An Epistle to the Father

Have you ever thought about the Epistle of Philemon as an epistle to the Father from Christ in our behalf?

I hadn't either until this week in my New Testament class.

The background of the story is as follows:

Onesimus is a servant to Philemon. After having committed some wrongs against his master he flees to Rome. Paul encounters him and teaches him the gospel. Onesimus repents of the wrongs he has committed and is baptised by Paul. Paul then sends him back to his master with an epistle that he, Paul, has written in behalf of Onesimus, pleading that Onesimus be forgiven of the wrongs he has committed and be received back into full fellowship.

Now for the symbolism. 

We as individuals are Onesimus. We leave the Father and enter the world. With wrongs and mistakes laid upon our shoulders we cannot return back to the Father without first accepting Christ and his gospel, through faith, repentance and baptism. When the time comes for us to return to the Father, Christ who has begotten us as his children through baptism pleads our case before the Father and asks that we be forgiven for the wrongs we have committed.

Now as you read this epistle think of Philemon as a representation of the Father, Paul as Christ, and Onesimus as you. 

"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

"Which in times past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

"Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

"Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

"But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

"For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever;

"Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

"If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

"If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

"I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it..."

~Philemon 1:10-19