Introduction to Philemon

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Introduction to Philemon
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Authorship-
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Date-
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Major Theme- Slavery. Let us look at several
important things about this slavery.

• How did one become a slave?
• What did a slave do? There were different kind
  of slave jobs

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• Why did Paul not speak out against Slavery?
• Does v. 21 in which Paul states that Philemon
  will do more than asked indicate that Paul
  expects him to set him free?
• Paul does challenge the slave owner to defy the
  conventions of punishing a runaway slave, and to
  openly forgive him and welcome him back.
• Some see Philemon as representing a lack of
  nerve.

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Subsequent Career of Onesimus

• Why was this letter preserved?
• The proposal of Knox-
• The Theology of the Letter-Imputation

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Slavery and Privilege-

• Background- Four NT authors begin their epistles
  by describing themselves as a doulos of Christ or
  God - Peter (2 Pet. 11), Paul (Rom. 11 Phil.
  11 Tit. 11), James (Jas. 11) and Jude (Jd.
  1).
• The determining factor of Slavery-
• The privilege of Slavery-