PHILEMON: Outline & Synopsis

Outline:

1. Introduction (1-7)

   1. Greeting (1-3)

      1. From: Paul and Timothy

      2. To: Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, the church in your house

      3. Greeting Proper

   2. Purpose/Paul’s Prayer for Philemon (4-7)

      1. That he Gives Thanks (4)

      2. Why he Gives Thanks (5)

      3. The Goal of Paul’s Prayers (6)

      4. Reason: The Blessing of Philemon’s Love (7)

2. Paul’s Exhortation to Philemon (8-20)

   1. Paul Prefaces his Exhortation/Why he exhorts (8-9)

   2. Paul Explains and Defines his Exhortation (10-20)

      1. Paul Explains his Exhortation: Onesimus’s Transformation (10-16)

         1. For whom Paul Exhorts/Describing Transformed Onesimus’s Usefulness (10-14)

         2. Reason for Separation of Onesimus from Philemon (15-16)

      2. Paul Defines his Exhortation: Receive & Forgive Onesimus (17-20)

3. Conclusion (21-25)

   1. Final Words of Confidence and Anticipation (21-22)

      1. Confidence in Philemon’s Obedience (21)

      2. Command Anticipating Imminent Fellowship (22)

   2. Final Greetings from unified Brothers (23-24)

   3. Farewell Greeting from Paul (25)

Synopsis:

Paul and Timothy's letter to Philemon is an intercessory exhortation on behalf of his slave Onesimus, exhorting forgiveness and reconciliation—that they welcome him into the fellowship there in Colossae. This is an apostolic exhortation for unity. Each member of the Body matters. It matters that we are unified, that we forgive one another and are reconciled with one another. So much so that one of Jesus’ sent-out ones/apostles interceded to a master on behalf of his repentant slave. It is necessary that Philemon receive Onesimus his slave back as the redeemed, changed, and beloved brother that he now is in Christ. That Philemon receive Onesimus back as he would Paul, as one who shares in the fellowship that we have in Christ (v. 17). It is necessary for Paul to pray for Philemon, that the fellowship of his faith would become effective through the knowledge of every good thing by them for Christ. Philemon needs to demonstrate to the Body under his care what unity in submission to the Head looks like (Colossians).

Paul introduces this letter with his usual greeting (1-3) and prayer (4-7). The audience of this letter is more than just Philemon; it is Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church in Philemon’s house. What Paul has to say to Philemon affects and has implications for the church under his and most likely Archippus’s care. The theme of unity also is in Paul and Timothy’s greeting: by describing Philemon as their fellow-worker and Archippus as their fellow-soldier. Paul then gives the purpose for this letter, and he gives it amidst telling of the joy and encouragement that Philemon’s love and faith, and edification of the saints have been to Paul (4- 7). The purpose of Paul’s prayers for Philemon is the same as his purpose in writing this letter; Paul is praying for Philemon, that he would submit to this word of exhortation. Paul is writing this letter so that the fellowship from Philemon’s faith would become effective/active by means of/in the knowledge of every good thing by Paul and Timothy (in this letter), for Christ. That the communion that he has with fellow believers over what they have in common (Christ and His Word) would accomplish something—namely, that Philemon would receive Onesimus into the fellowship there in Colossae in complete forgiveness and total reconciliation, in unity because they now have Christ in common (v. 6 together with v. 17).

The body of this letter comes in verses 8-20 in which Paul first prefaces his exhortation (8-9), then explains his exhortation (10-16), and last defines his exhortation (17-20). Paul first tells why he specifically exhorts, as opposed to just commanding Philemon to do the befitting thing (8-9). Paul is exhorting because of love; he is demonstrating humility to Philemon. Paul could, as an apostle of Christ, just command Philemon, but he choses to exhort/call along side in order to appeal to Philemon—not as a superior, but as an equal. If the apostle Paul—now also one chained of Christ Jesus and an old man—is coming in such humility, it stands to reason that the one he’s addressing would be humble and submit to his exhortation. Paul then explains his exhortation, telling for whom he exhorts, namely, Onesimus (10-14), as well as the reason for the separation of Onesimus from Philemon (15-16). In these verses, Paul, while telling for whom he exhorts, is also explaining the rationale behind his exhortation; there is need for it because Onesimus has been redeemed, Onesimus has been transformed from useless to useful. To the extent that Paul even was intending to hold him back to himself, to use him in the work there in Rome (this is an apostolic testimony of Onesimus’s newfound usefulness); but Paul recognizes Philemon’s authority over Onesimus as his master, which is why Paul sent Onesimus back—not only because Onesimus belongs to Philemon, but also so that they will be reconciled. And in this letter, Paul is interceding as a father on behalf of Onesimus, his child in the faith, to Philemon so that there will be reconciliation between master and slave as new brothers in Christ. And perhaps this is the reason for the separation: so that Philemon would have Onesimus back eternal, as a beloved brother.

Paul, now defining his exhortation (17-20), exhorts that Philemon receive Onesimus when he comes back, in the same way that Philemon would receive Paul—as a fellowshipper, one who shares something in common. That the fellowship from Philemon’s faith would become active so that he would receive Onesimus as one who shares in this fellowship which we have in Christ. Philemon is to do this having forgiven Onesimus’s wrongs against him, for which Paul intercedes and takes responsibility of. Paul then concludes his exhortation by wrapping it up to a point (v. 20): Onesimus represents Paul (v. 12); Paul represents Christ (v. 1); Onesimus is Paul’s affections (12). Paul has had much joy and comfort in that the affections of the saints have been refreshed through Philemon’s love (7). Paul therefore is exhorting Philemon to continue his faithfulness and to refresh Paul’s affections in Christ (20). That is, by receiving Onesimus as Philemon would receive Paul—as a fellowshipper, one who has Christ in common. And in doing this Philemon is refreshing the affections of Christ.

Paul’s conclusion (21-25) expresses confidence in Philemon’s more than sufficient obedience (21), and gives a command that anticipates imminent fellowship which also serves to keep Philemon accountable because Paul is coming soon (22). It gives final greetings from known brothers in Christ—one a fellow-prisoner with Paul, the others fellow-workers along with Philemon (23-24)—and ends with Paul’s necessary farewell greeting (25).

Refreshing affections (7, 12, 20), receiving new brothers in the Lord, receiving them as one who now has something in common—one whom they now have fellowship with—requires reconciliation, forgiveness of past sins/grievances/wrongs. Forgiving one another means that there has been repentance from sin and that there is unity and right relationships between one another—it requires actual forgiveness, that no one continue to harbor any bitterness against one another. Paul is writing to make sure that there remains no bitterness, to ensure that all former offenses and sins are reconciled; Paul is writing to preserve, promote, and encourage/exhort the unity of the Body and the fellowship of faith in Christ.