Journeys of St' Paul

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Journeys of St. Paul

• First Antioch- Asia minor, No epistles
• Trying to convert to Jews first
• Second Jews trying to kill him.
• Went to Caesarea, requested to be judged by
  Caesar. He was eager to preach in Rome
• Was Martyred in Rome by beheading in the early
  60s

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• First Thessalonians 52 A.D.
• Second Thessalonians about the second coming of
  Christ and during his second trip
• The third trip was the longest, people tried to
  convert the people to Jews. The book of Romans
  and Galatians were written about the salvation.
• First and second Corinthians (were written for
  many problems)
• Second Corinthians was also written to defend his
  apostleship.
• The forth trip, he was imprisoned and wrote four
  epistles Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon,
  Colossians. They were all sermons about the life
  in Christ. He knew his time was coming to an
  end, he wrote to his disciples 1 Timothy and
  Titus
• Around the same time he wrote Hebrews. Before
  his departure he wrote Timothy II.

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Order of the Epistles

• The order of the Epistles in the Gospel is
  related to the size of the book and not
  chronology.
• If you have problems in life, read Corinthians.
• If you have problems of faith, read Romans and
  Galatians
• To read about the blood of Christ ? Galatians
• Life in Christ is described in the epistles
  written during St. Pauls imprisonment.

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System of his writing

• The system of his writing usually starts with
• His name
• Greeting
• Subject
• Closing
• (the book of Hebrews is an exception to this
  rule)

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Epistle to Philemon

• The epistle to Philemon
• It was written during his first visit
• Onesimus was imprisoned with St. Paul because he
  stole from Philemon, his master
• Philemon used to be the disciple of St. Paul
• This Epistle demonstrates the wisdom of St. Paul
  as a father and a servant

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Wisdom of St. Paul

• Great words to show St. Pauls wisdom from the
  book of Philemon
• Verse 1 beloved friend and fellow laborer
• Verse 6 that the sharing of your faith may
  become effective
• Always uses Jesus Christ in his writing ie I
  Corinthians, verse 1-10, he uses the name Jesus
  Christ 10 times
• Verse 7 For we have great joy and consolation in
  your love
• Verse 7 because the hearts of the saints have
  been refreshed by you, brother (as if you please
  his heart)

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The Plea for Onesimus

• St. Paul called himself the aged and the prisoner
  for Christ in order to make his plea for Onesimus
• In spite of his rank as an Archbishop, he did not
  use his authority, but his gentle manner
• He called Onesimus, my son, in order to obtain
  the mercy of Philemon
• Verse 8 command you what is fitting meaning
  you ought to do this because it is right
• Verse 9 for love's sake
• begotten while in my chains

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Sweet words

• 11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is
  profitable to you and to me Meaning he admits
  that Onesimus was trouble to Philemon, though he
  has become a new man
• profitable to me means Philemon cannot decline
  the change
• Sending Onesimus back means that St. Paul could
  have kept him for his own good, ie profitable
• My own heart St. Paul desires to keep him, but
  he is giving him back to Philemon because
  Philemon is his master (his right)

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More Sweet Words

• Compulsion vs. voluntary St. Paul is trying to
  make Philemon accept Onesimus by his own will
• Slave vs. beloved brother St. Paul accepted
  Onesimus as a son, how can Philemon not accept
  him as a brother?
• St. Paul made an argument that the imprisonement
  story was for Onesimus salvation since Philemon
  was unable to guide him in his iwn salvation

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Great Plea

• in the flesh meaning remember the human
  relation that they shared
• But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put
  that on my account. ie St.Paul will repay
  Philemon, but what does he have to offer as a
  prisoner. St. Paul aslo admits that Onesimus
  truly stole from Philemon

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I will repay

• St.Paul offers to repay, however Philemon owes
  him his spiritual life his whole self
• knowing that you will do even more than I say
  encouraging Philemon to do even more
• I will be granted to you St. Paul is
  indicating to Philemon that he will be coming to
  follow up
• Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke these are all
  witnesses

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• It is written by Onesimus in order to return to
  Onesimus his dignity
• Onesimus and Philemon, thanks to the wisdom of
  St.Paul, both became bishops
• Christianity did not attack slavery, but taught
  the commandments of Christ to love one another,
  leading to the fall of slavery
• The same analogy of St. Paul and Onesimus can be
  drawn between God, the father, and man (who
  became slaves)
• Onesimus, when he was delivering the letter to
  Philemon, was empowered by the love of St. Paul
• The fact that the entire letter is written about
  one person demonstrates the value of one human
  soul to God
• Onesimus repentance was powerful enough to
  withstand the return to Philemon

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Take home points

• Be merciful on others even if they have wronged
  you
• Make peace with kind words and wisdom (these
  words are not considered deception without
  personal benefit)
• Value the significance of every person

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