The Metaphor of Philemon

Among Paul’s epistles is the short letter that he wrote to Philemon.  Philemon apparently had a slave named Onesimus who had run away but had then joined Paul and become a Christian.  Paul’s purpose in writing the letter was to encourage Philemon to forgive Onesmius and accept him as a fellow believer in Christ.  Paul sent the letter with Onesimus himself who must have feared that he would receive harsh punishment from Philemon.  Paul tried to appease Philemon in these words, “Thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved” (Philemon 1:15-16).  The letter doesn’t have much doctrine but it shows the love that Paul had for someone in a difficult situation.  Perhaps the greatest lesson for us from the story comes in seeing the exchange between these three individuals as a metaphor for our own lives.  

                The way that Paul spoke to Philemon makes me wonder if we can’t see him as a type of Christ, with each of us being like Philemon.  Paul was the apostle and witness for the Lord writing to one of the members of the Church who needed some encouragement to show mercy.  We each will likely have people that will wrong us in some form or another throughout our lives, and like Paul, Christ invites us to show compassion and forgive: “Of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64:10).  Paul offered to pay any debt that Onesimus might have: “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account” (Philemon 1:18).  This obviously points to Christ who likewise has the power to pay the debts that others can’t pay.  After this offer Paul then reminded Philemon, “I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides” (Philemon 1:19).  Apparently Philemon’s debt to Paul was much greater than Onesimus’s debt to Philemon, just as our own personal debt to the Savior is far greater than the amount some individual may have wronged us.  This obviously reminds us of the parable of the man who owed his Lord ten thousand talents, an enormous sum.  The Lord forgave this man his debt because he had compassion on him, but then the man turned around and would not forgive the debt of someone who owed him one hundred pence (see Matt. 18:23-35).  For us the Lord requires that we “forgive men their trespasses” just as the Father will forgive us (Matt. 6:14).

                Apparently Philemon’s name means “loving”.  Ultimately that’s what Paul was inviting Philemon to do: show love and compassion on Onesimus, a fellow brother in the gospel.  And that’s really what the gospel is all about for us—we must learn to show compassion and love to those around us so that we can receive in full the forgiveness, love, and mercy that the Savior has to offer us.