He rests the whole appeal on grace, not on his apostleship.
- Christ, not Rome. He calls himself the prisoner of Jesus Christ. He saw men as only the hand of the Lord. The heart finds no rest while it looks at second causes.
- Brother, the link. Philemon could not share Paul's prison. But "our brother" joins all three, on ground higher than any natural tie, because each is the brother of Jesus.
- Beloved, then asked. Paul honours Philemon as a fellow worker before he asks for anything. It was a cheer, not flattery, from a man who never flattered.
- Names that make the case. The short greeting holds the substance of the letter. The cross makes one people out of strangers in country, habit and language. That is the ground Paul stands on for the matter of Onesimus.