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.

7. Philemon’s Debt to Paul (vv. 18-19)

        An inclusion constituted by forms of the verb ‘owes’, which occur only in this unit, and by the pronoun referring to Philemon defines both the unity and distinctiveness of the seventh unit (vv. 18-19). The unit begins with Paul addressing Philemon about Onesimus, ‘And if he has wronged you (se) in any way or owes (o)fei/lei) you anything’ (v. 18), and concludes as Paul tells Philemon, ‘but may I not tell you (soi) that you more than owe (prosofei/leij) me your very self’ (v. 19).

        Repetitions of the pronoun referring to Paul add to this unit’s cohesiveness: ‘charge it to me (e)moi_)’ (v. 18); ‘I (e)gw_), Paul, am writing in my own (e)mh=|) hand, I (e)gw_) will repay’ (v. 19); ‘you more than owe me (moi) your very self’ (v. 19).

8. What Philemon Will Do (vv. 20-22)

        An inclusion formed by first person singular verbs with Paul as the subject and recipient of a future benefit or grace, verbs which occur only in this unit, define the unity and uniqueness of the eighth unit (vv. 20-22). The unit begins with Paul addressing Philemon, ‘Yes, brother, may I benefit (o)nai/mhn) from you’ (v. 20), and concludes with Paul addressing the entire assembly, ‘I will be granted (xarisqh/somai) to you’ (v. 22).

        Repetitions of the pronouns referring respectively to Paul, Philemon, and the assembly contribute to the unity of this unit: ‘May I (e)gw/) benefit from you (sou)...refresh my (mou) heart’ (v. 20); ‘confident of your (sou) obedience I am writing to you (soi)’ (v. 21); ‘prepare for me (moi)...through your (u(mw=n) prayers I will be granted to you (u(mi=n)’ (v. 22). That this unit contains repeated occurrences of the second person plural pronoun (v. 22) distinguishes it from both the preceding (vv. 18-19) and succeeding (vv. 23-25) units. This form of the pronoun occurs only once in the succeeding ninth unit (v. 25) and not at all in the preceding seventh unit.

9. Closing Greetings (vv. 23-25)

        An inclusion consisting of an inverted repetition of the name Jesus Christ defines the ninth unit (vv. 23-25). The unit begins with a reference to Epaphras as ‘my fellow captive in Christ Jesus’ (v. 23) and concludes with a reference to ‘the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ’ (v. 25). Unique occurrences of the words ‘greets’