What's in a Name?

Reflecting on the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: One Day after Sunday (Year A)

Scripture

Psalter: Psalm 37:1-17

Old Testament: Ruth 1:1-18

Epistle: Philemon 1-25

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Prayer

O God, you spoke your word and revealed your good news in Jesus, the Christ. Fill all creation with that word again, so that by proclaiming your joyful promises to all nations and singing of your glorious hope to all peoples, we may become one living body, your incarnate presence on the earth. Amen.

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Reflection

If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you (Philemon 18-22).

Paul’s letter to Philemon is written to a slave owner on behalf of his runaway slave Onesimus to receive him back not as a slave, but as a Christian brother

In the ancient Roman world, it was the head of the household who usually named his slaves. A slave sold from one house to another could expect to receive a new and different name in each household. Paul uses the meaning of the slave Onesimus’ name as another way to appeal to Philemon of the changed status of Onesimus as a follower of Jesus and as a member of the church family.

Onesimus’ name means profitable. Now that Philemon’s slave has become a Christian, Paul indicates how useful (if something is useful it is profitable) Onesimus is now that he is a believer. Whatever the nature of Onesimus’ previous behavior that led him to run away from Philemon or simply left the house in seeking Paul’s help as one who might intercede, Onesimus’ behavior made him useless to Philemon as Paul indicates in verse eleven. But now he is useful both to Paul and Philemon, and Philemon needs to consider that Onesimus’ change of status as a Christian will make for a change in his service to Philemon and to the gospel.

For Paul the name “Christian” is a game-changer in the relationship between Philemon and his slave. Onesimus may have remained Philemon’s slave. We do not know. But it is his new status as a follower of Jesus that first, foremost, and centrally determine the relationship and status between fellow believers. Given names whether from a master or a father and one’s status whether slave or free are ordered and reordered in the context of the name Christian. Since Onesimus is now Philemon’s brother, he must first relate to him as a Christian brother and not a slave. Had Philemon at this point been familiar with Paul’s letter to Colossians, he would have known what that meant, for Christians are to “bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13). Philemon must now see Onesimus through the eyes of Christ.

In his appeal to Philemon, Paul continues to appeal to Philemon’s sympathies. As has been said we do not know the nature of Onesimus’ offense his master, but whatever it was and whatever it cost Paul writes to Philemon and says, “If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account” (verse 17). Here Paul is demonstrating the way of Jesus. In the parable of the Good Samaritan the Samaritan not only stops to help the beaten man by the side of the road but takes him to an inn and promises to reimburse the innkeeper for expenses used to care for the him (Luke 10-25-37). It is most clearly and centrally seen in Jesus’ own sacrifice that paid the debt for humanity on the cross. In this Colossians once again comes to mind—“And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to a cross (Colossians 2:13-14).

Paul and Philemon and now Onesimus have received the amazing grace of God in Christ as Jesus paid the IOU of their sins on the cross. Paul was now prepared to act in keeping with the Lord by offering to take care of Onesimus’ IOU to Philemon. Would Philemon now make good on his IOU to Paul, which Paul reminds him of in verse 19, by granting Paul’s request to Philemon concerning Onesimus? Paul has offered sacrificial reconciliation to Philemon. Would Philemon do the same for Onesimus?

Paul is putting himself in Onesimus’ place, offering to pay for the injury (monetary and other) done to Philemon by his slave. Jesus did even more for Paul; Paul could do no less for Onesimus. Here is a practical application of 2 Corinthians 5:19—“God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”

PRAYER: God of every land and nation, you have created all people and you dwell among us in Jesus Christ. Listen to the cries of those who pray to you, and grant that, as we proclaim the greatness of your name, all people will know the power of love at work in the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Check out my devotional book on Colossians and Philemon here.