Dear Sir:

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker—also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:  Philemon 1:1b-2 NIV

Fellow worker/fellow soldier – Philemon and Archippus aren’t just ordinary believers in Paul’s thinking.  They are syn-plus the noun, that is synergō and synstratiōtēs, a combination that demonstrates close personal connection (“fellow worker” and “fellow soldier”).  When we read these translated words, we don’t think too much about it, but that might not have been the case in the first century.  Why?

First, both names are Greek.  Philemon is derived from phileo.  It means “kindly.”  Archippus is derived from archō(ruler) and hippos (horse), meaning “horse master.”  Paul addressed two Greeks with endearing adjectives.  That in itself would have been unusual.  What do Jews have to do with Greeks?

Secondly, in the case of Archippus, the term Paul uses (synstratiōtēs) is constructed from a Greek word for soldier that is incredibly rare in Hebrew thought.

The important noun stratiōtēs occurs only once in translation (2 Sam. 23:8) as a variant for the more original traumatías. The warrior of ancient Israel is machētḗs or polemistḗs, but 2–4 Maccabees use stratiṓtēs more freely, with a reference to Jewish soldiers in 4 Macc. 3:7, 12. In general, the LXX appreciates the distinction between the group and Hebrew ideas and thus makes sparing use of it except where there is no Hebrew control (as in 2–4 Maccabees).^[1]

Paul addresses Archippus with vocabulary common to Greek speakers and later Jewish literature, but not common in the Torah.  Paul is aware of these distinctions and deliberately chooses words that are complementary in the recipient’s native tongue.  He uses their linguistic paradigm.

Finally, we should be aware of the other side of this coin.  “The individual on military service is a strateuómenos, but stratiṓtēs also comes into use. This word can take on adverse connotations when it comes to denote first the professional and then the mercenary, especially among those who favor a citizen army.”^[2]  When Paul addresses Archippus, his term extends close fellowship to someone whose profession could have been scandalous in orthodox circles.  Paul disregards the artificial religious barrier between Jew and Gentile.  More than that, he expresses friendship and collegiality with these men.  And he does so in their own language.  Perhaps that’s what we need to learn here.

Topical Index: Archippus, stratiṓtēs, synergō, fellow worker, fellow soldier, Philemon 1:1b-2 NIV

^[1] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (p. 1092). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

^[2] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (p. 1091). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.