In this study, we read through Paul’s Epistle to Philemon. This letter gives us a very practical example of the outworking of the Gospel. As a background for this study, I used Luke Timothy Johnson’s The Writings of The New Testament, Ben Witherington’s The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians – A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on the Captive Epistles, and N.T. Wright’s Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. This study covers one week.
(Summer 2024) (The notes from the 2013 lesson are here.)
Philemon – Overview and Introduction, vv.1-3
Living Christianity makes people more human, not less. No Christian should grumble at the extra demands of love. They are golden opportunities to draw on the reserve of divine love, and in so doing become more fully oneself in Christ, more completely in the image of God, more authentically human.
Philemon – A Story of Christian Freedom, vv.4-24
Paul’s manner of addressing Philemon gives us a good example of how to speak truth in love and with maturity to each other. Eph. 4:15. Paul addresses Philemon as an equal, with respect, and reminds Philemon who he is in Christ Jesus.