Colossians and Philemon

Philemon

This picture is a fragment from an early papyrus of the book of Philemon. Notice the beautiful characters - helps me feel the connection between our Bibles and those read by the apostles themselves.

Paul, who is apparently in prison (probably in either Rome or Ephesus), writes to a fellow Christian named Philemon. As a slave-owner he would have been wealthy by the standards of the early church and this explains why his house was large enough to accommodate church meetings (v. 2).

Paul writes on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's slave. Beyond that, it is not self-evident as to what has transpired. Onesimus is described as having been "separated" from Philemon, once having been "useless" to him (a pun on Onesimus's name, which means "useful"), and having done him wrong.

The dominant scholarly consensus is that Onesimus is a runaway slave who became a Christian believer. Paul now sends him back to face his aggrieved master, and strives in his letter to effect reconciliation between these two Christians.

Here is where the Christian life must match with our belief. Will Philemon receive Onesimus as a brother or a slave? How will he treat him? Paul believes that faith makes a difference and that people can change. If Onesimus is willing to go back and meet his former slave master, then apparently he believes in forgiveness too. Wow, what a book! No chapters - a one-pager. You can probably read it in 2 minutes, but the impact is eternal.

Colossians

Colosse is in the region of the seven churches of Revelation Ch.1-3. Members of the congregation at Colosse had incorporated pagan elements into their practice, including worship of elemental spirits. The Epistle to the Colossians declares Christ's supremacy over the entire created universe and exhorts Christians to lead godly lives. The letter consists of two parts: first a doctrinal section, then a second regarding conduct. In both sections, false teachers who have been spreading error in the congregation are opposed.

In its doctrinal sections, Colossians explains that there can be no need to worship anyone or anything but Christ because Christ is supreme over all creation. All things were created through him and for him, and the universe is sustained by him. God had chosen for his complete being to dwell in Christ. The "cosmic powers" revered by the false teachers had been "discarded" and "led captive" at Christ's death. Christ is the master of all angelic forces and the head of the church. Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity, the unique agent of cosmic reconciliation.

The doctrinal part comprises the first two chapters. Its main theme is developed in chapter 2, with a warning against being drawn away from Him in whom dwelt all the fullness of the deity (2:9), and who was the head of all spiritual powers. Christ was the head of the body of which they were members; and if they were truly united to him, what more did they need?

Colossians praises the spiritual growth of the recipients because of their love for all the set-apart ones in Christ (1:4 & 8). It calls them to grow in wisdom and knowledge that their love might be principled love and not sentimentality (1:9-11). "Christ in you is your hope of glory!" (1:27)

Colossians is often categorized as one of the so-called "prison epistles" that include Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon. Colossians has some close parallels with the letter to Philemon—names of some of the same people (e.g., Timothy, Aristarchus, Archippus, Mark, Epaphras, Luke, Onesimus, and Demas) appear in both epistles.

Since Paul wrote these letters from prison, the theme of God’s faithfulness in the midst of trial and persecution occurs often.