In order to comprehend and gleam the theological insights of Philemon, or any Biblical scripture, it is imperative that, at least, a basic understanding of the historical and cultural principles be present in the mind of the reader. Without a comprehension of these truths, a false understanding or misrepresentation of the text may occur. This is not to say that nothing can be obtained from the scripture in and of itself. However, many deeper details may remain hidden without further exploration. As is stated in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Virtually all scholars accept the Apostle Paul as the author of Philemon. Paul, who was formally called Saul prior to his work as an Apostle, was born in the city of Tarsus, the Capital of ancient Cilicia. Tarsus was declared a free city by Rome, thus making Paul a Roman citizen. He was Jewish by blood from the tribe of Benjamin. Paul studied under the teaching and influence of the rabbi Gamaliel and became a Pharisee. As a Pharisee, Paul possessed a rigid adherence to the letter of the law and strongly opposed and fought against Christianity. Paul was converted to Christianity by Jesus on a persecution journey to Damascus in AD 33. After his conversion, Paul became a missionary to the Gentile world. He is believed to have written at least thirteen books of the New Testament before his death in AD 67-68. Philemon is a personal letter from the Apostle Paul written approximately AD 61 while Paul was under house arrest in Rome. It was here in prison where he met Onesimus, a runaway slave from Colossae. Apparently, he had stolen money from his master, Philemon, and fled to R... ... middle of paper ... ...o confront the social acceptance of the institution of slavery, or even threaten the order of society. What this does suggest is that Paul wanted to convey the theological principle of unity to the Church by imploring them to perceive all believers as equals in spite of social classifications. When the wide variety of job descriptions, economical standings, education, and geographical placement of Christians today is considered, it is advantageous to heed to Paul’s example of appreciating individual believers as fellow workers in Christ. An awareness of the historical-cultural background of Paul’s letter to Philemon will aid in interpretation of the text. The information gleamed should allow for a greater contextual appreciation. With this knowledge in hand, the reader can grasp a deeper understanding of the theological teachings of the book of Philemon.
Douglass points out how St. Michael’s religious masters would rather see slave spend Sabbath “engaged in degrading sports” rather than “trying to learn to read the will of God.” The slaveholders clearly did not finish reading the Bible because Mark 16:15 states, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” With complete disregard of that verse, slaveholder and the law condemns slaves for trying to read. Despite that, Douglass, out the kindness of his heart, tries to teach a group of slaves in a small Sabbath church to read the Bible. Douglass’s charitable act should be a role model, a perfect example for Christian everywhere; however, Wright Fairbanks and Garrison West “rushed in upon them with sticks and stones.” Slaveholders would rather hold weapons to steer slave away from God instead toward God “with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” (Revelation
...olved since the time his letters were written. Of course if we look at Paul with scrutiny through the lens of our contemporary beliefs, he looks as though he lacks compassion and a desire for equality; in fact, it would appear as though he was preaching against equality. Sarah Ruden puts the highlight on the time period that Paul was actually living in to validate her thesis that Paul was actually a revolutionary. He gave options and encouraged happiness and equality for women, preached compassion for slaves, and argued against an aggressive tradition in Roman society. Taking a look at his writing with the background information that Ruden provides a more insightful look at the apostle’s teachings, which was exactly her goal.
Because it offers them the possibility of community and identity, many slaves find themselves strongly attached to religion. They cannot build a family structure and they cannot be identified by family name, but through the church, they can build a community and identify themselves as Christians. This comfort becomes virtually non-existent for it too is controlled by the slaveowners who “came to the conclusion that it would be well to give the slaves enough of religious instruction to keep them from murdering their masters” (57). The fact that one person could have the ability to control the amount of religion another person has and his purpose for having it diminishes any sense of community or identity that it may have initially provided.
Paul of Tarsus was one of the greatest orators that have ever lived, and his writings and speech mannerisms are still practiced to this day by preachers and lay people the world over. Introduction: I. Background information on Paul and what led him to become the ultimate witness of Christ to the Gentiles. Body I. Paul's background A. Paul was born a Jew in Tarsus. a) Paul was a Roman citizen by birth. b) Paul was a tentmaker by trade.
Paul the Apostle, was a famous preacher of first century Christianity and was God’s tool used to spread the light of the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul is credited fir having written many books in the New Testament of the Bible. He was born an Israelite to a clan of the tribe of Benjamin, speaking the Aramaic and Hebrew tongues from infancy. He was an enthusiastic student and a stringent devotee of the Torah. He was the man that later had a peculiar meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ while on the road to Damascus. His life and duty were considerably altered and in turn eventually changed the course of the development of Western Civilization and culture.
...my own hometown, like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid” to show how they both were compelled to carry out a message one being the gospel of Jesus Christ and the latter being human equality (p.61). By comparing himself to historical figures he makes numbers of ethical appeals and he builds up the author’s character. His use of great leaders can have a great influence in the reader and have an effect on the emotions of the reader.
They concluded that Onesimus was Philemon’s debtor, rather than his slave, since verse eighteen of Philemon implies that Onesimus owed Philemon a debt. Based on the lack of clarity concerning the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus and the evidence that suggested Onesimus was a debtor, abolitionists concluded that Paul’s letter to Philemon was not relevant to the fugitive slave law debate. In effect, southerners were using a letter which did not detail the return of a fugitive slave to his master to sanction a law which called for the return of a fugitive slave to his master. Paul’s letter to Philemon and the Fugitive Slave Law were
Turner, G. “The Christian Life as Slavery: Paul’s Subversive Metaphor.” The Heythrop Journal (May 28, 2010): 1-12.
Accepting others who are different and reconciling those who have wronged one another can be among the most challenging tasks. Individuals can differ in social class, interests, race or ethnicity, geographical location, occupation, economics and more. Many times differences can lead to resentment and categorizing individuals according to societal and cultural prejudices. If an individual does not conform to the categorical norm placed on them, a perceived wrong may occur between two parties. The historical world aspect of the Book of Philemon masterfully illustrates reconciliation between two such individuals when the apostle Paul writes a letter to Philemon, on behalf of Philemon’s slave, Onesimus; moreover, the Book of Philemon is about how Paul uses the power of love to teach the importance of acceptance of others and reconciliation, even when it may be difficult.
“...this religion is saying that every person, man, woman, child, slave, barbarian, no matter who, is made in the image of God and is therefore of enormous value in the eyes of God…”(Document C). “Now the Christian community, as we have it particularly in the letters of Paul, … says in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male or female, neither slave nor free… . Here is a community that invites you, which makes you an equal with all other members of that community,” (Document D). This was beneficial to a wide range of people, especially peasants because they could have a part in society and be equal to their Christian peers.
Romans 5:1-11 is often neglected in biblical scholarship, yet this passage contains rich theology that shapes how we live. In this paper, several points of interest will be explored. First off, 5:1-11’s structural role and purpose within the letter will be gleaned. Next, Paul’s use of 1st plural in the passage will also be looked at. Finally, an exegesis of the passage will be done with a special focus given to v.7’s disputed content.
In these letters Paul provides the most complete statement of the doctrine in the New Testament. If want to know the ins and outs of Christianity, let people check out the writings of Paul to the Romans. So says a notable interpreter. Because of that this note on Romans should earnestly by every Christian, as very important and contains the full spiritual object.
Authority of Scripture reconciles the community with God and can transform our lives. To participate in the fuller blessing of understanding, it is important to view Scripture with historical and literary sensitivity, interpret theocentrically, ecclesially, and contextually. I realize each of these can be overwhelming to the average person who is seeking direction for a specific concern in their life. Therefore, Migliore reminds us, interpreting Scripture is practical engagement in the living of Christian faith, love, and hope in a still redeemed world. When we listen carefully to the voices of the past, from a worldwide culture, and guided by the Holy Spirit, we will open ourselves to those transformational opportunities.
Philemon was a Christian in Colossae, to whom Paul, Philemon’s Christian Brother, wrote this letter to2. Paul writes his letter as a prisoner (while he was under a house arrest in Rome). Onesimus had originally been a slave of Philemon’s. He had run away, and robbed Philemon in the process. It is believed that Paul came in contact with Onesimus while in Rome as they were both prisoners.
Paul travelled a lot and wrote Ephesians in a series of letters explaining how Christians should live through love even though they lived in a time of persecution. He spoke about people unifying and following in Jesus' footsteps of kindness, forgiveness and honesty towards each other (Smith, 2004 - 2016). However, Paul was imprisoned twice in Rome because of his preaching before he was beheaded (St. Paul, 2018). Paul constructed Ephesians in around 60-62 AD while he was imprisoned for the first time (Smith, 2004 - 2016). Paul portrayed tax collectors through a label. He called them “thieves” in the scripture passage to accompany what people were used to hearing them called. However, Paul inspired by Jesus, also believed that they were innocent for doing their jobs and trying to make an income, even though they would often torture citizens (St. Paul,