I do not think that we have evidence to suggest Onesimus stole from Philemon, but his basic point stands. Nothing in the text prevents us from assuming that he sought Paul out with the intention of being freed and that Paul joins him in that effort. Therefore, we must stop calling him a runaway slave. To call him a runaway centers the opinion of slave holders because when someone runs away, the logical thing is to return them. But Onesimus had no desire to be returned. Onesimus did not run away; he escaped.
