The Early Church · c. AD 60–62
Chapter 33
Onesimus
For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while that you would have him forever,no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
For parents
Paul’s letter to Colossae includes rules for the household, addressed to wives and husbands, children and fathers, and servants and masters (Colossians 3:18–4:1); they are told as the letter gives them, without comment. His letter to Philemon, in which he appeals for Onesimus and speaks of him as “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother” (Philemon 10–16), is also told without comment. One list names sexual sins among the things to put away (Colossians 3:5), in plain, soft words.
was in chains when he wrote to the believers at , and joined him in sending the letter. The believers there had learned the Good News from , one of their own and a faithful servant of , and it was Epaphras who had told Paul about their love. The letter begins:
“Paul, an of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and our brother Timothy, to the and faithful brothers and sisters who are in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we pray for you always. We have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and about the love you have toward all the saints, because of the hope that is set aside for you in the heavens. You heard of that hope before, in the message of truth, the Good News that came to you. In all the world it is bearing fruit and growing, as it is among you too, ever since the day you heard it and knew the grace of God in truth.
“It was from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, that you learned it. He is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf, and he is the one who brought us word of your love in the Spirit.
“That is why, ever since the day we heard this, we too have kept on praying for you. We ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. We ask that you may live in a way worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. We ask that you may be made strong with all power, by the might of his glory, to endure and persevere in everything with joy, giving thanks to the Father. He made us fit to have our part of the inheritance of the saints in light. He delivered us out of the power of darkness and moved us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love. In him we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.”
“Once you were cut off,” Paul wrote, “enemies in your minds, in your evil deeds. Yet now he has you in the body of his flesh, through death, to present you before him holy, without defect and blameless, if you keep on in the faith, firmly grounded and steady, and are not moved away from the hope of the Good News you heard. That Good News was proclaimed in all creation under heaven. I, Paul, was made its servant.
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and on my part I fill up what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for the sake of his body, which is the . I was made its servant by the task God entrusted to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery that has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints. God was pleased to make known to them how rich in glory this mystery is among the : it is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
“We proclaim him, correcting everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, to present everyone perfect in Christ Jesus. That is what I work hard for, striving with his power, which is so mightily at work in me.
“I would like you to know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at , and for as many as have not seen my face in person. I struggle for their hearts to be comforted as they are knit together in love. I struggle for them to gain all the riches of an understanding that is fully sure, and to know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
“I say this to keep anyone from fooling you with persuasive talk. Even though I am away from you in body, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing as I see the order among you and the steadiness of your faith in Christ.”
“So,” Paul wrote, “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, live in him, rooted and built up in him, made firm in the faith as you were taught, with your thanks overflowing in it.
“Be careful not to let anyone rob you with his philosophy and empty deceit, which follow human tradition and the elemental spirits of the world, and not Christ.
“For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
“You were dead through your wrongdoings and the of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, and forgave us all our wrongdoings. He wiped out the handwritten record of rules that was against us, and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. He stripped the principalities and the powers and made a public show of them, triumphing over them in it.
“So don’t let anyone judge you about eating or drinking, or about a feast day, a , or a day, which are a shadow of the things to come. But the body is Christ’s.
“Don’t let anyone rob you of your prize by self-abasement and the worship of angels. That person dwells on things he has not seen, is puffed up for nothing by his fleshly mind, and is not holding firmly to the Head. From the Head the whole body grows with the growth God gives, supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments.
“If you died with Christ, away from the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to rules as though you were still living in the world? Rules like ‘Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch’ (all of which perish as they are used) follow human commands and teachings. These things do look like wisdom, with worship people make up for themselves, humility, and hardness toward the body, but they are worth nothing against the indulgence of the flesh.”
“So if you were raised together with Christ,” Paul wrote, “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth, because you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you too will be revealed with him in glory.
“So put to death the parts of you that belong to the earth: sexual sin, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is the worship of idols. Because of these things, God’s anger comes on those who disobey. You also once lived this way, when these things were your life.
“But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and shameful talk from your mouth. Don’t lie to one another, since you have laid aside the old self and its doings and have put on the new self. This new self is being made new in knowledge after the image of its Creator, and in it there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, , slave, or free person, but Christ is all, and in all.
“So, since you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance. Be patient with one another and forgive each other, if anyone has a complaint against someone. Just as Christ forgave you, you do the same.
“Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, the peace you were also called to in one body, and be thankful.
“Let the word of Christ live in you richly. In all wisdom, teach and correct one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with grace in your hearts. Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
“Wives,” Paul wrote, “be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.
“Servants, obey your masters on earth in all things, not just when they are looking, as people who just want to please others, but with an undivided heart, fearing God. Whatever you do, put your heart into the work, as for the Lord, not for people. You know that you will receive the reward of the inheritance from the Lord, because you serve the Lord Christ. But whoever does wrong will receive what is due for the wrong that he has done, and there are no favorites.
“Masters, give your servants what is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
“Keep on steadily in prayer, staying watchful in it, with thanks. Pray for us as well, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may speak the mystery of Christ. It is for this mystery that I am also in chains. Pray that I may reveal it, speaking as I ought to.
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, using your time well. Let your speech always have grace in it, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
“ will tell you all about how things are with me,” Paul wrote. “He is a beloved brother, a faithful servant, and a fellow slave in the Lord. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, so that he can learn how you are and comfort your hearts. I am sending him together with , the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will let you know everything that is going on here.
“Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and , the cousin of Barnabas. You have had instructions about him: ‘If he comes to you, receive him.’ greets you too. These are the only ones from among the circumcised who work with me for God’s Kingdom, men who have been a comfort to me.
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, sends you greetings. He is always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. I can testify that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
“ the beloved physician and greet you.
“Greet the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly that is in his house. When this letter has been read among you, make sure it is read in the assembly of the Laodiceans too, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
“Tell , ‘Take care to fulfill the ministry which you have received in the Lord.’
“I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.”
Paul wrote another letter as a prisoner, together with Timothy, and in it he made an appeal for Onesimus. It begins:
“Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to , our beloved fellow worker, to the beloved , to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“I thank my God always, mentioning you in my prayers, as I hear about your love, and about the faith you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints. I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. We have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”
“So though in Christ I have all the boldness to command you to do what is fitting,” Paul wrote, “for love’s sake I would rather appeal to you, being who I am: Paul, an old man, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
“I appeal to you for my child Onesimus. I have become his father in my chains. He once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.” The name Onesimus means “useful.”
“I am sending him back. So receive him: he is my own heart. I wanted him to stay with me and serve me on your behalf in my chains for the Good News. But I was not willing to do anything without your consent. I didn’t want your goodness to be something you were made to do, but something done of your own free will.
“Perhaps he was separated from you for a time for this reason: that you would have him forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me, but much more so to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.”
“So if you count me a partner,” Paul wrote, “receive him as you would receive me. But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention that you owe me even your own self besides).
“Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord. I am writing to you with confidence that you will obey. I know that you will do even beyond what I say.
“Also, get a guest room ready for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.
“Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”