This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Philemon 1:4-5
4 I thank [eucharisteo] my [mou] God [theos], making [poieo] mention [mneia] of thee [sou] always [pantote] in [epi] my [mou] prayers [proseuche],
5 Hearing [akouo] of thy [sou] love [agape] and [kai] faith [pistis], which [hos] thou hast [echo] toward [pros] the Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous], and [kai] toward [eis] all [pas] saints [hagios]; KJV-Interlinear
4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints; NASB
Paul is in prison awaiting his trial. Paul does not have any wiggle room as far as his ability or opportunity to travel and meet people.
Paul may have met Philemon in his previous travels, or heard about him from someone who has spoken of him.
Most likely, Paul has heard of Philemon from Onesimus, the slave who ran away from Philemon, probably in addition to whatever knowledge he already had heard regarding Philemon.
Paul is writing this letter to Philemon in behalf of Onesimus. That indicates that Paul and Onesimus had a reasonably close relationship, such that Paul has taken it upon himself to write this letter.
Typically a person will not write an extensive and personal letter for someone that is more a stranger than a friend.
Philemon had a strong enough reputation such that Paul mentions him (Philemon) in his prayers on a regular basis.
The world can really be a small place. How is it that a runaway slave, a useless slave, travels hundreds of miles, across the world in those days, happens to meet Paul who is in prison, no less, hears the gospel, converts, develops a relationship with Paul, requests aid from Paul in setting things right with his prior master, and all of this ends up as a part of the Bible, recorded forever?
Were it not for this letter, none of us would have ever known the names of Philemon, Onesimus, Apphia, and so many others whose names appear perhaps once in the Bible.
And, just because names do not appear in the Bible, that does not mean that history never knew them.
Your name and mine, are not in the Bible. Virtually no one on this planet, except for family and immediate friends, even know that we exist. And yet, in heaven God knows us, and in heaven God guides the events of history which have brought us all together, either through this online study, or by some other means.
Most of us are separated by thousands of miles, separated by culture, separated by language, separated by so many things that it would be virtually impossible for us to have any kind of acquaintance or relationship by any other means. But in Christ we have a relationship that will last forever. And one day, perhaps in heaven, I hope that we will all be able to get together and get better acquainted.
With these few verses we have been able to learn about Philemon, and this prepares us for the rest of the book.
