Filemón (gr. Filemí‡n, “lover” or “affectionate”). Christian who lived in Colossae (cf FLam_1 and 2 with Col 4:17; FLam_10 with Col :2) and in whose house the believers of that city met for worship (FLam_2). He was the recipient of a letter from Paul in which the apostle intercedes on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave of Philemon. Paul addresses him as “a fellow worker with us” (v 1), and commends him for his kindness to the saints (vs 5-7). Apparently Paul had never been to Colossae; at least he had never visited this region to work in it (Col 2:1). Therefore, Philemon would have been converted while Paul was working for a long period in Ephesus (Acts 19:1,10). It has been suggested that Apia, mentioned in FLam_2, was the wife of Philemon and that Archippus, mentioned in the same passage, would have been her son. See Philemon, Epistle a. Philemon, Epistle a. Letter addressed to a Christian who lived in Colossae, whose name appears in the title. I. Author and Setting. This personal epistle was written by the apostle Paul during his 1st imprisonment in Rome, and dispatched through Onesimus, who was traveling with Tychicus, carrying letters to the churches at Colossae (Col 4:7-9) and Ephesus (Eph 6 :21, 22). It is evident that all 3 letters were written in Rome, perhaps c 62 AD II. Theme. Onesimus is a slave of Philemon, but he has run away from his owner, taking with him money or other possessions (FLam_16, 18). He thus arrives in Rome, no doubt expecting to lose himself in the city’s crowds. While there he meets Paul, and through him becomes a believer in Jesus Christ. The apostle advises him to return to his owner, and writes a letter with the express purpose of securing a favorable reception for the returning slave, trusting that Philemon will receive Onesimus as a “beloved brother” (v 16). This little gem of Christian love and tact is unique in the Scriptures, and its place in the sacred canon is perhaps because it vividly reflects the change that comes to a person because of his faith in Christ, and that slaves and masters are brothers in Christ. It is a simple appeal for Philemon to exercise his Christian kindness and mercy toward a slave who has let him down. The epistle assures Christians that God is interested in the practical problems that arise when they meet Christ, and points the way to the solution of some of them. III. Contents. After the greeting (FLam_1-3) 453 Paul congratulates Philemon for his Christian love and faithfulness. He tactfully appeals to him, reminding him that Philemon himself is indebted to him for making Christ known to him, and takes personal whatever debt Onesimus still owed to Philemon. In vs 21-25 Paul sends his personal greetings to certain believers in Colossae and ends his letter with a closing prayer (see CBA 7: 389-391).
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
affectionate greek Christian resident in Colossae converted by Paul to Christianity. As for the letter to F., it is the only one addressed by Paul to a person, and the shortest, twenty-five verses. The epistle was written by Pablo when he was a prisoner: some affirm that in Rome, from the year 61 to 65; others, and it seems more logical, in Ephesus, from the year 52 to 54, due to the proximity between the cities of Ephesus and Colossae, where F lived. In the letter the Apostle intercedes for the slave Onesimus, also converted to Christianity by Paul, before F., because he had fled from his master, which carried a punishment, according to the laws of the time. Paul returns the slave to his master along with the letter, † œas a dear brother †, † œand not as a slave †; Paul begs F. to welcome Onesimus as if he were the Apostle himself. By converting to Christ, Onesimo becomes F.’s brother, since both serve the same Lord, Jesus Christ, which is an advanced thought for the time.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
(lover).
The Epistle to Philemon speaks of Onesimus, Philemon’s slave. Paul converted them both, and returned Onesimus to his former Lord, Philemon, saying to him: “Treat him as if he were myself.” Love in Christ is the solution to all social problems.
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
Believer of †¢Colossae (some think that of †¢Laodicea), a close friend of the apostle Paul, who calls him “beloved… our collaborator” (Flm 1:1). He was known as a man of many good works († œ… by you, O brother, have the hearts of the saints been refreshed †). To him is addressed the epistle that bears his name.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, BIOG HOMB HONT
vet, “affectionate.” Master of Onesimus and convert of Paul (Phil. 19). He appears to have lived in the same city as Archippus (Phil. 2), Colossae (Col. 4:17). Paul calls him “our helper” (Phil. 1), and speaks of his love for the saints (Phil. 5).
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Wealthy Christian from the Community of Colossae, to whom Paul wrote a short letter asking him to forgive and take in his slave Onesimus, a fugitive from his master and converted by Paul to the Christian faith.
Pedro Chico González, Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy, Editorial Bruño, Lima, Peru 2006
Source: Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy
Character and letter of the New Testament. The letter seems to be written at the same time as that of Philippians, since the situation that both suppose is the same. Pablo is imprisoned, but he enjoys relative freedom and worries about the Christians, among them Onesimus, Philemon’s escaped slave, a Christian whom Pablo knows. In these circumstances, worrying about the fate of the two, Paul writes to Philemon a letter of recommendation in favor of Onesimus, from the Praetorium prison or the governor’s palace of Ephesus, around 53-55 AD, presenting himself as a prisoner (chained) for Christ (Flm 9) and adding that he has fathered a son in prison (he has converted Onesimus), whom he wants to keep by his side, as a helper and friend, to serve him while he remains in prison (Flm 1.9-11.13 -14). As in Philippians, it seems that the moment of his liberation is near and thus he writes to Philemon: “Prepare lodging for me, because, thanks to your prayers, I hope that God will give you this gift” (that I come to visit you) (Flm 22 ). Prison has become for Paul a time of intense apostolate: he has received Onesimus, he writes to Philemon, he arranges the affairs of the church. The later tradition will place in this context the two great letters of the captivity (Colossians and Ephesians), perhaps written by disciples or companions of Paul probably after his death, so that he may appear as a prisoner of Christ Jesus (Eph 3,1 ) or prisoner in the Lord (Eph 4,1). Cf. H. Conzelmann and G. Friedrich, Ephesians. Philippians. Colossians. Filemon, AB, Fax, Madrid 1972.
PIKAZA, Javier, Dictionary of the Bible. History and Word, Divine Word, Navarra 2007
Source: Dictionary of Bible History and Word
(Loving).
Christian who belonged to the Colosse congregation and owned slaves. His house, located in this SW city. of Asia Minor, was the meeting place of that congregation. Philemon was a comfort and an example of faith and love for his fellow Christians. The apostle Paul considered him a beloved co-worker. (Phil 1, 2, 5-7; compare Col 4:9 with Phil 10-12.) Paul’s desire to stay with Philemon is eloquent testimony to the hospitality of this man. (Phil 22; compare Ac 16:14, 15.)
It appears that Apphia and Archippus were members of his household, as they are also mentioned in Paul’s personal letter to Philemon. It is possible that Apphia was the wife of Philemon and Archippus, her son. (Flm 2.)
Apparently Philemon became a Christian through Paul. (Phil 19) However, since Paul did not preach at Colossae itself (Col 2:1), it is possible that Philemon was introduced to Christianity as a result of the apostle’s two years of activity at Ephesus, when “all those inhabiting in the district of Asia they heard the word of the Lord† . (Ac 19:10.)
Some time before receiving Paul’s letter, Philemon had been abandoned by his slave Onesimus. This runaway slave may have stolen funds from his mistress to finance his trip to Rome, where he later met Paul and became a Christian. (Phil 10, 11, 18, 19; see SLAVE.)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
Introduction
The letter to Film. it is the shortest of Paul’s and relates more to the private and personal letters of that time than to the rest of his letters sent to communities or group of communities. This is not to say, however, that it is simply a piece of private correspondence. Like the longer letters of the Apostle, this one is a missionary instrument and a substitute for Paul’s personal presence.
CHANCE
The letter is addressed to Philemon and describes him as our beloved and collaborator (v. 1). Others mentioned in the salutation are: Apia, who was probably Philemon’s wife; Archippus, his fellow soldier (and probably the son of Philemon and Apphia); and also the community of disciples (ekklesé a) that met in his house (v. 2).
The occasion of the letter can be extracted from its content, although not all the details are clear. A slave named Onesimus had wronged his owner, Philemon, a believer who lived in Colossae (vv.1, 2; cf. cf. Confer (lat.), Compare Col. 4: 9, 17). It is not entirely clear how Onesimus had offended him, but on the basis of v. 18, we can conjecture that he had stolen money from his master and then fled. It is possible, however, that the words † œif he harmed you in any way or owes you † ¦ † simply indicate that Onesimus had been sent to fulfill some commission and had delayed in his commission.
In the Roman world, during Paul’s lifetime, slaves sometimes ran away. They joined groups of thieves, tried to disappear into the marginal subculture of the big cities, tried to flee abroad and join a group of workers, or sought refuge in some temple. Onesimus joined Paul, perhaps as a fellow prisoner, and Paul took an interest in him and led to his conversion (v. 10). The Apostle seems to have enjoyed his company (cf. cf. Confer (lat.), Compare v. 12) and benefited from his ministry (vv. 11, 13). He sincerely wanted to keep Onesimus with him and that he might take Philemon’s place at his side in the service of the gospel. However, Paul had no right to hold Onesimus. This would not only have been illegal according to Roman law, but would also have involved a break in the Christian fellowship between him and Philemon.
Therefore, Paul sent Onesimus back to his master Philemon, along with a letter. Using gentle language and carefully choosing his words, Paul pleaded with Philemon to give him the…