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Philippians and Philemon: Prison Epistles, Part 2

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of Philippians (Philippians 1–4)
    22 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    Philippians: Suffering and Community (Philippians Review)
    22 Activities
  3. Lesson Three
    Overview of Philemon
    22 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    Paul and Slavery (Philemon, Romans 6 Review)
    17 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    Social Impact
    9 Activities
    |
    4 Assessments
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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Grab your Workbook Journal!

[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]

Paul has given Philemon Christ and brought him into the life of His body. While Philemon has been the financial and material benefactor of the Christian mission, Paul is also Philemon’s benefactor in faith:

Through the Pauline mission, Philemon has been given life, so that Paul can say to him, “You owe me your very self” (v. 19). Paul may owe Philemon monetary recompensation, but Philemon owes Paul much more. Paul thus trumps Philemon in the hierarchy of obligation.

Quoted from: Luke Timothy Johnson, The Writings of the New Testament: Third Edition, 2010, pp. 342-343.

With that in mind, complete the table of reciprocity below, with a view to Paul’s expectation from Philemon in this letter.

  1. In your workbook fill in the right hand column choosing from among the following options:
  • Onesimus back to Philemon
  • Life in Christ
  • Onesimus back to Paul
  • Money and resources
Action / ExpectationFulfillment
Paul gave . . .
Philemon gave . . .
Paul will now give . . .
Philemon is then expected to give . . .