Philemon i. 4–6
“I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints. That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging [in the knowledge] of every good thing which is in us,in Christ Jesus.”
does
not immediately at the commencement ask the favor, but having first
admired the man, and having praised him for his good actions, and
having shown no small proof of his love, that he always made mention of
him in his prayers, and having said that many are refreshed by him, and
that he is obedient and complying in all things; then he puts it last
of all, by this particularly putting him to the blush. For if others obtain the things which they ask, much more Paul. If coming before others, he was worthy to obtain, much more when he comes after others, and asks a thing not pertaining to himself, but in behalf of another. Then, that he may not seem to have written on this account only, and that no one may say, “If it were not for Onesimus thou wouldest not have written,” see how he assigns other causes also of his Epistle. In the first place manifesting his love, then also desiring that a lodging may be prepared for him.
“Hearing,” he says, “of thy love.”
This is wonderful, and much
greater than if being present he had seen it when he was present. For it is plain that from its being excessive it had become manifest, and had reached even to Paul. And yet the distance between Rome and Phrygia was not small. For he seems to have been there from the mention of Archippus. For the Colossians were of Phrygia, writing to whom he said, “When this Epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea.” (Col. iv. 16.) And this is a city of Phrygia.
I pray, he says, “that the
communication of thy faith may become effectual in the knowledge of
every good thing which is in Christ Jesus.” Dost thou see him
first giving, before he receives, and before he asks a favor himself
bestowing a much greater one of his own? “That the communication
of thy faith,” he says, “may become effectual by the
acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ
Jesus”; that is, that thou mayest attain all virtue, that nothing
may be deficient. For so faith becomes effectual, when it is
accompanied with works. For “without works faith is dead.” (Jas. ii. 26.) And he has not said, “Thy faith,” but “the communication of thy faith,” connecting it with himself, and showing that it is one body, and by this particularly making him ashamed to refuse. If thou art a partaker, he says, with respect to the faith, thou oughtest to communicate also with respect to other things.
Ver. 7. “For we have [I had] great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels [hearts] of the Saints are refreshed by thee, brother.”
Nothing so shames us into
giving, as to bring forward the kindnesses bestowed on others, and
particularly when a man is more entitled to respect than they. And he
has not said, “If you do it to others, much more to me”; but he has insinuated the same thing, though he has contrived to do it in another and a more gracious manner.
“I had joy,” that
is, thou hast given me confidence from the things which thou hast done
to others. “And consolation,” that is, we are not only
gratified, but we are also comforted. For they are members of us. If
then there ought to be such an agreement, that in the refreshing of any
others who are in affliction, though we obtain nothing, we should be
delighted on their account, as if it were one body that was benefited; much more if you shall refresh us also. And he has not said, “Because thou yieldest, and compliest,” but even more vehemently and emphatically, “because the bowels of the Saints,” as if it were for a darling child fondly loved by its parents, so that this love and affection shows that he also is exceedingly beloved by them.
Ver. 8. “Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient [befitting].”
