Philemon 1:14-18

¹⁴ But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

¹⁵ For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,

¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷ If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.

¹⁸ But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 

Paul refused to keep Onesimus because to have done so and then to have sought Philemon’s approval may have forced Philemon to grudgingly approve of the situation. But Paul knows that if kindness or helpfulness is in any way forced, it becomes insincere. Philemon’s goodness always proceeded willingly from a heart of compassion. — KJV Commentary, page 1667.

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Paul did not choose what would benefit himself; instead, he chose to do what was right because Roman law mandated that fugitive slaves be returned to their masters. — Grace, page 2168.

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“Perhaps” (v.15), or even though such things are known only to God, Paul writes that it is a reasonable assumption to say that God was at work in these circumstances (Romans 8:28). On this side of glory, we cannot dogmatically define the hidden purpose of God in providence, so Paul wrote as a man that “perhaps” God worked and brought good out of this bad situation — the good of Onesimus’ salvation and a new relationship between him and his master, Philemon. — Grace, page 2168.

departed (v.15) — ran away

partner (v.17) — in the ministry

wronged you (v.18) — Apparently, when Onesimus ran away, he stole money or something of value from Philemon.

The Book of Philemon is a demonstration of the Gospel of the Grace of God lived out in a practical way. As Paul told Philemon to put what Onesimus owned to his account and also was willing to pay the price for there to be a reconciliation with Philemon, so the Lord Jesus Christ did the same for us that we might be reconciled to God. We have all wronged God (v.18); we owe Him a debt we could never repay (Romans 3:23); we deserve God’s punishment (Romans 6:23). But all our sins were put to Christ’s account at the Cross (2 Corinthians 5:21), and, in amazing grace and love, He paid the debt for us. As Paul told Philemon, so Christ tells the Father to “receive him [the believer] as Myself” (Philemon 1:17). God’s people are so completely identified with Christ Jesus (Romans 6:3) that God the Father receives us as He receives His Son. We are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Like Onesimus, we are forgiven by grace (Ephesians 1:7), and our complete acceptance in Christ will never end, because Christ tells the Father to “receive him forever” (Philemon 1:15). — Grace, page 2168.