It's so hard to read Philemon without imagining what it would be like to exist in a culture in which slavery dominates every aspect of life. By seeking to reunite Philemon with Onesimus, is Paul condoning the institution of slavery? And what does it look like for a person who essentially owns another to look on him "no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother?" (v. 16). That's intense stuff to think through.
One thing we see unmistakably, is that Paul is putting himself on the line for the sake of Onesimus. "If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me", he writes, "and I, Paul, will pay it back" (v. 18-19). Philemon is a beautiful picture of the redemptive power of human relationships that are founded on the person of Christ. Only in Christ does it make sense for a master to forgive and receive a slave back as a member of his family. Only in Christ can systems that are so flawed and broken be part of something characterized by love.
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