Philemon 1:1-3

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,

² to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Only this letter begins with Paul referring to himself as “a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” The manner in which the letter begins sets the tone for Paul’s request and plea. — Grace, page 2167.

Philemon (v.2) = friendly, loving

Apphia (v.2) — Likely Philemon’s wife

Philemon is a Greek name. Apphia is a Phrygian name. Philemon may not have originally been from Colossae. He may have gone there for business and married a local girl.

Archippus (v.2) — Likely Philemon’s son, since all three are listed as living in the same house. By “fellow soldier,” Paul meant soldier in the army of Christ. He ministered in the Colossians church (Colossians 4:17) and may even have been the pastor.

the church in your house (v.2) — Onesimus was Philemon’s slave, but now that he had trusted Christ, he was a brother in Christ to everyone in the assembly, so the letter was to them also.

Grace (v.3) — the common Greek greeting

Peace (v.3) — the common Hebrew greeting

Paul combines both of these terms, heightened with the full Christian meaning of all the blessings of salvation that freely come to us through Christ, and the peace of God that we have because Christ has made peace with God on our behalf. — KJV Commentary, page 1666.