Philemon i. 4-6
“I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, Hearing of your love and faith, which you have towards the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints. That the communication of your faith may become effectual by the acknowledging [in the knowledge] of every good thing which is in us, in Christ Jesus.”
He does not immediately at the commencement ask the favor, but having first admired the man, and having praised him for his good actions, and having shown no small proof of his love, that he always made mention of him in his prayers, and having said that many are refreshed by him, and that he is obedient and complying in all things; then he puts it last of all, by this particularly putting him to the blush. For if others obtain the things which they ask, much more Paul. If coming before others, he was worthy to obtain, much more when he comes after others, and asks a thing not pertaining to himself, but in behalf of another. Then, that he may not seem to have written on this account only, and that no one may say, “If it were not for Onesimus you would not have written,” see how he assigns other causes also of his Epistle. In the first place manifesting his love, then also desiring that a lodging may be prepared for him.
“Hearing,” he says, “of your love.”
This is wonderful, and much greater than if being present he had seen it when he was present. For it is plain that from its being excessive it had become manifest, and had reached even to Paul. And yet the distance between Rome and Phrygia was not small. For he seems to have been there from the mention of Archippus. For the Colossians were of Phrygia, writing to whom he said, “When this Epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea.” And this is a city of Phrygia.
I pray, he says, “that the communication of your faith may become effectual in the knowledge of every good thing which is in Christ Jesus.” Do you see him first giving, before he receives, and before he asks a favor himself bestowing a much greater one of his own? “That the communication of your faith,” he says, “may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus”; that is, that you may attain all virtue, that nothing may be deficient. For so faith becomes effectual, when it is accompanied with works. For “without works faith is dead.” And he has not said, “Your faith,” but “the communication of your faith,” connecting it with himself, and showing that it is one body, and by this particularly making him ashamed to refuse. If you are a partaker, he says, with respect to the faith, you ought to communicate also with respect to other things.
Ver. 7. “For we have [I had] great joy and consolation in your love, because the bowels [hearts] of the Saints are refreshed by you, brother.”
Nothing so shames us into giving, as to bring forward the kindnesses bestowed on others, and particularly when a man is more entitled to respect than they. And he has not said, “If you do it to others, much more to me”; but he has insinuated the same thing, though he has contrived to do it in another and a more gracious manner.
“I had joy,” that is, you have given me confidence from the things which you have done to others. “And consolation,” that is, we are not only gratified, but we are also comforted. For they are members of us. If then there ought to be such an agreement, that in the refreshing of any others who are in affliction, though we obtain nothing, we should be delighted on their account, as if it were one body that was benefited; much more if you shall refresh us also. And he has not said, “Because you yield, and compliest,” but even more vehemently and emphatically, “because the bowels of the Saints,” as if it were for a darling child fondly loved by its parents, so that this love and affection shows that he also is exceedingly beloved by them.
Ver. 8. “Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin you that which is convenient [befitting].”
Observe how cautious he is, lest any of the things which were spoken even from exceeding love should so strike the hearer, as that he should be hurt. For this reason before he says, “to enjoin you,” since it was offensive, although, as spoken out of love, it was more proper to soothe him, yet nevertheless from an excess of delicacy, he as it were corrects it by saying, “Having confidence,” by which he implies that Philemon was a great man, that is “You have given confidence to us.” And not only that, but adding the expression “in Christ,” by which he shows that it was not that he was more illustrious in the world, not that he was more powerful, but it was on account of his faith in Christ—then he also adds, “to enjoin you,” and not that only, but “that which is convenient,” that is, a reasonable action. And see out of how many things he brings proof for this. You do good to others, he says, and to me, and for Christ's sake, and that the thing is reasonable, and that love gives, wherefore also he adds,
Ver. 9. “Yet for love's sake, I rather beseech you.”
As if he had said, I know indeed that I can effect it by commanding with much authority, from things which have already taken place. But because I am very solicitous about this matter, “I beseech you.” He shows both these things at once; that he has confidence in him, for he commands him; and that he is exceedingly concerned about the matter, wherefore he beseeches him.
“Being such an one,” he says, “as Paul the aged.” Strange! How many things are here to shame him into compliance! Paul, from the quality of his person, from his age, because he was old, and from what was more just than all, because he was also “a prisoner of Jesus Christ.”
For who would not receive with open arms a combatant who had been crowned? Who seeing him bound for Christ's sake, would not have granted him ten thousand favors? By so many considerations having previously soothed his mind, he has not immediately introduced the name, but defers making so great a request. For you know what are the minds of masters towards slaves that have run away; and particularly when they have done this with robbery, even if they have good masters, how their anger is increased. This anger then having taken all these pains to soothe, and having first persuaded him readily to serve him in anything whatever, and having prepared his soul to all obedience, then he introduces his request, and says, “I beseech you,” and with the addition of praises, “for my son whom I have begotten in my bonds.”
Again the chains are mentioned to shame him into compliance, and then the name. For he has not only extinguished his anger, but has caused him to be delighted. For I would not have called him my son, he says, if he were not especially profitable. What I called Timothy, that I call him also. And repeatedly showing his affection, he urges him by the very period of his new birth, “I have begotten him in my bonds,” he says, so that on this account also he was worthy to obtain much honor, because he was begotten in his very conflicts, in his trials in the cause of Christ.
“Onesimus,”
Ver. 11. “Which in time past was to you unprofitable.”
See how great is his prudence, how he confesses the man's faults, and thereby extinguishes his anger. I know, he says, that he was unprofitable.
“But now” he will be “profitable to you and to me.”
He has not said he will be useful to you, lest he should contradict it, but he has introduced his own person, that his hopes may seem worthy of credit, “But now,” he says, “profitable to you and to me.” For if he was profitable to Paul, who required so great strictness, much more would he be so to his master.
Ver. 12. “Whom I have sent again to you.”
By this also he has quenched his anger, by delivering him up. For masters are then most enraged, when they are entreated for the absent, so that by this very act he mollified him the more.
Ver. 12. “Thou therefore receive him, that is my own bowels.”
Source: Homilies on Philemon (New Advent)