Thomas Aquinas, on Phlm 1:15

“For perhaps he therefore departed for a season from thee, that thou mightest receive him again for ever:”

“Then when he says, Perhaps, indeed..., he gives the reason why he ought to receive him kindly, first, on the side of God, second, on the side of the Apostle: If therefore you count me as a partner...; third, on the part of Philemon himself: Trusting in your compliance... On the side of God, because the providence of God often permits what is evil to come about, in order that good might follow from it, as is clear from the sale of Joseph, that he might free Egypt and the family of his father. Genesis 45:5: 'For God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation.' He says Perhaps because the judgements of God are incomprehensible, Romans 11:33.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.