Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Philemon 1:19
I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand, I will repay [it]: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
19. I Paul have written it ] Lit., “ did write it; ” an “epistolary aorist” (Col 4:8); “the tense commonly used in signatures” (Lightfoot). Here, surely, he takes the pen (cp. Col 4:18) and writes his indebtedness in autograph, with a formal mention of his own name; then, he gives the pen back to the amanuensis.
“A signature to a deed in ancient or medival times would commonly take the form “ I so-and-so” (Lightfoot).
I will ] The “ I ” is emphatic in the Greek.
albeit I do not say ] Lit., and better, that I say not, not to say.
thou owest unto me besides ] As if to say, “I am restoring to you Onesimus, made new; this far more than clears any loss he cost you when he fled; thus you are indebted, even in money’s worth, to me; and besides you owe me yourself.”
thine own self ] The converted man “comes to himself ” (Luk 15:17) as never before. “It is a new creation” (2Co 5:17); as it were a new self. Under God, this is due to the human bringer of the converting word; and so to him, under God, the convert feels instinctively a moral indebtedness; he owes him help and service in the new life.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I Paul have written it with mine own hand – It has been inferred from this, that Paul wrote this entire Epistle with his own hand, though this was contrary to his usual practice; compare the Rom 16:22 note; 1Co 16:21 note; Gal 6:11 note. He undoubtedly meant to refer to this as a mark of special favor toward Philemon, and as furnishing security that he would certainly be bound for what he had promised.
I will repay it – I will be security for it. It is not probable that Paul supposed that Philemon would rigidly exact it from him, but if he did, he would feel himself bound to pay it.
Albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides – Paul had doubtless been the means of the conversion of Philemon, and whatever hope he cherished of eternal life, was to be traced to his instrumentality. Paul says that this was equivalent to his owing himself to him. His very life – his eternal welfare – was to be traced to his labors. What he asked now of him was a small matter compared with this, and he seems to have supposed – what was probably true – that for this consideration, Philemon would not think of exacting of him what he had voluntarily obligated himself to obey.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Phm 1:19
Written it with mine own hand–St.
Paul may have written the whole of this letter with his own hand, contrary to his usual practice. (Jerome.)
A precious relic
What a precious relic, in that case, for Philemon and his family! (Bp. Wm. Alexander.)
A signed bond
It does not follow from this sentence that the whole Epistle was written with the apostles own hand; rather it would seem that he made this engagement of repayment to be more emphatic and significant by distinguishing it from the rest of the Epistle, and by taking the pen from the hand of his secretary, and by inditing that particular clause with his own autograph, well known to Philemon. (Bp. Chris. Wordsworth.)
A Christians word should be enough
If we did live as becometh Christians, there should need no greater bond than the word of a Christian. The saying is, By the word of a king; who would not take a kings word, so royal are they in their performances? Christ has made us all kings, to God His Father; therefore we should have a singular care of any of our bare words; though the witnesses die, yet God who heard our word lives forever. But we are fallen into such an age that many mens bonds are of no validity. Samson broke the cords; and some break the seals of green wax at their pleasure; they make no account of paper or parchment bonds till they be cast into iron bonds. Some put their hands and seals to a writing, that make no conscience of the accomplishment of that which they have written. They are content to go so far with Pilate as to acknowledge their handwriting–What I have written, I have written; but they will not say, What I have written I will perform. St. Paul was of another mind; as he gave him his hand for the payment, so he gives him his heart and faithful promise to pay it. (W. Jones, D. D.)
Written covenants
We learn from hence, that civil instruments and covenants in writing, together with other assurances that may be asked and granted, are good and lawful, even amongst the best and greatest friends. I say, when debts are owing, when bargains are made, when money is lent, when lands are sold, and when there are mutual contracts between man and man, between friend and friend, between kinsman and kinsman, assurance in writing with hand and seal may be interchangeably given and received. And if we would enter into a further consideration of this truth we shall see a plain confirmation of it by sundry reasons.
1. It is a common proverb among us, fast bind, last find. That which is loosely bound is lightly lost; but a three-fold cord, well tied and twisted by word, by writing, by seal, is not easily broken. A word affirmeth, a writing confirmeth, a seal assureth, and everyone of them bindeth to confirm our promise. We see by daily experience that men are both mortal and mutable, and words prove oftentimes but wind, albeit ratified with the greatest solemnity. True it is, our word ought to be as good as a thousand obligations, but deceit is bred naturally in our hearts, so that we cannot ground upon the bare word of men to find good dealing. Otherwise, the Lord would never have given so many laws to restrain wrong and injustice, fraud, and oppression. All these, or at least a great part of them, are prevented by setting down our covenants and agreements in writing under our hands and seals.
2. It is needful to have this manner of dealing among us, to the end that equity and upright dealing might be observed among us, and that all occasions of wrangling and wresting of words and bargains might be cut off as with the sword of justice.
3. That all occasion of controversy and cousenage might be taken away. For if there were no writing to show (the memories of men being frail, and their practices being unfaithful) the world would be full of all loose dealings, and concord would be banished from among men.
4. Good assurance is to be allowed and received, to the end we may safely dispose of such things that are in our power and possession, either to our posterity or otherwise. Hence hath been in all ages, the laudable and commendable use of making wills and testaments, which the word of God approveth by delivering divers rules belonging to that profession. The law of God and of nature hath taught: that the will and testament of the dead ought not to be abrogated or altered; and that no will is of force until the testator be dead. Now we know not whether the gifts that we give, and the legacies that we bequeath, be of our own proper goods or the goods of other men, except we have beforehand a sufficient assurance of them made unto us. Seeing, therefore, where there is a fast knot, there is a sure keeping; seeing upright dealings is to be observed; seeing occasions of quarrels and contentions are to be stopped; and seeing the goods that God hath given unto us are rightly to be bestowed: it followeth that everyone is to provide for the security and quietness of his estate by all lawful means, not only by word of mouth, but by assurance in writing, that thereby he may foresee the danger that may come upon him and be wary and circumspect in all his doings, according to the saying of Christ, the Teacher and Author of true wisdom, Be ye wise as serpents and innocent as doves. For if wisdom do season all our affairs, then also our contracts that are common in this life. (W. Attersoll.)
Mans debt remitted by Christ
Of what has not man robbed God? He has assailed His government, His laws, His honour, He has stolen and prostituted His gifts, time, health, mind, influence, to the service of sin, and striven to dethrone Him in the very world which He made, and in the heart whose every pulsation is at His will. Who shall atone for the great wrong? Only a surety, and He a Divine one, who is willing to draw upon His own head the punishment, and submit to be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and to do and suffer whatever the claims and honour of Divine love required, till He could say, It is finished, and depart in peace, the Author of an eternal salvation to all that believe on His name. Graciously has God made earthly relations between man and man the representatives and explainers of higher things, and Pauls generously undertaking the debt of the guilty Onesimus sets vividly before us that Saviour whom it was his whole life to preach and his brightest hope to enjoy. (R. Nisbet, D. D.)
Thou owest unto me even thine own self besides—
Man restored to himself
Very pregnant words indeed. He that accepts the gospel of Christ is made the true possessor of himself. Before this his soul was enslaved to evil, so that, humanly speaking, it would have been better for him if he had not been born. Now his true being is restored to him, so that by Gods grace he can fulfil that purpose for which he was created and redeemed–the glorifying of God in his whole self–in his body and in his spirit, which are Gods. (M. F. Sadler, M. A.)
We owe ourselves to Christ
Does not Christ speak to us in the same language? We owe ourselves to Him, as Lazarus did, for He raises us from the death of sin to a share in His own new, undying life. As a sick man owes his life to the doctor who has cured him, as a drowning man owes his to his rescuer who dragged him from the water and breathed into his lungs till they began to work of themselves, as a child owes its life to its parents, so we owe ourselves to Christ. But He does not insist upon the debt; He gently reminds us of it, as making His commandment sweeter and easier to obey. Every heart that is really touched with gratitude will feel that the less the giver insists upon his gifts, the more do they impel to affectionate services. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
What do you owe
Have not all of us received benefits? Have we paid our gratitude? I do not mean how much you owe to the grocer, baker, and landlord; but how much do you owe to yourself, to humanity, to God.
I. God is our Father who cares for us, and we therefore owe submission to His will when crosses and tribulation come. Tribulations borne with resignation shall mellow our nature, and be as a mould to fashion our character like unto Christ.
II. Do you not owe to yourself and to your fellow men the doing of duty? As the men who built Jerusalem, each repaired the wall before his door, so let us each do the duty that lies next us. We are not like the spectators in a theatre. We are the tragedians; we are the actors; daily life is our stage; Christ, and the angels, and our fellow men, are the spectators. Let us do our duty manfully, as Christ did. Do it because it is right; and remember that duty well done will honour us at the judgment day.
III. Pay your debt of religion to the world. When passing Westminster Abbey or St. Pauls Cathedral, if I have a quarter of an hour to spare, I always enter the sacred building and walk reverently over the graves of the good men of the past, and while looking on their partly obliterated names, I am inspired by their example to pray that my life may also be beneficial to my fellow men. What can be grander than a life which exhibits true Christian religion! Cannot you make yours such a life? Is it not a debt you owe to your neighbour? Pay the debt by embodying in your life the eternal truth which Christ has given to the world. (W. Birch.)
Reverence and love due to ministers
From hence we learn that such as have gained us to God, or preserved us in the state of salvation by the preaching of the gospel, ought to be most dear unto us, we owing unto them even ourselves, and whatsoever we have besides to do them good. The benefits bestowed upon us by the ministry of the Word can never be sufficiently esteemed, nor worthily enough prized, nor aboundantly enough be recompensed and rewarded with our love and the fruits of our love. Neither should this seem strange unto us.
1. They are most of all to be loved and highly esteemed of us that do us most good; we are most deeply indebted unto them that labour most for our benefit.
2. Again, they are unto us instead of Christ. They are His officers that He hath appointed in His Church, who, when He ascended into heaven, gave gifts unto men and ordained those that should teach His people unto the end of the world.
3. They are the ministers by whom we believe, and consequently by whom we are saved. They are our fathers in Christ, by whom we are begotten to eternal life. The uses arising from hence are of divers sorts.
(1) It directeth us to other necessary truths to be learned of us, It is noted by the apostle to be one general use of the Scripture, that it serveth and sufficeth to teach all truth needful to salvation, so the former point being received will help us to find out and conclude other truths. First we learn that, wheresoever there is a true profession, a sound feeling, a true taste of religion, or joy of salvation, there will be a reverent account and joyful entertainment of the teachers and publishers of the gospel. On the other side, a light and slender account of the ministers argueth a light account of the word of Christ, of the doctrine of salvation, and of the trueness of religion. Thus then we see how we may prove ourselves whether we be in the faith or not, even by the good estimation that we have of such as are the bringers of it. Secondly, we may gather from hence that the greatest part of the world lieth deeply and dangerously in condemnation, because such hath been the unthankfulness thereof toward the ministers and messengers of salvation, that it never respected them or gave them any reverence.
(2) As this doctrine serveth to teach, so it is profitable to reprove divers sorts of men; but I will only touch these three. First, it maketh against such as make a bad and base account of the ministers of God, and think they owe no duty to their pastors, but reckon them as their vassals and servants; suppose that they are bound to please them and follow their humours, and account their teachers beholden unto them for vouchsafing to hear them as crediting their ministry by their presence. If a man abuse an ambassador of a prince and set him at nought, it is reputed and revenged as a disgrace and dishonour done to the prince himself; so, if we shall abase and disgrace the ministers of the gospel, which are the messengers of God, we shall never escape without punishment, but bring upon ourselves swift damnation. Is not he a godless and ungracious child that mocketh and despiseth his father, after the example of cursed Shem, who tasted of Gods wrath for his contempt? Lastly, it reproveth such as refuse to give them sufficient maintenance, and do bar them of that competent and convenient portion that God hath allotted unto them in His word. For, if such as have spent their strength to bring us unto God, ought above all others to be regarded of us and have a worthy recompense of their labours; surely they deserve to be checked and controlled that deal niggardly toward them, who have kept back nothing from them, but revealed unto them the whole counsel of God. Thirdly, seeing the benefits brought unto us, both upon our bodies and souls, by the means of the ministry, can never be worthily esteemed and sufficiently expressed; it serveth to instruct us in the necessary duties of our obedience, even to testify our love to the truth by reverencing and respecting them that are the Lords messengers to bring the truth unto our doors. Lastly, seeing they by whose ministry we are gained to God and preserved in the state of salvation being gained, ought to be most dear unto us, we owing unto them our own selves; this must teach the ministers of God a necessary duty and lesson to be marked of them, to wit, to endeavour by their daily diligence and continual preaching of the gospel, to make the people indebted unto them. For how do the people come so much in their debt but that they receive heavenly doctrine by their ministry as from the mouth of God? All men are not to be handled after one manner, but one after one manner, and another after another. He were a bad and mad physician that would use all his patients to one receipt. Some have gross humours in them, and stand in need to be purged; some more strongly, others more gently, according to their condition and constitution. Others have more need to have nature restored than purged, such must have cordials and restoratives ministered unto them. So it is with such as need physic for the soul. (W. Attersoll.)
Ourselves received from and given to Christ
I venture to take these words as spoken to each Christian soul by a higher and greater voice than Pauls. I will repay it; albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto Me even thine own self besides.
I. Our transcendent debt. The Christian teacher may say to the soul which by his ministrations has been brought back to God and to peace in a very real sense: Thou owest thyself to me. But I pass from that altogether to the consideration of the loftier thought that is here. It is a literal fact that all of you Christian people, if you are Christians in any real sense, do owe your whole selves to Jesus Christ. Does a child owe itself to its parent? And has not Jesus Christ, if you are His, breathed into you, by supernatural and real communication, a better life and a better self, so that you have to say, I live, yet not I, but Jesus Christ liveth in me. And if that be so, is not your spiritual being, your Christian self, purely and distinctly a gift from Him? Does a man that is lying wrestling with mortal disease, and who is raised up by the skill and tenderness of his physician, owe his life to the doctor? Does a man that is drowning, and is dragged out of the river by some strong hand, owe himself to his rescuer? And is it not true that you and I were struggling with a disease which in its present form was mortal, and would very quickly end in death? Is it not true that all souls separated from God, howsoever they may secrete be living, are dead; and have not you been dragged from that living death by this dear Lord, so as that, if you have not perished, you owe yourselves to Him? Does a mad man who has been restored to self-control and sanity owe himself to the sedulous care of him that has healed him? And is it not true, paradox as it sounds, that the more a man lives to himself the less he possesses himself; and that you have been delivered, if you are Christian men and women, from the tyranny of lust and passions, and from the abject servitude to the lower parts of your nature, and to all the shabby tyrants, in time and circumstance, that rob a man of himself; and have been set free and made sane and sober, and your own masters and your own owners, by Jesus Christ? To live to self is to lose self, and when we come to ourselves we depart from ourselves; and He that has enabled us to rule our own mutinous and anarchic nature, and to put will above passions, and tastes, and flesh, and conscience above will, and Christ above conscience, has given us the gift which we never had before of an assured possession of our own selves.
II. The all-comprehending obligation based upon this. If it be true that by the sacrifice of Himself Christ has given us ourselves, what then? Why, then, the only adequate response to that gill made ours at such cost to the giver, is to give ourselves back wholly to Him who gave Himself wholly to us. Christ can only buy me at the cost of Himself. Christ only wants myself when He gives Himself. In the sweet commerce of that reciprocal love which is the foundation of all blessedness, the only equivalent for a heart is a heart. As in our daily life, and in our sweet human affections, husband and wife, and parent and children, have nothing that they can barter the one with the other except mutual interchange of self; so Jesus Christs great gift to me can only be acknowledged, adequately responded to, when I give myself to Him. And if I might for a moment dwell upon the definite particulars into which such an answer will expand itself, I might say this entire surrender of self will be manifested by the occupation of all our nature with Jesus Christ. He is meant to be the food of my mind as truth; He is meant to be the food of my heart as love; He is meant to be the Lord of my will as supreme Commander. Tastes, inclinations, faculties, hopes, memories, desires, aspirations, they are all meant as so many tendrils by which my many fingered spirit can twine itself round Him, and draw from Him nourishment and peace. Again, this entire surrender will manifest itself in the devotion of our whole being to His name and glory. Words easily spoken! words which, if they were truly transmuted into life by any of us, would revolutionise our whole nature and conduct! And further, this entire surrender of self will manifest itself in regard not only of our being and our acting, but of our having. I do not want to dwell upon this point at any length, but let me remind you, that a slave has no possessions of his own. And you and I, if we are our own owners, are so only because we are Christs slaves. Therefore we have nothing. In the old bad days the slaves cottage, his little bits of chattels, the patch of garden ground with its vegetables, and the few coins that he might have saved by selling these, they all belonged to his master because he belonged to his master. And that is true about you and me, and our balance at our bankers, and our houses and our possessions of all sorts. We say we believe that; do we administer these possessions as if we did believe it?
III. The repayment. Jesus Christ stops in no mans debt. There is an old story in one of the historical books of the Old Testament about people who, in the middle of a doubtful negotiation, were smitten by conscience and drew back from it. But one of them, with commercial shrewdness, remembered that a portion of their capital was already invested, and he says, What shall we do for the thousand talents that we have given, and are now sacrificing at the bidding of conscience? And the answer was: The Lord is able to give thee much more than these. That is true of all sacrifices for Him. He has given us abundant wages beforehand. What we give is His before it was ours. It remains His when it is called ours. We but give Him back His own. There is really nothing to repay, yet He repays in a hundred ways. He does so by giving us a keen joy in the act of surrender. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Christ bestows ourselves upon ourselves that we may have some portion of that joy. And with it come other gladnesses. There is not only the joy of surrender and the enhanced possession of all which is surrendered, but there is the larger possession of Himself which comes always as the issue of a surrender of ourselves to Him. When we thus yield He comes into our souls. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 19. I Paul have written it with mine own hand] It is likely that the whole of the letter was written by St. Paul himself, which was not his usual custom. See notes on 2Th 3:17. But by thus speaking he bound Philemon to do what he requested, as an act of common civility, if he could not feel a higher motive from what he had already urged.
Albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me] I ask thee to do this thing to oblige me, though I will not say how much thou owest unto me; even thine own self, as having been the means of thy conversion.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou hast it here under my hand, I take upon me to satisfy thee Onesimuss debt; yet I could tell thee, that thou owest me more than it can be, even thy own self, God having made use of me as an instrument to convert and turn thee unto God. Such persons are great debtors to their spiritual fathers, Rom 15:27.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
withmine own hand not employing an amanuensis, as in other Epistles: a specialcompliment to Philemon which he ought to show his appreciation of bygranting Pauls request. Contrast Col4:18,which shows that the Epistle to the Colossian Church, accompanyingthis Epistle, had only its closing salutation written by Paulsown hand.
albeit,etc. literally, that I may not say … not to say, etc.
thouowest … even thine own self not merely thy possessions. For to my instrumentality thou owestthy salvation. So the debt which he oweth thee beingtransferred upon me (I making myself responsible for it) iscancelled.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I Paul have written it, with mine own hand,…. Meaning either this epistle, which being short, he used no amanuensis, but wrote it all himself, and which might be taken as an engagement to do what he promised; or else a bill, a promissory note, written with his own hand, which he sent along with Onesimus, by which he laid himself under obligation to give Philemon full satisfaction in every thing, in which he had been injured by his servant; adding,
I will repay it: this was not an ironical expression, nor a piece of vanity in the apostle; he spoke seriously, and heartily, and meant what he said; and though his circumstances were often so mean, that he was forced to work with his own hands to minister to his necessities; yet such was his interest in the churches, and such their obligation to him, on account of his personal and useful ministrations to them, that he could easily raise a sum of money among them, upon any emergent occasion; so that Philemon had a good surety and paymaster of the apostle: and this shows his great humility to be a bondsman for a servant, and to make good damages and debts brought on in a scandalous manner; as also that suretyship in some cases is lawful, though it ought to be cautiously, and for very good reasons, entered into: and this engagement of the apostle for Onesimus bears some resemblance with, and may serve to illustrate the suretyship of Christ, for his people, they, and Onesimus, being much in a like condition; as he was an unprofitable and run away servant, so they are all gone out of the way, and together become unprofitable; and Christ engaged with his Father to bring them back again, and set them before him; and by his sufferings and death has brought them nigh, which were afar off; as he had wronged his master and was indebted to him, so they have injured the law of God, affronted his justice, and incurred his displeasure; and having owed to him more than ten thousand talents, and having nothing to pay, Christ engaged to satisfy law and justice, to make reconciliation for them, and pay all their debts; all which he has accordingly done; their sins have been placed to his account, imputed to him, and charged upon him; and he has bore them, and the punishment due to them, and so has satisfied for them, and restored that which he took not away.
Albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides; having respect to his conversion, which he was the happy instrument of the apostle was his spiritual father, and he was his son, according to the common faith; he had been the instrument of saving his soul from death; he had been the means of that in the hand of God, which all his riches, and the riches of his friends and relations, could never have procured: the salvation of his soul, his better part, was instrumentally owing to him, and so his whole self; and therefore, what favour might he not ask of him? and what was it he could, or should deny him? this the apostle introduces in a very artificial manner, and does not insist upon it, but suggests, that should he forgive the injuries and debts, he had took upon him to make satisfaction for, it would not be an equivalent to the debt he owed to him. From hence may be observed, how greatly obliged regenerated persons are to those, who have been the means and instruments of their conversion.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Write (). Epistolary aorist.
With mine hand ( ). Instrumental case and a note of hand that can be collected. See 2Thess 3:17; 1Cor 16:21; Col 4:18.
I will repay it ( ). Future active indicative of () to pay back, to pay off. The more usual word was . This is Paul’s promissory note. Deissmann (Light, etc., p. 331) notes how many of the papyri are concerning debts.
That I say not ( ). Neat idiom as in 2Co 9:4, delicately reminding Philemon that Paul had led him also to Christ.
Thou owest to me even thine own self besides ( ). Old verb, only here in N.T., Paul using the verb of verse 18 with added. He used every available argument to bring Philemon to see the higher ground of brotherhood in Christ about Onesimus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
I Paul have written, etc. Rev., write. A promissory note. The mention of his autograph here, rather than at the end of the letter, may indicate that he wrote the whole epistle with his own hand, contrary to his usual custom of employing an amanuensis.
Albeit I do not say [ ] . Lit., that I may not say. Connect with I write. I thus give my note of hand that I may avoid saying that thou owest, etc. Rev., that I say not unto thee.
Thou owest [] . Lit., owest in addition. I have laid you under obligation, not only for an amount equal to that due from Onesimus, but for yourself as made a Christian through my ministry.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “I, Paul, have written it with mine own hand” (ego Paulos egrapsa to eme cheiri) “l, Paul, wrote this, with my own hand.” Paul sealed his pledge of fiscal repayment of any loss Philemon may have had because of Onesimus’ departure, with his personal signature.
2) “I will repay it” (ego apotismo) “I will repay or make restitution. How like our Lord who gave himself a ransom for all,” Paul was, 1Ti 2:5.
3) “Albeit I do not say to thee” (hina me lego soi) ‘lest I say to thee or in order that I not tell you (as I might).” Paul continually, like his Lord, sought the welfare of others. 1Co 10:24.
4) “How thou owest unto me” (hoti prospheileis) “How you or that you owe to me” – You are obligated to me – in the arbitrary worldly manner of obligations. Lev 19:13; Rom 13:8.
5) “Even thine own self besides” (kai seauton moi) “Even thyself to me.” It appears that Paul was the Person who had rescued Philemon from the slavery of sin and rebellion, against God and led him to be an heir of God and joint-heir of Jesus Christ, Rom 8:17-18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
19 Not to tell thee that thou owest to me thyself. By this expression he intended to describe how confidently he believes that he will obtain it; as if he had said, “There is nothing that thou couldest refuse to give me, even though I should demand thyself.” To the same purpose is what follows about lodging and other matters, as we shall immediately see.
There remains one question. How does Paul — who, if he had not been aided by the churches, had not the means of living sparingly and frugally — promise to pay money? Amidst such poverty and want this does certainly appear to be a ridiculous promise; but it is easy to see that, by this form of expression, Paul beseeches Philemon not to ask anything back from his slave. Though he does not speak ironically, yet, by an indirect figure, he requests him to blot out and cancel this account. The meaning, therefore, is — “I wish that thou shouldest not contend with thy slave, unless thou choosest to have me for thy debtor in his stead.” For he immediately adds that Philemon is altogether his own; and he who claims the whole man as his property, need not give himself uneasiness about paying money.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
19. I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.
a.
In Phm. 1:19 Paul continues and clinches his promise to personally square up all debts of Onesimus, should it be that Philemon insisted on this. Paul declares that he has put it in writing with his own hand: he will repay all that Onesimus may owe.
b.
It is rather obvious that Paul really did not expect to receive from Philemon an itemized bill from Philemon of Onesimus debts. He goads the conscience of Philemon by saying, I am confident that you will not demand payment of Onesimus debts, so that I may not say unto you that you owe to me your own self. (Though Paul said he did not want to say this, he did say it!)
c.
Philemon owed his own self to Paul because Paul had preached to and won Philemon. Philemon had eternal life because Paul had gone to the trouble and effort of teaching, exhorting, and persuading him.
d.
The Bible does not say a great deal about the debts of converts to their teachers. But this is a very real obligation, and is one that cannot be paid off with money. It is best paid by doing the same things to others that those who won us to Christ did unto us. It is best paid by holding and radiating a sincere feeling of gratitude. The heartfelt recognition of the debt is in itself a payment of the debt.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(19) I Paul have written it with mine own hand.St. Paul actually introduces here a regular bond couched in legal form, written (as, perhaps, the whole Letter was written) with his own hand. In so doing he still continues the idea of the preceding verse; but the following words show that, though willing to stand to his bond, he knew Philemon too well to suppose that he would accept it.
It is clear from this passage that the Apostle had money which he could rightly call his own. At Ephesus, where he probably first knew Philemon, it would probably be earned in the work with Aquila and Priscilla, as at Corinth, and it is possible that some of it might still remain. In Rome now, it could hardly be from any other source than the offerings from the Church at Philippi. They were given him freely; he might fairly spend them on his own son in the faith.
Albeit I do not say to thee . . .Literally, not to say to thee. Here St. Paul escapes from the business-like promise of the last verse to the freer Atmosphere of spiritual relations. He knew that this promise it was right for him to offer, but wrong for Philemon to accept. Philemon owed his own selfhis new self in Christto the Apostle. In that was a debt which he could not repay, but would rejoice even in this smaller matter to acknowledge.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Mine own hand It is unreasonable to suppose, as some commentators do, that Paul took up his stilus and wrote solely this sentence. He may be supposed to have written so brief an epistle with his own hand. And this emphatic mine own hand constitutes a good promissory note, that if Philemon cannot bear the pecuniary loss resulting from pardon, amnesty, and emancipation, I Paul will.
Albeit A slight stay against Philemon’s enforcing the promissory note.
Owest thine own self And so art bound to what my request and thy duty inspire thee to do.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ I Paul write it with my own hand, I will repay it, that I say not to you that you owe to me even your own self besides.’
And in order to ensure that Philemon recognised that he really would do it, Paul took the stylus from his amanuensis and wrote down with his own hand, ‘I will repay it’, a total commitment to do what he had promised. Furthermore, in order to make his argument even more forceful, he pointed out that he would not remind Philemon how much he already owed to Paul. For he owed him his own self. This indicates that it was Paul who had brought him to Christ, and to whom he owed his entire spiritual life with all its benefits, and his eternal salvation.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Phm 1:19. I Paul have written it with mine own hand, The apostle seems commonly to have dictated, and another person to have wrote down what he said; or to have written a copy, and another transcribed it; (see 2Th 3:17. 2Pe 3:1.) but he probably wrote all this letter with his own hand; not only to engage to make restitution, if demanded, but to let Philemon see how much he interested himself in this affair. He directly promises to make restitution; but in an oblique manner only insinuates his own claim upon Philemon; whose conversion being one of the happy consequences of St. Paul’s ministry, the apostle might justly saythat Philemon owed to him even his own self, or his very soul. How great an obligation has he expressed in these few words!
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Phm 1:19 . Promissory note under his own hand, in which by the elsewhere so weighty (Gal 5:2 ; 2Co 10:1 , al. ) the friendly humour of the connection is rendered the more palpable through force of contrast. Whether Paul wrote the whole Epistle with his own hand (the usual view; see already Jerome, Chrysostom, and Theodoret), or only from this point onward, cannot be determined. In the latter case the raillery comes out the more prominently.
. . .] Comp. 2Co 2:5 , and the Latin ne dicam : “est sive reticentiae, cum dicimus omittere nos velle, quod maxime dicimus,” Grotius. The denotes the design which Paul has in the ; he will, so he represents the matter, by this his note of hand avoid saying to Philemon what he withal might in strictness have to say to him that he was yet far more indebted to the apostle. Without sufficient reason, Wiesinger after a harsh and involved fashion attaches , notwithstanding the intervening clause, to , and then takes the , which according to the usual view belongs without emphasis to , as emphatic ( sc. ); “that reckon to me , not to say: to thee .” So too Hofmann, according to whose arbitrary discovery in the repetition of the the emphatic is held “ to continue sounding ,” until it finds in the emphatic its antithesis, which cancels it. Why should not Paul, instead of this alleged “making it sound on,” have put the words , . . . ( because , according to Hofmann) immediately after , in order thereupon to conclude this passage with the weighty . . .? Besides, there would be implied in that emphasizing and antithetic reference of the a pungent turn so directly and incisively putting him to shame, that it would not be in keeping with the whole friendly humorous tone of this part of the letter, which does not warrant us in presupposing a displeasure on Philemon’s part meriting so deeply earnest a putting him to shame (Hofmann). The very shaming hint, which the passage gives, is affectionately veiled in an apparent reticence by . . . Chrysostom already says aptly: .
The added to is in keeping with the confidential tone of the Epistle. Paul would not willingly remind his friend, of his debt.
] also thine own self , , , , , Theodoret. Through his conversion he was indebted to the apostle for his own self , namely, as subject of the . The same view is found at Luk 9:25 . See on that passage.
] insuper debes , Herod. vi. 59; Dem. 650, 23; Thucyd. vii. 48. 6; Xen. Cyrop . iii. 2. 16, Oec. 20. 1; Polyb. v. 88. 4. 8, viii. 25. 4; Lucian. Sacrif . 4. The conception, namely, is: “ not to say to thee, that thou (namely, because I have made thee a Christian) owest to me not merely that, which I have just declared my wish to pay to thee, out also ( ) thine own self besides .” With due attention to the correlation of and , the force of the compound would not have been overlooked (Vulgate, Luther, Fliatt, and others).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it : albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
Ver. 19. Thou owest unto me, &c. ] If Cleanthes gave himself to his master Socrates; if Alexander could say that he owed more to Aristotle that taught him than to Philip that begat him; if another could say that he could never discharge his debt to God, to his parents, and to his schoolmaster; how deeply then do men stand obliged to their spiritual fathers and teachers in Christ!
I will repay it ] Philemon, though rich, is suspected to be somewhat too covetous, from this expression.
” O quam difficile est opibus non tradere mores;
Et cum tot Croesos viceris, esse Numam!
Howbeit in both the Testaments we shall scarcely read of any godly man tainted with covetousness. Luther saith of himself, that though he otherwise had his flaws and frailties, yet the infection of covetousness never laid hold on him. Heu Germann illa bestia non curat aurum, said one of his adversaries, wiser than the rest, that would have stopped his mouth with money. But Seneca was naturally covetous, which he shrouds covertly in that sentence of his in his book de Tranquillitate, Nec aegroto nec valeo, I am neither sick nor well. It had been well for him if he could have said with that dying saint, My body is weak, my soul is well. As for those Epistles pretended to be written to him by St Paul, they are bastard and counterfeit, they savour not of his apostolic gravity and majesty, which shineth even in this to Philemon, being the least of all his Epistles. In those forged Epistles far higher matters are spoken of; but, alas, how coldly, how dryly and poorly! yet here behold a poor petty matter is set forth with that pithiness and powerfulness of speech, as is admirable. (Dyke.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19 .] The inference from this is, that the whole Epistle was autographic: for it would be most unnatural to suppose the Apostle to break off his amanuensis here, and write this engagement with his own hand.
] “est sive reticenti, cum dicimus nos omittere velle, quod maxime dicimus,” Grot. does not exactly, as Meyer, give the purpose of St. Paul in : but rather that of an understood clause, ‘yield me this request, lest I should have to remind thee, &c.’ Ellic. paraphrases, ‘repay: yes I say this, not doubting thee, but not wishing to press on thee all the claim that I might justly urge.’ , , Chrys. And this may well be the right view.
] , Chr. , , , , Thdrt.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Phm 1:19 . : “The introduction of his own name gives it the character of a formal and binding signature, cf. 1Co 16:21 , Col 4:18 , 2Th 3:17 ” (Lightfoot). : . epistolary aorist, cf. 1Pe 5:12 , 1Jn 2:14 ; 1Jn 2:21 ; 1Jn 2:26 . Deissmann ( op. cit. , p. 239) calls attention to the large number of papyri which are acknowledgments of debt (Schuldhandschrift); a stereotyped phrase which these contain is, “I will repay,” usually expressed by ; in case the debtor is unable to write a representative who can do so expressly adds, “I have written this for him”. The following is an example: “ which we also will repay besides whatever else there is ( ) which we owe over and above I, Papos, write it for him, because he cannot write”. See also Deissmann’s Neue Bibelstudien , p. 67, under . It seems certain from the words ( cf. also Phm 1:21 ) that St. Paul wrote the whole of this epistle himself; this was quite exceptional, as he usually employed an amanuensis; the quasi-private character of the letter would account for this. See, further, Lightfoot’s note on Gal 6:11 . : a stronger form than the more usual . As a matter of fact St. Paul, in a large measure, had repaid whatever was due to Philemon by being the means whereby the latter received his slave back, but see Intr. III. : a kind of mental ejaculation, as though St. Paul were speaking to himself; the does not properly belong to the phrase; cf. 2Co 9:4 . : the reference is to Philemon’s conversion, either directly due to St. Paul, or else indirectly through the mission into Asia Minor, which had been the means whereby Philemon had become a Christian; in either case St. Paul could claim Philemon as his spiritual child in the sense that he did in the case of Onesimus (see Phm 1:10 ). : “thou owest me over and above”. See farther, on , Deissmann, Neue Bibelst. , p. 48, Licht vom Osten , pp. 46, 239.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
have written = wrote.
repay. Greek. apotino. Only here.
albeit = that. Greek. hina.
how = that.
owest . . . besides. Greek. prosopheilo. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
19.] The inference from this is, that the whole Epistle was autographic: for it would be most unnatural to suppose the Apostle to break off his amanuensis here, and write this engagement with his own hand.
] est sive reticenti, cum dicimus nos omittere velle, quod maxime dicimus, Grot. does not exactly, as Meyer, give the purpose of St. Paul in -: but rather that of an understood clause,-yield me this request, lest I should have to remind thee, &c. Ellic. paraphrases, repay: yes I say this, not doubting thee, but not wishing to press on thee all the claim that I might justly urge. , , Chrys. And this may well be the right view.
] , Chr. , , , , Thdrt.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Phm 1:19. , I Paul) It was his handwriting.- , I will repay) as a parent is wont to pay the debt of his son. The prisoner writes in good earnest, and with confidence that he would not want the power [of fulfilling his engagement]. But yet he promises conditionally, viz. if Philemon would exact it, Phm 1:21.-, thyself) It cannot be told how great is the obligation which is owed to those who have won souls. External property is due for spiritual benefits, but not by political obligation.-, thou even owest) This refers to owes, Phm 1:18. It is not only fitting that the pardon of Onesimus be granted to me, but thou even owest me thyself.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Philemon 1:19
I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it:-Paul says he wrote this proposition with his own hand and would repay the injury done by his running away. He intimates to him that he (Paul) was instrumental in saving Philemon so he was under obligations to him for the salvation of his own soul. Philemon could afford to accede to his request.
that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides.-He admonished him to do what he had requested and so let him have joy of him in the Lord-gratify the desires of my heart in that I will be refreshed and cheered in Christ by your course in this matter.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
I Paul: 1Co 16:21, 1Co 16:22, Gal 5:2, Gal 6:11
how thou: 1Co 4:15, 1Co 9:1, 1Co 9:2, 2Co 3:2, 1Ti 1:2, Tit 1:4, Jam 5:19, Jam 5:20
Reciprocal: Gen 43:9 – will be Lev 17:4 – blood shall 1Sa 25:24 – Upon 2Sa 2:6 – I also Psa 119:122 – surety Pro 6:1 – if thou be Pro 17:21 – hath Pro 27:11 – be wise Mat 6:21 – there Mat 18:29 – Have Rom 4:8 – to whom Rom 15:27 – and Gal 4:19 – little 1Ti 4:16 – them
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Phm 1:19. This obligation or account of Paul against Philemon was not a material one, but a moral one due to what he owed the apostle for having led him into the service of salvation. AIbeit I do not say, etc. This unusual sentence is a sort of explanation, to assure Philemon that what he said was not for the purpose of reminding him of his indebtedness (morally) to the apostle for his conversion to Christ.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Phm 1:19. I Paul write it with mine own hand. Up to this point, the apostle had probably used his amanuensis; but that the transaction may be formal and secure, he attaches his own signature to what has been written, and so transforms the Epistle into a bond.
I will repay it. It is no mere ofter of himself as security for the slaves future good conduct, and that in time he shall, by his working, clear off the loss he has caused: St. Paul would at once by his own payment set Onesimus free from such debt.
that I may not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. He might have urged the larger debt which Philemon owed to him for his conversion to the faith of Christ, should be held to far outbalance the loss inflicted by Onesimus. But this he will not press, though by a delicate reference to it, he gives force to the appeal which he is making. On St. Pauls connection with the Colossian church see the Introduction. It appears probable that Philemons conversion was wrought by the apostles preaching at Ephesus, for St. Paul seems up to this time not to have been in Coloss. And he speaks to Philemon of his own self, that he may remind him how paltry the consideration of money gain or loss must be in comparison of the salvation of that which alone of man is to know immortality.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
19. I, Paul, have written with my own hand, I will pay it. See the wonderful faith of Paul in financial matters! Though a prisoner in bonds, and utterly disqualified to prosecute any remunerative employment, and not worth a nickel, he boldly assumes all financial responsibility in behalf of this poor fugitive slave, his son in the gospel. In all the great Pauline series he dictated to an amanuensis, except this brief letter and the epistle to the Galatians. In order that I may not say to thee, that thou owest thyself unto me. See what an adroit turn he makes on Philemon! Though I go the security of Onesimus, and will pay all of his indebtedness to you, do not forget that you owe yourself to me. Satan had you by the throat, till I broke his grip and delivered you. Therefore you are indebted to me for saving your scalp. Hence, by the time you pay me all you owe me, I can well afford to pay the debts of Onesimus.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Evidently Paul wrote this whole epistle with his own hand rather than through a secretary as was his custom. [Note: Cf. Hiebert, p. 119; Kent, p. 175.] Alternatively Paul may have signed his name at this point and then personally wrote out his guarantee. [Note: Dunn, p. 339.] Paul reminded Philemon of his own debt to the apostle (Phm 1:19). Apparently Philemon had become a Christian through Paul’s ministry either directly or indirectly.
The phrase in parentheses in this verse is a rhetorical device called paraleipsis. In it a writer states that he is reluctant to say something that he does nevertheless say. It is a way of inserting information delicately. [Note: Hiebert, p. 120. Cf. Marvin R. Vincent, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians and to Philemon, p. 190.]