Philemon and Forgiveness

Lewis understood human nature when it comes to forgiveness. Forgiveness is hard because we have to absorb the loss that is a result of someone else's actions. In other words, we suffer hurt and then choose to take the hurt without retaliation, retribution, or restitution. The debt is wiped away at our expense. Not only is the debt wiped away, but so is any ill will that we may harbor towards the person who wronged us. This is what makes forgiveness difficult.

In Paul's letter to Philemon, that is what Paul encourages Philemon to do with the debt he has incurred due to his runaway slave, Onesimus. Let's set aside our 2022 mindset for just a moment and try to understand this from a first century Roman perspective. Philemon had legally purchased a slave, roughly at the cost of 30 pieces of silver (the cost of a slave). According to one article I read, that would be between $12,000-$15,000 today. Not only is there the debt of purchasing the slave, but when Onesimus ran away, no doubt Philemon spent money and time looking for him. This is more debt. Then there is the loss of labor for the work Onesimus would have been assigned. Again, there is more debt accrued. Philemon lost a lot of money because of this one man.

Can you imagine writing off $15,000- $20,000 that someone owed you? For most of us, it would break us. Yet, that is what Paul asked Philemon to do. He asked Philemon to not only forgive Onesimus for running away, but also to "receive him...as a brother" (v. 16). If Philemon did this, there would be no restitution of his losses. Paul realized that and told Philemon that if he could not find it in himself to forgive the debt, then he should charge it to his (Paul's) account, and he would pay the debt.

Forgiveness is hard, but it is worth it. Tradition tells us that Philemon did in fact forgive and release Onesimus, and that Philemon went on to pastor the church in Colossae, and Onesimus would go on to pastor the church in Ephesus. These men went on to work together, not as master and slave, but as co-laborers for Christ. That is something that can only be brought about by forgiveness!