Paul's Prison Epistles: Paul and PhilemonSample

Salutation: Philemon 1-3

Paul’s letter to Philemon is unique in many ways. For one thing, it is Paul’s only canonical letter that does not focus on teaching. In Philemon Paul wrote as an advocate rather than as a teacher. For another thing, in nearly every other letter, Paul directly appealed to his apostolic authority commanding that things be done as he ordered. But in Philemon, he explicitly chose not to command his friend, but to approach him as a co-worker for the gospel, and to ask him for a favor. And besides this, Philemon is Paul’s most personal letter, expressing his deep concern both for Onesimus and Philemon, and making requests based on their friendship.

In short, in Philemon we see a humble man of God in action, taking responsibility, holding others accountable and expressing Christ’s love. And so, as we survey the details of this letter, we will pay attention to Paul’s Christian attitudes and actions, looking at the way he practiced the very ideals he communicated in his other prison epistles.

The salutation, which appears in verses 1-3, identifies Paul as the primary author of the letter, and states that the letter also came from Timothy. It includes an address that names Philemon as the letter’s primary recipient and mentions several others who were to bear witness to the letter: Apphia, Archippus, and the local church congregation of which Philemon was a member. 

Paul knew that he was making a big request of Philemon and that it might have been difficult for Philemon to do him this favor. So, rather than allowing the matter between Philemon and Onesimus to remain private, Paul invited Philemon’s household and church to witness his advocacy for Onesimus. No doubt he hoped that the watchful eyes of so many fellow believers would encourage Philemon all the more to be gracious to Onesimus. The salutation ends with a standard greeting in the form of a brief blessing.