WORD From The Woods
This is the first installment in a new series though the book of Philemon. This week is an introduction, and next week we’ll jump into the text .
Philemon is a fascinating book of the Bible. It is written by Paul during his imprisonment, and addressed to Philemon, a host of a house church, regarding his runaway slave. While hosting a house church doesn’t necessarily mean Philemon was a leader, it does suggest he was a man of some wealth. After all, he not only owned slaves but also had a home large enough to be the meeting place for a congregation of indeterminate size. This church was likely located in Colossae, as we can infer from the letter to the Colossians, where both Onesimus (Philemon’s slave) and Archippus—who are mentioned in Philemon—are referred to as members of the church there.
The focus of Paul’s letter is a heartfelt appeal to Philemon, asking him to welcome Onesimus back into his household, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ. Paul urges Philemon to show mercy, minimize any punishment and assures him that he will personally cover any debts or damages Onesimus may have caused.
When we read books of the bible, it’s natural to imagine ourselves as one of the characters. However, this tendency can often lead to misinterpretation, as we might place ourselves in the wrong role distorting its original meaning and our understanding of it. In this story, however, I think it is proper to put ourselves in Onesimus’ shoes. We are the sinners, the offenders, the ones burdened with guilt. Like Onesimus, we often find ourselves in a mess of our own making—struggling to fix things in our strength and only making them worse.
Now, the text doesn’t tell us why Onesimus fled or how he came into contact with Paul, but we can infer a few things: Philemon represents the “Law,” and Paul acts as a stand-in for “Christ.” Onesimus, as the offender, is subject to the Law, which could demand severe consequences for a runaway slave—ranging from a beating to death. Yet, Paul steps in, much like Christ does for us. He pleads Onesimus’s case, offers to cover his debt, and asks Philemon to extend grace.
Likely Onesimus is the one who delivered the letter to Philemon. Can you Imagine that?! It would have taken immense humility and courage to ask for forgiveness. Picture him standing at Philemon’s door, head bowed, tears streaming down his face, silently presenting the letter that held his plea for mercy. We don’t know exactly how this scene unfolded, but we can easily relate. How often have we wronged someone—at home, in the workplace, or elsewhere—and struggled to admit our fault?
For loggers in the Pacific Northwest, these themes are strikingly relevant. The tough and often stoic nature of the men in this profession can make moments of humility and reconciliation particularly challenging. Admitting wrongdoing to a crew or crew member at the start of a workday, for example, might feel almost impossible. Yet, just as the Holy Spirit empowered Onesimus to seek forgiveness, He also enables and empowers us to reconcile with our neighbors in the same way He reconciled us to God.
Philemon may be a short book, but it’s incredibly profound. It vividly illustrates the gospel message as we are sinners in need of Christ's intercession for us. As we explore this book further, we’ll continue to see this beautiful truth unfold again and again.
Have a blessed week! -Ethan-
This is the first installment in a new series though the book of Philemon. This week is an introduction, and next week we’ll jump into the text .
Philemon is a fascinating book of the Bible. It is written by Paul during his imprisonment, and addressed to Philemon, a host of a house church, regarding his runaway slave. While hosting a house church doesn’t necessarily mean Philemon was a leader, it does suggest he was a man of some wealth. After all, he not only owned slaves but also had a home large enough to be the meeting place for a congregation of indeterminate size. This church was likely located in Colossae, as we can infer from the letter to the Colossians, where both Onesimus (Philemon’s slave) and Archippus—who are mentioned in Philemon—are referred to as members of the church there.
The focus of Paul’s letter is a heartfelt appeal to Philemon, asking him to welcome Onesimus back into his household, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ. Paul urges Philemon to show mercy, minimize any punishment and assures him that he will personally cover any debts or damages Onesimus may have caused.
When we read books of the bible, it’s natural to imagine ourselves as one of the characters. However, this tendency can often lead to misinterpretation, as we might place ourselves in the wrong role distorting its original meaning and our understanding of it. In this story, however, I think it is proper to put ourselves in Onesimus’ shoes. We are the sinners, the offenders, the ones burdened with guilt. Like Onesimus, we often find ourselves in a mess of our own making—struggling to fix things in our strength and only making them worse.
Now, the text doesn’t tell us why Onesimus fled or how he came into contact with Paul, but we can infer a few things: Philemon represents the “Law,” and Paul acts as a stand-in for “Christ.” Onesimus, as the offender, is subject to the Law, which could demand severe consequences for a runaway slave—ranging from a beating to death. Yet, Paul steps in, much like Christ does for us. He pleads Onesimus’s case, offers to cover his debt, and asks Philemon to extend grace.
Likely Onesimus is the one who delivered the letter to Philemon. Can you Imagine that?! It would have taken immense humility and courage to ask for forgiveness. Picture him standing at Philemon’s door, head bowed, tears streaming down his face, silently presenting the letter that held his plea for mercy. We don’t know exactly how this scene unfolded, but we can easily relate. How often have we wronged someone—at home, in the workplace, or elsewhere—and struggled to admit our fault?
For loggers in the Pacific Northwest, these themes are strikingly relevant. The tough and often stoic nature of the men in this profession can make moments of humility and reconciliation particularly challenging. Admitting wrongdoing to a crew or crew member at the start of a workday, for example, might feel almost impossible. Yet, just as the Holy Spirit empowered Onesimus to seek forgiveness, He also enables and empowers us to reconcile with our neighbors in the same way He reconciled us to God.
Philemon may be a short book, but it’s incredibly profound. It vividly illustrates the gospel message as we are sinners in need of Christ's intercession for us. As we explore this book further, we’ll continue to see this beautiful truth unfold again and again.
Have a blessed week! -Ethan-