Philemon: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC)

In Philemon, Seth M. Ehorn takes the uncommon stance that slavery is not the central issue of Philemon; instead, God’s providential work is. According to Ehorn, this is seen in the themes that Paul addresses throughout his letter: reconciliation, forgiveness, love, and faithfulness—attributes that Christ exhibited. Ehorn adopts the view that Paul wrote to his friend, Philemon, on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave. As a “friend of the master,” Paul reminded Philemon of his Christian character, suggesting that he should continue to act accordingly. By using and interacting with various interpretive approaches (discourse, rhetorical, epistolary, sociological), Ehorn shows how Paul embodied Christ’s actions and how we can do the same.