Albert Barnes Commentary Philemon 1

Philemon.

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ. A prisoner at Rome in the cause of Jesus Christ.

And Timothy our brother. Timothy, it seems, had come to him in accordance with his request. 2 Timothy 4:9. Paul not infrequently joins his name with his own in his epistles. 2 Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1.

As Timothy was from that region, and as he had accompanied Paul in his travels, he was doubtless acquainted with Philemon.

Unto Philemon our dearly beloved and fellow-labourer. See Intro. & 1.

The word rendered fellow-labourer (sunergos), does not determine what office he held, if he held any, or in what respects he was a fellow-labourer with Paul. It means a co-worker, or helper, and doubtless here means that he was a helper or fellow-worker in the great cause to which Paul had devoted his life, but whether as a preacher, or deacon, or a private Christian, cannot be ascertained.

It is commonly, in the New Testament, applied to ministers of the gospel, though by no means exclusively, and in several instances it cannot be determined whether it denotes ministers of the gospel, or those who furthered the cause of religion and co-operated with the apostle in some other way than preaching. See the following places, which are the only ones where it occurs in the New Testament: Romans 16:3, 9, 21; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 1:24; 8:23; Philippians 2:25; 4:3; Colossians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; Philemon 1:24; 3 John 1:8.

And to our beloved Apphia. This was a female, (Greek: agaphth), and was probably the wife of Philemon.

And Archippus our fellow-soldier. See Barnes' notes on Colossians 4:17.

It has been supposed that he was a son of Philemon, and this would appear not to be improbable, as he was one of his family. On the term "fellow-soldier," see Barnes' notes on Philippians 2:25.

It is applied here to one who was a minister of the gospel, and who is spoken of in connection with Paul as enlisted under the banners of the Captain of salvation, and waging a warfare with the wickedness of the world. Compare with Barnes' notes on 2 Timothy 2:3 and 2 Timothy 2:4.

That Archippus was a minister of the gospel, is clear from Colossians 4:17.

And to the church in your house. Either the church that commonly met in his house, or more probably that was composed of his own family. Compare Romans 16:5.

Grace to you, and peace, etc. See Barnes on Romans 1:7.

I thank my God. That is, for what I hear of you.

Making mention of you always in my prayers. See a similar declaration respecting the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 1:16).

It would appear from this that Paul, in his private devotions, was in the habit of mentioning churches and individuals by name. It would seem, also, that though he was a prisoner, yet he somehow found opportunity for secret devotion. And it would appear further, that though encompassed with many cares and sorrows, and about to be put on trial for his life, he did not forget to remember a Christian brother though far distant from him, and to bear him on his heart before the throne of grace.

To remember with affectionate concern these churches and individuals, as he did, Paul must have been a man of much prayer.

Hearing of thy love and faith. Paul may have heard this either from Onesimus, who, after his conversion, would be disposed to state all that he knew that was favourable of Philemon, or he may have heard it from other persons who had come from Colosse to Rome.

The faith mentioned here refers to the Lord Jesus; the love refers to the saints.

The word order in the Greek is indeed the same as in our version. However, it is not unusual, by synthesis (that is, uniting two or more things together), to arrange words in that manner. Thus, Matthew 12:22 states: The blind and dumb both spake and saw; that is, the blind saw, and the dumb spoke.

The meaning is that Philemon had strong faith in the Lord Jesus and ardent love towards all who were Christians. See a similar declaration in Colossians 1:4.