Onesimus Our Brother: Reading Religion, Race, and Culture in Philemon (Paul in Critical Contexts)

by Matthew V. Johnson

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, the believer’s relationship to Christ is likened to slave obedience (Rom. 6:13, 16-20). The New Testament household codes demonstrate that slaves as members of a believer’s household are not exempted from the expectation of obedience to their masters (Eph. 5:21—6:9; Col. 3:1—4:1; 1 Tim. 6:1, 2; Titus 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 1:18—3:7). Ironically, in 1 Corinthians 7:21, Paul states if a slave is presented with the opportunity to become a freedperson (eleutheros), then he should certainly make use of (mallon chrēsai) the opportunity to become a freedperson. Paul is not admonishing slaves to stay in slavery, and a slave’s social status “does not deny him access to the gifts and participation in the calling of God.”