Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more unto you, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
All Commentaries on Philemon 1:16 Go To Philemon 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Shall I show you freedom arising from slavery? There was a certain Onesimus, a slave, a goodfornothing runaway. He escaped and went to Paul. He obtained baptism, washed away his sins and remained at Paul’s feet…. Do you see his nobility? Do you see a character that brings freedom? Slave and free are simply names. What is a slave? It is a mere name. How many masters lie drunken upon their beds, while slaves stand by sober? Whom shall I call a slave? The one who is sober, or the one who is drunk? The one who is the slave of a man, or the one who is the captive of passion? The former has his slavery on the outside; the latter wears his captivity on the inside.
