Bible Study on the Book of Philemon
Special Note:
Throughout the Bible Studies the Scripture that is the subject of the study and questions relating to that Scripture, will be posted one week. The following week answers and notes for the Scripture studied will be posted. Please share your thoughts and input on the questions presented.
The letter of “Philemon” written by Paul is a simple yet interesting book of the Bible. Often, overlooked perhaps, due to its size, there are nuggets of gold in this book. Through this study, we will examine the book more closely and glean some of those precious gold treasures. Presented first will be the text we are studying then the questions and notes will follow.
Study of Verses 8 – 16
In an effort not to make any one Bible Study posting too long I will limit the amount of questions addressed in each posting. Therefore a section of study i.e. verses 8-16 may be spread out over more than one week.
New King James Text of Book of Philemon:
Philemon
8Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— 10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16no 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.
Notes Regarding Questions on verses 10,11:
Q-1 from v-10
Q-2 from v-10
Paul was not seeking assistance from Philemon for himself; he was seeking help for someone else. Despite the fact that he was suffering persecution for his service to the Lord, he wanted to see that another was taken care of.
Q-3 from v-10
When you look into the Greek Language and see what this term “I have begotten” means it is so amazing. It means to procreate, figuratively to regenerate: — bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring. Paul is viewing Onesimus as a spiritual child of his.
Q-4 from v-10
It is vital that we both have and be a spiritual mentor consistently throughout our lives. We cannot keep what we do not give away. We have to pass on to others what we ourselves have been taught. We must also always stay willing to learn.
Q-5 from v-11
Q-6 from v-11
Q-7
Paul tells Philemon that Onesimus was once unprofitable to him but is now profitable to both of them. It is through and because of Onesimus regeneration spiritually, that this change has come about. This statement about Onesimus’ unprofitability is primarily a reference to him being inefficient and detrimental. Now Paul is assuring Philemon that Onesimus will be useful to them both.
We need to examine ourselves closely and make sure we are seeing change in our ourselves and our lives once we have been spiritually reborn. Are we allowing our minds, bodies, souls, lives, lifestyles, personalities, and spirits to be regenerated based on God’s principals and standards. If we are not, we need to correct this immediately. Regeneration is as much a choice of obedience, as it is God’s grace. Without the grace, we do not have the desire and ability to change and without making the choice to be obedient, we cannot experience the grace. This truth is one of many of God’s paradoxes.
Our names mirror us so much more than we might like to acknowledge. Onesimus’ name means: profitable.
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