Philemon (Paul and Slavery)

Doulos (greek)

slave

Oikonomos

(type of enslaved person) someone who’s in charge of your finances or household, “steward” ( some over your house some over your business)

3 main characters

Paul, Philemon (recipient), Onesimus

Onesimus is

• Philemon’s slave

• Seems to have wronged Philemon in some way

  • Not specified, but likely a financial issue

• Travelled to Paul in Rome to ask Paul to ask for mercy from Philemon

Is Onesimus a runaway slave?

NO. Theory comes from the antebellum South to justify the returning of runaway slaves in the south!

Which book of the Bible wasn’t included in slave Bibles, in order to defend slavery.

Exodus. The book about God freeing slaves

Paul writes to Philemon

• in about 60-61

• From a Roman Prison

• Writing to ask for mercy to be elicited on Onesimus’s behalf

Myths about Roman slavery

• “It wasn’t as bad as American slavery”(it was just in different ways)

• “It wasn’t a moral wrong like American Slavery” (slavery is ALWAYS wrong)

• “It was simply just indentured servitude not chattel slavery” (It was and still bad!)

• “It’s not just a byproduct of tribal warfare” (No it existed outside of wartime)

• “It wasn’t radicalized” (Nope. Sexualized even.)

Roman slavery: violence and cruelty

• Beating was typical

• Most slaves were disfigured due to punishment and such (looked down upon as “ugly”, unlike freepeople)

• Torture was common and used as interrogation, and their testimonies didn’t count unless the slave was tortured

Roman Slavery: Rape

• Pederasty (student and teacher)

• Male-Male erotic behavior

• Sexual Abuse of female slaves

Roman Slavery: Moral Wrong

• Gregory of Nyssa was a Christian theologian and first to argue over the immorality and abolition of slavery due to his christian convictions

  • We are all made in the image of God

• “Owning” a human being is ALWAYS immoral

Paul sends Onesimus back with caveats

• Philemon should not punish or charge him with anything

• Philemon should treat him as a brother “not as a slave”

  • Legally in Rome you couldn’t own anyone you’re related to

• Paul said to charge anything Onesimus owes to him (he wouldn’t bcs its dishonorable to charge a leader like Paul)

• As a favor to Paul, send Onesimus back!

Does Paul endorse slavery?

• NO.

• Paul doesn’t have the power to end slavery, instead he gives their lives meaning. He writes to a world where this is the norm

• Wrongdoers will always be punished, the title of “master” has no effect

• We are all slaves of the Lord - if you treat your slaves poorly how do you expect the Lord to treat you?