BE LIKE PAUL AND SEND HIM BACK LIKE A WRETCHED STEP CHILD

Philemon 1

“Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy, the brother,

To Philemon, our beloved friend, and co-laborer; . . .” (mast)

Compare manuscripts:

First offering:

Philemon 2

“. . . Apphia, the beloved [sister]; Archippus our fellow soldier; and the church in your house. (mast)

This presents another case where there is no reason not to exclude either tradition of preservation regarding the variation between agapeto and adelphe. Apphia is beloved as a sister because she is most likely Philemon’s wife, whose name means “fruitful.” In some way, she brings blessing to Philemon’s house and is loved like a sister by all the brethren. In the same way that Timothy is given honorable mention alongside Paul, Apphia is given the same honor as a sister. She is mentioned before Archippus, which gives high credence to the fact she is Philemon’s wife in terms of honor in the house. Archippus is probably the leading elder alongside Philemon, who was the gold standard of the business of the church. Clearly, Philemon is providing the means to host the church’s business. Therefore, Archippus is most likely a participating elder with Philemon but is addressed as a soldier in terms of the battle for the heart and soul as the preacher for those among Philemon’s ekklesia who are “according to” (kat’) his spirit of faith. See also verse 6 in conjunction.

Philemon 2 (SBLGNT)

2 καὶ Ἀπφίᾳ τῇ [ἀδελφῇ] καὶ Ἀρχίππῳ τῷ συστρατιώτῃ ἡμῶν καὶ τῇ κατʼ οἶκόν σου ἐκκλησίᾳ·

Philemon 2 (Byz)

2 καὶ Ἀπφίᾳ τῇ [ἀγαπητῇ], καὶ Ἀρχίππῳ τῷ συστρατιώτῃ ἡμῶν, καὶ τῇ κατʼ οἶκόν σου ἐκκλησίᾳ·

Philemon 6

First offering:

“. . . that the fellowship of [your faith] effectively would become a recognition of every good thing [in you] toward Christ Jesus.” (mast)

Compare manuscripts:

But it should be clear that the use of the second person is consistent with the context of Paul’s address considering “your faith.”

So, the NU’s use of the first person doesn’t hold much weight as the authoritative interpretation among the known variants.

The NU and Majority’s use of “in us” totally doesn’t fit what Paul is laying down for Philemon as the host of this house church, which, apparently, serves slaves for their earthly good and spiritual freedom at Philemon’s personal expense. Neither Paul nor Timothy are laboring directly among them to include themselves as “every good thing” toward Christ. Paul is giving Philemon the full reward for his labor in hosting the church that is among them. Therefore, using “in us” would steal credit from the good work performed exclusively through Philemon’s faith. See 2Cor.10:13-16.

First offering:

Philemon 7

“It is for joy, brother, that we are held greatly together with consolation in your love because the hearts of the saints are refreshed through you. (mast)

The NU puts eschon in place of echomen to argue that the TR is wrong because the indicative points back to Paul’s first person singular prayer in verse 4, but this is based on the presumption that Timothy is to be ignored in his prayer as Timothy writes this letter, according to Paul’s dictates, as he was given honorable mention from the beginning of this letter with Paul’s address. See verse 1. Therefore, it is a fallacy to presume that the argument holds up, which says Paul has to remain in the first-person singular throughout the entirety of this letter to Philemon as he is making himself an example “to recognize every good thing” in his own faith (toward Christ). See the previous verse.

Philemon 6

First offering:

“. . . that the fellowship of [your faith] effectively would become a recognition of every good thing [in you] toward Christ Jesus.” (mast)

Therefore, Paul is purposely using the first-person plural echomen to further demonstrate his point in verse 6 in direct recognition of Timothy here, and not just Timothy, but to all the saints united by this same attitude of love as verse 7 concludes. But Paul is pointing to the saints in which Philemon directly dwells for their [spiritual] good more than in Paul’s traveling ministry as he is supported by Philemon to minister to other churches indirectly. Therefore, the TR is not inconsistent here but is very consistent from beginning to end.

Philemon 12

First offering:

“I am sending him back to you. Therefore receive him to yourself as you are to my own heart.” (mast)

Regarding the variation of the two second-person pronouns, there’s no reason to exclude one pronoun over the other between the two traditions of preservation as the one presents the reflexive nominative in conjunction with the demonstrative nominative completing Paul’s full thought and purpose of heart according to the heart of God. Compare to verse 17.

Philemon 12 (SBLGNT)

12 ὃν ἀνέπεμψά [σοι] αὐτόν, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα [-]·

Philemon 11–12 (Byz)

ὅν ἀνέπεμψα·12 [σὺ δὲ] αὐτόν, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα, [προσλαβοῦ]·

Philemon 12 (TR1550MR)

12 ον ανεπεμψα [συ δε] αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα [προσλαβου]

him I send back - to yourself - you therefore to him [be] - even as [you are] my own heart - [receive]

ον ανεπεμψα [[σοι]] [συ δε] αυτον [τουτ εστιν] τα εμα σπλαγχνα [προσλαβου]