PHILEMON CHAPTER 1

PHILEMON

If Paul tells Titus to keep the slaves down
And in submission to owner and crown,
He makes a practical gesture's renown
Against Philemon, slave-owner in town.
If You, Beloved, included in Your book
A letter to affirm slave-owner's hook,
I take it as a freedman and amiss,
Who does not relish any backward kiss.
Truth is the Bible's more salvation for
The pie in sky than in the social score.
The world's an atelier where You plead gore
Instead of marble chips upon the floor,
And take the images that You choose where
The life-blood flows out daunting and to spare.

PHILEMON 1

1 Paul, prisoner of Jesus Christ,
And Timothy our brother spiced,
To Philemon, dearly beloved,
And fellow labourer and gloved,
2 And to our beloved Apphia,
And Archippus, our mate in claw,
And to the church there in your house:
3 Grace be to you and peace to spouse
From God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ who’s also adored.

One more point chalked up for the church in house,
Despite the lending of the rat and mouse
Of institutions of the state and king,
The catholic doctrines and everything,
Paul here assumes the house-church on the wing.
I too prefer the house-church just because
I cannot grapple with the wider claws
Of congregations of a hundred paws.
I'm never welcome under steeple or
Within the parish of official door.
But truth to say, the home-church for its weal
As as much woe in practice and in spiel
That's why, Beloved, I come alone to You
Without a doubt and in an empty pew.

4 I thank my God and speak of you
Always in my prayers in my pew,
5 Hearing of your love and your faith,
Which you have toward the Lord no wraith
Jesus, and toward all saints in view,
6 So that communication true
Of your faith may agitate too
By the acknowledging of each
Good thing which is in you to teach
Of Christ Jesus in deed and speech.
7 For we have great joy, comfort too,
In your love, because mercy true
Of the saints is refreshed by you,
Brother. 8 That’s why, though I might be
Bold in Christ to enjoin freely
What is convenient now for me,
9 Yet for love’s sake I’d rather ask,
As poor old Paul still at the task,
And now too prisoner to bask
In Jesus Christ as my decree.

Paul flatters with praise of Philemon's love
Before he hints a favours hand in glove.
I've noticed with appeal to love is made
There's always an ulterior parade
Of hidden wants and secret hopes unstayed.
At best the lover in cajoling voice
Is asking for a boon, one sweet and choice.
At worst and far more common, I have seen
The loving words to cover hateful spleen
And spoken to divert the target from
The knife in back that is about to come.
Beloved, I doubt not that Your knife will make
A tender slit in me somewhere in stake,
But let me still be loyal for Your sake.

10 I beg you on behalf of one
Onesimus become my son,
Whom I’ve begotten in my chains,
11 Who in time past and to your pains
Was one unprofited, but now
Is benefit to both in brow,
12 Whom I have sent back, so receive
Him as my own beloved in sleeve,
13 Whom I would have kept here with me,
So he might minister freely
To me in your stead, where I stay
In chains yet in the Gospel way.
14 But without your permission I
Will not do that, so you may spy
Some benefit, not forced but by
A willing heart to serve thereby.
15 Maybe he went away a time
So you could get him back from crime
For all eternity and well,
16 Not now as just a servant’s spell,
But more than a servant, instead
A brother loved, as by me led,
Both in the flesh and the Lord’s head?

Even the Muslim, the one decked in crime
Of terrorism by opinion's mime,
Sets free the slave that's a convert in time
To Islam, or he should, though in these days
There are reports and even Muslim drays
Are caught and sold in Khartoom for a craze,
As long as they have dark skins for their praise.
Paul is an early bird, and has not read
The story of releasing slaves once bred.
Beloved, let me be Your slave unreleased,
Whether or not You give me life increased
Upon the clouds or in the lake of fire,
Make me Your slave and so I shall desire
No earthly praise nor place in earthly quire.

17 So if you consider I am
A mate, then receive back the lamb
As myself coming to be fed.
18 If he has wronged you or owes you
Anything, let my count accrue.
19 I Paul have written it with my
Own handwriting, I’ll pay and buy,
Though I do not tell you how you
Owe me your very self in pew.
20 Yes, brother, let me have the joy
Of you in the Lord to employ,
Refresh me in the Lord, my boy.
21 I trust in your obedience, so
I write to you, and so I know
You’ll do more than I say to go.
22 But make a place for me also
To stay, for I trust by your prayers
I’ll be brought to you unawares.
23 Epaphras greets you, he is one
Prisoner in Christ Jesus done,
24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas,
Lucas, my fellow workers fuss.
25 The grace of our Lord Christ again
Jesus be with your mind. Amen.

The practical result is that St Paul
Requires Onesimus, man on the ball,
To make the trip both there and back again
Just to preserve the system among men
Of human chattel in the Roman den.
I fruitlessly too wander in the ways
Of Roman paths beneath my nights and days,
And find no resting place among the free
Or with the slaves who make my company,
My clothes and meals and serve me under cloud
Of fair economy that is allowed.
Beloved, see those who wait for food from hand
Of master and of mistress in the land,
The low invisible under command.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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