Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. Philemon 11
What does your name mean? These days, the meaning of a name doesn’t really matter, because the meaning is not taken into consideration when parents name a child. Names are chosen because the parents like the sound of it, or because they want to honour a friend or relative, or because of tradition. But it wasn’t always that way. In Bible times, names given at birth were often replaced in adulthood with names that described the person’s personality or trade. Other times, parents named a baby for a characteristic that they hoped the child would grow up and display. That was actually the case with the owners of women slaves when the those women gave birth. That was undoubtedly the case with Onesimus, whose name means useful and profitable. But he had certainly not been useful or profitable to his master Philemon, from whom he had stolen before he ran away. However, this runaway slave showed up on his master’s doorstep years later a useful and profitable man, living up to the name that Philemon had given him. Paul seizes on the meaning of the name Onesimus to point out to Philemon the change that had occurred in the man.
First of all, Onesimus was useful to the Lord. Before he was saved, he was just like we were in our unsaved days, incapable of service or worship because of sin. When Paul presented Onesimus with the Gospel in prison, the runaway slave responded joyfully. The transformation brought him into an appreciation for his Lord and for the Word of God. He discovered the joy of spending time in prayer and undoubtedly learned to sing the hymns that were in use among Roman Christians. His former life of dishonesty and cruelty was transformed into one of truthfulness and kindness, and his life’s desire was to be like the Lord Who had died to save him.
Onesimus also became profitable to his friends. Paul would have noticed the difference that the Gospel made to this rough and undisciplined man after he was saved. They would have shared time in prayer and in consideration of the Scriptures. He would have listened to the old apostle’s instructions for living out his new-found faith. Instead of pushing Paul aside as he had when he first arrived in prison, he displayed the greatest of kindness to him in every way. He helped Paul write letters and meet with guests, and tended to his needs. Paul would have reason to rejoice at having such a valuable friend with him in the prison. And when Onesimus had served his sentence and was released, he returned to the prison with food, clothing, and other comforts, and carried letters to and from Paul.
Helped by the encouragement he received from Paul, Onesimus sought out and gathered with the Christians in Rome. Willingly he threw himself into the work, and it became quickly apparent to the elders that he had a good spirit and a gift in service for the Lord. His participation in Assembly activities became valuable and was much appreciated. To the Assembly in Rome, he was a very profitable Christian.
And now Onesimus returns to his former master a changed man. His poor service and thieving ways are now in the past. Had Philemon wished, Onesimus would willingly and faithfully return to service as a slave. To Philemon and to everyone else in the home, it would become apparent that he was both willing and capable of living up to his good name.
In all the ways that Onesimus became profitable, we can see how we also, because of our salvation, can and should be profitable Christians. – Jim MacIntosh