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The Letter to Philemon (New International Commentary on the New Testament
Paul's letter to Philemon carries a strong message of breaking down social barriers and establishing new realities of conduct and fellowship. It is also a disturbing text that has been used to justify slavery. Though brief, Philemon requires close scrutiny.
In this commentary Scot McKnight offers careful textual analysis of Philemon and brings the practice of modern slavery into conversation with the ancient text. Too often, McKnight says, studies of this short letter gloss over the issue of slavery—an issue that must be recognized and dealt with if Christians are to read Philemon faithfully. Pastors and scholars will find in this volume the insight they need to preach and teach this controversial book in meaningful new ways.
In this commentary Scot McKnight offers careful textual analysis of Philemon and brings the practice of modern slavery into conversation with the ancient text. Too often, McKnight says, studies of this short letter gloss over the issue of slavery—an issue that must be recognized and dealt with if Christians are to read Philemon faithfully. Pastors and scholars will find in this volume the insight they need to preach and teach this controversial book in meaningful new ways.
159 pages, Hardcover
Published October 5, 2017
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67 people want to read
About the author
Scot McKnight
209 books542 followersScot McKnight is a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. McKnight, author or editor of forty books, is the Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL. Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly speaks at local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the USA and abroad. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986).
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 15, 2024
Great commentary. Raises an interesting question: did Paul want Philemon to emancipate Onesimus, or was something else going on? The language in the letter is strong and moving, but not directly about legal emancipation. McKnight argues that Paul was a direct communicator, so an indirect rhetorical move asking something so great of Philemon is uncharacteristic and unlikely. Instead, McKnight says Paul was urging Philemon to embrace a new view of Onesimus in the ekklesia, not in the empire. This is an inherently vague proposal, but one that explains the lack of abolitionist zeal in much of Christian history. Not sure if I agree, but McKnight did succeed in drawing my attention to certain ambiguities in the text.
December 13, 2017
I was intrigued-- a commentary on a one-chapter book of the New Testament. I got my opportunity to read Scot McKnight's commentary on "The Letter to Philemon," so I now know how you devote over 100 pages to a 25 verse letter.
The letter to Philemon has garnered significant interest in recent years largely due to the question of slavery. This letter along with other references in the Pauline corpus were often utilized by defenders of slavery, including the American form, which enslaved predominately persons of African descent. Apparently in the minds of many pro-slavery folks, God had given permission to enslave fellow human beings. Indeed, one could even enslave fellow Christians. In the post-bellum period, questions were raised about how to interpret these passages. Perhaps Paul has been misunderstood (or he didn't actually write those offending passages). Some have even argued that perhaps Paul set in motion an abolitionist trajectory. Standing at the center of the debate has been this letter, which involves a slave being returned to his master by Paul. The questions centered around Paul's presentation of Onesimus as a brother in Christ. Might this change his status with Philemon? Could this be a request for manumission -- Paul using the legal framework of the day to end Onesimus' present condition?
This particular commentary fits into Eerdmans' New International Commentary on the New Testament, a venerable evangelical commentary series that has seen many of the original volumes replaced. McKnight writes from an evangelical position, taking the text as and expression of the word of God. He understands the importance of this book to the conversation around slavery and the church's role in perpetuating its practice well into the 19th century.
The first half of the commentary (the introduction) focuses on understanding slavery in the Roman Empire of the first century of the common era, and then how the letter fits into that context. He offers us a helpful introduction to first century slavery, including the question of manumission and the relationship of Christians to slavery -- as Philemon is a Christian who owns slaves, it's clear that early Christians were not abolitionists. He also sets Philemon in the context of New World slavery and the continuing presence of slavery. The question has centered around whether first century slavery was of a different order than that practiced in antebellum America.
The question of the day when reading Philemon is whether this small letter written from prison to a slave-owning house church leader in Colossae speaks to our own context. McKnight believes it does, even if he doesnt' believe that Paul was taking an abolitionist position on slavery. For McKnight it appears that Paul is asking Philemon to liberate Onesimus in the context of the church, even if not arguing for complete manumission. In fact, Paul seems to be asking that Philemon give Onesimus to him to help in his ministry. The message McKnight seems to hear in this letter is a call for an "ecclesial liberation theology" in which the church opens its doors to the marginalized of the world so that within these bounds reconciliation can take place (p. 33). I don't wish to read too much into this, but it would seem to reflect the Hauerwasian vision of the church as polis.
As commentaries go, this was most interesting. One rarely reads a commentary from cover to cover. It's brevity made it easier. But, what is most important in reading this commentary is the question of slavery and the church's role in perpetuating it. I have followed the premise that in returning Onesimus to Philemon as a brother in Christ, Paul was requesting that Onesimus be manumitted, that he be freed from slavery. For how can you enslave a fellow Christian. McKnight questions that interpretation. I'm not totally convinced I've been wrong, but he makes a compelling case.
This is an excellent contribution to the New International Commentary on the New Testament series. I once owned the full set of the earlier version, and always found it to be judicious while relatively conservative in its readings. Some of those volumes remain fixtures including the commentary on Acts by F.F. Bruce and the Mark commentary by William lane. I still have on my shelf Gordon Fee's commentary on 1 Corinthians, which was an early replacement volume. Those seeking to understanding this letter and its import for today will not disappointed with this commentary.
The letter to Philemon has garnered significant interest in recent years largely due to the question of slavery. This letter along with other references in the Pauline corpus were often utilized by defenders of slavery, including the American form, which enslaved predominately persons of African descent. Apparently in the minds of many pro-slavery folks, God had given permission to enslave fellow human beings. Indeed, one could even enslave fellow Christians. In the post-bellum period, questions were raised about how to interpret these passages. Perhaps Paul has been misunderstood (or he didn't actually write those offending passages). Some have even argued that perhaps Paul set in motion an abolitionist trajectory. Standing at the center of the debate has been this letter, which involves a slave being returned to his master by Paul. The questions centered around Paul's presentation of Onesimus as a brother in Christ. Might this change his status with Philemon? Could this be a request for manumission -- Paul using the legal framework of the day to end Onesimus' present condition?
This particular commentary fits into Eerdmans' New International Commentary on the New Testament, a venerable evangelical commentary series that has seen many of the original volumes replaced. McKnight writes from an evangelical position, taking the text as and expression of the word of God. He understands the importance of this book to the conversation around slavery and the church's role in perpetuating its practice well into the 19th century.
The first half of the commentary (the introduction) focuses on understanding slavery in the Roman Empire of the first century of the common era, and then how the letter fits into that context. He offers us a helpful introduction to first century slavery, including the question of manumission and the relationship of Christians to slavery -- as Philemon is a Christian who owns slaves, it's clear that early Christians were not abolitionists. He also sets Philemon in the context of New World slavery and the continuing presence of slavery. The question has centered around whether first century slavery was of a different order than that practiced in antebellum America.
The question of the day when reading Philemon is whether this small letter written from prison to a slave-owning house church leader in Colossae speaks to our own context. McKnight believes it does, even if he doesnt' believe that Paul was taking an abolitionist position on slavery. For McKnight it appears that Paul is asking Philemon to liberate Onesimus in the context of the church, even if not arguing for complete manumission. In fact, Paul seems to be asking that Philemon give Onesimus to him to help in his ministry. The message McKnight seems to hear in this letter is a call for an "ecclesial liberation theology" in which the church opens its doors to the marginalized of the world so that within these bounds reconciliation can take place (p. 33). I don't wish to read too much into this, but it would seem to reflect the Hauerwasian vision of the church as polis.
As commentaries go, this was most interesting. One rarely reads a commentary from cover to cover. It's brevity made it easier. But, what is most important in reading this commentary is the question of slavery and the church's role in perpetuating it. I have followed the premise that in returning Onesimus to Philemon as a brother in Christ, Paul was requesting that Onesimus be manumitted, that he be freed from slavery. For how can you enslave a fellow Christian. McKnight questions that interpretation. I'm not totally convinced I've been wrong, but he makes a compelling case.
This is an excellent contribution to the New International Commentary on the New Testament series. I once owned the full set of the earlier version, and always found it to be judicious while relatively conservative in its readings. Some of those volumes remain fixtures including the commentary on Acts by F.F. Bruce and the Mark commentary by William lane. I still have on my shelf Gordon Fee's commentary on 1 Corinthians, which was an early replacement volume. Those seeking to understanding this letter and its import for today will not disappointed with this commentary.
October 31, 2017
Here’s an interesting commentary. Philemon, something like the forgotten little brother of the New Testament, gets its own standalone volume in the venerated New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT) series. Scot McKnight, a respected New Testament scholar, pens the ideal commentary on Philemon, coming in at 127 pages. In a few months, McKnight will also have a commentary on Colossians come in print in the same series. This replaces, or at least will replace when Ephesians is redone, the long-standing work by F. F. Bruce.
After a fine bibliography, McKnight turns in an Introduction of a little over 40 pages. A section on slavery in the Roman Empire makes up two thirds of the Introduction. While McKnight admits at times that slavery may not be the main theme of Philemon, he goes somewhat awry in writing at length as if it were. Still, it is a fascinating read on slavery. He brings in some modern information that strikes me as having little to do with Philemon, yet you will enjoy reading it. It seems to me that the theme of Philemon may have more to do with the world that a Christian finds him- or herself living in rather than a polemic against slavery. In fairness, you couldn’t really write a major academic work on Philemon without addressing the slavery issue as it has dominated the discussion for the last few decades.
The rest of the Introduction is in a more typical mode. He spends only a paragraph on authorship and date as the traditional conclusions are comparatively rarely disputed. In the next section, he discusses the relationship between Onesimus, Philemon, and Paul and feels that the traditional view that Onesimus was a runaway slave is most likely the case. In a section on the events at work in the Letter to Philemon, McKnight attempts to untangle the issues we will encounter. Though it’s a short section, McKnight is quite effective in explaining structure, rhetoric, and clarity of Philemon.
The commentary proper begins on page 49 and is well done. He provides the text, a few textual notes, an overview of the passage, and then quality verse by verse commentary. Scholars will love the copious footnotes on each page while pastors would do well to at least scan them as they contain some great information. The commentary is top-notch.
Most commentators like to lump Philemon with Colossians. In the preface, McKnight explains why that might not be a good idea. In any event, very few commentary series give Philemon its own volume. In my opinion, this volume outshines its two main competitors: Philemon by Joseph Fitzmyer in the Anchor Bible series and Philemon in the EEC series by Markus Barth and Helmut Blanke. Simply put, McKnight is newer, respects the text more, and makes better judgments. This is the standalone volume on Philemon that every pastor will want.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
After a fine bibliography, McKnight turns in an Introduction of a little over 40 pages. A section on slavery in the Roman Empire makes up two thirds of the Introduction. While McKnight admits at times that slavery may not be the main theme of Philemon, he goes somewhat awry in writing at length as if it were. Still, it is a fascinating read on slavery. He brings in some modern information that strikes me as having little to do with Philemon, yet you will enjoy reading it. It seems to me that the theme of Philemon may have more to do with the world that a Christian finds him- or herself living in rather than a polemic against slavery. In fairness, you couldn’t really write a major academic work on Philemon without addressing the slavery issue as it has dominated the discussion for the last few decades.
The rest of the Introduction is in a more typical mode. He spends only a paragraph on authorship and date as the traditional conclusions are comparatively rarely disputed. In the next section, he discusses the relationship between Onesimus, Philemon, and Paul and feels that the traditional view that Onesimus was a runaway slave is most likely the case. In a section on the events at work in the Letter to Philemon, McKnight attempts to untangle the issues we will encounter. Though it’s a short section, McKnight is quite effective in explaining structure, rhetoric, and clarity of Philemon.
The commentary proper begins on page 49 and is well done. He provides the text, a few textual notes, an overview of the passage, and then quality verse by verse commentary. Scholars will love the copious footnotes on each page while pastors would do well to at least scan them as they contain some great information. The commentary is top-notch.
Most commentators like to lump Philemon with Colossians. In the preface, McKnight explains why that might not be a good idea. In any event, very few commentary series give Philemon its own volume. In my opinion, this volume outshines its two main competitors: Philemon by Joseph Fitzmyer in the Anchor Bible series and Philemon in the EEC series by Markus Barth and Helmut Blanke. Simply put, McKnight is newer, respects the text more, and makes better judgments. This is the standalone volume on Philemon that every pastor will want.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
May 1, 2024
Helpful (and relatively rarely done) standalone commentary on Philemon. McKnight’s introduction is very detailed on slavery in the ancient world, with deliberate connections made to slavery in the modern world (both American enslavement of Africans and contemporary forms of slavery). The commentary takes the position that Paul is not asking for Onesimus’ manumission but rather looking for Philemon and Onesimus to be reconciled and to live as brothers in the church/household, which would itself be as revolutionary an action as a minority group could undertake.
Lots of thoughtful comment, and he really brings to life the likely situation of the reading of the letter for the first time in the church in Colossae.
Lots of thoughtful comment, and he really brings to life the likely situation of the reading of the letter for the first time in the church in Colossae.
December 12, 2017
Paul's letter to Philemon is to the rest of the New Testament canon what the book of the prophet Obadiah, the book of Ruth, or the Song of Songs are to the Old Testament: forgotten, red-headed stepchildren that must, all-too-often, "step aside" for the theological heavyweights of the Scriptures, Isaiah, Genesis, John, Romans, etc. Perhaps, then, our modern tendency to ignore the small books of Scriptures could also be seen by the fruit we bear in the modern Church from ignoring their presence. In ignoring Ruth, we miss out on the mundanity of the movement of God's Spirit in history; in ignoring Song of Songs, we miss out on the supernatural-sacramental ecstasy of the sexual union; in ignoring Obadiah, we ignore the consequences of betraying philadelphia.
And by ignoring Philemon we miss out on the beauty of the practicalities - the politics, the socioeconomics, the moral wisdom, the communal discernment, the persuasive rhetoric - of pastoral ministry. How often do we think of pastors as primarily "thought-leaders" or as "preachers"? Would that we could recover the vision of pastoral work that Paul presents to us in the Letter to Philemon, in which he bases his appeal not from his place of power, but, instead, from the familial relations of the ekklesia.
Scot McKnight's new edition of Philemon for the NICNT is masterful, provocative, powerful, and (like the text itself) concise. The first major chunk address the social context of slavery in the Greco-Roman world (McKnight very persuasively helps the late modern reader to recognize the similarities between Greco-Roman slavery and the early modern African slave trade), and then McKnight jumps into business with what feels like a quick torrent of textual commentary. The book is, after all, only 25 verses in length.
But McKnight helps the reader keep in mind the complexities of this situation: here we have the overlapping of two spheres of life, the Roman polis and the Christian ekklesia; here we have a practical (and existential) challenge to the Christian doctrine of co-heirdom with Christ; here we have a subtle nuance of the Christian understanding of households. Paul, as apostle, says nothing; but Paul, as an old man and prisoner of Christ, appeals to Philemon through the presence of his runaway slave, the presence of the ekklesia, and Paul's presence via the epistle. Throughout the commentary, McKnight helps the reader to re-assess the assumptions that we have given this text (esp. re: manumission and "the social arc of history") and confronts us with the radical pastoral strategy of Paul given an opportunity to communicate the uniqueness of Christian baptism.
If Philemon bespeaks more than what it directly says, it points to the utter irreducible complexity of Christian leadership. What are the virtues and judgments and evaluative datum necessary for making wise, discerning decisions in leadership? Paul gives a "perhaps" point of view of what God might be up to in this situation, but, at the end of the day, he continues on as he knows best, appealing to Philemon to call Onesimus "brother" rather than just "slave."
There are, of course, further complexities in this small letter, and McKnight does a great job of navigating the biggest ones. Overall, the commentary reads smoothly, is well-versed and sourced, and can be nicely finished quickly, due to its size, and digested into a sermon (or sermons) on Philemon. I myself am particularly excited to preach Philemon in the new year, and I will be relying on McKnight's voice above the others, given the quality of this entry to the NICNT.
And by ignoring Philemon we miss out on the beauty of the practicalities - the politics, the socioeconomics, the moral wisdom, the communal discernment, the persuasive rhetoric - of pastoral ministry. How often do we think of pastors as primarily "thought-leaders" or as "preachers"? Would that we could recover the vision of pastoral work that Paul presents to us in the Letter to Philemon, in which he bases his appeal not from his place of power, but, instead, from the familial relations of the ekklesia.
Scot McKnight's new edition of Philemon for the NICNT is masterful, provocative, powerful, and (like the text itself) concise. The first major chunk address the social context of slavery in the Greco-Roman world (McKnight very persuasively helps the late modern reader to recognize the similarities between Greco-Roman slavery and the early modern African slave trade), and then McKnight jumps into business with what feels like a quick torrent of textual commentary. The book is, after all, only 25 verses in length.
But McKnight helps the reader keep in mind the complexities of this situation: here we have the overlapping of two spheres of life, the Roman polis and the Christian ekklesia; here we have a practical (and existential) challenge to the Christian doctrine of co-heirdom with Christ; here we have a subtle nuance of the Christian understanding of households. Paul, as apostle, says nothing; but Paul, as an old man and prisoner of Christ, appeals to Philemon through the presence of his runaway slave, the presence of the ekklesia, and Paul's presence via the epistle. Throughout the commentary, McKnight helps the reader to re-assess the assumptions that we have given this text (esp. re: manumission and "the social arc of history") and confronts us with the radical pastoral strategy of Paul given an opportunity to communicate the uniqueness of Christian baptism.
If Philemon bespeaks more than what it directly says, it points to the utter irreducible complexity of Christian leadership. What are the virtues and judgments and evaluative datum necessary for making wise, discerning decisions in leadership? Paul gives a "perhaps" point of view of what God might be up to in this situation, but, at the end of the day, he continues on as he knows best, appealing to Philemon to call Onesimus "brother" rather than just "slave."
There are, of course, further complexities in this small letter, and McKnight does a great job of navigating the biggest ones. Overall, the commentary reads smoothly, is well-versed and sourced, and can be nicely finished quickly, due to its size, and digested into a sermon (or sermons) on Philemon. I myself am particularly excited to preach Philemon in the new year, and I will be relying on McKnight's voice above the others, given the quality of this entry to the NICNT.
August 29, 2020
This is a very good commentary. McKnight knows the literature on Philemon very well, and, more importantly, he knows the letter itself very well. His introduction contains quite a bit of material on slavery in the Roman Empire (a very helpful section), as well as material on modern slavery and 'New World' slavery. This, I think, draws too much attention to an issue that McKnight himself says is not the main thrust of Paul's argument. He argues (rightly, in my opinion) that Paul is not appealing to Philemon to manumit Onesimus, and this matter receives a lot of attention in the introduction and the commentary itself. This can cause some to feel embarrassed about Philemon, and this is perhaps why McKnight devotes so much space on the issue of slavery in his introduction.
Slavery is of course the context of Philemon (unless you read any reference to slavery as being metaphorical), and yet modern application of this letter surely goes well beyond slavery to touch every aspect of what it means to be in fellowship with other Christians, and that especially at a local church level. I think McKnight would agree, and while this is a 'technical' commentary, he could have dedicated more space on application in a broader sense.
McKnight's arguments are very plausible, and I disagreed relatively little. His was one of three commentaries I used as my main guides while preparing sermons on Philemon recently. I am very glad I had this commentary by my side.
Slavery is of course the context of Philemon (unless you read any reference to slavery as being metaphorical), and yet modern application of this letter surely goes well beyond slavery to touch every aspect of what it means to be in fellowship with other Christians, and that especially at a local church level. I think McKnight would agree, and while this is a 'technical' commentary, he could have dedicated more space on application in a broader sense.
McKnight's arguments are very plausible, and I disagreed relatively little. His was one of three commentaries I used as my main guides while preparing sermons on Philemon recently. I am very glad I had this commentary by my side.
March 4, 2025
Running against a common thread in Philemon commentaries, McKnight doesn’t believe Paul is calling for Onesimus’s manumission. Wrong or right, his introductory material (all the best stuff is here) shows how slave-master-freedom relations were complicated then, and they’re complicated even more, now, by us importing our present concerns retrospectively. Maybe, as some insist, Paul was subtly pushing for Onesimus’s freedom in the letter; but maybe, that reading is a bit of hopeful eisegesis. At the least, Paul’s insistence that Philemon accept back a slave who had wronged him, and accept him as a brother, is radical enough in its own right; demonstrating the transformed counter-cultural relationships present in God’s church—transformed relationships, that, as they impinge on the present world order, will always and inevitably lead to change.
September 20, 2018
This is a helpful commentary on a short, yet profound NT letter. My only squabble with McKnight’s approach is the long introduction to slavery. While he himself does not suggest that the primary focus of the letter was slavery, it’s hard to take that in when he spends so much real estate talking about it. Nevertheless, the information on slavery in the time of this letter was written was helpful.
Having read a few other commentaries in Philemon, it becomes clear that because of the lack of background information in the text, interpretations are legion! McKnight upholds a pretty healthy approach in dealing with all these.
Having read a few other commentaries in Philemon, it becomes clear that because of the lack of background information in the text, interpretations are legion! McKnight upholds a pretty healthy approach in dealing with all these.
December 14, 2018
Thankful for this short yet helpful commentary on the easily overlooked New Testament book Philemon. McKnight addresses slavery in the first portion of his book (Greco-Roman, New World & modern-day slavery). Then, he demonstrates how Paul's appeal to Philemon is revolutionary not as a call to manumission, but as a call to reconciliation - for Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in Christ instead of a slave. With this, the church becomes an embodiment of the power & work of the kingdom of God on the earth.
Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the letter & topic.
5/5 Stars
Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the letter & topic.
5/5 Stars
March 31, 2021
The introduction on slavery in the world of the New Testament is worth the price of this small commentary.
December 4, 2023
Interesting and helpful.
June 6, 2018
This commentary on Philemon is hands down one of the best available on the subject. McKnight wades though the often contensious content and context and presents a clear and concise picture of this often neglected letter. In my estimation this volume stands as # 2 in the treatments of Philemon right behind J.B. Lightfoot's.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews