I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment…I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.” vss. 10, 12
Philemon 1-16
Slavery was a way of life in the Roman Empire. It is estimated that in the areas visited by Paul on his missionary journeys, about 20-30 percent of the population were slaves and served in a variety of positions in households and businesses. Some did menial labor while others could be highly educated and serve as teachers. As the gospel spread through the Empire, many slaves were attracted to the new teaching and were baptized. Paul regarded them as a part of the Church, but nowhere in the scriptures was there a movement to abolish the practice of slavery. It was firmly entrenched in the culture. But one slave, Onesimus, was of particular interest to Paul. Probably a runaway, he had been of great use to Paul during one of his imprisonments, and Paul had become quite fond of him. Onesimus belonged to Philemon, an old friend of Paul’s and a leader of the congregation in Colossae, and Paul decided to send him back to his master. We don’t know why Paul chose to do this, but the letter he wrote to Philemon was included in the New Testament. And while it isn’t a call for emancipation, it is an indication that at the very beginning, the gospel of Jesus Christ was already beginning to eat away at the whole institution of slavery. The two are simply incompatible!
Thought for the Day: Why were Christians okay with slavery for so long?
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