The Set-Up

For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.  Philemon 1:7  NASB 1995

Refreshed – Paul has an agenda.  It’s obvious and simple.  He wants Philemon to accept Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother in the Messiah.  Like any good influencer, he doesn’t begin with a straightforward appeal for action.  He begins by lauding the good character of Philemon so that when he makes his appeal, Philemon’s standing is at stake.  In other words, Paul sets him up.  It might be for a good cause, and it might be true, but it is nevertheless a manipulative technique.  We should at least recognize this.  Paul’s praise is not merely recounting the facts.  It is designed to elicit a response.

This helps us recognize the ethical dilemma that Philemon faces.  According to Paul, Philemon is true-hearted.  He has done much for the faithful.  In fact, his actions are anapaúo.  The Greek verb means “to cause to cease, to give rest, to refresh.”  What does that look like?  Philemon is a member of the assembly in Colossae.  Life in Colossae in the first century was difficult.  Two earthquakes (17 CE and 60 CE) destroyed the city.  It was rebuilt but never regained its former prominence, especially as Laodicea eclipsed its trading position.  Philemon found himself in a place where rebuilding meant more than stone and masonry.  Lives were shattered.  Businesses collapsed.  People needed to be encouraged and uplifted.  Refreshment was a necessity.  And he was up to the task.  “The saints have been refreshed” says more than giving some temporary relief.  In Philemon’s world giving refreshment probably meant physical and economic relief, spiritual comfort, and sacrificial involvement.  Against this background, Paul’s appeal concerning Onesimus carries added weight.  If Philemon is to retain his reputation, he will have to reconsider his relationship with this escaped slave.

The historical background offers us a chance to reconsider our own positions in a world that is experiencing moral and economic collapse.  Today the dominant theme of the world’s population is summed up in a single word: fear. The news isn’t good.  A plague besets us.  Humanity has been convinced that other people are dangerous—all other people!  It’s not just the rise of lawlessness, the collapse of human freedom, or the decline of traditional values.  What we see now is the spiral toward despotism as our leaders enact draconian measures under the guise of public concern.  We are repeating the Empire of Nero, and Colossae is becoming a worldwide city.  How, then, should we act?

Paul’s advice is crucial.  Become Philemon.   Become the ones who refresh—and the ones who are pillars of forgiveness and motivators of refreshed relationships even to those who were once debtors.  Be the hands and feet of the Messiah.  Frankly, there is no other choice.

Topical Index: Philemon, Colossae, fear, refresh, anapaúo, Philemon 1:7