Onesimus

In the Letter to Philemon, Paul mentions that he has converted an individual named Onesimus while in prison (v. 10). Who was this individual, and why was he of such value that he, of all other enslaved persons in Paul’s missionary circle, received Paul’s personal intervention? Does Paul plead for mercy on behalf of a runaway slave, or is there more to the story?

Who was Onesimus?

Paul calls Onesimus his “child” and says that he became Onesimus’s “father” while in prison (v. 10). Just how Onesimus came to be present with Paul in prison is not disclosed. The traditional interpretation asserts that Onesimus was a runaway slave, who stole some of Philemon’s goods (vv. 15, 18) and ended up in prison with Paul. Another interpretation is that Onesimus recognized that Paul was Philemon’s friend and purposefully fled to Paul in prison after angering his master, Philemon, so that the apostle might intercede on his behalf. A third suggestion is Onesimus was sent to serve Paul in prison either by Philemon or the church. This proposal finds support in the Letter to the Philippians, where Epaphroditus is sent to serve Paul in prison on behalf of the Philippian church (Phil 2:25–30).

What is Paul asking Philemon to do for Onesimus?

However these matters are decided, Paul requests that Philemon might do some “good deed” (v. 14) for Onesimus because of his new status as a believer, which Paul typically speaks of as being “in-Christ.” Indeed, this is the entire reason for the letter. Paul does not state emphatically what this request is. Many readings hinge upon the interpretation of verse 16, in which Paul tells Philemon to receive Onesimus back, “no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord” (NRSV). Is Philemon to receive Onesimus back as a “brother in Christ” while Onesimus’s enslaved status remains unchanged? Is he to release Onesimus to continue his service to Paul in prison (vv. 13–14)? Or is Paul proposing that Philemon manumit Onesimus who is now his “brother” in Christ (vv. 16, 17, 21) so that Onesimus’s status be legally changed from enslaved to free? It is Paul’s ambiguous language that has made the interpretation of this letter so challenging. However, Paul’s descriptive language used in his discussion of Onesimus is filled with endearing terminology that increases Onesimus’s value as a person and a partner in ministry.

Why does Paul intervene for Onesimus?

It is unclear why Onesimus receives special attention. However, Paul uses a pun on Onesimus’s name to make his claim. Onesimus means “useful.” Paul says to Philemon that Onesimus was formerly “useless (achrēstos) but now he is indeed useful (euchrēstos) both to you and to me” (v. 11). Onesimus’s usefulness hinges upon his new status in Christ: before he was “without Christ” (a = “not” and a-chrēstos sounds like Christos) but now he is useful in Christ (eu-chrēstos; eu= “good, well” in Christ). It appears that Paul’s Letter to Philemon was successful in proving Onesimus’s usefulness for ministry because an individual named “Onesimus” is mentioned in Col 4:9, where he is called “the faithful and beloved brother.” In addition, in his Letter to the Ephesians, the early second century bishop and martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, glowingly mentions someone named “Onesimus,” who is the bishop of the church in Ephesus. Whether all these individuals are the same person is disputed, but the idea that one’s status in Christ can trump one’s status in the world is inspiring.