Epistle to Philemon

The Epistle to Philemon - is one of the epistles of the New Testament. It is part of so-called pauline epistles, the group of epistles written by the Apostle Paul.

Authorship
There is no doubt as to the Pauline authorship of this epistle. The Epistle of Philemon resembles the shape of the old private letters. The personal characteristics of the text lead to the truth of Paul as the author.The epistle was written about AD 61 or AD 62.

Structure
a. Salutation (1-3)

b. Shares of Grace (4-7)

c. Intercession for Onesimus (8-21)


 * i.O sending Onesimus to Philemon (8-16)


 * 1. The person of Onesimus (8-10)


 * 2. The value of Onesimus (11)


 * 3. The freedom of Onesimus suggested (12-16)


 * ii. The reception of Onesimus by Philemon (17-21)

d. Request for Hospitality (22)

e. Greetings from the part of Paul's friends (23-24)

f. Blessing (25)

Commentary
In this epistle, Paul used the term to refer to himself, prisoner of Jesus Christ. This address to the social status of Onesimus. The letter is addressed not only to Philemon but to the church that met at his house. This epistle along with the epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and the three pastoral epistles, is one of the seven epistles of Paul called "the prison epistles", though they were written while Paul was imprisoned. Philemon is closely connected with colossians. Onesimus carried both epistles. Appia was the wife of Philemon and Archippus was probably his son. Archipus appears to have been a person of some standing but perhaps not notable for stability of character.