Absentee Authority

whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;  Philemon 1:13  NASB

On your behalf – Nothing particularly special about the use of this preposition, hypér.  It simply means, “in the place of,” translated here as “on your behalf.”  What’s interesting is the implication that Paul employs.  He suggests that Onesimus is Philemon’s fully authorized agent.  What Onesimus does for Paul is the equivalent of what Philemon would do if he were present.  In this way, Paul’s remark that he would prefer to keep Onesimus with him suggests that sending Onesimus back represents personal sacrifice.  Once more Philemon is confronted with a deeply emotional challenge.  Paul is essentially saying, “I’m giving up someone valuable to me in order that he will have an opportunity to demonstrate his value to you.”  Paul converts the runaway slave into a personal gift.  Of course, the intention is that Philemon cannot morally refuse the gift of this returning slave without injuring Paul’s benevolence.

It’s amazing how the tables have turned.  Legally, Onesimus has no rights.  Culturally, no one would expect Philemon to do anything more than punish the runaway.  Even morally, Philemon is within his right as the owner to disregard any appeal on Onesimus’ behalf.  But Paul isn’t trying to persuade Philemon on legal, cultural, or moral grounds.  Paul is persuading Philemon on the basis of friendship, something that  cuts across all the other “official” possible actions.

“You and I are friends.  I’m making a personal sacrifice in order that you might honor that friendship.  Don’t blow it!”  Onesimus isn’t to be welcomed as a brother simply because, like Hagar, he returns to the former conditions of his servitude.  He is to be welcomed as a brother because a friend asks.  It is entirely possible that Onesimus, on his own, doesn’t deserve anything more than punishment, but now friendship is at stake.  To penalize Onesimus means to spurn Paul.  The value proposition has shifted from Onesimus to Paul.  In fact, in the end what happens to Onesimus has nothing to do with Onesimus.

Although Paul never writes these words, he might as well have enlisted the sacrifice of the Messiah in his letter to Philemon.  The argument is the same.  A personal sacrifice made on behalf of one underserving becomes the basis of acceptance and change of heart.  It’s the good news of God all over again, cast in the drama of a slave and his master. From Paul’s perspective, Onesimus is his agent, and agency in the ancient world meant that the messenger was to be treated as if he were the originator.  As far as Philemon is concerned, Paul is standing before him when Onesimus arrives.  Act accordingly!

It is the same for us.  When the authorized agent of God arrives, treat him as if God Himself were present.  He represents the full authority of the originator.  It’s even possible for the agent to be addressed as if he were the originator.  No one in the ancient world was confused about this.  Paul’s use is not unusual at all, and Philemon knows it.  It makes me wonder how we could have been so bewildered.  We don’t confuse Onesimus with Paul.  We just see Onesimus as the authorized agent.  He is the representative of the absentee authority.  Pretty simple, right?

Topical Index: authority, agency, on behalf of, Philemon 1:13