And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
All Commentaries on Philemon 1:2 Go To Philemon 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
And to our beloved Apphia.
It seems to me that she was his partner in life. Observe the humility of Paul; he both joins Timothy with him in his request, and asks not only the husband, but the wife also, and some one else, perhaps a friend.
And Archippus, he says, our fellow-soldier.
Not wishing to effect such things by command, and not taking it ill, if he did not immediately comply with his request; but he begs them to do what a stranger might have done to aid his request. For not only the being requested by many, but the petition being urged to many, contributes to its being granted. And on this account he says, And Archippus our fellow-soldier. If you are a fellow-soldier, you ought also to take a concern in these things. But this is the Archippus, about whom he says in his Epistle to the Colossians, Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it. Colossians 4:17 It seems to me too, that he, whom he joins with him in this request, was also one of the Clergy. And he calls him his fellow-soldier, that he may by all means cooperate with him.
And to the Church in your house.
Here he has not omitted even the slaves. For he knew that often even the words of slaves have power to overthrow their master; and more especially when his request was in behalf of a slave. And perhaps it was they particularly who exasperated him. He does not suffer them therefore to fall into envy, having honored them by including them in a salutation with their masters. And neither does he allow the master to take offense. For if he had made mention of them by name, perhaps he would have been angry. And if he had not mentioned them at all, he might have been displeased. Observe therefore how prudently he has found a way by his manner of mentioning them, both to honor them by his mention of them, and not to wound him. For the name of the Church does not suffer masters to be angry, even though they are reckoned together with their servants. For the Church knows not the distinction of master and servant. By good actions and by sins she defines the one and the other. If then it is a Church, be not displeased that your slave is saluted with you. For in Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free. Galatians 3:28
