Summary Of Paul's Letter To Shilemon

In Paul’s letter to Philemon, Paul addresses Philemon as more of a friend and the letter seems to be more of friends speaking to one another instead of kind of puts being an apostle second. Paul is trying to tell his friend about his views on the situation of Onesimus. I do believe that Paul is suggesting that Philemon free his slave, Onesimus. I believe this because Paul says, “For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” (NIV Philemon 15-16) To me, I take this as Paul is suggesting that Philemon takes Onesimus back as a brother in Christ
On the subject of love, Paul is trying to persuade Philemon with love because he believes that Christianity’s ethics of love point to Philemon letting Onesimus become his brother instead of his slave. I think that this letter says a lot about Paul’s view on slavery. I think that Paul is telling Philemon and Christians for years to come that there should not be any slavery and if you have slaves to release them and take them in as brothers under one religion. I think this is a power letter because there has been slavery in the world forever and some of them use God as an excuse on why they should be able to keep their slaves but if Paul is as righteous as he is portrayed then he is saying that there should not be any slaves and they should be hand in hand with their owners. There is evidence against this though in Ephesians when Paul teaches about how slave owners and slaves should treat each other and he does not hint at their freedom so there is room for interpretation on the matter. Paul says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey