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.

Paul and Philemon ‘for Christ’ (v. 6). And all the good that Paul and Philemon can do ‘for’ (ei)j) Christ (v. 6) is also ‘for’ (ei)j) all the holy ones (v. 5), including the audience listening to the letter at Philemon’s house²⁶.

        Paul is confident that in their partnership as fellow workers he and Philemon can do something good for Christ and for the holy ones (vv. 5-6), ‘for’ (ga_r) Paul has had much joy and encouragement in Philemon’s love (cf. v. 5), because the hearts of the holy ones have already been and still are refreshed (a)nape/pautai, perfect tense) through Philemon (v. 7)²⁷. Paul employs the emotional word ‘hearts’ (spla/gxna) and concludes this thanksgiving unit by addressing Philemon affectionately and warmly as ‘brother’ (a)delfe/), further associating him with Paul’s co-sender and preeminent fellow worker Timothy, ‘the brother’ (v. 1)²⁸. In this B (vv. 4-7) unit Paul has thus awakened in his audience not only a sense of gratitude for all the good that Philemon has already done in refreshing their hearts as holy ones (v. 7), but also an expectation of a further good that Paul and Philemon together as fraternal partners and fellow workers can do for all the holy ones and for Christ (vv. 5-6).

C. Paul appeals to Philemon for Onesimus (vv. 8-10).

        Alliterative catch-words link the C to the B unit. The Paul who had (e!sxon) much (pollh_n) joy and encouragement (para/klhsin) in (e)pi_) your (sou) love (v. 7) now has (e!xwn) much (pollh_n) boldness (parrhsi/an) in Christ to command (e/pita/ssein) to you (soi) what is proper (v. 8). Paul’s relationship to Christ (e)n Xristw=|, v. 8), which he shares with Philemon and the rest of the audience, who are among the holy ones (vv. 5, 7), gives him the boldness to command Philemon to do what is proper, that is, the good that Philemon can do for Christ (ei)j Xristo/n, v. 6)²⁹.