Paul's plea for Onesimus: Continued from yesterday
Verses 10-14
"I appeal to you for my child, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment, Onesimus, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me. And I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, that your goodness should not be as it were by compulsion, but of your own free will."
Now that Paul has all of the formalities and his "rights" out of the way, he begins to address the heart of his letter to Philemon which has to do with the runaway slave, Onesimus. Paul refers to him as his "child" and that is probably because Onesimus was saved under Paul's ministry and it is Paul who has been discipling him. Reminding Philemon that all of this has taken place while Paul remained imprisoned (in bonds).
So now we come to verse 11 which would, under most circumstances be just simply read and left alone, however, very ironic that the Apostle Paul would use the phrase "formerly useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me." You see, the name Onesimus literally means "beneficial,profitable, or useful." Here we see something that may forever be buried in the simple phrasing of a letter but Paul sent Onemisus (Useful,beneficial,profitable) back to Philemon carrying the epistle bearing the name of the master, that appears in the New Testament.
Paul comments that if he could, he would have just kept Onesimus as he was "useful" to Paul for the ministry but now, useful to Philemon as well. I suppose it is easy to see, from the relationship developed between Paul and Onesimus why Paul would suggest that he is "sending his very heart." Obviously, the "once slave, now free" was very helpful in his ministry to Paul in prison.
He shows complete respect for Philemon in verse 14 not wanting to act out of compulsion (a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act, especially one that is irrational or contrary to one's will) but rather wanting Philemon to act on his own free will.
It appears to me that Paul has chosen his words carefully and written an appropriate letter informing Philemon of the changes in the life of his former slave and introduced him as his brother in Christ, wishing that he be treated in that manner.
Sometimes I find myself treating my brothers and sisters in Christ less than as I should. I (and all others) have more than once, taken advantage of a precious "child" in Christ Jesus and I am sure that those actions will be addressed at some point. Paul is "molding" the new character of Onesimus (Beneficial, Profitable & Useful) back into the church body, which is as it should be. Can we say we do the same with those who have fallen away or have lived lifestyles less than honorable in the sight of Christ. When they surrender and fall into the fold, how are the received by we who call ourselves "Christ-ians"?
TO BE CONTINUED
Dave
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