Philemon 19

[DarkNebulaWelder]

"...not to mention that you owe me even your own self besides."

What does he mean by when he says that Philemon "owes him?"

Did he convert Philemon?

I'm trying to understand where Paul is coming from

[Leonard]

That is how the passage is commonly interpreted.

[Guest Biblicist]

I looked it up on Bible.org. Fantastic site.

The statement you owe me your very self means that Paul was responsible for some sort of blessing in the life of Philemon; though a monetary idea may be in mind, it is perhaps better to understand Paul as referring to the spiritual truth (i.e., the gospel) he had taught Philemon.

[Guest]

"...not to mention that you owe me even your own self besides."

Me Too!

I owe Paul and Gideon and Nadab and Abihu and Samson and ..........

A Parade of witnesses and teachers and examples and exhorter's from First Man to Last, From Adam to Jesus.

Wow!

What A Book!

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalms 12:6

[EricH]

The scriptures don't specify exactly the nature of Philemon's "indebtedness" to Paul

[Openly Curious]

It is my understanding that Onesimus a run away slave had escaped from his owner which is Philemon who could have lived at Colosse. It just happened that Onesimus stumbled across Paul in Rome and as a result he was converted. After Onesimus's conversion it seems that apostle Paul was persuading him to return to his owner or master. One of Paul's co-workers with him in the ministry by the name of Tychicus was to go with Onesimus and escort him back to his owner and hand deliver the letter that Paul had written to Philemon on Onesimus behalf.

Colossians 4:7-9--"All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here."

It seems what needed to be learned through all of this was that our unity in Christ has to be above or more important than the earthly relationships we have. As I think it was a wonderful thing that now Onesimus is looked at as a faithful and beloved brother in the Lord being included in the family or body of Christ who has good news to bring as well.

The scripture in question about "how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides is not being taken within it's rightful context or meaning. As the apostle Paul is taking on the responsibility of Onesimus the slave of Philemon as Paul in his letter is pleading on his behalf for him to recieve him back again. Paul goes on in his plea and says to Philemon if Onesimus has done you wrong and owes you anything then Paul is saying that he will take upon his self his debt whatever it is to just charge it to his account and he will pay for him but then he says, "albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides" Paul didn't tell him that he owed his own life to him as a slave in place of Onesimus that is the way I am taking it.

Philemon 15-19

OC

[GeneV]

It is my understanding that Onesimus a run away slave had escaped from his owner which is Philemon who could have lived at Colosse. It just happened that Onesimus stumbled across Paul in Rome and as a result he was converted. After Onesimus's conversion it seems that apostle Paul was persuading him to return to his owner or master. One of Paul's co-workers with him in the ministry by the name of Tychicus was to go with Onesimus and escort him back to his owner and hand deliver the letter that Paul had written to Philemon on Onesimus behalf.

Colossians 4:7-9--"All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here."

It seems what needed to be learned through all of this was that our unity in Christ has to be above or more important than the earthly relationships we have. As I think it was a wonderful thing that now Onesimus is looked at as a faithful and beloved brother in the Lord being included in the family or body of Christ who has good news to bring as well.

The scripture in question about "how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides is not being taken within it's rightful context or meaning. As the apostle Paul is taking on the responsibility of Onesimus the slave of Philemon as Paul in his letter is pleading on his behalf for him to recieve him back again. Paul goes on in his plea and says to Philemon if Onesimus has done you wrong and owes you anything then Paul is saying that he will take upon his self his debt whatever it is to just charge it to his account and he will pay for him but then he says, "albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides" Paul didn't tell him that he owed his own life to him as a slave in place of Onesimus that is the way I am taking it.

Philemon 15-19

OC

Nicely put OC - I agree