Philemon 1:17-25: a reflection

17If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. 19I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord. 21Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say. 22Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you. 23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. 25The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Paul writes to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave who has become a believer and is now returning. And Paul makes a remarkable offer: If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge it to my account. I, Paul, will repay it. He asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul himself, and offers to bear whatever debt Onesimus owes. Paul steps in for the guilty party, taking his debt upon himself, that he might be received.

Notice what Paul does: he takes the debt of another upon himself, that the guilty one might be received. Onesimus owed a debt, had wronged Philemon; and Paul, who owed nothing, offers to pay it, to bear it on Onesimus's behalf. Charge it to my account, he says. He interposes himself between the guilty one and the wrong, taking the debt so that Onesimus might be welcomed as if he owed nothing. It is a small but beautiful picture of substitution.

That picture points beyond itself to what Christ has done for us. Like Onesimus, we owed a debt we could not pay, had wronged God; and Christ, who owed nothing, took our debt upon himself, saying, in effect, charge it to my account, and paid it, that we might be received. Paul's offer to bear Onesimus's debt is a faint picture of the great substitution: Christ bearing our debt, that we might be welcomed as if we owed nothing. Rest in what Christ has done: he has taken your debt upon himself, paid what you could not pay, that you might be received by God as if you owed nothing. And let this shape how you treat others: be willing, where you can, to bear others' burdens and debts, as Paul bore Onesimus's, reflecting the Christ who bore yours. What Paul offered to do for Onesimus, Christ has done for you; charge it to my account is the word of the gospel, spoken by Christ on your behalf. Rest in it, and let it move you to bear others' burdens too.

Lord, Paul wrote to Philemon on behalf of the runaway Onesimus, offering, if he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge it to my account; I will repay it, that Onesimus might be received. That picture points beyond itself to what Christ has done for me. Like Onesimus, I owed a debt I could not pay, had wronged you; and Christ, who owed nothing, took my debt upon himself, saying, in effect, charge it to my account, and paid it, that I might be received. Paul's offer to bear Onesimus's debt is a faint picture of the great substitution: Christ bearing my debt, that I might be welcomed as if I owed nothing. Help me rest in what Christ has done: he has taken my debt upon himself, paid what I could not pay, that I might be received by you as if I owed nothing. And let this shape how I treat others: help me be willing, where I can, to bear others' burdens and debts, as Paul bore Onesimus's, reflecting Christ who bore mine. What Paul offered to do for Onesimus, Christ has done for me; charge it to my account is the word of the gospel, spoken by Christ on my behalf. Help me rest in it, Lord, and let it move me to bear others' burdens too. Thank you that Christ took my debt.