Theophylact of Ohrid, on Phlm 1:15

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

“Since Onesimus ran away with evil intent, Paul turns this flight into something beneficial. Perhaps, he says, he ran away by the providence of God. He also commendably calls the flight a separation, so as not to irritate the master with the word "flight." And by shortening the time, he calms his anger. "For an hour," he says, "he was separated." At the same time he also shows that however long he was with Paul, he was also with Philemon. Therefore he was absent only for the time he spent before meeting Paul; and this is an insignificant amount of time, as if a single hour. Therefore from now on, if he, having been released by you, remains with me, then understand that he is serving you. "To receive him back forever." You will make use of it.”

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