Lockdown
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker Philemon 1:1 NIV
Prisoner – Who is responsible? That’s the underlying question here. Is Paul’s imprisonment due to the Romans? The Jews? The opposition to The Way? The puppet governor of Judea? Paul doesn’t seem to think so. As far as he is concerned, he’s in prison because Yeshua HaMashiach wants him there. He is a prisoner of the Messiah.
You will remember that Paul typically begins his letters with the self-designation “bond-servant” (really “slave” – doúlos). In only one other letter does he use the phrase désmios Christoú Iesoú. Note Kittel’s remark:
Paul’s imprisonment (literally “fetter”) has special religious significance in phrases like désmios Christoú Iesoú(Eph. 3:1; Phlm. 1:9), désmion autoú (2 Tim. 1:8), désmios en kyríō (Eph. 4:1), and cf. Phlm. 13 and Phil. 1:13. Actual imprisonment underlies the usage, but the real bondage is to Christ for whose sake it is suffered and to whom self-will is offered in sacrifice.[1]
Paul is in prison as a living sacrifice to his Messiah. He doesn’t seem to blame any of his captors or the ones who initiated this journey toward a Roman jail. In fact, sometimes he writes as if this is an occasion for celebration. He’s free to share his experience without combatting his Jewish opponents. Of course, prison has its discomforts, but that doesn’t seem to distract him from the greater purpose of his life. I wonder if there isn’t an important lesson here.
If I think about it (and I usually try not to), I am experiencing a sort of Italian “house arrest.” I can move about a bit, as long as I stay inside those artificially constructed political borders called “Italy.” Well, actually, I can’t even really go to any place even within that boundary because the Italian political bureaucracy is constantly changing the “rules of engagement.” Today it’s okay. Tomorrow it’s not. COVID plandemic and injected fearfulness rule the world. House arrest is just around the corner—again. What is my reaction? Complaint, of course. It isn’t supposed to be like this. I’m supposed to have free and unfettered fulfillment of my “rights! This is all the work of nefarious, egotistical, evil men who act like gods. Basically, they are interfering with my wishes. Kind of like Rome in the first century. Do I stop to consider désmios Christoú Iesoú? No, I don’t. But maybe I should. Maybe I’m not in Italian house arrest by accident. Maybe there’s a bigger plan here that I just can’t see—and am not intended to see. After all, I still believe God is sovereign over His creation, don’t I? Maybe I got so used to calling my own shots and expecting God to agree that I needed a manufactured pandemic to remind me that I have always been under house arrest. I just was blind to it. Paul wasn’t. I need to wake up.
Topical Index: house arrest, désmios Christoú Iesoú, prisoner of Jesus Christ, Philemon 1:1
[1] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (p. 145). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
👍🏻 The household of faith under house arrest… an interesting and enlightening perspective that rightly emphasizes the nature and proper focus of our concerns… “Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in charge of his household slaves to give them their food at the right time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes back.” (Matthew 24:45-46)… “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)
How do we decipher our role and responsibility in this “lockdown?” Paul was given a mission and God made it clear to him (Acts 23:11) – he was going to Rome to bear witness. However, we must ask, during our current day lockdowns and mandates, what is our role? Has God called us to go forward in compliance and allow evil to continue as witness for Him or do we stand up a defend the lives of others?
For me, as I see the evil being perpetrated against people everywhere and the vile push to shoot everyone up with experimental genetic compounds and I see the resulting devastation and death that is being covered up and hidden I can’t sit locked down in my house and be compliant! If I don’t stand up for the innocent, who will? Are we not always called to defend weak, the innocent, widows, orphans, prisoners? There are a lot of “prisoners” out there right now. For me, compliance is NOT and option! Yes, everything still remains under the hand of the Most High, YHVH. But, does He not expect us to be his hands and feet and voice?
Sorry Skip, but you hit a hot button for me. I know you are not one that has ever shied away from speaking or standing against the current (and often at great cost). Perhaps you didn’t intend it, but this just seems to pacifist to me given the dire state of things. Coming out of the “Christian church” I was pretty much taught to “live and let live.” However, we are now dealing with “live and let die.” I, for one can’t sit on the sidelines and watch. I have spent my life being mostly a pacifist but the game plan has definitely changed. It is one thing to be silent before our enemies and persecutors, turning the other check when it is us personally that is under attack. But I don’t see that we are supposed to turn our neighbors check! Time to pray like it is all up to God and fight like it is all up to us!