Paul humbled him by saying that Onesimus was his brother both in the flesh and in the Lord, for once the issue of human subjection is removed, we are all of the same Adam and ought to recognize ourselves as brothers, particularly when faith, which takes all pride away, unites us.
He has well said, "perhaps," that the master may yield. For since the flight arose from perverseness, and a corrupt mind, and not from such intention, he has said, "perhaps." And he has not said, therefore he fled, but, therefore he was "separated," by a more fair sounding expression softening him the more. And he has not said, He separated himself, but, "he was separated." For it was not his own arrangement that he should depart either for this purpose or for that. Which also Joseph says, in making excuse for his brethren, "For God did send me hither" (Gen. xlv. 5), that is, He made use of their wickedness for a good end. "Therefore," he says, "he was parted for a season." Thus he contracts the time, acknowledges the offense, and turns it all to a providence. "That thou shouldest receive him," he says, "for ever," not for the present season only, but even for the future, that thou mightest always have him, no longer a slave, but more honorable than a slave. For thou wilt have a slave abiding with thee, more well-disposed than a brother, so that thou hast gained both in time, and in the quality of thy slave. For hereafter he will not run away. "That thou shouldest receive him," he says, "for ever," that is, have him again.
"No longer as a bond-servant, but more than a bond-servant, a brother beloved, especially to me."
Thou hast lost a slave for a short time, but thou wilt find a brother for ever, not only thy brother, but mine also. Here also there is much virtue. But if he is my brother, thou also wilt not be ashamed of him. By calling him his son, he hath shown his natural affection; and by calling him his brother, his great good will for him, and his equality in honor.
Shall I show you freedom arising from slavery? There was a certain Onesimus, a slave, a good-for-nothing runaway. He escaped and went to Paul. He obtained baptism, washed away his sins and remained at Paul’s feet.… Do you see his nobility? Do you see a character that brings freedom? Slave and free are simply names. What is a slave? It is a mere name. How many masters lie drunken upon their beds, while slaves stand by sober? Whom shall I call a slave? The one who is sober, or the one who is drunk? The one who is the slave of a man, or the one who is the captive of passion? The former has his slavery on the outside; the latter wears his captivity on the inside.
Perhaps for this reason he departed from you for a time, so that you might receive him forever. No longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a beloved brother, especially to me: but how much more to you both in the flesh, and in the Lord." Sometimes, evil is the cause of good things, and God can turn the wicked intentions of men to good. What I am saying will become clearer through an example. Joseph's brothers, incited by jealousy, sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver (Gen. 37). From this evil beginning, good things came to his father, his brothers, and all of Egypt. Finally, he said to his brothers: "You thought evil of me: but God turned it into good." (Gen. 45:8). We can understand a similar thing in the case of Onesimus, that bad beginnings were the occasion of a good thing. For if he had not fled his master, he would never have come to Rome where Paul was imprisoned. If he had not seen Paul in chains, he would not have received faith in Christ. If he had not had faith in Christ, he would never have been sent out for the work of the gospel as Paul's son. Thus little by little, and by its own steps, with changing judgments, Onesimus became a minister of the gospel, because he had fled from his master. And with a beautiful addition, he tempered his judgment, saying, "perhaps." The judgments of God are hidden, and it is reckless to pronounce as certain what is doubtful. "Perhaps," he said, "this happened": cautiously, timidly, tremblingly, without taking a firm stand: as if he had not said "perhaps," all the slaves would have fled, and become as apostates. But what he added, "for an hour," we must take for a time. For in comparison with eternity, all time is brief. "That you might receive him as if he were eternal." No eternal lord has a servant: for his power, and the condition of each, ends in death. But Onesimus, who has become eternally so through the faith of Christ, was eternal to Philemon, because he too had believed in Christ, and had received the spirit of liberty, so that he no longer was a slave, but had begun to be a brother from a slave, a most dear brother, an eternal brother; eternal to his Apostle and Lord also, to whom Onesimus had been subject as long as he was in the flesh, but afterwards united by the spirit. And thus we may understand that a servant who has believed in Christ is bound by a twofold law to two masters, so that he may be united to them by the necessity of the flesh for a time, and by the spirit in eternity.
Since Onesimus has changed his mind from being a wicked one, he himself turns it to the doubtful, as if he said: For perhaps he fled for reasons of caution.
"for this reason he was separated". With a euphemistic name, Paul called it separation, so that the memory of the separation would not provoke the master. Then he also limits the time, calming the anger, or he speaks in terms of a season of the year.
"so that you might have him back forever", you have, that is, you receive.
"But more than a slave". Do you see that escaping brought many benefits? For instead of an hour of escape, you have an eternal one. (For the escape is but one hour compared to eternity.) And instead of a worthless slave, you have received "a beloved brother".
"how much more to you". If to me, much more to you, even in worldly services. For this is "in the flesh." And in spiritual matters. For this is "in the Lord."
And he says instead of a slave, that is, in place of a slave. Matthew 23.8: ‘For one is your master and all are your brothers.’ And not only yours, but mine in comparison to God, though he is a son to the ministry.
How much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. This can be expounded in two ways. First, as referring to the first origin of the divine creation, and thus he is a brother. Deuteronomy 32:6: ‘Is not he your father, that hath possessed you, and made you, and created you?’ Malachi 2:10: ‘Have we not all one father? Did not one God created us?’ Again, by trust in God. Or it might rather be for the good of Philemon, because he is close to him in the flesh, since that is how he is his slave, because whatever he is bodily belongs to Philemon. Hence one is moved by charity for two reasons, by love which has its origin in the flesh, or by spiritual love. On the part of the Apostle, he first declares his friendship, under which aegis he wants Philemon to take Onesimus back; second, he offers to pay any damages; third he shows the function of receiving.
[AD 384] Ambrosiaster on Philemon 1:16