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Being A Slave - Philemon
Being A Slave - Philemon
It is generally acknowledged that a large portion of the Roman population were slaves in one sort or another. Such slavery could be anything from an indentured servant to being captured in war and made to work in the mines. Such slavery was not based upon race. While some were indeed forced into such and were horribly mistreated, for others it appears to be more like a contractual work agreement with a limitation upon length of time. It is simply hard for US to read this without preconceived ideas that are the product of the American experience. Yet, there were a host of differences that need to be taken into account as one tries to understand the history of this practice in 1st century Rome.
Among such slaves, some became disciples of Jesus. THEN WHAT?
Onesimus was such a slave and his master was Philemon. Having run away and ‘hiding himself among the populace of Rome’, he met up with Paul! He became a disciple of Jesus and THEN was sent back to Philemon by Paul! We begin to see in ACTION the instructions given to those who were slaves of men in the first century.
Six passages in the New Testament teach concerning HOW to be a slave: 1Cor. 7:20-24; Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22; 1 Tim. 6:1-2; Titus 2:9; and 1Peter 2:18. What do we learn from these passages?
· One COULD become free, if possible, but if not, then one was to serve God even while remaining a slave (1Cor. 7).
· A slave was to be submissive to his master, doing so with respect and sincerity of heart. (in all the other passages!)
· A slave was to regard his master with honor (1Tim. 6; 1Pet. 2)
· Such service was to be rendered regardless of the master being good or not (1Pet. 2).
· A slave was to serve his master in the flesh as unto the Lord (Eph. 6).
· A slave whose master was also a disciple of Jesus, would serve with such honor all the more (1Tim. 6).
You mean I must be willing to remain a slave? Yes. Being a disciple was not always easy! Not only to remain a slave but to be an exemplary one! In light of such New Testament teaching, Paul sent Philemon BACK to his master, Onesimus!
It seems almost unbelievable to us 21st century Americans, Philemon WENT! Would you have returned? Would you have been faithful to the teaching of the Lord in this?
Hugh DeLong
