Does your “gospel” include the Old Testament?
In the third chapter of The King Jesus Gospel, Scot McKnight says that the ignorance of many Christians about the Old Testament is evidence of how our current gospel culture (see The King Jesus Gospel — Gospel Culture) has suffocated the story of Israel and the story of Jesus.
Philemon isn’t the only one to whom Paul’s is writing his letter. Apphia, Archippus, and the church that meets in Philemon’s house are also addressed as co-recipients of the letter. Paul calls Apphia “our sister” and Archippus “our fellow soldier” (Phm. 2). Some have wondered whether this “sister” and “fellow soldier” are Philemon’s wife and son but there is no evidence to support such an identification. Probably they are, like Philemon, prominent members of the Colossian church (see Colossians 4.17 where Archippus is told to complete his assigned task in the Lord).
What is really of interest is that Paul’s letter to Philemon is also letter to the whole church! Paul wants Philemon, as a believer and especially as a church leader, to know that the subject of the letter is not merely a personal matter. Thus, Apphia, Archippus and the entire church will be witnesses to whatever request Paul might make of Philemon. And they will also witness Philemon’s response to Paul’s request!
Apphia, Archippus, and the church are the on-scene witnesses to Philemon’s response to Paul’s request. But the letter also identifies five others who will be witnesses from-a-distance to Philemon’s decision.
Who are they?
The Philemon Files — Related Posts:
The Philemon Files: Introduction
The Philemon Files: From Paul
The Philemon Files: Co-Senders
It’s Wandering Web Wednesday, the Thursday edition! Here are some links that caught my eye while wandering the web over the past few days:
Bible/Theology
If you need a Romans re-cap, watch the video by Richard Bell, Professor of Theology at the University of Nottingham, which addresses the question Why Study St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans? (Youtube).
Continue reading
In the church circles that I frequent, “gospel” is a code word. When someone refers to a “gospel sermon” or a “gospel service” it is understood that the purpose of the sermon or meeting is to get people “wet” i.e., baptized or saved. In other words, as Scot McKnight puts it in the second chapter of The King Jesus Gospel, when we say “gospel” we really mean “salvation.”
Although his name is often overlooked, the co-sender of the letter to Philemon is identified as Timothy. Timothy was well-known and respected in Colossae where Philemon lived; he is also named as the co-author of Colossians (Col. 1:1). Although he is identified only as a “brother” in this letter (Phm 1), Timothy’s name adds authority to whatever request Paul might make in the letter.
Not only is Timothy’s presence frequently overlooked, but also overlooked is the presence of “God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” that the letter invokes (Phm. 3). The mention of God the Father and Jesus Christ is more than a simple formality in the opening and closing of the letter (Phm. 25). For Paul, they are always a real presence and he wants Philemon and the entire church that meets at his house to be reminded of it.
Besides Philemon, who are the other recipient(s) of this letter?
Related Posts:
The Philemon Files: Introduction
The Philemon Files: From Paul
