Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
Philemon 1-7, The church in Philemon's house
Paul, a prisoner, and Timothy write to Philemon, to Apphia and Archippus, and to the church that meets in Philemon's house, and Paul thanks God for Philemon's love and faith, his partnership, and the way he has refreshed the hearts of God's people.
Philemon 1-7, in every translation this tool compares.
Paul, writing as a prisoner, and Timothy greet Philemon, along with Apphia, Archippus and the church gathering in his house. Paul thanks God for Philemon's love for God's people and his faith in Jesus, and prays that their shared faith will bear fruit. He says Philemon's love has given him joy, because Philemon has lifted the spirits of the believers. Where Paul was held when he wrote is debated.
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- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/patrons-and-benefactors\/","n":"Patrons, clients and benefactors","s":"Favors in the Roman world came with strings. A patron gave help and protection, the client paid it back in loyalty and public honor, and rulers who gave gifts to the public were hailed as benefactors.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/hospitality\/","n":"Hospitality to travelers","s":"Taking in travelers was one of the great virtues of the ancient Mediterranean, above all among Jews. Messengers could travel light because they expected to be housed.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/friendship\/","n":"Friendship, and the friend of Caesar","s":"The ancient world prized friendship: loyalty to the death, goods held in common, secrets shared. The same word covered a patron and his dependents, and friend of Caesar was a title a governor could not afford to lose.","r":""}
Almost all accept the letter as Paul's (Keener; Carson, Moo and Morris), but where he was held is not agreed. The cultural backgrounds notes and the ESV and CSB Study Bibles say Rome, about AD 60 to 62; Wright and Wright and Bird say Ephesus, about 55, since the guest room of verse 22 suits a prison near Colossae. Carson, Moo and Morris grant the guest room but note that a slave might flee to Rome "because it was a long way away", and judge that "Rome is a little more likely". It filled "a single sheet of papyrus" (the cultural backgrounds notes; Keener) and, though private in tone, was meant for the church in the house (the ESV and CSB Study Bibles; Carson, Moo and Morris). Apphia was a Phrygian name, and she was probably or possibly Philemon's wife; Archippus may have been a son, a slave or freedman, or no relation (the cultural backgrounds notes; the CSB and ESV Study Bibles; Carson, Moo and Morris), though Wright takes wife and son as settled. Partnership was a business word (Keener and his notes), and for Wright the key to the letter.
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, introduction to Philemon (Authorship, Structure and Form), and on Philemon 1-3, 5-6 and 7
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Introduction to Philemon (Genre, Situation), and notes on Philemon 1:1-2 and 1:2
- ESV Study Bible, Introduction to Philemon (Author and Title, Date), and study note on Philemon 2
- CSB Study Bible, Introduction to Philemon (Author, Background), and note on Philemon 2
- N. T. Wright, Paul: A Biography, ch. 10, Ephesus I, and ch. 11, Ephesus II
- N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World, ch. 20, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians: Paul's Ephesian ministry
- N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters, comment on Philemon 1-7
- D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament, ch. 16, Philemon, Author, Provenance and Date, and Addressee(s)
