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The Master-slave Handbook
St. Paul & Onesimus
As modern-day Master and slave, we must remember that St. Paul accepted slavery as an established fact, a deeply-rooted social institution which he did not attempt to abolish He recommends slaves to seek in all things to please their masters, not to contradict them, to do them no wrong, to honour them, to be loyal to them, so as to make the teaching of God Our Saviour shine forth before the eyes of all, and to prevent that name and teaching from being blasphemed:
“All those under the yoke of slavery must have unqualified respect for their masters, so that the name of God and our teaching are not brought into disrepute. Those whose masters are believers are not to respect them less because they are brothers; on the contrary, they should serve them all the better, since those who have the benefit of their services are believers and dear to God.” (1 Timothy 6:1-2)
“Slaves must be obedient to their masters in everything, and do what is wanted without argument; and there must be no pilfering -- they must show complete honesty at all times, so that they are in every way a credit to the teaching of God our Saviour.” (Titus 2:9-10)
He inculcated forbearance to slaves as well as obedience to masters:
“Slaves, be obedient to those who are, according to human reckoning, your masters, with deep respect and sincere loyalty, as you are obedient to Christ: not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please human beings, but as slaves of Christ who wholeheartedly do the will of God. Work willingly for the sake of the Lord and not for the sake of human beings. Never forget that everyone, whether a slave or a free man, will be rewarded by the Lord for whatever work he has done well. And those of you who are employers, treat your slaves in the same spirit; do without threats, and never forget that they and you have the same Master in heaven and there is no favouritism with him. Finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power.” (Ephesians 6:5-10)
“Slaves, be obedient in every way to the people who, according to human reckoning, are your masters; not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please human beings, but wholeheartedly, out of respect for the Master. Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as done for the Lord and not for human beings, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving.” (Colossians 3:22-24)
“Therefore, although in Christ I have no hesitations about telling you what your duty is, I am rather appealing to your love, being what I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. He was of no use to you before, but now he is useful both to you and to me. I am sending him back to you -- that is to say, sending you my own heart.” (Philemon 8-12)
“I suppose you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, merely so that you could have him back for ever, no longer as a slave, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, both on the natural plane and in the Lord.” (Philemon 15-16)
He taught that the Christian slave is the Lord's freedman:
“You see, anyone who was called in the Lord while a slave, is a freeman of the Lord; and in the same way, anyone who was free when called, is a slave of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 7:22)
and vigorously proclaimed the complete spiritual equality of slave and freeman, the universal, fatherly love of God, and the Christian brotherhood of men:
“All of you are the children of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus, since every one of you that has been baptised has been clothed in Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither slave nor freeman, there can be neither male nor female -- for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28)
“We were baptised into one body in a single Spirit, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as free men, and we were all given the same Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)
“Masters, make sure that your slaves are given what is upright and fair, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 4:1)
To slaves owned by pagan Masters, St. Peter also points out their duty to be submissive:
“Slaves, you should obey your masters respectfully, not only those who are kind and reasonable but also those who are difficult to please. You see, there is merit if, in awareness of God, you put up with the pains of undeserved punishment; but what glory is there in putting up with a beating after you have done something wrong? The merit in the sight of God is in putting up with it patiently when you are punished for doing your duty.” (1 Peter 2:18-20)
Let us call to mind Philemon of Colossae. St. Paul and Philemon were dear and intimate friends. Philemon was rich and noble and in possession of several slaves, though a kind, helpful and charitable Master. Indeed, his name means friendly. One of his slaves was named Onesimus, and his story is contained in the actual letter of St. Paul to Philemon. It is one of the four Captivity Epistles composed by St. Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome (the others being Colossians, Ephesians and Philippians) and were written and despatched at the same time, between A. D. 62-63.
Onesimus, a Phrygian by birth, one of the many slaves of Philemon, apparently defrauded his master, and ran away to Rome, finding his way to the hired lodging where Paul was imprisoned, to escape punishment for the theft he had committed. There, he heard the Gospel from St. Paul and converted to Christianity. Earlier Paul had converted Philemon.
“On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him.” (Acts 28:16)
Onesimus became the spiritual son of St. Paul, who would have retained him with himself, that in the new and higher sphere of Christian service he should render the service which his master could not personally perform.
“I am rather appealing to your love, being what I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus.” (Philemon 9-10)
But Philemon had a prior claim. Onesimus, as a Christian, was obliged to make restitution. According to the law, the master of a runaway slave might treat him exactly as he pleased. When retaken, the slave was usually branded on the forehead, maimed, or forced to fight with wild beasts.
Paul asks pardon for the offender, and with a rare tact and utmost delicacy requests his master to receive him kindly as himself. We do not know the result of St. Paul's request, but that it was granted seems to be implied in subsequent ecclesiastical tradition.
This short letter, written to an individual friend, has the same divisions as Paul’s longer letters:
- the introduction (verses 1-7)
- the body of the Epistle or the request (verses 8-22)
- the epilogue (verses 23-25).
Introduction (1-7)
The introduction contains firstly the salutation or address and then the thanksgiving for Philemon's faith and love which gives great joy and consolation to the Apostle.
Paul, prisoner for the sake of Jesus Christ, and brother Timothy to Philemon our much-loved fellow-worker, Apphia our sister and Archippus who is with us in the fight; to the church that meets in your house - grace and peace be to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philemon 1-3)
I always thank God for you, Philemon, in my constant prayers for you all, for I have heard how you love and trust both the Lord Jesus himself and those who believe in him. And I pray that those who share your faith may also share your knowledge of all the good things that believing in Jesus Christ can mean to us. It is your love, my brother, that gives us such comfort and happiness, for it cheers the hearts of your fellow Christians. (Philemon 4-7)
The body of the epistle concerns the request and appeal on behalf of the slave Onesimus. Though he could instruct Philemon to do with Onesimus that which is convenient, for Christian love's sake, Paul instead beseeches him. Once he was not what his name implies (helpful, beneficial); now, however, he is profitable to both. Paul sends him again and asks Philemon to receive him as his own heart. Paul was desirous of retaining Onesimus with himself that he might minister to him in his imprisonment, but he was unwilling to do anything without Philemon's decision.
And although I could rely on my authority in Christ and dare to order you to do what I consider right, I am not doing that. No, I am appealing to that love of yours, a simple personal appeal from Paul the old man, in prison for Jesus Christ's sake. I am appealing for my child. Yes I have become a father though I have been under lock and key, and the child's name is - Onesimus! Oh, I know you have found him pretty useless in the past but he is going to be useful now to both of us. (Philemon 8-11)
I am sending him back to you: will you receive him as my son, part of me? I should have dearly loved to have kept him with me: he could have done what you would have done - looked after me here in prison for the Gospel's sake. But I would do nothing without consulting you first, for if you have a favour to give me, let it be spontaneous and not forced from you by circumstances! It occurs to me that there has been a purpose in your losing him. You lost him, a slave, for a time; now you are having him back for good, not merely as a slave, but as a brother-Christian. He is already especially loved by me - how much more will you be able to love him, both as a man and as a fellow-Christian! You and I have so much in common haven't we? Then do welcome him as you would welcome me. If you feel he has wronged or cheated you put it down to my account. I've written this with my own hand: I, Paul, hereby promise to repay you. (Of course I'm not stressing the fact that you might be said to owe me your very soul!) Now do grant me this favour, my brother - such an act of love will do my old heart good. As I send you this letter I know you'll do what I ask - I believe, in fact, you'll do more. (Philemon 12-21)
The epilogue contains salutations and a final benediction.
Will you do something else? Get the guest-room ready for me, for I have great hopes that through your prayers I myself will be returned to you as well! (.. released from prison in Rome and able to travel to Colossae). Epaphras, here in prison with me, sends his greetings: so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, all fellow-workers for God. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, amen. (Philemon 22-25)
Tychicus was given the responsibility of carrying Paul’s letter from Rome to the Colossians, and Onesimus evidently traveled back with him.
“Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a very dear brother, and a trustworthy helper and companion in the service of the Lord. I am sending him to you precisely for this purpose: to give you news about us and to encourage you thoroughly. With him I am sending Onesimus, that dear and trustworthy brother who is a fellow-citizen of yours. They will tell you everything that is happening here.” (Colossians 4:7-9)
The Letter is a model of forgiveness, love, and tact and the apostle urged Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother, not as property. This book has tremendous value for us today because, in a certain sense, it is the story of our lives as well.
The great reformer Martin Luther clearly saw this and wrote:
“Here we see how St. Paul lays himself out for poor Onesimus, and with all his means pleads his cause with his master: and so sets himself as if he were Onesimus, and had himself done wrong to Philemon. Even as Christ did for us with God the Father, thus also St. Paul does for Onesimus with Philemon… We are all His Onesimi, to my thinking.”
Jesus said:
“I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34)
Paul wrote:
“As it is, scripture makes no exception when it says that sin is master everywhere; so the promise can be given only by faith in Jesus Christ to those who have this faith.” (Galatians 3:22)
Those who have not been saved and set free by the power of the Lord Jesus are still in slavery to sin. They also become slaves to all sorts of fears and superstitions (because if you don’t believe in something, then you will fall for anything!) And like Onesimus, many today are still running from their master having stolen from Him the glory, praise, and sacrifice that is due to His name. This is the story of us all at some stage of our lives. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. They say that it is darkest just before the dawn, and saving grace often works in the same manner.. God’s ways are not our ways.
Paul emphasised to Philemon that Onesimus would return ‘more than a slave, a beloved brother.’ So it is with us. It is at this point that a person becomes ‘useful’ to God. Paul wrote that he was sending Onesimus back to his master, “who formally was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.” The name Onesimus means useful, beneficial or profitable. And that is what he became once he was restored back to his master. The same is true for you. It is not until you come back into a relationship of dependence that you become ‘useful’ once again. But what a privilege it is to be used for God’s plans and purposes!
God the Father accepts us just as He would His own Son Jesus, even though, in ourselves, we are little better than a thieving runaway slave.
Onesimus was a very fortunate man. At one time a runaway thieving slave, but now an accepted beloved brother, restored to his master. It is a fantastic reminder of the wonderful grace that has been shown to each of us who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus.
The letter says nothing (nor does the rest of the Bible) about the injustice of slavery. Philemon has doubtless grown up taking slavery for granted. When Onesimus runs away, taking with him some of Philemon's money, Philemon considers himself the injured party. And Paul does not question that assumption, he simply says, "Put it down to my account. Charge it off against what you owe me."
And Paul's credit balance with Philemon was considerable. The most important thing in Philemon's life, the thing that made that life worth living, was his knowledge of the Good News of God in Christ Jesus; and this he owed to Paul, who had brought it to him and others at a considerable cost to himself.
Here in this letter we are shown the Christian doctrine of forgiveness in action. As Christians, we are to forgive those who have injured us, to be prepared to be reconciled with our enemies. In our quarrels with others, we often suppose ourselves to be mostly or entirely in the right (as we may guess that Philemon did in his quarrel with Onesimus).
Paul was moved to undertake a life of danger and hardship, spreading the Good News about Christ, was moved to give his whole life to Christ, because he knew that Christ had given His life for Paul. And Paul's words to Philemon are simply an echo of Christ's words to each of us. "If your brother has injured you, if you feel that he owes you anything, put it down to My account -- charge it off against what you owe Me." And Christ in His turn has earned the right to say that to us, because He once stood before Pontius Pilate and, being accused, made no reply in His own defence, choosing rather to say, "Whatever wrong anyone has committed, whatever debt or penalty incurred, put it down to My account."
Later, as Saint Jerome and other Fathers testify, he became an ardent preacher of the Gospel and a bishop, though some scholars dispute this. It is he who succeeded Saint Timothy as bishop of Ephesus. He was cruelly tortured in Rome, for eighteen days, by a governor of that city, infuriated by his preaching on the merit of celibacy. His legs and thighs were broken with bludgeons, and he was then stoned to death. His martyrdom occurred under Domitian in the year 95 and he is commemorated as a saint on February 16th.
Slavery exists and is real. We have words of guidance to follow, and role-models to follow. The slave, Onesimus, sinned against his Master, but through love for Christ became reconciled with him. Onesimus laid himself open for the consequences and placed himself in the hands of his Master. He knew he would do as he wished, and Onesimus reconciled himself to this fact.
Philemon, the owner of slaves, who after being baptised by Paul, learned to treat his slaves fairly, with compassion. The obedience was there, Philemon must have made sure of that, otherwise Onesimus wouldn’t have returned to serve and be with his Master. And I suppose the ultimate reward for Onesimus was his freedom, which was granted, presumably, once Philemon realised what an asset Onesimus had been as a loyal and trustworthy slave.
© tpeMaster 2012