New Testament Commentaries: Philemon

"The apostle Paul's letter to his friend and fellow Christian Philemon, which focuses on the question of slavery, has long inspired debate. Onesimus, one of Philemon's slaves and a Christian himself, has left his master's house and sought refuge with Paul. In a letter to Philemon, Paul assures his friend that he is sending Onesimus back into captivity, but pleads for mercy on the slave's behalf, asking Philemon to treat him as a beloved brother and as he would treat the apostle.Examining Paul's letter within the context of the social, political, and economic realities of the times, Fitzmyer sheds light on the question of whether Paul was suggesting that Onesimus be granted freedom from slavery or whether he was simply advocating a lenient treatment of this particular slave. His insights not only clarify Paul's position but show why the letter is relevant in the Church today." - Yale University Press

"In this addition to the award-winning BECNT series, leading New Testament scholar and bestselling author G. K. Beale offers a substantive evangelical commentary on Colossians and Philemon. With extensive research and thoughtful chapter-by-chapter exegesis, Beale leads readers through all aspects of Colossians and Philemon--sociological, historical, and theological--to help them better understand the meaning and relevance of these biblical books. As with all BECNT volumes, this commentary features the author's detailed interaction with the Greek text and an acclaimed, user-friendly design. It admirably achieves the dual aims of the series--academic sophistication with pastoral sensitivity and accessibility--making it a useful tool for pastors, church leaders, students, and teachers." - Baker Academic

"This is a theological commentary on the Greek text; on the foundation of linguistic detail is based a doctrinal exposition. The first section of the Introduction is on the religious ideas of the epistles, and frequent allusion is made throughout the commentary to works on New Testament theology. There are special notes on many of the important theological terms such as 'knowledge', 'mystery', pleroma, as well as on linguistic points, such as the use of the reflexive pronoun. But attention is devoted also to critical and introductory matters, and this is, it is believed, the first commentary on Colossians and Philemon to discuss in some detail the theories of Professors E. J. Goodspeed and J. Knox. The commentary is documented with references to works in English, French and German, for those who wish to follow up the study in greater detail. But the aim has been to make the exposition as far as possible self-contained and intelligible to a reader with no other books before him than the New Testament in Greek and the Old Testament in English." - CUP

"In this addition to the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, Dennis Hamm explores the significance of Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon and the enduring relevance of these letters to the life and mission of the church. Based on solid scholarship yet readily accessible, this book is enriched with pastoral reflections and applications and includes sidebars on the living tradition and biblical background." - Baker

“This volume is unquestionably the best commentary on Colossians and Philemon available today. Not only does it epitomize the major trends of twentieth century scholarship in this area, but also it is presented as a fine piece of modern book making. The author and translators and the editor and publisher are to be congratulated. To appreciate fully the commentary on Colossians one must be aware of the conceptual model of the Colossian problem Lohse employs. It is the construction of the data put together by Dibelius at the beginning of this century: the opponents are pagan gnostics (or pre-gnostics) outside the church who have persuaded some of the Colossian Christians to be initiated into their mystery cult devoted to the powers. Within this framework, Lohse writes a more satisfactory commentary on Colossians than did Dibelius himself. But Dibelius' schema has become a kind of standard theology for interpreters of Colossians. One suspects that Lohmeyer's commentary won so little acceptance because it did not fit the Dibelian pattern. There have been some other, subsequent attempts to modify Dibelius, the most successful being Bornkamm's view that the opponents were Jewish-gnostic Christians in the church.” – Fred O. Francis (1973)

To the Colossians, preoccupied with legal codes and intellectual disputes, Paul wrote a letter stressing not only the centrality of Christ but also the need for Christians to live out their faith in genuine community. Paul's antidote to a privatized and intellectualized faith will provide relief to many Christians today.To Philemon, a powerful church leader, Paul wrote a strong personal letter asking him to embark on a new relationship with his slave Onesimus. Drawing on insights from Scott Bartchy, Robert Wall argues that the issue had more to do with power relationships than with slavery. As a model for conflict resolution and mutual relations within the Christian community Paul's letter has much to offer the church today.In this careful study of Colossians and Philemon, readers will find introductions that discuss the letter's occasion and purpose, authorship, and other background information, as well as important theological themes. Passage-by-passage commentaries follow that seek to explain what each letter means for us today as well as what it meant for its original hearers.Students, pastors, Bible teachers and everyone who wants to understand Paul's message for the church will benefit from this excellent resource.

"Territory well trodden by crowds of explorers, yet still full of pitfalls: such, notoriously, are these epistles. Certainly well trodden: from Professor Bruce's huge bibliography, if one picks out those commentaries on some or all of them which have appeared over the last two decades only, the tale is nearly thirty. Yet, how many of the familiar problems have been convincingly solved? It takes a stout heart to tread the same territory yet again with expectation and hope, examining it once more, inch by inch, and looking for fresh light on the old problems. Professor Bruce has done it, with his customary thoroughness and mastery of the relevant evidence, linguistic, literary, and archaeological, revising, incidentally, his own earlier commentary on Colossians (1957) – C.F.D. Moule

"Virtually all modern commentaries on Philemon agree with the interpretation from late antiquity that the letter treats the case of Onesimus, a pilfering runaway slave, who Paul is attempting to rehabilitate in the eyes of Philemon, his rightfully angry master.In this commentary, however, Allen Callahan tells another story. His reading of the rhetorical situation and reconstruction of the historical context provides a new narrative for the letter. He interpretation for which he argues is that of several nineteenth-century American abolitionist interpreters. Here, then, is not the story of a runaway slave but a story of the estrangement of two Christina brothers, Onesimus and Philemon.Professor Callahan proposes that his alternative reading of the letter “offers a paradigm for Christian reconciliation that necessarily includes diplomacy, persuasion, forbearance, and reparations for injured parties. In other words, the letter speaks of the challenging implications of Christian love and the imperative of Christian justice. If there is an interpretation of great moment to be offered for this otherwise unremarkable piece of correspondence, then the treatment of these themes holds the promise of such an interpretation." - Trinity Press

"Charles B. Cousar's on Paul’s letters to the Philippians and to Philemon is a model of concise clarity.
With an engaging writing style, Cousar offers pastors, students, and laypersons an informed and easily accessible guide for reading two of Paul’s most personal letters. The book’s layout follows the standard features of the New Testament Library series. A useful introduction to each letter leads into commentary that divides the text into sections, according to the author’s outline. Each section features a new translation and notes that explain translation and text-critical decisions. Cousar’s interpretation of the text moves through Paul’s argument, at times dealing with whole paragraphs, at times with individual verses. Although contemporary application is not a prominent feature of this commentary, Cousar ends several sections by noting that a passage appears in the Common Lectionary. He then reflects briefly on its implications for the church. This enhances the commentary’s usefulness for clergy. The volume also features a general bibliography and several indices." - Dean Flemming

"In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Lee Gatiss and Bradley Green guide readers through a diversity of early modern commentary on the epistles of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Readers will hear from familiar voices and discover lesser-known figures from a variety of theological traditions, including Lutherans, Reformed, Radicals, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. Drawing upon a variety of resources--including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions--much of which appears here for the first time in English, this volume provides resources for contemporary preachers, enables scholars to better understand the depth and breadth of Reformation commentary, and seeks to bring guidance and comfort in the midst of today's challenges." IVP

"Although relatively brief, Philippians is one of the most interesting and beloved of Paul's undisputed epistles. In Philippians and Philemon, Bonnie Thurston makes a convincing case that canonical Philippians is as Paul wrote it, one letter. Although there is not enough specific evidence to "name names," she suggests a number of possible audiences. A translation conforming as closely as possible to the original Greek is provided, along with a careful analysis of the language of the letter that yields insights into the context and theological underpinning of this epistle." - Publisher

"In this commentary on Philippians & Philemon, Pauline specialist Todd D. Still turns his learned attention to both a deeply loved letter (Philippians) and a frequently overlooked letter (Philemon) of Paul. With clarity and care, Still lays bare the meaning of these letters along lexical and socio-historical lines. What is more, the author is attentive to the rhetorical features, theological dimensions, and the pastoral possibilities of these texts. Still seeks to think Paul's thoughts after him and to capture the Apostle's affection for a beloved congregation and a recently converted slave." - Smyth & Helwys

"Brimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It's like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You'll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You'll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God's kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you'll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible's relevance for your life. Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don't offer." - Zondervan