Philemon 4-7 Thanksgiving and Prayer
From Commontary
| Philemon | |
|---|---|
|
1:4-7 | |
| |
Back to Philemon
Philemon 1:4-7
Back to Philemon
Contents |
Summary of passage
(Only a paragraph or two)
Original Context & Exegesis
A. Passage Boundaries (why are these verses grouped together in this chapter or pericope?)
Verses 4-7 make up a common literary sub-genre called prayers in letters during this period. Paul, as is his usual practice, expands the prayers section to include thanksgiving to God. Weaving within his thanksgivings and prayers key rhetorical devices such as his use of "refresh" at the end of 7 which is repeated at the end of his plea to Philemon in verse 20.
B. Exegesis of passage (as a whole or verse-by-verse, if helpful).
4. If you want to understand the body of Paul's letters you must pay attention to his thanksgivings and prayers that appear first. Such words like faith, love, and fellowship will reappear in full forms or echoes throughout Philemon. Its been said that Philemon is Paul's most personal letter (it or Corinthians) it should be no surprise to us then that the very portion of the Old Testament that has been pregnant with meaning for Paul's theological understanding of Christ is the very place he practices his letter openings from - the Psalms (see Paul's use of the Psalms in Romans). Paul wants Philemon to know that his counsel and wisdom are bathed in prayer and worship. That the faith, love, and fellowship he always remembers Philemon to have is the very faith, love, and fellowship God will work in him in the midst of what was perhaps the most difficult request Paul has made to Philemon. Philemon can be sure that Paul's practice of praying for him with thanksgiving to God will continue throughout his carrying out of Paul's request.
5. The because ties this verse to the one immediately preceding it. Its here that we begin to see why Paul always thanked his God for Philemon. What remains difficult for us to interpret however is knowing whether the faith and love are objective or subjective and to whom they are directed: the Lord Jesus Christ or the saints or both. Is Paul thanking God for Philemon's love to the saints and faith (objective view of faith) in the Lord Jesus Christ (this is the most common conclusion among commentators)? Or is Paul thanking God for the faithfulness (subjective view of faith) to the care for the body and love of Christ? We will never know directly the resolving answer to this dilemma. It should be enough to simply conclude that Paul had much to be thankful for in Philemon, and Philemon should remember these praiseworthy attributes as he considers Paul's request to receive back Onesimus.
6. We are again as interpreters confronted with an objective, subjective decission to make. This time it regards the word fellowship and faith, or as the ESV has translated it "the sharing of your faith." Unfortunately conclusions on verse 5 don't help the reader solve this difficult matter in verse six. I believe Paul is praying that the experience of shared faith Philemon and his house church have had should help them realize that the benefits of Christ lead to reconciliation and not estrangement, to forgiveness and not restitution. That is how this sharing of faith becomes effective, by dealing existentially with the hardness of bitterness and contempt through the sweet experience of fellowship that Philemon has had Paul is able to leverage in Philemon the desire to see the good things that every believer has in Christ to come to life in his bride - particularly in the reception of Onesimus.
7. Paul once again takes a step back, pulls out his wide angle relational lens and reminds Philemon that he is known for the very things Paul is asking of him. To comfort and extend love to a person deeply in need of forgiveness and warm hearted reception. If Philemon does this he receives not just Onesimus back as a useful partner, he receives the honor and dignity that can be had in an "Honor and Shame" culture where remembering good deeds has great weight. Paul had delighted to see the body of Christ living from the story of Christ, one-anothering each other, and had in fact seen this in other leaders lives (2 Corinthians 7:13) and was confident he'd see it in Philemon's as well. Some commentators have noted that if the Letter to Philemon was written by Paul during his house imprisonment its quiet possible that the residence he was staying it was being subsidized by Philemon. Paul's request for Onesimus may in fact be subtly alluding to the comfort and love Philemon had already been giving Paul himself. He is at the very least setting up in Philemon's memory his refreshing character toward the body in general so that he can request in verse 20 that Philemon also refresh him as well.
C. Literary Features--What genre is it? What literary devices (e.g, metaphor) does it use?
This passage belongs to a literary sub-genre within letters called prayers. There are no metaphors in these verses but there is the beginnings of what some rhetorical critics have called insinuatio rhetoric (see Ben Witherington's commentary excursus on verses 4-7).
D. Connections to the rest of book—what purpose does this pericope serve in the bigger picture of the book?
E. Connections to the rest of Scripture--How is it referenced or alluded to elsewhere?
Paul had a habit of starting his letters with thanksgivings and prayers here are a few example verses from his other writings: Romans 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Philippians 1:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3. M.M. Thompson has summarized Paul's thanksgiving structures well, "Paul's thanksgivings typically include a statement of his gratitude to God, a reference to his constant prayer on behalf of the recipients, and commendations of some specific aspect of the Christian faith of his addresses for which he is particularly grateful." (Colossians & Philemon, pg. 212)
Jesus Christ: The Redemptive-Historical Context
A. Where is Christ and the Gospel present in this passage?
B. How does this passage point to Christ or depend on Christ? How does Christ fulfill this passage? How was it fulfilled already? How will it be fulfilled?
C. What does this passage tell us about God’s plan of redemption in Christ?
Current Context
A. What does this tell us about ourselves, our world, and the human condition?
B. What are some modern parallels to the original situation?
C. What is the call/command/invitation of this passage?
D. How does Christ & the Gospel in this passage enable us to see, think, and live differently?
Links/References/Bibliography
A. Representative sermons on the passage
The Costliness of Redemption by Tony Stiff [1]
B. Examples and Illustrations
C. Commentaries on this book
Barth, Markus & Blanke, Hulmut, A Letter to Philemon (Michigan: Eerdmans, 2000)
Bruce, F. F., The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (Michigan: Eerdmans, 1984)
Caird, G.B., Paul's Letters from Prison (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1976)
Dunn, James D. G., The Epistle to the Colossians and to Philemon (Michigan: Eerdmans, 1996)
Fitzmyer, Joseph A., The Letter to Philemon: A new translation with introduction and commentary (New York: Doubleday, 2000)
Garland, David E., Colossians, Philemon (Michigan: Zondervan, 1998)
Lohse, E., Colossians and Philemon (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971)
Martin, Ralph P., Colossians and Philemon (London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1973)
Moo, Douglas J., The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Michigan: Eerdmans, 2008)
O'Brien, P.T., Colossians, Philemon (Waco: Word Books, 1982)
Wright, N.T., Colossians and Philemon: An introduction and commentary (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008)
D. Articles on this book or passage
P.T. O'Brien, "Introductory Thanksgivings in the letters of Paul" NovTSup 49 (1977)
J. Y. Campbell, "KOINONIA and its cognates in the New Testament" JBL 51 (1932)
F.F. Church "Rhetorical structure and design in Paul's letter to Philemon" HTR 71 (1978)
Longenecker, Richard, Editor, Into God's Presence: Prayer in the New Testament (Michigan: Eerdmans, 2001, Prayer in the Pauline Letters by Richard Longenecker)
Back to Philemon
