Albert Barnes Commentary Philemon 1:14

"but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will." — Philemon 1:14 (ASV)

But without thy mind would I do nothing (Philemon 1:14). Nothing in the matter referred to. He would not retain Onesimus in his service, much as he needed his assistance, without the cordial consent of Philemon. He would not give him cause for hard feelings or complaint, as if Paul had induced him to leave his master, or as if he persuaded him to remain with him when he wished to return—or as if he kept him away from him when he owed him or had wronged him.

All that is said here is entirely consistent with the supposition that Onesimus was disposed to return to his master, and with the supposition that Paul did not compel or urge him to do it. For it is probable that if Onesimus had proposed to return, it would have been easy for Paul to have retained him with him.

He might have represented his own need for a friend. He might have appealed to Onesimus's gratitude because of his efforts for his conversion. He might have shown him that he was under no moral obligation to go back. He might have refused to give him this letter, and might have so represented to him the dangers of the journey, and the probability of a harsh reception, as to have effectively dissuaded him from such a purpose.

But, in that case, it is clear that this might have caused hard feelings in Philemon's heart, and rather than do that, Paul preferred to let him return to his master, and to plead for him that he might have a kind reception. It is, therefore, by no means necessary to suppose that Paul felt that Onesimus was under obligation to return, or that he was disposed to compel him, or that Onesimus was not inclined to return voluntarily; but all the circumstances of the case are met by the supposition that, if Paul retained him, Philemon might conceive that he had injured him.

Suppose, as seems to have been the case, that Onesimus "owed" Philemon (Philemon 1:18), and then suppose that Paul had chosen to retain him with himself, and had dissuaded him from returning to him, would Philemon not have had reason to complain of it? Therefore, on every account, there was great propriety in his saying that he did not wish to use any influence over him to retain him with him when he intended to return to Colosse, and that he felt that it would be wrong for him to keep him, much as he needed him, without the consent of Philemon.

Nor is it necessary, from what is said here, to suppose that Onesimus was a slave, and that Paul believed that Philemon had a right to him and to his services as such. All that he says here would be met by the supposition that he was a hired servant, and would be in fact equally proper even on the supposition that he was an apprentice.

In either case, he would feel that he gave just cause for Philemon to complain if, when Onesimus desired to return, he used any influence to dissuade him from it, and to retain him with himself. It would have been a violation of the rule requiring us to do to others as we would wish them to do unto us, and Paul, therefore, felt unwilling, much as he needed the services of Onesimus, to make use of any influence to retain him with him without the consent of his master.

That thy benefit... (Philemon 1:14). This refers to the favour that Paul (as the "I" implied in the verse's context) might receive from you (Philemon) by having the services of Onesimus. If Onesimus were to remain with Paul and assist him, Paul would feel that the benefit conferred by Onesimus's services would, in fact, be bestowed by Philemon, because Philemon had a right to those services. While Paul enjoyed them, Philemon would be deprived of them. The word rendered benefit here, agathon—means good, and the sense is, "the good that you would do me;" namely, by the service of Onesimus.

Should not be as it were of necessity (Philemon 1:14). This would be the case if Paul should detain Onesimus with him without affording Philemon an opportunity of expressing his assent. Paul would even then have felt that he was in fact receiving a "good" at the expense of Philemon, but it would not be a voluntary favour on his part.

But willingly (Philemon 1:14). This would be the case if Philemon had given his consent for Onesimus to remain with Paul.