Category:Philemon (text)

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The Letter of Paul to Philemon (see Online Text) is a New Testament document.

Overview

The Epistle to Philemon was written by Paul of Tarsus to a member of the Christian community, the slave-master Philemon, concerning a runaway slave called Onesimus. This slave had found his way to the site of Paul's imprisonment (most probably Rome or Caesarea Maritima) and had became a Christian. Running away was a very serious crime according to Roman Law, and so it was the case of a person hiding or protecting a fugitive slave.

Slavery was a very harsh condition, and Philemon had the right to punish Onesimus, even to kill him, if he wished. In spite of this possibility and of his friendly relations with Onesimus, Paul is sending him back to his master.

Like the other leaders of the early Church, Paul does not question the legitimacy of slavery (see also 1 Peter 2:18-25). He does not ask Philemon to free all his slaves or his Christian slaves, but is asking him to welcome the slave Onesimus as a brother in Christ. They are now both Christians and this has changed the terms of their relationship. In Paul's words, in the new eschatological community, “there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28).

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Pages in category "Philemon (text)"

The following 30 pages are in this category, out of 30 total.

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