But more than a slave . Do you see that escaping brought many benefits? For instead of an hour of escape, you have an eternal one. (For the escape is but one hour compared to eternity.) And instead of a worthless slave, you have received a beloved brother .
how much more to you . If to me, much more to you, even in worldly services. For this is " in the flesh ." And in spiritual matters. For this is " in the Lord ."
So if you consider me a partner . That is, if you think and wish the same things as I do.
welcome him as you would me . Wow, how great is the magnitude of those words!
And if he has wronged you . Paul did not say, "He stole," but the verb is cut short. He says he wronged or owes .
charge that to me . For it was likely that they themselves had consumed together the things that had been stolen, and Paul says, " charge this to me ," that is, charge these things as a debt to me, let the obligation be held against me.
I, Paul, write . He wrote with spiritual grace, as if he said, But for safe keeping, that I will repay the debt, I have made the letters with my own hand.
to avoid saying to you that you owe me your own self as well . So that Paul may not seem to insult him by not daring to appeal to him openly on behalf of the runaway slave (for this would show Philemon to be somewhat harsh), it shows that Paul is also very confident in Philemon. For he says not only your own things, but also yourself you owe to me.
Yes, brother . Again, from what is pleasing it advances to what is serious. " Yes ," he said, " brother ." What? Accept it yourself. I will take advantage from you in things that are according to Christ.
May I enjoy . That is, I delight in your excellent works in the Lord. May I see you growing rich in all spiritual blessings.
refresh my heart . Paul says, Refresh my love for you for the sake of Christ.
Philemon 21-25 I wrote to you, confident in your obedience, knowing that you will also do more than I say. At the same time, prepare a lodging for me; for I hope that through your prayers I will be granted the opportunity to come to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen .
confident . Paul said, "You do this not for me, but for Christ."
confident in your obedience . I did not write to you as one commanding or stubbornly dealing with you, but having confidence in your obedience . Whom would these things not soften, even if he were made of iron?
knowing that you will also do more than I say . Paul said this, persuading Philemon in every way to accept Onesimus, if not for any other reason, then at least so as not to destroy his own reputation if he had any with the Apostle.
prepare a lodging for me . Paul says that he did not write only because of Onesimus (for Philemon would have said, if not for himself, that I was not worthy of even a word), but also for this reason, he says, that you might prepare a lodging for me . And Philemon was even afraid that if he did not receive Onesimus, the Apostle would come and it would be known that he had been disobedient.
for I hope that through your prayers . Great indeed is the power of prayers, and great also is the humility of Paul, because he was in need of those prayers.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner . This man was sent from the Colossians to Paul, as it is clear that Philemon was from Colossae. He is called a fellow prisoner, indicating that he too was in great distress. Moreover, this also honors him; for Epaphras was indeed a fellow prisoner, whereas this one did not even show kindness to Onesimus, who was a prisoner for the Lord.
Aristarchus, Demas . About this, Paul wrote to Timothy, “Demas abandoned me.” (2 Tim. 4:10)
[PHOTIUS] They say that this Demas again turned away to Hellenism and became a priest of idols. [ end of the Photius excerpt ]
[OECUMENIUS] And if that was at first, now he has repented. But if later, after these things he became negligent. [ end of the excerpt by Oecumenius ]
Luke . The last became first. For if in the second letter to Timothy he says, Luke is the only one with me. (2 Tim. 4:11) And he calls them co-workers , showing that these also, he says, are encouraging you with me.
“Finished, with divine help, the Epistle to Philemon.”
Written from Rome, through Onesimus the servant.