57) The Book of Philemon

PHILEMON is the final prison epistle and the final letter in regards to the chronology of the Bible to the Body of Christ by the Apostle Paul. Philemon was a fellowlabourer of Paul who allowed a church to meet in his house in Colosse. Philemon owned a servant named Onesimus who ran away from him. Paul met the man while in prison and won him to Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this letter to Philemon to seek forgiveness for Onesimus and to request for the services of Onesimus while in prison. The letter contains 25 verses.

The Bible does not condemn the principle of servants; the Bible regulates it. Paul did not rebuke Philemon for owning a servant and Paul advised the runaway servant to return to his master. The doctrinal picture is the highest calling for the Christian. The attitude of a servant of the Lord Jesus is reasonable and Scriptural (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Every circumstance in the life of the believer is for the glory and purpose of God and the servant accepts the circumstances with joy and peace (Ps. 123:2; Phil. 1:6-10; 1 Thess. 5:18). The aged saint provided the ideal attitude of a servant because the Lord permitted Paul's prison term under Rome (Phil. 4:11).

Spiritual typology reveals a beautiful picture of the salvation of a sinner. Philemon pictures God the Father, Paul pictures God the Son, and Onesimus pictures the converted sinner. The sins of Onesimus were placed on the account of Paul as the sins of the converted sinner were placed on the account of the Lord Jesus (Isa. 53:6; 2 Cor. 5:21).