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"Having confidence in your obedience..."

Text: Philemon 21

THE BASIS OF PAUL’S APPEAL

The appeal of the Apostle Paul to Philemon was a huge one! On what basis did Paul make this appeal?

“Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you,
knowing that you will do even more than I say.”
Philemon 21

1. “Having confidence”

a) The word “confidence” comes from the verb “I persuade”.

i) Paul was persuaded by what he knew of Philemon.

ii) This persuasion resulted in “confidence”.

b) Paul used a classic Greek Perfect Tense to express his confidence.

i) This confidence was an established reality.

ii) He knew the kind of man Philemon was.

iii) He had confidence in the rare and beautiful friendship they had sustained through the years.

2. “In your obedience”

a) Paul knew the heart of Philemon.

b) He would respond to Paul with “obedience”.

c) If this is truly “in the Lord” then Philemon would respond appropriately.

d) He would comply with Paul’s appeal for Onesimus.

3. “I write to you”

Once again we have an “epistolary aorist” in action. (Philemon 12, 19).

4. “Knowing that you will do even more than I say”

a) Paul had asked for the following things on behalf of Onesimus.

i) To be forgiven.

ii) To be received not as a slave but a brother beloved.

b) Paul was confident about Philemon’s response.

i) That Philemon would certainly “obey”.

ii) The bond of friendship and brotherhood was deep, strong and noble.

iii) Philemon would do more than what Paul had requested.

iv) We are left to our imagination to guess what Philemon would do for Onesimus for Paul’s sake.