Philippians and Philemon - MR Vincent - 1906.pdf

1 82 PHILEMON
Often in Ign. in the phrase ()
[7, 8
(^Eph. ii.;
5w^r. ix., ., xii.; Trail. yi\\.\ Mag.xw.; J?om.x.).
: Not ' brother indeed,' but a simple expression of affec-
tion. (Comp. Gal. vi. i8.)
8-20. Wherefore^ although my relations to you would warrant
me in enjoining on you that which is fittifig, yet, for love's sake, I
prefer to ask it of you as a favor ; being such as I am, Paul, an
old man, and a prisoner for the gospers sake. I entreat you,
therefore, on behalf of my sott Onesimus, who has been converted
through my instrutnentality during my i^nprisonment. Once indeed
he was not what his name itiiplies, but was useless to you. Now,
however, he is profitable both to you and to myself. I send him back
to you, dear though he is to me. I had indeed a mind to keep him
with me in order that he might minister to me in my imprisonnient
as you yourself would gladly have done ; but I was unwilling to do
anything without your concurrence, for I desired that your sei-vice
to me should be voluntary and not of necessity. And theti it occurred
to me that God had allowed him to be thus separated from you for
a time, in order that he might come back to you a better servant
and a Christian brother besides. Such a brother he is to me ; how
much tnore to you his rightful master. I ask you then, in view of
our mutualfellowship, to receive him as you would me ; and if he
has wronged you in any way, or is in your debt, put that to my
account. This is my promise to repay it, signed with my own hand
though I might intimate that it is you who are my debtor for your
very self; since it was through me that you became a Christian.
Receive Onesimus then, and thus render 7ne a personal favor,
affording me joy and refreshment in Christ.
8. '
: wherefore ' : because I am thus comforted by you.
Connect with,vs. 9, and not with the participial clause.
' iv. ( : though I have much boldness
in Christ.' Boldness growing out of their Christian relations.
Their personal intimacy, St. Paul's apostolic office, and Philemon's
obligation to him for his conversion (vs. 19), would warrant the
apostle, if so disposed, in laying his commands upon Philemon in
the matter of receiving Onesimus.
V. Soden thinks that no allusion to apostolic authority is intended,
because the apostolic title is omitted in the introduction. But this does
not necessarily follow. Even though the title is omitted, there is no reason
why Paul should not allude to bis apostolic authority.
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