Sunday – October 29, 2023, Cheshvan 14, 5784
Greetings brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of God and welcome back this study of the Book of Philemon. I am sure you have noticed that the individual teachings of this blog are trending shorter. We are in a sound bit, microwave generation, a shorter teaching may enhance digestibility, and may increase readership. The main theme of this Book of Philemon is intercession (intervention, mediation, arbitration, negotiation) and upon that I will focus. As with any Book of the Bible there are lots of Truths spoken of but I will do my best to stick with intercession. What a wonderful gift given to mankind.
Please take a moment to share this teaching, all of this Ministry’s teachings, as widely as possible. Thank you so much for sharing. Your sharing is vital to the dissemination of the Truth, the Gospel, the Good News. Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible text from, you guessed it, Philemon. Please be sure you are reading out loud, yes out loud. You know why.
Philemon 1:9-14 (KJV)
9 Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:
12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:
13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:
14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
Last Sunday we focused in on the verses leading to and including verse nine. We are coming to the meat of the letter. Let’s take a look at verses 8 & 9 in the NIV.
Philemon 1:8-9 (NIV)
8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do,
9 yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul–an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—
From verse eight I believe we can safely conclude that the Apostle Paul is a one with spiritual authority over Philemon.
Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
However, the Apostle Paul does not approach this man Philemon on the basis of his authority in the body of Christ but based on love. This love (agapē – according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary) is the very foundation of our relationship with God and people. God is love and exercises love and so must we. As we continue to read into verse ten, we find that the purpose, the focus of this letter is to intercede for a man named Onesimus.
Lord willing, I will pick up right here next Sunday.
Authored By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
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