And to Appia, our dearest sister, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the church which is in thy house:

“"And to our beloved Apphia." It seems to me that she was his partner in life. Observe the humility of Paul; he both joins Timothy with him in his request, and asks not only the husband, but the wife also, and some one else, perhaps a friend. "And Archippus," he says, "our fellow-soldier." Not wishing to effect such things by command, and not taking it ill, if he did not immediately comply with his request; but he begs them to do what a stranger might have done to aid his request. For not only the being requested by many, but the petition being urged to many, contributes to its being granted. And on this account he says, "And Archippus our fellow-soldier." If thou art a fellow-soldier, thou oughtest also to take a concern in these things. But this is the Archippus, about whom he says in his Epistle to the Colossians, "Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it." (Col. iv. 17.) It seems to me too, that he, whom he joins with him in this request, was also one of the Clergy. And he calls him his fellow-soldier, that he may by all means cooperate with him. "And to the Church in thy house." Here he has not omitted even the slaves. For he knew that often even the words of slaves have power to overthrow their master; and more especially when his request was in behalf of a slave. And perhaps it was they particularly who exasperated him. He does not suffer them therefore to fall into envy, having honored them by including them in a salutation with their masters. And neither does he allow the master to take offense. For if he had made mention of them by name, perhaps he would have been angry. And if he had not mentioned them at all, he might have been displeased. Observe therefore how prudently he has found a way by his manner of mentioning them, both to honor them by his mention of them, and not to wound him. For the name of the "Church" does not suffer masters to be angry, even though they are reckoned together with their servants. For the Church knows not the distinction of master and servant. By good actions and by sins she defines the one and the other. If then it is a Church, be not displeased that thy slave is saluted with thee. "For in Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free." (Gal. iii. 28.)”

“The occasion of the letter is this. For among the Colossians a certain great Christian had a certain servant, who, fleeing secretly to Rome, was baptized by the apostle, on whose behalf he also writes. And first the salutation is set forth; second, the narrative of the letter. In the salutation, first he sets forth the persons saluting; second, those saluted; third, the goods wished for. He says therefore Paul, which is a name to be venerated by all the faithful who are taught by him. A prisoner. 2 Tim. 2:9: I labor even unto chains. For at that time he was a prisoner at Rome. But of Jesus Christ, where the cause of the chains is shown. For it is very praiseworthy to be a prisoner for Christ's sake; for in this he is to be made blessed. Matt. 5:10: Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice's sake, etc. 1 Pet. 4:15: Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a railer, or a coveter of other men's goods; but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name. Acts 5:41: The apostles went, etc. And Timothy a brother. They are brothers as regards perfect faith. Phil. 2:20: I have no man so of one mind, who with sincere affection is solicitous for you. But he joins Timothy to himself, that he may more easily obtain his request, because it is impossible for the prayers of many not to be heard. Then he sets forth the persons saluted. And first the principal person saluted is set forth; second, the person joined. Likewise, first he sets forth the husband and wife, who have dominion of the house, to whom the servant is bound. To Philemon our beloved helper, and to Appia our dearest sister. He says beloved on account of good works. John 13:34: This is my commandment, that you love one another. Helper, because he ministered to the saints. Prov. 18:19: A brother that is helped by a brother is like a strong city. Second, the person joined is set forth, when he says to Archippus our fellow soldier, who was so powerful at Colossae that all the Christians were under his shadow. And therefore he brings in the whole Church there, of which he was bishop, writing thus, Col. last chapter: Say to Archippus: See to the ministry which you have received, etc. And he says to Archippus, fellow soldier, because all prelates are like spiritual soldiers of the Church. 2 Cor. 10:4: The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, etc. And he adds and to the Church, etc. These he brings in besides, that they may move him to hearken. The goods wished for are set forth, as is customary. Then when he says I give thanks, the narrative of the letter is set forth. And first the giving of thanks is set forth; second, the petition, at the words for which cause; third, the conclusion, at the words therefore, brothers. Likewise, first the giving of thanks is set forth; second, the matter of the giving of thanks, at the word hearing; third, the cause on account of which he gives thanks to God, at the words for great joy. He says therefore I give thanks to my God. Col. 3:15: And be thankful. Phil. 4:6: with thanksgiving. As if he were to say: thus I give thanks for things past, that I may nonetheless pray for things future. And therefore he says always making mention of you, etc. Phil. 1:7: because I have you in my heart, and in my chains. Is. 49:15: Can a woman forget her infant, etc. But in setting forth the matter of the thanksgiving and of the prayer, he shows what he asks in praying for him. But the matter of this was necessary and good for Philemon, namely both charity and faith: for without charity nothing else avails, and through it all things are had. 1 Cor. 13:1: If I speak with the tongues of men, etc. Likewise, without faith no one can love God, because he does not truly know God. But of hope he makes no mention, because it is a mean, and it is understood in these. But in what do you have faith and charity? In the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. last chapter: If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. And this is necessary, because from Christ, who is loved more sweetly, love is derived to the members; for he who does not love the head does not love the members. 1 John 4:20: He who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see? And toward all the saints; faith rests upon the doctrine as it has been manifested through Christ, because no man has seen God at any time, John 1:18, and 14:1: You believe in God, believe also in me. And therefore through faith we have Christ. But as it pertains to the saints, it can be understood in two ways: in one way, because from the faith which they have toward Christ proceed the services rendered to the saints. Or faith consists principally in the divinity, as it has been announced through Christ, but not only through Christ, but also through the saints. Matt. last chapter: Going therefore, teach all nations, etc. We ought therefore to believe not only the things said through Christ, but also through the saints. Heb. 2:3: which having begun to be declared by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. That the communication of your faith — this continues in two ways. For in one way, that it be a sign. And the sense is that the communication, etc., that is, so great is your charity, that the communication of your faith, etc. Or otherwise: I give thanks, and mention, etc., that is, that he may show what he asks for him in praying. And the communication of faith can be understood in two ways: either because in faith he communicated with all the saints, not having another new faith, as heretics do. 1 Cor. 1:10: that you all say the same thing, etc. Or the communication, by which you communicate goods to the saints, proceeding from faith. 1 Tim. last chapter: Charge the rich of this world not to be highminded, nor to trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in the living God, who gives us, etc. May become evident, that is, that the good lying hidden in the heart may become evident through good works. In the acknowledgment of every good, namely that which is done by you. And this in Christ Jesus, that is, for Christ Jesus. James 2:18: Show me your faith without works, and I will show you, from my works, my faith. Or otherwise: there are many works in the world which are good for men, and yet are not good to God, because they are not done rightly. Prov. 14:12: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its ends lead to death. Eccles. 8:10: I saw the wicked buried, who also, while they yet lived, were in the holy place, and were praised in the city as of righteous works. But this is made manifest through right faith, when it obtains a reward from God, who rewards nothing but what is right. And therefore he says in the acknowledgment, that is, that this may become evident, that you may know every good. Or that every good may be known in you, which is the enjoyment of the divinity. Ex. 33:19: I will show you all good. Wis. 7:11: All good things came to me together with her. But the cause on account of which he gives thanks is joy. And therefore he says for I had great joy. 3 John, the single chapter: I have no greater grace than this, than to hear that my children walk in truth. For this joy relieved his hardships. Hence he adds and consolation. Ps. 93:19: According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, your consolations have given joy to my soul. He assigns the reason for this, saying because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Col. 3:12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, etc. 3 John, the single chapter: Dearly beloved, you do faithfully whatever you work for the brethren, and that for strangers, etc. Then when he says for which cause, etc., the petition is set forth, and first the confidence of asking; second, the petition itself, at the word I beseech; third, its reason, at the word perhaps. He says therefore for which cause, that is, because you thus abound in charity, I have much confidence in Christ Jesus, as if he were to say: not from myself, but from the authority of Jesus Christ, in whose faith I begot you. And therefore I can command you as a father, but what pertains to the matter — namely yours, or the common matter; otherwise a prelate has no power to command anyone anything, except what is either for his own advantage, or the Church's, or of the good morals of the Christian religion. Yet on account of charity I rather beseech. Prov. 18:23: The poor man speaks with entreaties. And why? Surely since you are such, etc. There are two things on account of which someone ought to be entreated, namely the age of old age. 1 Tim. 5:1: Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father, etc. Likewise the honor of virtue, for where we do not offend, we are equals. Ecclus. 32:1: They have made you ruler, be not lifted up, be among them as one of them. He says therefore since you are such, as Paul an old man, as if he were to say: if you were a boy, I would command you this, but you are an old man. Likewise, if slight, yet you are of such a life that you are like me. Not that he is simply such and so great, but in some way similar, which he says out of his humility. Rom. 12:10: In honor preferring one another. Origen: Paul lived long in the faith. For he was converted as a young man; now he speaks as an old man. Origen: rarely is a useful teacher found in the Church unless he is of long life. An example concerning Peter and Paul.”

“And to our beloved Apphia,.... The Alexandrian copy reads, "to sister Apphia"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "to the beloved sister Apphia"; for this is a woman's name; and it is thought that she was the wife of Philemon, since she is placed next to him, and before Archippus, a minister of the word; and very prudently is she wrote to, and justly commended, in order to engage her to use her interest with her husband to receive his servant again, who otherwise might have stood against it, and been a very great hinderance to a reconciliation: this clause is wanting in the Ethiopic version: and Archippus our fellow soldier; that this Archippus was a preacher of the Gospel at Colosse is manifest from Col 4:17 wherefore the apostle styles him a fellow soldier; for though this character belongs to private Christians, who are enlisted as volunteers under Christ, the Captain of salvation, and fight under his banners, against sin, Satan, and the world, being accoutred with the whole armour of God, and are more than conquerors through Christ that has loved them; yet it very eminently belongs to the ministers of the Gospel, who are more especially called upon, to endure hardness, as good soldiers of Christ; to war a good warfare, to fight the good fight of faith; and besides the above enemies common to all believers, to engage with false teachers, and earnestly contend for the faith of the Gospel, that so it may continue with the saints. Now this man was in the same company, and in the same service, engaged in the same common cause, against the same enemies, and under the same Captain, and was expecting the same crown of immortality and glory, and therefore he calls him his fellow soldier; and he wisely inscribes his epistle to him, that he might make use of the interest he had in Philemon, and his wife, to bring this matter to bear, the apostle writes about: and to the church in thy house: not in the house of Archippus, but in the house of Philemon; and designs not the church at Colosse, as though it met at his house; but his own family, which for the great piety and religion which were among them, and for the good order and decorum in which they were kept, were like a church of themselves; and here again the apostle acts the wise part, in order to gain his point, by taking notice of them, who might some of them have been injured or affronted by Onesimus, when with them; and so entertained some resentment against him, and might put a bar in the way of his reception into the family again.”

“Apphia. Απφια. Under the word Απφα Suidas says: Αδελφης και αδελφου ὑπακορισμα· Appha is the affectionate address of a brother or sister; or the diminutive of a brother and sister, used to express kindness and affection. Hence the apostle, referring to the meaning of the word, says: Και Απφιᾳ τῃ αδελφῃ αγαπητῃ· And to Apphia the beloved sister. Though αδελφῃ, sister, be not in our common text, it is found in AD*EFG, several others, the Itala, Vulgate, Slavonic, etc.; and is undoubtedly genuine. Archippus, Αρχιππος. The ruler or master of the horse; from αρχων, a chief, and ἱππος, a horse. Heroes of old were, both among the Greeks and Trojans, celebrated for their skill in managing and taming the horse, and employing him in war; this frequently occurs in Homer. The import of the name of Archippus might suggest this idea to the apostle's mind, and lead him to say: Archippus our Fellow Soldier. Suidas mentions a person of this name, who was once victor at the games, in the ninety-first Olympiad. There was one of the pupils of Pythagoras of this name; and I introduce him here for the sake of a quotation from St. Jerome, (Apol. adv. Ruffin.), relative to the doctrines taught by him and his fellow disciple, Lysis: Φευκτεον πανταπασι και εκκοπτεον ασθενειαν μεν του σωματος, απαιδευσιαν δε της ψυχης, ακολασιαν δε της γαστρος, στασιν δε της πολεως, την δε διαφωνιαν απο της οικιας, και κοινῃ απο παντων το ακρατες· "By all means and methods these evils are to be shunned and cut off: effeminacy from the body; Ignorance from the soul; delicacies from the belly; sedition from the city; discord from the house; and, in general, intemperance from all things." Vid. Fab. Thes. Erud. Schol. Onesimus, Ονησιμος. Useful or profitable; from ονημι, to help. The import of this name led the apostle to play upon the word thus: I beseech thee for any son Onesimus - which in time past was to thee Unprofitable, but now Profitable to thee and me. To the Church in thy house - The congregation of Christians frequently assembling in Philemon's house; for at this time the Christians had neither temples, churches, nor chapels. See the note on Rom 16:5, and the reference there. It is very probable that Apphia was the wife of Philemon, and Archippus, their son, the pastor of the Church at Philemon's house.”

“Apphia--the Latin, "Appia"; either the wife or some close relative of Philemon. She and Archippus, if they had not belonged to his family, would not have been included with Philemon in the address of a letter on a domestic matter. Archippus--a minister of the Colossian Church (Col 4:17). fellow soldier-- (Ti2 2:3). church in thy house--In the absence of a regular church building, the houses of particular saints were used for that purpose. Observe Paul's tact in associating with Philemon those associated by kindred or Christian brotherhood with his house, and not going beyond it.”