The Letter to Philemon

by Scot McKnight

Overview

The Academy of Parish Clergy’s 2018 Top Five Reference Books for Parish Ministry

Paul's letter to Philemon carries a strong message of breaking down social barriers and establishing new realities of conduct and fellowship. It is also a disturbing text that has been used to justify slavery. Though brief, Philemon requires close scrutiny.

In this commentary Scot McKnight offers careful textual analysis of Philemon and brings the practice of modern slavery into conversation with the ancient text. Too often, McKnight says, studies of this short letter gloss over the issue of slavery—an issue that must be recognized and dealt with if Christians are to read Philemon faithfully. Pastors and scholars will find in this volume the insight they need to preach and teach this controversial book in meaningful new ways.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802873828
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/05/2017
Series:	New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT)
Pages:	159
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Scot McKnight teaches in the Doctor of Ministry program at Houston Theological Seminary. His many books include The Jesus Creed, A Community Called Atonement, A Church Called Tov (coauthored with Laura Barringer), Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church, The Second Testament: A New Translation, and multiple volumes in the New Testament Everyday Bible Study series.

Table of Contents

General Editor's Preface ix

Author's Preface xi

Abbreviations xiii

Bibliography xvi

Introduction 1

I Slavery in the Roman Empire 6

A Status and Slaves 12

B On Denning "Slavery" 15

C Family Life for the Slave 16

D The Pragmatics of Masters and Slaves 17

E Slavery, No Matter the Explanation 18

F The Options for the Slave 20

G The Runaway 21

H Manumission 23

I Christians and Slaves 28

II Philemon in the Crucible of New World Slavery and Slavery Today 30

III Authorship and Date 37

IV The Social Realities of Philemon: Runaway or Slave in Search of a Mediator? 37

V The Events at Work in the Letter to Philemon 39

VI Structure, Rhetoric and Clarity of Philemon 41

Text and Commentary

I Introduction (vv. 1-3) 49

A Authors (v. 1a) 50

B Addressees (vv. 1b-2) 54

C Salutation (v. 3) 60

II Thanksgiving (vv. 4-7) 62

III Paul's Appeal for Onesimus (vv. 8-22) 75

A First Appeal in the Sketch of the Scene (vv. 8-11) 77

B Second Appeal in the Presentation of Onesimus (vv. 12-16) 89

C Third Appeal in their Partnership (vv. 17-21) 99

D Final Appeal in a Presence (v. 22) 109

IV Conclusion (vv. 23-25) 111

Index of Subjects 115

Index of Authors 118

Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Texts 122

Editorial Reviews

— Jerry L. Sumney
Lexington Theological Seminary
“Scot McKnight has given us a bold study of this controversial little letter. He stares unflinchingly into the realities of slavery. . . . Working from conservative positions on critical issues, McKnight sees the letter to Philemon as demanding that the church today work in society to bring reconciliation and liberation to a world in need of both.”

— Jennifer Glancy
author of Slavery in Early Christianity
“With thoughtful attention to the painful realities of Roman slavery, McKnight invites churches to approach this ‘deeply disturbing letter’ as an invitation to become spaces of reconciliation, communities that subvert slavery ‘by naming it, by fighting against it, and by embodying a new way of life.’ ”

— Michael F. Bird
Ridley College, Melbourne
“A lucid and illuminating verse-by-verse analysis of Paul’s letter to Philemon. Scot McKnight soberly tackles the topics of Roman slavery, reconciliation, and Paul’s vision for churches to be dominated not by power relationships but by sibling-like relationships rooted in the new creation. McKnight makes this small letter stand tall among the writings of the Pauline corpus. A sheer joy to read!

From the Publisher