Daily Meditations from John N. N. Ng'ang'a: 19 - 25th July 2010 -- The Rich and Poor are both His
Day 1
Philem 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home. NIV
There books we find Easy to read while others are ignored yet all the bible is GOD’S WORD.I have rarely meditated on the small book of Philemon.
The Epistle to Philemon is a prison letter from Paul of Tarsus to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church. It is one of the books of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is the most important early Christian writing dealing with forgiveness.
The epistle is known to church father Tertullian, and through him we know that Marcion accepted it (Adv. Marc., v.21). It is in the list in the Muratorian Fragment (p. 106, 1. 27), and is quoted by Origen as Pauline (Hom. in Jeremiah, 19>) and placed by Eusebius (HE, III, xxv) among the acknowledged books[1]. There is no extant information about Onesimus apart from the letter. Ignatius of Antioch mentions an Onesimus as Bishop of Ephesus in the early second century. It was suggested by some Bible scholars in the 1950s that this Onesimus is the same as the Onesimus in Paul's letter. Furthermore, it was suggested that Onesimus could have been the first to compile the letters of Paul, including the letter that gave him his own freedom as an expression of gratitude. This hypothesis could explain why the letter to Philemon (a letter written to an individual) is included alongside letters written to Christian communities[2] The letter to Philemon is now generally regarded as one of the undisputed works of Paul. It is the shortest of Paul's extant letters, consisting of only 335 words in the original Greek text, and twenty-five verses in modern English translations.[3]
Philemon , who evidently came to faith in Christ as a result of Paul's influence (v. 19), appears to have been a comparatively wealthy Colossian who owned slaves, as did most of the rich in his day. This could have happened when Paul was residing at Ephesus. Onesimus who is the subject of the book of Philemon was one of Philemon's slaves and was probably a native Phrygian. He seems to have ran away from his master and scholars suggest that it was probably not because Philemon treated him cruelly but perhaps because he dealt with him graciously. Onesimus may therefore have been a runaway slave, or he may simply have been involved in some domestic trouble with Philemon. He seems to have eventually made his way to Rome.
God selected a slave to have a whole book in the new testament. I need to be aware that God will speak to me using all the people around me whether rich or poor, educated or illiterate. I need to be always tuned up to hear God through whatever is around me
Day 2
Philem 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. NIV
How did Onesimus came to be with Paul. Various suggestions have been given:
Onesimus being imprisoned with Paul;
Onesimus being brought to Paul by others;
Onesimus coming to Paul by chance (or in the Christian view, by divine providence);
or Onesimus deliberately seeking Paul out, as a friend of his master, in order to be reconciled[4]
We can only see God’s hand in him coming into contact with Paul so that he finally becomes a Christian (v10).He in turn became a valuable helper to the Paul (v. 11)who desired to keep him .
Do I realize that day to day happenings are still controlled by God and not accidents. No wonder Rom 8:28 states clearly events are ordered by God for our good. The good may not be seen in the short term at times but by old age we are full of testimonies of even bad things that God used for our eventual good.
Day 3
Philem 12-15; 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. NIV
Paul felt a greater responsibility to return the slave,Onesmus despite finding him very useful, to his Christian master (vv. 13-14)so that Onesimus would make things right with Philemon whom he had wronged. So he decided to release him to his master.
The social and legal position of the day meant that both Paul and the former slave knew the danger the slave faced in returning since slave owners had absolute authority over their slaves and often treated them as property rather than as people. Dr. Thomas L. Constable in his Notes on Philemon, says :
James D. G. Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon: A Commentary on the Greek Text, pp. 252 and 302, likened slaves in the Roman Empire to household servants in Victorian Britain and estimated that as many as a third of the inhabitants of most large urban centers would have been slaves. G. W. Barker, W. L. Lane, and J. R. Michaels, The New Testament Speaks, p. 211, believed this figure was true of the population of Rome. See Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Letter to Philemon: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, pp. 25-33, for an excursus on slavery in antiquity. He estimated that about one third of the populations of Greece and Italy were slaves.
It cannot therefore have been an easy decision for Paul and Onesmus to agree he goes back to his master.
How many times do i feel tempted to compromise on an issue due to fear of the consequences’ need to keep to the right and the truth despite any consequences. To live a lie due to fear I will hurt someone, or that it will cost me my job may be not Christian. I need God’s courage to live true to faith at whatever consequence.
Day 4
Philem 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home. NIV
God is happy also with rich. Philemon was nobility yet a man of faith.
The letter itself identifies the writer and his audience: The addressee, Philemon‘s character, as given in the letter, was one of great nobility. The apostle commends his faith and love, his benevolence and hospitality, and his docile, sympathizing, and forgiving spirit. His house at Colossae was shown in the time of Theodoret. Tradition represents him as bishop of that city and as having suffered martyrdom.[5]
It is also suggested that when Paul sent Tychicus with epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, Onesimus probably went with him. Paul intended that this letter, along with Tychicus' personal
entreaty for Onesimus, would secure the slave's forgiveness and acceptance. Since Paul evidently sent this letter with the Epistle to the Colossians, as comparison of the two documents suggests, he probably wrote them in Rome at the same time (60-62 A.D.)[6].
Whichever way the letter was delivered, it shows that Paul did not have distaste for the rich. He recognized as men of faith needing ‘pastoring’ just like all others. Do I ignore the great in society quoting that it is easier for a camel to go through a needle hole than for the rich to reach the kingdom of God? Do churches leave the upper class of society, the educated unreached?
Day 5
Philem 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings.NIV
This letter about a slave needing freedom is written by Paul while he himself was a prisoner. What a calling for me. Normally if a have problem , I feel justified to t to think about the needs of others. I feel they and God should understand given my problem.
However, Scholars are not quite agreed as to the place from which the apostle wrote these letters. Certain scholars (Reuss, Schenkel, Weiss, Holtzmann, Hilgenfeld, Hausrath and Meyer) have urged Caesarea in opposition to the traditional place, Rome.
In addition we have the further facts, favorable to Rome, that Paul had no such freedom in Caesarea as he is represented in these epistles as enjoying; that no mention is made of Philip who was in Caesarea and a most important member of that community (Acts 21:8), and finally that there is no probability that so large a body of disciples and companions could have gathered about the apostle in his earlier and more strict imprisonment, at Caesarea. We may therefore conclude that the Captivity letters were written from Rome, and not from Caesarea.[7]
But wherever the letter was written from, it is agreed that it was written from prison. What ‘prison’ prevents me from being useful in ministry? Do I use my bad circumstances as excuse not to serve God and man?
Day 6
Philem 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. NIV
Paul uses the fact that he is a prisoner to good effect. He is not embarrassed about his chains
In contrast to the more usual term, "apostle," Paul's designation of himself as prisoner for Jesus Christ (RSV; cf. v. 13) has a direct bearing on the theme of the letter (see Col 4:18). Paul wrote this brief appeal to pacify Philemon and to affect reconciliation between the slave and his master.
His other purposes were to commend Philemon for showing compassion to other believers (vv. 1-7), to announce his plans to visit Philemon following his anticipated release (vv. 8-22), and to send greetings from his associates (vv. 23-25).
Philemon provides insight both into the social realities of ancient society, in this case the relations between master and slave, which is surpassed only by 1 Corinthians, and into the way in which influence was brought to bear within the earliest churches between parties of differing social status[8].Why did Paul mention others in a rather personal letter? Paul probably addressed the epistle to Apphia, Archippus, and the church meeting in Philemon's house to rally the support of other Christians to encourage Philemon in his Christian responsibility.
Whatever happens to us as we seek to be true to our faith should never embarrass us. we should be happy that God has chosen that path for us. We should also seek to see how the lord intends to use the bad circumstance for his ministry to others .
Day 7
Philem 15-have him back for good- 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. NIV
How we deal with each others in our church fellowship may hinder or assist the ministry to both the Christians and those we seek to bring into the church. It is not right to take each other for granted just because we call each other brother or sister.
Paul’s tactful address to Philemon was labeled "holy flattery" by martin Luther. However the letter teaches us interpersonal skills .Paul begins by acknowledging the persons gifts and good work before he asks for more. We fail when we take people for granted just because they are Christians and therefore we do not thank them for things they do for us and for the church. Acknowledging what the Lord is doing through them helps them to trust him to use them more.
Paul pleads with Philemon to take Onesimus back by commending Philemon's Christian compassion, but at the same time subtly reminding Philemon of his apostolic authority over him, and the spiritual debt Philemon owes to him. He argues that because of his conversion, Onesimus is returned "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother" (v. 16). But one wonders : Is he expected to forgive Onesimus? Is he to consider Onesimus to be Philemon's "brother" as well as his "slave"? Does this new brotherhood supplant his servitude? Answers to this questions may give you the biblical expectations of how even today’s Christian is to deal with others in society.
Respect for each other is shown to be important in this bible letter. How I treat my friends , senor or junior may show my faith or lack of it.