Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Philemon 1:19

"I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides." — Philemon 1:19 (ASV)

The subject is still the indebtedness of Onesimus. Paul is now writing these words himself. As in our own society, handwritten statements of obligation carried great weight and legal validity. So Paul gives Philemon what amounts to a promissory note.

Then in v.19b he shifts abruptly to another thought—namely, “not to mention that you owe me your very self.” In Paul’s view, Philemon’s spiritual indebtedness to him should easily cover all of Onesimus’s wrongdoing. Again Paul’s hint can hardly be missed: “I will repay it. Charge it to the bank of heaven.” What Paul did for Onesimus reflects the infinitely greater intercession and redemptive act of Christ for us, who because of our sin are all indebted to God in a way we cannot ourselves repay.