At the time of writing the letter, Paul was in prison. This powerful reference tool is a book-by-book, chapter-by-chapter, detailed look at the historical, geographical, cultural, and economic background of Acts–Philemon. 5. The biblical book of Philemon was an original letter written by the apostle Paul, to a man named Philemon. III. It is also significant to note that Paul appealed to Philemon and everyone in Philemon’s house. Punishment for a runaway slave was up to the sole discretion of the slave’s owner because slaves were considered the property of their owner. 401, passed through Colossae. Philemon 1:9-10 - Yet for love's sake I rather beseech [thee], being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Slavery had a long history of what it had done (both in Roman culture and Judaistic culture) and how it had treated runaway slaves. Letter of Paul to Philemon, brief New Testament letter written by St. Paul the Apostle to a wealthy Christian of Colossae, in Asia Minor, on behalf of Onesimus, who was enslaved to Philemon and may have run away from him. Philemon and Onesimus needed to figure out how to live out their new found faith in a culture that did not match that faith. 14-16). This was about the same time he wrote Ephesians and Philemon. Philemon also creates a challenge for Bible teachers in a time when, as a culture and as the body of Christ, we are dealing—perhaps like never before—with the lingering shame of chattel slavery in the United States. Commentaries for the book of Philemon. Paul refers to him with terms of endearment and friendship—“beloved brother” and “fellow worker” (vs. 1). Philip W. Comfort and Walter A. Elwell, eds.. Philemon, a Pauline letter reflecting the social norms of the first century Greco-Roman culture, has often been used in various debates surrounding the question of whether Paul supported slavery. Purpose, Occasion, and Background. Ovid, Metamorphoses VIII.626-660,679-719. All of this information affects the situation between Philemon and Onesimus because Philemon had the ultimate authority to decide what punishment Onesimus would receive. It is difficult to know if Paul sought Onesimus’s full freedom. philemon can be taken as capably as picked to act. He knew the scriptures well enough to quote them by memory. FIVE CULTURAL BACKGROUND ELEMENTS RELEVANT TO THE BOOK OF PHILEMON. Recipient, Background, and Purpose. The Book of Philemon Name: Course: Institution: Instructor: Date: The Book of Philemon The book of Philemon in the Bible is a letter written to Philemon by Paul and Timothy. Just as God forgives us, he expects us to forgive others, as we find in the Lord's Prayer. The chalk-like consistency of the water in the Lycus River was suitable for the production of dyes. This trip took place after the events described in Acts, between Paul’s first and final Roman imprisonments. Unfortunately, the legs of the goose were faster than those of Philemon or Baucis. 8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. Tweet. His parents, a family of Pharisees of the tribe of Benjamin, probably taught him about the law and prophets as well as the Hebrew and Aramaic languages. In his adolescence, Paul studied the Jewish scriptures under famous Jewish rabbi Gamaliel. I beseech you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. Access the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible notes when you upgrade to Bible Gateway Plus. Such a focus, however, misses the profundity of what Paul was asking Philemon to do within his cultural and social framework. Occupational Skills: Paul was a tent maker. The message is contained in the apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon and the issue of that day was slavery. Despite the Apostle Paul's clear preaching on grace, some churches still command good works to earn merit with God. How does this “background” effect the way we look at Philemon and his slave, Onesimus? Commentaries . Other slave owners in the region would have wanted Philemon to severely punish Onesimus for committing a criminal act and then running away. The Book of Philemon. Colossae was once a city of Phrygia, but in the time of the New Testament was part of the Roman province of Asia. Philemon 8. 4 Runaway slaves were considered “fugitives.” Because of the high incidence of runaway slaves in ancient Rome, Romans hired professional slave-catchers. II. As he … Bob Martin does an outstanding job of opening our minds to the exhortations and warnings of the apostle Paul as he writes to the church in Colosse and to his dear brother and friend, Philemon. He has redeemed his people, enabling them to participate in his death, resurrection, and fullness. According to the Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Christian doctrine was opposed to slavery, but the early church did not directly confront slavery nor did the early church emphasize the aspect of Christian doctrine that would be against it. It was a very wicked city and immorality flourished and flooded over, Historical Background One of the most important things to understand about Philemon the is background of slavery in the ancient world. In turn, as we hope to show in future studies, knowing this historical context also helps us apply today those texts that discuss difficult issues, such as slavery. 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