Who was Philemon in the Bible?

Philemon is not mentioned anywhere else in the NT. The epistle shows that he was a believing Christian and an esteemed acquaintance of the Apostle. The Epistle is addressed to Philemon, with the church in his house, and to sister Apphia and Archippus. Archippus is also mentioned in Col. 4:17. This shows that Philemon lived in Colossae. In Col. 4:7-9 we learn that Onesimus was from Colossae also.

We cannot doubt it obtained the object for which it was written, considering the description it gives of his master, and the appeal made to his heart, both direct and indirect, by the aged apostle. "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow-labourer, and to our sister Apphia" (for thus we should read), "and to Archippus, our fellow-soldier, and to the Church in thy house, grace unto you, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Philemon 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 by him the bowels of the saints were refreshed. (v. 7.) He had received, and he gave. Grace had opened his heart, and he found a circle to which it could go out - the saints of God. (v. 5.) A partaker of the divine nature, that nature was active in him, as Paul had heard, so to its dictates the apostle appeals on behalf of Onesimus (vv. 8-17) that Philemon's fellowship in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing that is "in us" in Christ Jesus. What justice could not have claimed, that Paul counted on Philemon to manifest, the recognition in Onesimus of the work of grace, which through Paul's instrumentality had been effected.

The second is Philemon, who was apparently a well-to-do citizen of Colosse and a member of the church there. Paul addresses him as 'the beloved and fellow workman' (Philem. 1:1). Apparently he had laboured with the apostle at some previous time.

Then there is Onesimus, a one time slave of Philemon, who had absconded from his service and had eventually reached Rome . Perhaps his idea was that in this well populated city the chances of his detection would be very much minimised. Whilst he had been in Rome he had come under the preaching of the gospel by the apostle and had been converted. Paul writes of him as his child and one who had been begotten in his bonds (v. 9).

Philemon, a much loved friend and fellow-servant of the apostle, evidently lived at Colosse. Apphia would appear to have been his wife, and Archippus his son, who was also a gifted man with a very definite service committed to him from the Lord. Philemon's house was a meeting place for God's people, so that Paul could write of "the church in thy house."

Philemon was, though in a less noted and conspicuous way than Timothy, Titus, and others, a devoted servant of Christ, honoured by the Apostle himself as his "beloved and fellow-labourer," who, with Apphia and Archippus (who were probably his wife and son) appeared to have belonged to the Church at Colosse (near to Laodicea), which had its meeting in their house (comp. Col. 4:9-17).

Onesimus, a fugitive slave, had been converted by means of Paul in his bonds. Philemon, a rich man or at least one of easy fortune, received the assembly in his house (his wife being also converted), and in his measure laboured himself in the Lord's work. Archippus was a servant of the Lord, who ministered in the assembly, perhaps an evangelist; at any rate he took part in the conflicts of the gospel, and was thus associated with Philemon and the assembly.

"Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow-labourer, and to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philemon 1-3). Philemon was evidently a wealthy man, with slaves under him. One of his slaves, Onesimus, ran away and went to Rome. Probably he stole from his master before he left. In Rome he met the Apostle Paul, and through him, Onesimus found the Lord, and became His slave.

The epistle to Philemon is the shortest of all the canonical letters of Paul. Conjoining Timothy with him in the salutation, as he had done to that addressed to all the Colossian saints, he here addresses, in company with Philemon and Apphia his wife, Archippus, a labourer in the Word, and the Church in Philemon's house, sending the letter, not by Tychicus, but most likely by the one who was most deeply and personally interested in its contents.

Onesimus, who was Philemon's fugitive slave, had been brought in the providence of God across the path of the apostle of the Gentiles during the latter's imprisonment at Rome. (v. 10.) Converted through his instrumentality he would learn that his earthly master at Colosse was known to Paul, and owed his salvation under God to the same gospel, and to the same human agency. Paul was the father in the faith of both Philemon and Onesimus (v 19), though how and when the apostle had met with Philemon we know not; for Colosse, in which the latter lived, was a town in which the former had never worked.

This Epistle has often been called a “private” epistle of the apostle. But the mention of the church in Philemon's house shows that the personal circumstances of the Christian are not to be separated from the fellowship of the believers, as they are members of one body (Eph. 4:25). Onesimus was Philemon's slave who had run away and probably stolen money of him. On his flight he met the imprisoned apostle Paul in Rome and was led to faith in the Lord Jesus by him. This is why Paul calls Onesimus “my son” in verse 10. Onesimus might have known Paul by hearsay. Meantime he had become quite helpful to the apostle in various respects (see Col. 4:9).

The occasion and object are both plainly indicated in the Epistle itself. Onesimus, a slave, probably a Phrygian, who were considered the lowest of all, had run away from his master, Philemon, who was a Christian. It is more than probable that he had stolen money from Philemon (verse 18). He was attracted to Rome, the great world-city, thinking perhaps he would be undetected there. What happened to him in Rome and how he came in touch with Paul is not made known in the Epistle. He may have been in dire want and destitution. Perhaps he had heard Paul's name mentioned in his master's house and learning of his presence in Rome as a prisoner, he got in touch with him. This we know, that he heard the gospel preached by the apostle, and believing, he was saved. He then told the apostle his story and Paul sent him back to his master with this precious letter. And Onesimus who returns to Philemon is no longer "unprofitable"; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved" (verse 16).