Philemon 1:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

You know that sins against someone are judged also according to the dignity of the persons. For example, one who insults a private person has sinned, but not as one who insults an official. He sins more who insults a higher official, and less who insults a lower one. But he sins much more who insults a king.

Although the insult is one and the same, it becomes greater because of the excellence of the person. If one who insults a king receives a heavy punishment, according to the dignity of the one insulted, how many talents will the one who insults God owe?

Even if our sins against God were the very same as our sins against men, they are not equal. As great as the difference is between God and man, so great is the difference between those sins and these.

Yet I find many sins that are great not only because of the excellence of the person, but also in themselves. The words I am about to say are fearful, truly fearful. Yet they must be said, so that even in this way our soul may be touched and awakened.

They will show that we fear men far more than God and honor men more than God. Look at this. The adulterer knows that God sees him, and he despises God. But when a man looks at him, he restrains his desire.

He not only prefers men to God, and not only insults God. What is much more grievous, he fears men and despises God. For if he sees men, he restrains the flame of desire. Yet what flame? This is not a flame, but dishonor.

If it were not permitted to have a wife, then it would indeed be a flame. But now it is dishonor and debauchery. Thus, if he sees men, he tames his madness. Of God's longsuffering he thinks least of all.

Another man, after stealing, knows that he has taken what belongs to another. He tries to deceive men, defends himself against his accusers, and gives his defense an appearance of truth. But he is not troubled about God, whom it is impossible to deceive. He neither feels shame before Him nor honors Him.

When a king commands us not to take another's property, or even to surrender our own, we all bring it readily. But when God commands us not to seize or take what belongs to another, we do not obey. Do you see how we prefer men to God?

These words are heavy and bitter. But prove that they are heavy by abstaining from the deed itself. If you do not fear the deed itself, how can I believe you when you say that you are afraid of our words and feel their weight?

You burden yourselves by your deeds and do not care at all. But when I speak of the deeds you do, you are indignant. Is this not madness? Would that what I have said were false.

I would rather be accused of falsehood on that fearful day, as having rebuked you unjustly and in vain, than see you condemned for this. Yet you not only prefer men to God yourselves. You also force others to do the same.

Many have used compulsion against many servants and children. Some forced them to enter marriage against their will. Others forced them to serve their shameful desires, unclean love, theft, covetousness, and violence. Thus they are doubly guilty and cannot excuse themselves by any necessity.

Indeed, if you cannot offer a sufficient defense even when you do evil unwillingly, by order of an authority, the sin is much heavier when you force others to do it. What defense can there be for such a man?

I say this not to condemn you, but to show what debtors we are before God. If, by honoring a man as equal to God, we insult God, then much more do we insult Him when we prefer men to Him.

Thus, if the same sins that we commit against men become far heavier when directed toward God, how much worse is it when the sin is also greater and heavier by its own nature?

Let each examine himself, and he will see that he does everything for men. We would be exceedingly blessed if we did as much for God as we do for men through vainglory, fear, or respect.

Therefore, since we ourselves are guilty of so many sins, we must readily forgive those who insult and deceive us, and we must not remember evil. To forgive sins requires neither toil, nor expense, nor anything else. It requires only the will.

There is no need to undertake journeys, to set out for foreign lands, or to expose oneself to dangers and labors. One need only wish it. Tell me, what forgiveness will we receive for failing to do things that seem difficult, when we do not do even an easy thing? It is so useful and fruitful, and it requires no labor.

You cannot disregard wealth? You cannot distribute your possessions to the needy? But can you not wish anything good? Can you not forgive the one who insulted you?

Even if you yourself were not guilty of so many sins, but had only received God's command to forgive others, should you not obey it? How then, being guilty of so many sins yourself, do you not forgive others? You know that He asks of you the same thing that you receive from Him.

When we come to our debtor, he remembers his debt. He receives us courteously and with honor, and shows us hospitality in every way. He has not yet received the forgiveness of the debt from us, but only wishes to make us lenient in demanding it.

How then do you, being so great a debtor before God, and having received from Him the command to forgive so that you yourself may receive forgiveness, refuse to forgive? Why is this, I ask you?

Alas, what love for mankind is shown to us, and what malice we show. What drowsiness, what carelessness. How light and greatly profitable virtue is, and how heavy evil is. Yet we abandon what is light and choose what is heavier than lead.

Here there is no need for bodily strength, wealth, money, power, friendship, or anything else. One will is enough, and everything is done.

Has someone insulted you, wronged you, mocked you? Remember that you yourself do many such things to others, even to the Master Himself. Forgive him and excuse him.

Remember what you yourself say: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Mt 6:12). Consider that if you do not forgive others, you cannot say this with boldness. But if you forgive, then you in a way ask for what is owed, though not by the nature of the deed, but by the love for mankind of Him who grants us forgiveness.

How can what we forgive fellow servants like ourselves be compared with the sins against the Master for which we receive forgiveness from Him? We are counted worthy of such love for mankind from Him because He is rich in mercy and bounties.

Yet I will prove to you that even apart from this, and apart from the forgiveness of your own sins, you receive benefit from forgiving others. Imagine how many friends such a man has. How everywhere and by everyone he is praised. They say, He is a good man, peaceable and free from remembrance of wrongs. As soon as he is wronged, he immediately forgets it.

If such a man falls into some misfortune, who will not pity him? Who will not excuse him if he errs in something? Who will not do him a favor if he asks something on behalf of others? Who would not wish to be a friend, even a servant, of such a good soul?

So, I exhort you, let us do everything for this, not only toward friends and relatives, but also toward servants. "Forbearing threatening," says the Apostle, "knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven" (Eph 6:9).

If we forgive our neighbors their transgressions, ours also will be forgiven. So also if we practice almsgiving and if we are humble, for this too serves the forgiveness of sins.

The publican only said, "Be merciful to me, a sinner," and he went down justified (Lk 18:13). Much more can we be counted worthy of God's great love for mankind if we are humble and contrite in heart.

If we confess our sins and condemn ourselves, we will cleanse away a multitude of defilements, for there are many ways to purification. Therefore let us fight the devil by every means.

I have said nothing hard, nothing unpleasant. Forgive the one who insulted you. Give alms to the needy. Humble your soul. Even if you are the greatest of sinners, you can attain the kingdom of heaven by cleansing your sins and washing away your defilements in this way.

May we all be counted worthy, after being cleansed here from every sinful defilement by confession, to receive there the promised good things in Christ Jesus our Lord. With Him to the Father be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

If I had chosen rest for myself, had not gone throughout the world, and had not offered the Gospel to all men, I would not have experienced this.

He praises Philemon by calling him a fellow worker. He also joins Philemon's wife to him as a sharer in the faith. Perhaps, had she not been mentioned, she would have opposed what was written in the epistle.

The teaching of them had been entrusted to Archippus. Concerning him the Apostle also wrote to the Colossians: "Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it" (Col 4:17).

He made him a participant in his request. Moreover, he included the whole household, which he called a church because it was distinguished by piety. Thus the servants, honored with apostolic regard, might also become fellow helpers in persuasion.

Thus blessed Paul called Philemon's wife "beloved," since she was adorned with faith. Let no one be surprised, though some today are offended by this greeting.

Because they have abused the thing itself, they have made even the name reproachful. But in ancient times this word was honorable and praiseworthy.

That means his family and household, and also all those Christians who had spiritual communion with this house through prayer and the other consolations of faith.

In these last words St. John Chrysostom sees a reference to slaves, and therefore says: "See how wisely Paul mentioned the slaves. He remembered them, and yet did not irritate him, Philemon. For calling the whole house a Church does not allow masters to be offended.

Indeed, the Church knows no distinction between master and slave. She distinguishes both by virtues and vices. Having reminded him of grace, the Apostle brings Philemon's sins to mind. Think, he says, how many sins the Lord has forgiven you.

Think how you were saved by grace, and imitate the Lord. Look also at Paul's humility. He joins Timothy to his request, and asks not only the husband, but also the wife, and probably another friend, Archippus from the clergy.

For a request made both by many and to many helps obtain its aim. And when one hears of the bonds of Christ, who would not give his very soul, and not merely one slave?"

For the present epistle, besides the general meaning, St. Chrysostom discerns this in "grace and peace": "Having reminded him of grace, the Apostle brings Philemon's own sins to mind.

Think, he says, how many sins the Lord has forgiven you. Think how you were saved by grace, and imitate the Lord. He asks peace for him, and rightly so.

For peace exists when we imitate the Lord, when grace abides with us. So also that servant who proved merciless toward his fellow servant enjoyed the master's mercy as long as he did not demand the hundred denarii from him.

But when he began to demand them, he was deprived of mercy and handed over to the tormentors (Mt 18:34)."

"The Apostle does not ask for mercy suddenly or at the very beginning of the epistle. First he expressed admiration for this man and praised him for his virtues.

He also presented no small proof of his own love for him, saying that he always remembers him in his prayers. He said that many find rest with him, and that he shows gentleness and faith toward all.

Only then, at last, does he begin to speak of mercy. In this way he persuades him with particular force. For if others receive from him what they ask, then Paul should all the more receive it.

If Paul, coming before others, would have been worthy to receive what he asked, then all the more after others. And this is especially so since he asks not for himself, but for others" (St. Chrysostom).