THE ARGUMENT This Epistle is different from the other Epistles, because it is written upon a particular subject, of more special concernment: that it was written by Paul it is not doubted, it hath what he calleth his token in every Epistle, 2 Thess. 3:17.

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ; that is, for the sake of Christ, for the gospel, and for preaching of Jesus Christ. And Timothy our brother; from whence it is evident that Timothy was come to Paul at Rome, according to his desire, 2 Tim. 4:9, 2 Tim.

Apphia was the Roman name of a woman; the naming of her before Archippus, a minister, makes it probable she was Philemon’s wife. It appears this Archippus was a minister, from Col. 4:17.

The common salutation: See Poole on “Rom. 1:7”, See Poole on “1 Cor. 1:3” and See Poole on “2 Cor. 1:2”.

See Poole on “2 Tim. 1:3”.

Hearing of thy love; thy love to God and to the saints, Philem. 7. The apostle putteth love here before faith, contrary to the true order of those spiritual habits, for love must be the fruit of faith, which worketh by love, and to his own order in other places, 1 Tim. 2:7, 2 Tim.

That the communication of thy faith: the word sometime signifieth communion, in all which there is a mutual communication between those with whom the commmunion is. That thou mayst declare that thou hast the same common faith with us, thou communicatest the fruits of it.

For we have great joy and consolation in thy love; thy love doth not extend only to the poor distressed saints helped and relieved by thee, but it hath its effect upon others together with myself; it is a wonderful joy and comfort to us to hear that God hath so opened and enlarged thy heart: the…

Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ; in the Greek it is: Wherefore, having much παρρησιαν, boldness, liberty or freedom of speech, or much power and authority, or right, as Heb. 10:19, for Christ’s sake, being Christ’s apostle, or speaking for the sake of Christ.

Yet for love’s sake; writing to thee in a cause of love, where so good and charitable a man may have an opportunity to express his charity. Or rather, out of my love and kindness to thee, persuading me that I need not use my apostolical authority to such a brother and friend, I beseech thee.

I beseech thee for my son Onesimus; Onesimus, lately thy servant, (the same mentioned Col. 4:9), but my son. Whom I have begotten in my bonds; not naturally, but spiritually, to whom I have been a spiritual father, and begotten him to Christ in my old age, and while I have been here suffering as a…

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable; αχρηστον he useth a soft word, for it appears, Philem. 18, he had wronged him, taking away some of his goods, and running away with them, without Philemon’s knowledge, which made him doubly criminal.

Whom I have sent again; he comes not of his own head, but upon my persuasion, and upon my errand. Thou therefore receive him; I therefore beseech thee to receive him kindly, and entertain him in thy house.

I have such an opinion of his sincerity, that I would willingly have kept him with me, that he might, while I am a prisoner for the gospel of Christ, have done those offices for me, which thou wouldst have done hadst thou been here.

But without thy mind would I do nothing; but he was thy servant, and I would not do it without thy knowledge and consent, that it might not be thought that thou hadst done me a kindness necessarily, but that thou mightest do it freely.

Onesimus in departing designed no such thing, but possibly God, in the wisdom of his providence, suffered him to depart from thee, and to fall into theft, that he might upon that occasion come to a quicker sense and conviction of sin, and see a need of a Saviour; that, being turned from sin unto…

Not now as a servant; not now merely as a servant. But above a servant; but as one that deserveth much more kindness than a servant. A brother beloved; being a Christian (deservedly to be loved.

If thou count me therefore a partner; koinwnon, one with whom thou hast communion, a partner in the same grace of the gospel, and in the same trials and afflictions of the gospel. Receive him as myself; do not only forgive him, but kindly entertain him, who is my friend, as thou wouldst do myself.

If he hath any way been unfaithful. If he hath taken any thing from thee, or be in thy debt, charge that upon me, let me be accountable to thee for it.

Thou hast it here under my hand, I take upon me to satisfy thee Onesimus’s debt; yet I could tell thee, that thou owest me more than it can be, even thy own self, God having made use of me as an instrument to convert and turn thee unto God.

Yea, brother: the particle ναι is used in swearing, affirming, persuading, entreating, the latter seemeth here most proper; as much as, of all love, brother.

I have not written this without a confidence that thou in this thing wilt do what I desire of thee, but I write it out of my affection to poor Onesimus, and desire to help him, not doubting of thy readiness to do the thing.

This would incline one to think that this Epistle was written before the Second Epistle to Timothy, for there, 2 Tim. 4:6–8, he seems to have other apprehensions; yet it is plain Timothy was with Paul when he wrote this, which he was not when that Second Epistle was written, as appears from 2 Tim.

We read of this Epaphras, Col. 1:7, where he is called Paul’s fellow servant, and a faithful minister of Christ: he was with Paul at Rome, Col. 4:12, but there is no mention of him as a prisoner; but now he was a fellow prisoner with Paul, either in the same place, or upon the same account.

All ministers of the gospel: they are also named, Col. 4:10, Col. 4:12, Col. 4:14; they were all at this time at Rome with Paul: see Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 15:37, Acts 15:39, Acts 19:29, Acts 20:4, Acts 27:2, 2 Tim. 4:10.

See Poole on “Gal. 6:18”. See Poole on “Rom. 16:24”. See Poole on “1 Cor. 16:23”. See Poole on “Phil. 4:23”. See Poole on “2 Thess. 3:18”. With your spirit is the same as with you.