Onesimus

Info

• #coworker #slave-freedman
• Home:: Colossian Church
• Other Locales:: Roman Church
• References:: Colossians 4#4:9, Philemon 1#1:10

Notes

• According to Colossians 4#4:7, Tychicus appears to be the letter bearer of the Colossians, along with Onesimus
• Slave of Philemon according to Philemon 1#1:16

Summary

Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon, a wealthy believer in the Colossian Church. His name means "useful" in Greek, a fact Paul exploits with pointed wordplay in Philemon 1#1:11: "formerly he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me."

Paul's letter to Philemon lets us reconstruct the backstory. Onesimus had wronged Philemon, possibly by running away, possibly by taking money or property (Philemon 1#1:18). He ended up in the same city where Paul was imprisoned, came into contact with Paul, and converted. Paul says he "became his father" during his imprisonment (Philemon 1#1:10), meaning Paul led Onesimus to faith.

The letter to Philemon is a diplomatic appeal on Onesimus's behalf. Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus "no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a beloved brother" (Philemon 1#1:16). He offers to cover any financial debt (Philemon 1#1:18-19) while reminding Philemon that he himself owes Paul his conversion (Philemon 1#1:19). Paul uses honor-shame dynamics and gospel logic to reshape a social relationship.

In Colossians 4#4:9, Paul calls Onesimus "one of you," confirming he was from Colossae, and sends him with Tychicus to deliver the Colossian letter. Onesimus carried both the letter to the Colossians and his own personal letter to Philemon at the same time, returning to face his master with Paul's apostolic intercession in hand.

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD) mentions a bishop of Ephesus named Onesimus in his letter to the Ephesians. Some scholars think this is the same man but identification is debated.

References

• kentPastoralEpistlesStudies2001 - Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, covering the Philemon context where Onesimus's story unfolds.
• Who was Onesimus in the Bible? - GotQuestions.org
• Onesimus - Wikipedia