John Paul Heil, «The Chiastic Structure and Meaning of Paul’s Letter to Philemon», Vol. 82 (2001) 178-206

This article proposes a new chiastic structure for Paul’s letter to Philemon based on rigorous criteria and methodology. The center and pivot of the chiasm, ‘but without your consent I resolved to do nothing, so that your good might not be as under compulsion but rather under benevolence’ (v. 14), is a key to explicating the letter’s supposedly unclear purpose. Paul wants Philemon to give his former slave Onesimus back to Paul as a beloved brother and fellow worker for the gospel of Jesus Christ, because of Philemon’s response to the grace of God evident in his faithful love for the holy ones as a beloved brother and fellow worker of Paul.

together both the senders and the recipients of the letter under the fatherhood of God and lordship of Jesus Christ that they share among one another and with all other Christians: ‘Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ’ (v. 3). Although ‘us’ (h(mi=n) occurs in the next unit (v. 6), ‘our’ (h(mw=n) occurs only in the opening unit of the letter (vv. 1-3), thus confirming the distinctiveness of this first unit.

2. Thanksgiving (vv. 4-7)

        An inclusion formed by a repetition of e)pi_, which occurs only here in the letter, defines the unity and distinctiveness of the second unit (vv. 4-7), the thanksgiving customary in Pauline letters⁷. The unit begins with Paul thanking God ‘in (e)pi_) my prayers’ (v. 4) and concludes with Paul having much joy and encouragement ‘in (e)pi_) your love...’ (v. 7). These prepositional phrases are conceptually related. It is in his prayers that Paul thanks God for the love (v. 5) of Philemon, for it is in his love that Paul has had much joy and encouragement (v. 7).

        The repetition of ei)j, which likewise occurs only within this unit of the letter, further indicates this unit’s singularity. The love (and faith) that Philemon has ‘for (ei)j) all the holy ones’ (v. 5) is part of ‘the good that is among us for (ei)j) Christ’ (v. 6).

        A chiastic repetition of the nouns ‘love’ and ‘faith’ adds to the unit’s coherence. Paul hears of Philemon’s (a) love (a)ga/phn) and (b) faith (pi/stin), ‘which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the holy ones’ (v. 5). The partnership of Philemon’s (b') faith (pi/stew/j) ‘might become effective in the recognition of all the good that is among us for Christ’ (v. 6). For Paul has had much joy and encouragement in Philemon’s (a') love (a)ga/ph|)...(v. 7)⁸. Although