Paul, a prisoner, writes Philemon a letter. Needles to say the letter is written from prison. He is writing to a wealthy man.
He writes about a fugitive Onesmus.
The whole tenor of this letter is that it is the grace of our vertical reconciliation, our peace with God that produces the hope of horizontal reconciliation – peace with people, because it is the Gospel that transforms our relationships.
The letter from Paul to Philemon ‘the slave – master’ becomes critical as it forms the theological and biblical basis for the modern day slavery or continued enslavement. There is no letter to Onesimus as slaves do not need letters, they will listen as we address their masters, or their masters will share the message with them.
The letter states that Paul was the friend of Philemon: this means he knew of the slavery practices and was a slave master too.
Assuming it was from Onesimus it would read as follows.
Dear Paul
“I am pleased that you have taken interest in my relationship with my former slave master Philemon. I would like to take this opportunity to tell my side of the story.
I am being accused of having stolen from my slave master.
I want to bring to your attention that our relationship must be understood as that of slave-master relationship (empire – oppressor). I ran away because I was abused, I was silenced, I was exploited. Running away was the only route to my freedom and identity.
My name is not Onesimus, slavery has stolen my name. If you want to assist me, help me to run away from abusive Philemon as soon as possible. Thank you. No slave name. The problem of slavery raises difficult and uncomfortable questions to our current day faith. The problem therefore becomes a bitter pillow to swallow especially if we are to understand God as a God of justice. Sadly, in the early years of Christianity, slavery was an established feature of the economy and society and this persisted in different forms within the expansion of the Christian church hence the account of Paul’s letter to Philemon as he tries to untangle Christians from slavery by pleading with Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother in Christ and not a personal slave (Philemon 8-20).
Three men now share a deeper identify, an identity in Christ, that by grace. Onesimus must go back and face his former slave master – humility.
Philemon, a wealthy Christian brother, must now accept Onesimus not just as a slave but a brother in the Lord.
The letter teaches grace, unmerited, favour, underserved favour of God. The letter seeks to correct the wrongs.
The wrong by Onesimus of running away and possible stealing from his master.
The wrong by Philemon to have a slave.
The letter is an appeal – no coercion but appeal for mercy and love.
The letter seeks reconciliation, restoration and reconstruction.
The letter demonstrates that Christianity is meaningful when practically applied. The redemptive theology that declare bravery a social sin is evident in the entire accounts of the Bible, it is centred around God’s concern for the enslaved people: “I have seen the suffering of my people…. I have heard their cry….. (Exodus 3:7). “The old conditions and former ways have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) The context of Jesus lament over Jerusalem is testimony of Christ’s repulsion of the enslavement powers of this world. Slavery has been the bedrock of colonialism and the Western world’s economy.
The account of slavery subjugated the black people under the domination of which people and thereby made the black people lose their human dignity and values.
It is unescapable that the black people’s experience of slavery is a living reality which must never be taken for granted if the world has conscience.
This kind of consciousness of the social ills of the day has become the nature of the saving grace of the Christian Church in the face of all enslaving forms and forces of our time. The question, when, are we still under the tutelage and CCTV watch of the former colonial master or our statuses have been upgraded …….no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. Are we really free, as a people and or as Church?We should embrace the wise words of Kofi Annan that “suffering anywhere concerns people everywhere” the suffering of the people that we serve must be our priority. Greed and wealth should be anathema!
* (Reverend Jan. A. Scholtz is the former chairperson of ||Kharas Regional and former !Nami#nus Constituency Regional councillor and is a holder of Diploma in Theology, B-Theo (SA), a Diploma in Youth Work and Development from the University of Zambia (UNZA), Diploma in Education III (KOK) BA (HED) from UNISA