Having confidence in your obedience, I write unto you.
What stone would not these things have softened? What wild beast would not these things have rendered mild, and prepared to receive him heartily? After having borne witness to him by so many great testimonies of his goodness, he is not ashamed again to excuse himself. He says, Not barely requesting it, nor as commanding it, nor arbitrarily, but having confidence in your obedience I wrote unto you. What he had said at the beginning, having confidence, that he also says here in the sealing up of his letter.
Knowing that you will also do more than I say.
At the same time in saying this he excited him. For he would have been ashamed, though for nothing else, if having such credit with him as this, that he would do more than he said—he should not do so much.
What stone would not these words have softened? What wild beast would not these requests have rendered mild and prepared to receive him heartily? … What he had said at the beginning, “having confidence,” that he also says here in the sealing up of his letter…. This also was the part of one who was exceedingly confident. It may also be the case that this statement too was in behalf of Onesimus. For he, not being a neutral personage but rather being intimately knowledgeable about Paul’s situation and special to the apostle, they might lay aside all remembrance of the wrong and might the rather grant the favor.
Then when he says Trusting in your compliance, he provides a reason on the side of Philemon, and a commendation of his obedience. First he shows how he is confident in his obeying; second he adds to it something similar. Therefore he says, Trusting in your compliance. 2 Corinthians 7:16: ‘I rejoice that in all things I can have confidence in you.’ 1 Sam 15:22: ‘For obedience is better than sacrifices.’ But he writes more cautiously because a man listens more closely to one he expects to see again than if he despairs.
