If ever I make mention of you , I always do, I give thanks to God for you. Why? Hearing of your love and faith , he says. Do you see that he does not immediately seek favor from the beginning?
hearing of your love . which, if it were not great, would by no means be heard from Phrygia all the way to Rome.
that the fellowship of your faith . It unites him to himself, just as if he said: Fellowship of faith is that which makes one and common. But why do you give thanks to God? So that the fellowship of your faith , he says, may become effective . But how will it be effective? If it proceeds to every work of virtue. Blessed Paul interprets himself. But how will it be effective ? By this, that you have the knowledge and accomplish every good thing .
that is in us . He says that which is now also in us. (Matt. 25:40)
for Christ Jesus . For whoever does good to someone, does it to Christ, especially to the saints.
we have great joy . Not only, Paul says, did we rejoice, but such was the pleasure that it even brought us comfort while in bonds.
because the hearts of the saints . See! He wishes to say: If you grant favors to others, much more grant them to me; thus he does not say; but otherwise more skillfully. For he knows the memory of benefits done to others makes those who are urged more obedient.
have been refreshed through you . For, Paul says, they find rest in your love. They rest because of you. Since you are such a one toward the saints as to also give them rest, I have the boldness to command you. Having boldness because of Christ; to command you a fitting thing; for this is what is proper. But I said to command, not because I rule over you, but because of the love which I love you and am loved by you, I seem to command, but I do not command. For even if I appear to command you, it is out of love that I do not command but rather encourage. Thus, I do the matter with great regard. Being such a one, as Paul an elder. And I exhort, being such a one as one ought to be, he says, to persuade.
Paul . And this alone is sufficient to persuade,
the aged, but now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ . Do you see the motives for persuading?
Recommendation of Onesimus, a runaway servant, and an appeal on his behalf, who has been saved through faith.
Philemon 10-14 I therefore appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my chains, formerly useless to you, but now indeed useful both to you and to me, whom I have sent back. I appeal to you to receive him as my very heart: whom I wished to keep with me, so that he might serve me in the chains of the gospel on your behalf; but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed would not be forced but voluntary .
Paul mentions Philemon first, praising the servant as a beloved child, because he says he also baptized him. For this is the one, " I have begotten while in my chains ." Therefore, having calmed his anger through these things, he thus gives the name Onesimus , he says.
formerly useless to you . For he knows that the acknowledged sin is to extinguish the master's anger.
but now indeed useful both to you and to me . If such faithfulness is useful to Paul, who demands so much, it is clearly also useful to Philemon.
whom I have sent back . To hand Onesimus over to the master, rather extinguished his anger.
to receive him as my very heart . What do I mean by " receive him "? Receiving this one, you will receive my own very heart . Thus he says, I love him as one calls him his own heart . And " receive " means to accept with love.
so that he might serve me in the chains of the gospel on your behalf . Do you see that Paul has brought the master to the very place, little by little? For he says that he serves me on your behalf . Here he shows that he wishes what is more advantageous for the master. For if you say that you ought to serve, and he does this instead of you, the benefit is yours.
in the chains of the gospel . In chains for the sake of the Gospel.
without your consent . This was especially humiliating for him, that he did not do something so necessary for him without your consent.
so that your good deed would not be forced but voluntary . Paul did not say, "By force," but, "would not be forced;" as if he had said, "I knew that even against your will, forcing Onesimus on you, I would not cause you pain. But so that it may not seem to be done by force, I was not willing," he says.
Philemon 15-20 For I suppose that for this reason he was separated for a while, so that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would me. And if he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge that to me. I, Paul, write this with my own hand—I will repay it—to avoid saying to you that you owe me your own self as well. Yes, brother. May I enjoy refreshment in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
Since Onesimus has changed his mind from being a wicked one, he himself turns it to the doubtful, as if he said: For perhaps he fled for reasons of caution.
for this reason he was separated . With a euphemistic name, Paul called it separation, so that the memory of the separation would not provoke the master. Then he also limits the time, calming the anger, or he speaks in terms of a season of the year.
so that you might have him back forever , you have, that is, you receive.