What Paul was setting up for with his compliments in verse 7, he explicitly came to in verses 8-10. The request Paul made would be the most forceful “punch” of the book and was what the whole of the book hinges around. Paul’s relationship to Philemon would be in the future determined by how this request of verses 8 and beyond was received. 

Verses 8-9 Appealing in Love

“Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love.” (8-9a). Here, Paul begins his request by turning from one avenue or tool at his disposal to another. Paul had authority as an apostle of Christ. He had a genuine, legitimate authority that could have been exercised in a proper and God-glorifying way. There is a ghastly temptation, particularly for us in the West, to revolt against and be revolted by any use of authority. Yet, despite our natural inclinations to despise authority, there is a right and proper use of authority, and one of those places is within the church of Jesus Christ. The church itself, among other things, is a place with a true government that administers true discipline. 

We can slide quite casually into the attitude that the church is something of a social club with very loose and voluntary parameters. While the church has a social component and certainly involves voluntary aspects, the church, as designed by God and revealed throughout the New Testament scriptures, has a very distinct and real sense of authority. As a body, local churches put people in positions of authority, and Christians ought to trust their judgments. This practice has been true of the church throughout history and across cultures and languages. There have been ghastly and tragic times when the church has operated with an authoritarian character beyond the limits prescribed in the New Testament. In the most extreme cases throughout history, the church has even been tyrannical in its abuse of authority. The use of authority within the church has not been perfect throughout history or in the present day. Any Christian with even an introductory level of study of church history would acknowledge and be aware of how tyrannical abuse of authority leaves a black eye, besmirching the peace and purity of the church. These periods in history are most notably observed and summarized as times when the church has overstepped its call and overreached in the use of authority. 

On other occasions, the church has drifted in the direction of a slippery egalitarianism where there is no leadership and no sense of unity in marching to the beat of the same drummer. These are times that are equally observable through the study of church history when the church has forsaken a call to the right use of authority. These moments let key opportunities for faithfulness and seeking good pass by. Both overstepping and neglecting the right use of church authority are blights in the life of the church. Somewhere on an authority spectrum between overreaching authoritarianism and over-realized egalitarianism is where God, through the revelation of the New Testament, instructs the church to exist.

Paul’s point in verses 8 and 9 is that he had appropriate authority, and would have been appropriate in his use of authority had he simply given a command to Philemon. Paul could have said something like “Philemon, as an Apostle, I instruct you to release Philemon from your service as a slave”. There would have been no abuse or overstepping of boundaries had Paul issued such an instruction. 

By Paul’s exercise of appealing to another approach, besides the direct application of apostolic authority, we learn much more of the opportunity Paul was presenting to Philemon. It is much better when, as Christian people, we do what we ought to do with an attitude and sense of voluntary graciousness. Our God loves a giver who cheerfully gives. Paul’s mentioning of his apostolic authority is an extension of a chance for Philemon to do what is good without being under compulsion. Rather than any sense of obligation, Paul gives Philemon the chance to do good out of an abounding persuasion and love. 

There is a very practical lesson here for us today. It is often much more effective to appeal to someone based on love, rather than just strong-arm a decision or result. An immediate example that comes to mind is in the life of parents. As parents, we are generally bigger than our children. We, as parents, can pull rank and force certain behaviors and obedience to a point. While there are times for the strong-arm approach, how much better to appeal to their heart and reap willing and joyful obedience from our children? This principle extends beyond parenting into all of life. What we ought to do, we should do as a result of a joyful desire to do what is good, rather than out of a compulsory requirement. Such compulsion leads to our obedience only being an outward expression betraying an inwardly rebellious attitude.

Paul’s appeal continues in verse 9, finishing the thought first started back in verse 8: “It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus”. In this appeal, it would be an understatement to say he’s laying it on thick for Philemon. Paul pulls no punches as he unloads every possible relational connection to prepare Philemon for the big request. Paul lays out that he’s an “old man”, and a “prisoner of Christ Jesus”. 

Paul wasn’t exactly a doddering old man at this point, being perhaps in his mid to late 50s, assuming the letter was written in the early 60s A.D.

Read More