I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands, Onesimus,

“And note, on the other hand, also Paul's fervency. He preached the gospel bound and scourged. Oh, that blessed chain, with what great effort did it labor that night, and what children did it birth! Yes, of them, too, may he say, "Whom I have begotten in my bonds." Observe how Paul glories. He will have the children born this way considered even more illustrious! Observe how transcendent is the glory of those bonds, in that they give luster not only to him that wore them but also to those who were on that occasion begotten by him.”

“Indeed the epistle was written in behalf of the slave, and having returned him, though he had done wrong, he was improving through the Apostle's teaching. Now many have benefitted from it, indeed, first and foremost those who are zealous. For if Paul makes such great haste for the fugitive and repentant thief, how much more shall we not be lazy for the brethren. Secondly, one must not give up on the servile class, even if it strains the uttermost limits of wickedness. Oh how the thief and fugitive became so virtuous! Thirdly, its not appropriate for slaves to run away from their masters. For if Paul now insures Philemon that Onesimus was now thankful to serve him and not wishing to defy his superior, how much more should we ought not to do it. For if the wonderful servant is still fit to remain in his job, and their masters realize it, then he may be useful in everything else in the household.”

“Having set down the Apostle's confidence concerning Philemon's goodness, he here sets forth his petition. And first he shows the person for whom he petitions; second, from this he concludes his petition, at the words but you, him. Concerning the first he does two things: first, by describing the person, he shows that he is acceptable to him by reason of spiritual generation; second, by reason of a change of character. He says therefore: truly I am to be heard, because my petition contains honesty and piety, on behalf of my son Onesimus, concerning whom is my present concern. And having acquired a son at a time of decline, he loves him the more, as an old man does sons begotten in old age. Gen. 37:3: But Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had begotten him in his old age. But this one he begot in chains. Second, there is a change in character. For if he had persevered in sin, he would not have been worthy of pardon. And note that he says less, and signifies more. For Tully teaches that one ought to diminish his own deed as much as he can. Thus the Apostle speaks lightly of this man's fault, saying unprofitable, that is, harmful in taking away your goods; but now, having been converted from evil to a state of virtue, he is profitable for the service of God and of men. 2 Tim. 2:21: If therefore anyone shall cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel sanctified unto honor. Prov. 25:4: Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel. Then, when he says but you, him, he sets forth his petition. And first the petition is set forth; second he answers a question, at the words whom I. He says therefore: you, then, receive him as my own bowels. And this for the reason that I have seen him amended, the sign of which is that I have sent him back to you. Against this, Deut. 23:15: You shall not deliver up to his master the servant who has fled to you, etc. I answer. This is true when the master seeks him unto death; and therefore he says but you, etc. Phil. 1:7: Because I have you in my heart, and in my chains and in the defense, etc. And he answers a question, because one might say: if he is profitable to you, why do you not keep him until death? Therefore he states what is the reason for sending him. First he shows his intention of keeping him; second, why he desisted from his intention, at the words but without your counsel. He says therefore to Philemon, who, although he was a great man, was nevertheless accustomed to minister to the Apostle. Matt. 20:26: Whoever will be greater among you, let him be your minister. Hence out of this confidence he proposed to keep him, that in Philemon's place he might minister to him. Hence he says whom I would have kept with me, that in your stead, etc. Which was most necessary, since he was in chains for Christ. For provision must be made when someone suffers for his lord. But the reason why he desisted is that he did not wish to use another's property, the master being unaware. Hence he says without counsel, etc., as if to say: if I had kept him, it would then please you, who could not resist, and there would be a kind of compulsion. But I did not wish it thus; rather, I wished that it be done voluntarily. Ex. 25:2: From every man who offers of his own accord, you shall receive them, namely, the first-fruits. 2 Cor. 9:7: Not with sadness, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. Then, when he says for perhaps, he sets forth the reason why Philemon ought to receive him kindly. And first on the part of God; second on the part of the Apostle himself, at the words if therefore you have; third on the part of Philemon himself, at the word trusting. On the part of God, because often the providence of God permits that which seems evil to happen, so that from it good may follow, as is clear in the case of Joseph, who was sold, that he might deliver Egypt and his father's family. Gen. 45:5: For God sent me before you for your preservation. And he says perhaps, because the judgments of God are incomprehensible, Rom. 11:33. And he says for a servant, that is, in place of a servant. Matt. 23:8: But you are all brothers. And not only to you, but to me, in comparison to God, although he is a son in ministry. How much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord? This can be explained in two ways: in one way, that it be referred to the first origin of divine creation, and thus he is a brother. Deut. 32:6: Is not he your father, who possessed, and made, and created you? Mal. 2:10: Is there not one father of us all? Has not one God created us? Likewise, in God, through faith. Or rather, it was for Philemon's good that he was his kinsman according to the flesh, because according to the flesh he was his servant, since all that he was to him in the flesh was his own. Hence for a twofold reason one is moved by charity, namely, by love according to the origin of the flesh, and by spiritual love. But on the part of the Apostle, first he alleges his own friendship, under the pretext of which he wishes him to be received; second he stands surety for him regarding the loss; third he shows the duty of reception. The second, at the words but if. The third, at the words therefore, brother. He says therefore: if then you have me as a companion, receive him. 1 John 1:7: But if we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And he says as also me, because he is joined to me. Matt. 10:40: He who receives you receives me. Second, he obliges himself to make satisfaction on his behalf for the loss. He says therefore: if he has done any wrong, namely, in leaving your service, charge this to me, as if to say: I will make satisfaction. Gal., last chapter: bear one another's burdens. And more: for first he promises that he will pay; second he shows that Philemon is a debtor for this, not of necessity but of will. He says therefore I Paul, as if to say: that you may be certain of the restitution, I have written by hand. And this is not necessity, because you owe me your very self, whom I have delivered from eternal death. And such a one owes himself to his deliverer. Tob. 9:2: If I should give myself to you as a servant, I would not be worthy of your providence. And he adds, saying: therefore, brother, may I enjoy you, as if to say: if you wish to have me as a companion, receive him, and thus may I enjoy you, brother; that is, if you do this, you will fulfill my will with joys. For to enjoy is to use fruit, and as using pertains to the useful, so enjoying pertains to the fruit. But fruit implies sweetness. Cant. 2:3: And his fruit was sweet to my throat. Likewise, an end, because the last thing from the tree is the fruit. And therefore properly it is to have something as delightful and final. And hence it is that Augustine says: we enjoy things known, in which the will delights on account of sweetness. Likewise, to enjoy is to cling to something for its own sake. Sometimes therefore enjoy and use are taken commonly, insofar as they imply delight without its contrary. Ecclus. 8:10: Enjoy the great man without complaint. He says therefore: thus may I enjoy you, because in nothing are you contrary to me. And if in this you satisfy me, there will be nothing in my heart concerning you that saddens me, and thus you will delight me. But if enjoy is taken as something final, then man is not to be enjoyed, but God alone. Against which is that saying of Wis. 2:6: Let us enjoy the good things that are, and let us use the creature as in youth, speedily, etc. Hence he adds in the Lord, that is, may I enjoy you in the delight of God, rejoicing over the divine good in you, because its act is love, and enjoyment is the effect, namely, of charity. Therefore it is added: in this, refresh my bowels. For a man is refreshed spiritually when the desires of his soul are satisfied. As if to say: fulfill the inmost desires of my heart. And not in evil things, but in Christ, and therefore the fulfillment of the desire is good. Then, when he says trusting, the reason is taken from the side of Philemon, and there is a commendation of his obedience. And first he shows how he trusts in his obedience; second he enjoins upon him another similar thing. He says therefore trusting, etc. 2 Cor. 7:16: I rejoice that in all things I have confidence in you. 1 Kings 15:22: Obedience is better than sacrifices. But he writes more cautiously, because a man more readily heeds someone when he hopes to see him again, than if he despairs of it. And therefore he says: and at the same time, prepare me a lodging. For he was accustomed, when he was at Colossae, to lodge in his house. Chrysostom: a pleasant word, that a poor man should, across so many spans of lands, by letter, command a rich man to prepare a lodging. For what needed to be prepared for one who was content with bread and a cheap pottage? It must be said therefore that he says this not for the sake of the preparation of a lodging, but to insinuate familiarity and love; and by this he the more provokes him to obey. So he. The Apostle therefore did not say this on account of outward preparation, but for the sake of his devotion. For I hope through your prayers, etc. Against this: he was never restored to them, but died at Rome; therefore his hope failed. I answer. The hope of a just man is twofold: namely, a principal hope directed to his own good, and in this it never fails for himself; the other is secondary, namely, concerning the trial of others, and in this it sometimes fails, because the merits of those others stand in the way, just as the just are sometimes not heard on behalf of others. But was he then deceived in his confidence? It must be said that to know future things belongs to God alone, and not to human knowledge, except prophetic knowledge. And none of the prophets knew all future things about himself, except Christ alone, who did not have the Holy Spirit by measure. Thus Isaac, a great prophet, was deceived concerning Jacob. Hence it is no wonder concerning the Apostle, if he did not know. Then he ends the letter with a salutation; and first on the part of others; second on his own part. He says therefore there salute you, etc. Concerning all these it is found in Col. 4:12. But there is a doubt concerning what he says: Demas. How can this be, since it is said in 2 Tim., last chapter: Demas has forsaken me, loving this world? How then does he use his name? It must be said that he had already returned to him. But this does not seem so either, because this letter preceded the second letter to Timothy, since here he says I hope, etc., whereas there he foretells his own death, saying: and the time of my dissolution is at hand. And therefore it must be said that Paul was at Rome for nearly nine years, and this letter was written at the beginning. But the second letter to Timothy was written at the end of his life, and then Demas, wearied by the long chains, left him. And the letters of Paul are not arranged according to time, for the letters to the Corinthians were before the letter to the Romans, and this one was before the last letter to Timothy. And that one is placed first on account of its subject matter, because it concerns something more worthy. His salutation is the same as in the second letter to Timothy. Thanks be to God. Amen.”

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus,.... Now he comes to the request itself, and mentions by name the person on whose account he makes it, and whom he calls his son; not merely because of his affection to him, but because he really was his spiritual father; he had been the happy instrument of his conversion, and he was his son according to the common faith, or in a spiritual sense: hence it follows, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which is to be understood of a begetting again, or of regeneration; not as if the apostle was the efficient cause of it, as the nature of it shows, it being expressed by men's being born from above; by their being quickened, when dead in trespasses and sins; by being made new creatures, and transformed in the renewing of their minds; by Christ being formed in them, and by a partaking of the divine nature; and who is sufficient for these things? besides it is expressly denied to be of man, but is always ascribed to God, Father, Son, and Spirit; but as being the instrument and means of it, through the preaching of the Gospel, the word of truth, by which God of his own will, and by the power of his grace, regenerated this person; and this is said to be done "in his bonds": by which it appears, that the word of God was not bound, but had a free course, and was glorified, and the bonds of the apostle were the means of the spread of it; and that it was attended with great power, to the conversion of souls: and this circumstance is mentioned to engage Philemon to regard the entreaty of the apostle; he had been the instrument of begetting many souls to Christ; but this man was begotten by him in his bonds, when he was a prisoner, and so was peculiarly dear to him.”

“I beseech thee, &c. He at length tells Philemon what his request is, and names the person Onesimus, but in such terms as shew how much St. Paul has this affair at heart, and that he will look upon the favour he asks as done to himself. It is, that thou wilt pardon Onesimus, whom I look upon and love as my son, and a most dear son, whom I have begotten, a prisoner, and in my chains. (Witham) — How great is the ingenuity shewn by St. Paul in this epistle, in obtaining for Onesimus the pardon of his master, Philemon. Having in the preceding verse endeavoured by every argument which a real tenderness and compassion could inspire, and making use of every expression that could conciliate the favour of Philemon, to obtain his charitable request, he in this verse for the first time dares mention Onesimus by name; a name which he was sensible must sound harsh in the ears of one who had received an injury from him. See how he endeavours to prevent so unhappy an effect, by adding to the name every epithet that could any way tend to soften all feelings of asperity, and excite compassion and pity. I beseech thee then for my son, whom I have begotten, and that in my chains. (Calmet) — The pardon I crave is not for your slave, but for my son. If in all antiquity there be any thing in the persuasive kind of eloquence truly admirable, it is this short epistle in which there are contained almost as many arguments as words.”

“I beseech thee--emphatically repeated from Plm 1:9. In the Greek, the name "Onesimus" is skilfully put last, he puts first a favorable description of him before he mentions the name that had fallen into so bad repute with Philemon. "I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus." Scripture does not sanction slavery, but at the same time does not begin a political crusade against it. It sets forth principles of love to our fellow men which were sure (as they have done) in due time to undermine and overthrow it, without violently convulsing the then existing political fabric, by stirring up slaves against their masters.”