I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. Philemon 10
Historians have determined that in the year 300 BC, the city of Athens had some 21,000 citizens and more than 400,000 slaves. With such a wide discrepancy between free and slave populations, there existed in the free people a constant dread that the slaves would revolt and overthrow them. To help prevent such a revolt, there were strict laws in place regarding the arrest and punishment of fleeing slaves. There was even a special police force, the Fugitivarti, whose sole role was to catch and return runaway slaves, usually to be given the death penalty. That was in Athens. There is little doubt that much the same situation existed in Colosse, the city where Philemon lived and from which his slave Onesimus fled. No power on earth could have enticed a slave who had run away to another city to return voluntarily to his master’s home. And yet, here stands on Philemon’s doorstep a slave who had run away a few years ago. In his hand is a letter that should make all the difference in whether he is to be received with welcoming arms or a flogging. It is a lovely picture of the way in which the Lord Jesus intercedes for us in our return to God.
It was undoubtedly through Paul’s witness and preaching that Onesimus was saved. They were both in the same jail, and they undoubtedly recognized each other from Paul’s visit to Colosse and his visits to Philemon’s home. The Lord Jesus also knew all about us when He took up our case and brought us to Himself. Because Onesimus was Paul’s son in the faith, he could use this family term in referring to him. In the same way, we are referred to as the children of the Lord Who has brought us to Himself. The Lord Jesus vouches for us before His Father in the same way that Paul could vouch for Onesimus as he sends him to Philemon. Although Onesimus might well hand Paul’s letter to Philemon with trembling fingers, we have no such fears in approaching our Father. There was a possibility that Philemon might reject Paul’s plea for Onesimus, but there is no possibility that the Father will reject the plea that the Lord Jesus makes for us.
There is undoubtedly a remarkable story in how Paul and Onesimus met in the Roman jail. We can use our imaginations to arrive at a plausible version of that story. Regardless of the details, their meeting proved a great blessing to Onesimus: through Paul’s witness he was saved. In addition, under Paul’s instruction, he became a devoted, faithful, and profitable servant of Jesus Christ. After his release from Prison, he remained in close contact with Paul, and became a powerful worker amid the Christians and in the Gospel work in Rome. His name means helpful and profitable, and under Paul’s ministry, Onesimus was able to live up to his name. All of this would never happen if Paul had not been suffering in that Roman prison. You and I would never be able to become helpful and profitable to God if the Lord Jesus had not endured Calvary’s suffering for us.
We have an Advocate Who pleads our case before His Father, just as Paul pleaded for Onesimus. Was Onesimus welcomed? We believe so. Are we welcomed? We know so! – Jim MacIntosh