Paul earnestly recommends Onesimus A. M. 4068. 7 For we have great joy and con- || being such a one as Paul the aged, A. M. 4068. solation in thy love, because the bow- and now also a prisoner of Jesus els of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. || k 1 8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, m Christ. A. D. 64. 10 I beseech thee for my son "Onesimus, ° whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofit 9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, || able, but now profitable to thee and to me: k2 Cor. vii. 13; 2 Tim. i. 16; Verse 20.—————— 1 Thess. ii. 6. m Verse 1.- n Col. iv. 9.————o 1 Cor. iv. 15; Gal. iv. 19. Verse 7. For we have great joy and consolation || ing the reader in suspense. This every person of —Timothy and I are greatly rejoiced and comforted; taste must perceive. The apostle would not so in, or by, thy love-To God and his people; because much as mention Onesimus's name till he had prethe bowels of the saints-That is, the saints them- || pared Philemon for hearing it; and when he does selves, to whom it seems Philemon's house was mention it, instead of calling him a fugitive slave, open; are refreshed by thee, brother—So the apos- or even a slave simply, he calls him his own son, to tle terms him; not merely because he was a be- show that he had a tender affection for him, and was liever in Christ, but because he was one whom he || much interested in his welfare. And then, by telltenderly loved. "The refreshment of which the|| ing Philemon that he had begotten him in his bonds, apostle speaks was produced by the relief which || he insinuated that Onesimus was not discouraged Philemon's works of charity brought to them in their distresses. And the saints who were thus refreshed were not those only who lived in Philemon's neighbourhood, but those also who were driven from their homes for the name of Christ, or who went about preaching the gospel. Perhaps also the apostle meant that the knowledge of Phile- || reputation for goodness; his friendship to the aposmon's charitable actions gave great joy even to the saints who had no need of his good offices."-Macknight. from becoming a Christian by the apostle's bonds. Being, therefore, a firm believer, he was not unworthy of the pardon the apostle solicited for him. Indeed, in this beautiful passage there is a group of the most affecting arguments closely crowded together. On the one hand we have Philemon's own || tle, his respect for his character, reverence for his age, (now it is supposed about sixty or sixty-three,) compassion for his bonds, and at the same time an Verses 8, 9. Wherefore-Because we are so well insinuation of that obedience which Philemon owed assured of thy benevolent disposition, and thy con- to him as an apostle. On the other hand we have stant readiness to do every good in thy power;|| Onesimus's repentance and return to virtue, his prothough I might be much bold in Christ-Might take || fession of Christianity, notwithstanding the evils to great freedom in virtue of my relation to him, and which it exposed him, and his being the object of his the authority he has given me; to enjoin thee and spiritual father's tender affection. In short, every others that which is convenient-Proper and reason- word contains an argument. Philemon therefore able to be done. Yet for love's sake, &c.-That is, || must have been exceedingly affected by this moving instead of using my authority; I rather beseech thee passage.” Who in time past was to thee unprofit-By that love which thou bearest to the saints and able-We have just seen with what endearment the me. In how handsome a manner does the apostle || apostle called Onesimus his son, begotten in his just hint at, and immediately drop, the consideration bonds, before he mentioned his name; here we see of his power to command, and tenderly entreat Phi- with what fine address, as soon as he had mentioned lemon to hearken to his friend, his aged friend, and it, he touches on his former misbehaviour, giving it now a prisoner for Christ! to Paul, his spiritual the softest name possible, and instantly passing on father; Paul, grown old in the service of the gospel, to the happy change that was now made upon him, and now also confined with a chain for preaching so disposing Philemon to attend to his request, and it; considerations which must have made a deep the motives whereby he enforced it: but now profitimpression on Philemon, who, being himself a sin- able-No one should be expected to be a good sercere Christian, could not but wish to gratify one vant before he is a good man. The apostle maniwho, at the expense of unspeakable labour and suf- || festly alludes to his name Onesimus, which signifies fering, had done the greatest service to mankind, by || profitable. To thee and to me---Or rather, even as communicating to them the knowledge of God, of || to me. To show the sincerity of Onesimus's repentChrist, and of the gospel. || ance, the apostle mentions the experience which he Verses 10-14. I beseech thee-There is a beauti- || himself had had of his benevolent disposition, in the ful emphasis in the repetition of these words, which many affectionate services which he had received he had introduced in the preceding verse; for my from him during his confinement. After such a son-The son of my age. The order of the original || proof Philemon could have no doubt of Onesimus's words is this; I entreat thee for a son of mine, whom || piety and fidelity. "It has been justly observed, I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus-On this that it was strange Onesimus, who had been so Macknight remarks as follows: Onesimus's name wicked in the pious family of Philemon, amidst all at the end of the sentence has a fine effect, by keep- || the religious opportunities he enjoyed there, should Paul shows that Onesimus A. M. 4068. 12 Whom I have sent again: thou || a season, that thou shouldest receive A. M. 4063. therefore receive him, that is, mine him for ever; own bowels: 13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel : 14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. I || S A. D. 64. 16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? t 17 If thou count me therefore "a partner, receive him as myself. 18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee 15 For perhaps he therefore departed for aught, put that on mine account; p1 Cor. xvi. 17; Phil. ii. 30.92 Cor. ix. 7. Gen. xlv. 5, 8. s Matt. xxiii. 8; 1 Tim. vi. 2.————t Col. iii. 22.—" 2 Cor. viii. 23. meet with conversion in his rambles at Rome. In-rated; a soft expression, to denote Onesimus's runstances have often happened somewhat of a similar ning away from his master; for it contains an innature; but it is very unjustifiable, and may proba- sinuation that this had happened providentially; for bly be fatal, for any to presume on the like extraor- a season--Пpos wpav, for an hour, a little while; dinary interpositions of providence and grace in that thou shouldest receive him-Iva alwviov_AUTOV their favour."--Doddridge. Whom--How agreeable arexns, mightest have or possess him ; for ever—That and useful soever he might have been to me here; is, as Dr. Doddridge paraphrases the clause, "That I have sent back to thee again; thou therefore re- he might not only be dear and useful to thee during ceive him--Into thy family with readiness and affec- all the remainder of his life, as a servant, whose ear tion. Receive him, did I say? nay rather, receive, is, as it were, bored to the door of thy house, (to as it were, my own bowels--A person whom I so ten- allude to the Hebrew custom, Exod. xxi. 6,) but that derly love, that he may seem, as it were, to carry he might indeed be a source of eternal delight to my heart along with him whithersoever he goes. thee in that infinitely better world, where all disSuch is the natural affection of a father in Christ to- tinctions between masters and their slaves shall ward his spiritual children. As Bengelius ob- cease, even that world of complete liberty and everserves, by laying aside his apostolical authority, St. lasting friendship."-The apostle here made the Paul had brought himself to a level with Philemon; same kind of apology for Onesimus which Joseph and now to exalt Onesimus, and to display that dig-|| made for his brethren, (Gen. xlv. 5,) Now therefore nity which a man acquires by becoming a sincere || be not grieved; for God did send me before you to Christian, he calls him, not his son simply, but his preserve life. The providence of God often brings own bowels; or, as it is expressed verse 17, his good out of evil. Yet we must not for that reason very self. Whom I would have retained, that in || do evil that good may come. Not now as a servant thy stead, &c.--That he might have performed -Or slave, as he was formerly, when ignorant and those services for me, which thou, if present, would- || wicked, much less as a fugitive slave, to be long est gladly have performed thyself. Thus the apos- || frowned upon; but above a slave, or even a comtle insinuates to Philemon the obligation he was mon servant—As standing in another, a much more under to assist, with his personal services, him who || dear and honourable relation; as a brother beloved, was his spiritual father; and more especially while || especially to me-Whom he has attended with great he was confined with a chain for preaching the gos- assiduity in my afflictions; but how much more unto pel of Christ. But without thy mind-That is, with- thee-To whom he belongs; both in the flesh-As a out thy express consent; would I do nothing--In this dutiful servant; and in the Lord-As a fellowaffair. From this we learn, that however just our Christian. That Philemon might not be offended title may be to beneficent actions from others, they at him for calling his fugitive slave his brother, the must not be compelled to peform them; they must apostle acknowledges him for his own brother also, do them voluntarily; that thy benefit should not be as being now a son of God, and an heir of life as it were of necessity--Or by constraint, for Phile- || eternal. mon would not have refused it; but willingly-" If Verses 17-20. If thou count me therefore a partOnesimus had remained with the apostle in Rome, ner-Kowvwvov, a companion, one having fellowship and Philemon had pardoned him at the apostle's in- with thee in Christ, or a sharer with thee in the tercession, that favour would not have appeared so blessings of the gospel, the dearest bond of friendclearly to have been bestowed voluntarily, as when ship; receive him as myself-Even as thou wouldOnesimus returned and put himself in his master's est receive me, if I could have the satisfaction of power, and was received again into his family. The paying thee a visit in person. If he hath wronged apostle, therefore, sent him back to Philemon, that || thee-Ei Ti ndixnoɛ, if he hath injured thee in any his receiving him might be known to have proceeded || thing; or oweth thee aught-We cannot infer from from his own merciful disposition."-Macknight. this that Onesimus had robbed his master: it seems Verses 15, 16. For perhaps he therefore departed || to be no more than a soft way of expressing the loss -Dia Tyto exwpion, for this reason he was sepa-l which Philemon had sustained by being deprived of VOL. II. ( 31 ) 481 b the exhortation and example of Christ and his apostles. But to render prayer effectual, it must, as James observes, (chap. i. 6,) be offered in faith; that is, in a full persuasion of the wisdom and power, goodness and faithfulness of God, and a confidence in him that, when we ask with sincerity, earnestness, and importunity, what is according to his will, o what his word authorizes us to ask, he will grant ou petitions, as far as will be for our good and his glory. See 1 John v. 14, 15. On this passage, Whitby just||ly observes, that if the apostle believed the prayers of angels and departed saints were effectual for procuring blessings to God's people on earth, it is strange that he hath not, throughout the whole of his epistles, so much as once addressed any prayers to them, or directed others so to do. his slave's service; put that on my account-Charge | own house, as some suppose. It seems he proposed it to me. I have written this with my own hand-- || to stay a while in Colosse, and wished to have a And do thereby, as it were, give thee legal security house in some frequented part of the city, to receive for it; I will repay it--If thou requirest it; albeit || conveniently all who might be desirous of informaI do not say, &c.--That is, not to say to thee, that ||tion concerning his doctrine." Theodoret observes, as I was the instrument of thy conversion to Christ; || that the apostle's resolution to visit Philemon soon, thou owest unto me even thine own self besides-Be- || signified to him in this letter, naturally added weight sides pardoning Onesimus, thou owest to me, under to his solicitation in behalf of Onesimus. For I God, thy very existence as a Christian, or the pre-trust-Eλriw, I hope; that through your prayers I sent and everlasting salvation of thy soul. What || shall be given unto you—Shall be restored to liberty. an immense obligation! Yet rather than be con- The efficacy which in Scripture is ascribed to prayer, strained to solicit Onesimus's pardon on account of is a great encouragement to the people of God to that obligation, he would himself pay to Philemon have recourse to it in all their straits, agreeably to every thing Onesimus owed him. How ungrateful || would Philemon have showed himself if he had refused to grant the apostle's desire. Yea, brotherLet me prevail upon thee in this request; let me have joy of thee in the Lord-Let me obtain this kindness from thee for the Lord's sake, which will much rejoice me. Refresh my bowels-Give me the most exquisite and Christian pleasure; in the || Lord-In a matter so agreeable to the will of Christ. || The word avañavσov, rendered refresh, “is very emphatical. It literally signifies, to appease, or quiet, which strongly intimates the commotion he felt, through the ardour of his concern for Onesimus; and seems to represent the eagerness of his desire for his re-establishment in Philemon's family, by the|| appetite of hunger."-Doddridge. Verses 21, 22. Having confidence in thy obedience Verses 23-25. There salute thee Epaphras, &c. -That thou wilt comply with my request; I wrote--Respecting these persons, see on Col. iv. 10, 12, Rather, I have written; to thee-With great freedom;|| 14. In that chapter, verse 10, Aristarchus is called knowing that thou wilt do more than I say-Wilt | the apostle's fellow-prisoner; but as that particular show Onesimus more kindness than I have ex- is not mentioned here, it is not improbable that he pressed. Some commentators think the apostle here || had obtained his liberty about the time when this insinuates to Philemon, that it would be proper for letter was written. Demas afterward forsook the him to give Onesimus his freedom, and many are of apostle, namely, during his second imprisonment, opinion that he actually did so. But withal-Aμa de, || from love to this present world, 2 Tim. iv. 10. The but at the same time, that I beseech thee to pardon || grace of our Lord Jesus Christ-That is, his unOnesimus, I request thee also to prepare me a lodg-|| merited favour, and the influences of his Spirit; be ing-In Colosse. "The apostle," says Macknight, || with your spirit-Imparting that wisdom and power, "having experienced the advantage of having a hired that peace and comfort, which nothing but the comhouse of his own in Rome, where he preached the || munications of his grace can give. As the word vuwv, gospel to all who came to him, very prudently de- || your, is plural, it signifies that the apostle's wish did sired Philemon to provide for him such another not respect Philemon alone, but all the persons menhouse in Colosse, and not a lodging in Philemon's || tioned in the inscription of this letter. PREFACE TO THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS. As S most of the principal doctrines of the gospel are more expressly asserted and more fully explained in this epistle to the Hebrews than in any other of the inspired writings, it is peculiarly important that its authenticity and divine authority should be established. In order to this, it is only necessary to show that it was written by St. Paul, whose inspiration and apostleship are universally acknowledged, and consequently the divine authority of all his official writings. Now that he was the author of this epistle seems to be satisfactorily proved by the following arguments, advanced by Dr. Whitby and many others. First, from the words of St. Peter, (2 Epist. iii. 15, 16,) "As our beloved brother Paul. according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you," it is evident, 1. That Paul had written to them to whom St. Peter was then writing, namely, to the believing Jews in general, (2 Peter i. 1,) many of whom were dispersed in divers countries, as mentioned 1 Peter i. 1. 2. That he had written to them a certain letter, distinct from all his other epistolary writings, as appears from those words, as also in all his epistles," that is, his other epistles. Since then none of the ancients say that this epistle was lost, it must be that which bears the name of "the epistle to the Hebrews." Some indeed have thought, the epistle intended by St. Peter might be that written to the Romans, in which St. Paul speaks to the Jews by name, chap. ii. 17. But, 1. That passage is plainly addressed to the unbelieving Jews, and concerned them only: whereas, St. Peter writes to the brethren, chap. iii. 12; the beloved, verses 1, 14, 17; to them who had "received like precious faith," chap. i. 1. He therefore could not mean the Jews, of whom St. Paul speaks in the epistle to the Romans. A second argument to prove that St. Paul was the author of this epistle is taken from these words, "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty, with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you: They of Italy salute you," chap. xiii. 23, 24. For it was customary with St. Paul, when he wrote to the churches, to call Timothy his brother: see 2 Cor. i. 1; Col. i. 1; 1 Thess. iii. 2; Philemon 1. Timothy was a prisoner at Rome in the seventh year of Nero, and set at liberty the eighth, says Dr. Lightfoot, Harm., pp. 139, 140. Of which here the author of this epistle gives notice, and says, he would come with him to them; that is, to the Jews in Judea, to whom we shall soon see this epistle was written. Now Timothy, we know, was still the companion of St. Paul. Lastly, he desires them to pray for him, which is frequently done by St. Paul in most of his epistles, but is never done in any of the catholic epistles. And, in requesting their prayers, he adds a circumstance which more fully characterizes him; "Pray for me," says he, "that I may be restored to you the sooner." Now Paul had been sent bound from Judea to Rome, and therefore his return from Rome to Judea was properly a restoring of him to them. And that he was thus restored to them, we learn from Chrysostom declaring, that, being set at liberty, he went to Spain, thence to Judea, and so back to Rome. Thirdly. That this epistle was written or composed by St. Paul, may yet more strongly be concluded from the authority of the ancients; for that they did deliver this as the epistle of St. Paul, and that they were not rash in so doing, we learn from the words of Origen. Now among the ancients we may reckon Clemens Romanus, the companion of, and co-worker with, St. Paul; who, as Eusebius PREFACE TO THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. and St. Jerome observe, entertained many sentiments which are in this epistle, and used many expressions, word for word, taken thence; which show that this epistle was not new, and that it is duly reckoned among the writings of this apostle. Clemens Alexandrinus cites those words of St. Paul, "Without faith it is impossible to please God," Heb. xi. 6; adding, that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen,” chap. xi. 1; kata тov delov año50ĥov, "according to the divine apostle." And again he saith, O velos añоçоhos, "The divine apostle fears not to say, 'Remember the former days, in which being enlightened, ye suffered a great fight of affliction,'” Heb. x. 32. And so he proceeds to cite the apostle's words to the end of the chapter, and then gives the substance of chap. xi., and the exhortation in the beginning of chap. xii., verses 1, 2. And that this divine apostle was St. Paul, we are assured from these words: "Paul also writing to the Hebrews, relapsing from the faith unto the law, saith, ' Ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat,'” Heb. v. 12. In the third century Origen, citing the very words now mentioned, and the following words, "For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness,” (verses 13, 14,) saith, "He that wrote this was the same Paul who said to the Corinthians, 'I have fed you with milk, and not with meat,'" &c., 1 Cor. iii. 2. In his Philocalia he says, "The Apostle Paul, who said to the Corinthians, 'These things happened in a figure, and they were written for us on whom the ends of the ages are come,' (1 Cor. x. 11,) doth also, in another epistle, use these words relating to the tabernacle, 'Thou shalt make all things according to the pattern showed thee in the mount,'" Heb. viii. 5. And that "the apostle who said, 'Jerusalem which is above is free, and is the mother of us all,' (Gal. iv. 26,) said also in another epistle, 'Ye are come to mount Sion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,""&c., Heb. xii. 22, 23. In his exhortation to martyrdom he hath these words, Φησι πε ο Παυλος, "St. Paul, speaking somewhere to them who suffered from the beginning, and exhorting them to suffer patiently the trials which afterward fell upon them for the word, saith, Call to remembrance the former days, in which ye, being enlightened, suffered a great fight of afflictions.' Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward; for ye have need of patience,'" Heb. x. 32-36. And in his answer to Africanus, having cited these words from this epistle, "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were slain with the sword," (Heb. xi. 37,) he says, " If any person, being pressed with these words, should fall into the opinion of those who reject this epistle as not one of St. Paul's, he would use other words to demonstrate to him that it was the epistle of St. Paul." He also adds, that "the sentiments contained in it are admirable, and in no respect inferior to the writings of the apostles, as he who diligently reads them must confess. In a word, when this epistle was denied by the Arians in the fourth century, because they were not able to resist the conviction it affords of our Lord's divinity, Theodoret says, "They ought at least to revere the length of time in which the children of the church have read this epistle in the churches, namely, as long as they have read the apostolic writings; or, if this be not sufficient to persuade them, they should hearken to Eusebius, of whom they boast as of the patron of their doctrine; for he confesses this was St. Paul's epistle, and declares that all the ancients had this opinion of it." That this epistle was written and directed to the Jews dwelling in Judea and Palestine, though not so as to exclude the believing Jews of the dispersion, was the opinion of the ancients. This may be argued from its being inscribed to the Hebrews, rather than to the Jews. It must have been written to the Hebrews, or converts from Judaism to Christianity, who inhabited some one particular country, both because the bearer of it, whoever he was, could not deliver it to all the Jews dispersed through the whole world, and because its author directs them to pray that he might be restored to them, and promises to come and visit them. And this country, most probably, was Judea, where the converts from Judaism to Christianity were almost incessantly persecuted by their unbelieving brethren, who tenaciously adhered to the constitution and ceremonies of the Mosaic law, which Christianity superseded; the title, therefore, "To the Hebrews," must determine the place, and point out the Jews that dwelt in Judea, a sense which the Holy Ghost puts upon the name "Hebrews," where it is said, “There was a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews," Acts vi. 1; by the "Hellenists” meaning the Jews that dwelt in foreign countries among the Greeks, and by the "Hebrews," those that dwelt in Judea. But it cannot be reasonably concluded from hence that this epistle was written in Hebrew, or in |