Philippians and Philemon - MR Vincent - 1906.pdf

10, 11] THE PROFITABLE SLAVE 1 85
oV-: Of whose conversion I was the instrument. The
appeal in the thought of his won child is heightened by,and
by the fact that he is the spiritual child of his captivity. For this
figurative use of yevmv, comp. i Cor. iv. 15. Thayer, Lex., cites
Sanhedr. fol. 19, 2, of one who brings others to his own way of
life. " If one teaches the son of his neighbor the law, the Scripture
reckons this the same as though he had begotten him."
€v Tots /? :
' in my bonds.'
added by vS- CDKLP, Syr."'••, Cop., Arm., ^th.
/// :
'profitable' (-). A common name among
slaves, like many others expressing utility, as Chresimus, Chrestus,
Onesiphorus, Symphorus, Carpus. (See Lightf.'s Introd. to Philem.
sec. 4.) Accordingly, Weizsacker's statement that the allegorical
character of the epistle is apparent from this name has no relevancy
whatever {Apost. Zeital. p. 545). ^- is accus. by
attraction after eyeVv.
11. :
' useless,' ' unserviceable.' Titmann {Syn.) says
that to the idea of uselessness it adds that of harmfulness, while
/£?? means simply that of which there is no need. (See
Schmidt, Synon. 166, 6.) It is not, however, probable that the
idea of harmfulness is implied in connection with a possible
robbery of his master by Onesimus. (See on vs. 18.)
"/- only here in N.T., LXX, Hos. viii. 8; Sap. ii. il, iii. H;
Sir. xvi. I, xxvii. 19; 2 Mace. vii. 5.
vvvX :
' but now,' that he has become a Christian disciple.
Se, mostly and very often in Paul. (See Rom. vi. 22, vii. 6,
17, XV. 23, 25 ; I Cor. v. 11, etc.)
' profitable to thee and to me.' For-
e/xoi(:
merly useless to i/iee, when he was thy worthless, runaway slave,
and before / had known him. Now profitable to us both. The
nice use of the personal pronouns and the assumption of a joint
interest in Onesimus are very charming. (Comp. Rom. xvi. 13 ;
I Cor. xvi. 18 ; Phil. ii. 27.)
N* Fg'G, 17, 31, 47, 67, Syr."