Answer: Paul
It says in Philemon 1:1, "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow labourer."
Philemon's name means "affectionate". Philemon was converted by Paul to Christianity.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: Timothy
"Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother..." (Philemon v. 1)
Acts records that Paul first met Timothy in Lystra (Acts 16 v. 1), who then accompanied Paul on his travels. There is a tradition that Timothy later became a bishop of Ephesus before being martyred.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: From prison
"Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus," is how he identifies himself in verse 1. Later, he mentions his "imprisonment for the gospel" (verse 13) and passes along the greetings of a "fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus" (verse 23). Paul's tone shows confidence and optimism; he does not appear anxious about his time in jail.
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
Answer: Archippus
It says in Philemon 1:2 "And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house."
Archippus' name means master of the horse.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: Apphia and Archippus
"To Philemon our dear friend and coworker," Paul writes in verses 1 and 2, "to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home." Apphia, the wife of Philemon, was later martyred with him at Colossae, in Phrygia. Archippus -- himself an eventual martyr -- was also mentioned in the final part of Paul's letter to the Colossians: "And say to Archippus, 'See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord'" (Colossians 4:17). Paul's salutations emphasize the fact that the early church really was a community, of friendship as well as of faith.
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
Answer: Jesus
It says in Philemon 1:6, "That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."
This is one of Paul's common themes.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: Whilst he was imprisoned
"I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains." (Philemon v. 10)
Paul does not record where he met Onesimus. The most likely location is Ephesus. Other proposed possibilities include Rome and Caesarea.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: Onesimus
It says in Philemon 1:10, "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds."
Paul does not mean son in the literal sense. Onesimus is one of the people he led to Christ.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: The word "Onesimus", in Greek, means useful.
Paul is not often noted for his humor but he does attempt to use it, on occasions, in his letters. Possibly the clearest example of this comes in Galatians. Paul has been arguing against those Jewish Christians that still insist that circumcision is necessary. He then adds that he wishes the knife would slip, in the act of circumcision, and castrate them instead. (Galatians 5 v. 12)
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: Onesimus
"I am sending him - who is my very heart - back to you." (Philemon v. 12)
It's a high-risk strategy. Paul is hoping, even though he very carefully develops the argument that it is all about Philemon's choice, to back him into a corner in which he can't refuse.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: Useful
"I appeal to you for my son, Onesimus," Paul writes in verses 10-11, "who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me." Having repented of his sins, converted to Christianity, and dedicated himself to the service of God, Onesimus is finally living up to his name.
Tradition holds that, accepted and forgiven by Philemon, Onesimus eventually became Bishop of Ephesus before being martyred in Rome; stories disagree as to whether he succumbed to stoning or to beheading.
There was another famous Onesimus who lived much later. Enslaved by Puritan minister Cotton Mather, he is credited with saving lives during a 1721 smallpox epidemic in Boston. He recalled undergoing a form of smallpox inoculation (using a thorn to convey the infectious material) as a child in Africa, and suggested it to Mather. With the aid of Dr. Zabdiel Boylston (subsequently elected to the Royal Society in London), some 244 people were inoculated.
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
Answer: the gospel
It says in Philemon 1:13, "Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel."
Saying that Onesimus is a slave to the gospel refers to the fact that Onesimus is now saved as a Christian.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: as a brother
It says in Philemon 1:16, "Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?"
Christians regard themselves as a family in which God is the Father and all Christians are brothers and sisters.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: His very self
"If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back - not to mention that you owe me your very self." (Philemon v. 18-19)
Paul doesn't expand upon this claim and the name of Philemon doesn't appear anywhere else in the Bible. We are, therefore, left to presume that what Paul means is that Philemon became a Christian under his ministry.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: Onesimus, a slave of Philemon's, ran away -- and may have stolen something in the process.
We do not know for certain whether Onesimus stole anything from Philemon, although Paul alludes to the idea that he may have in verse 18. Paul does, however, explicitly state that Onesimus was Philemon's slave, who had run away and who later learned the Gospel from Paul: "Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever- 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother" (verses 15-16).
This history explains Philemon's prominent position on both sides of the slavery debates. Abolitionists pointed to the fact that Onesimus was to be welcomed as a brother, and that Paul clearly saw him as Philemon's equal. On the pro-slavery side, it was argued that -- despite ample opportunities to proclaim slavery contrary to the Gospels -- Paul chose instead to frame the letter as a personal appeal, and Onesimus's emancipation as a decision only Philemon could make.
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
Answer: He is personally writing part of the letter.
"If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back - not to mention that you owe me your very self." (Philemon v. 18-19)
On four other occasions, Paul draws attention to the fact that he is personally writing a particularly significant segment of a letter. Most scholars have taken this to mean that the rest of the letters were probably dictated to a scribe. Here Paul is emphasising his personal promise to act as a guarantor for Onesimus. For those who like chapter and verse, the other occurrences where Paul highlights his own handwriting are 1 Corinthians 16 v. 21; Galatians 6 v. 11; Colossians 4 v. 18 and 2 Thessalonians 3 v. 17
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: Charge them to Paul's account
"If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything," Paul writes in verses 18-19, "charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back." And then Paul, not one to miss an opportunity, casually notes, "not to mention that you owe me your very self." It is easy to see why Christian tradition is so confident that Philemon did as Paul asked, despite there being no follow-up to this incident in the Bible: it is almost impossible to imagine Philemon doing otherwise!
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
Answer: lodgings
It says in Philemon 1:22, "But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you."
Paul plans to go and see Philemon at some point.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: Visit him
Verse 22 reads "And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers."
This line, the last in the body of the letter, is a beautiful example of Paul's persuasiveness. In a subtle and friendly way, he lets Philemon know that he expects to be in town soon to see how he has treated Onesimus. If Philemon needs any more nudging to do the right thing, this ought to do it!
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
Answer: Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas
It says in Philemon 1:24, "Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow labourers."
Philemon is the shortest of Paul's epistles.
From Quiz: BBB Bible Series: Philemon
Answer: Colossians
"Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you." (Colossians 4 v. 7-9)
This leads to the assumption that Philemon lived in Colossae and that it was the Colossian church that met in his home. The first-century Christian writer, Ignatius, records that there was a bishop of Ephesus named Onesimus. Ephesus is about 100 miles from Colossae. Some traditions have made the link to Philemon's slave, but with no direct evidence, and it should be remembered that Onesimus was a common name of its time.
From Quiz: Quizzing the New Testament : Philemon
Answer: Epaphras
"Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit" (verses 23-25). These are familiar names! Mark and Luke are thought to refer to the writers of those two Gospels. Along with Demas, Aristarchus, and Epaphras, they all earn a mention in Paul's letter to the Colossians (where he also mentions Onesimus's journey home); Aristarchus is Paul's "fellow prisoner", and Epaphras "is always wrestling in his prayers on [the Colossians'] behalf." (Colossians 4:9-14)
Thank you for joining me on a visit to a brief but beautiful book of the Bible.
From Quiz: Letter to Philemon
