The book of Philemon was written by the Apostle Paul (who wrote about half of the New Testament). It is a letter, or epistle, to Philemon and the church that met in his home.
On the surface, Paul’s letter to Philemon seems more like a personal letter, and its inclusion in the Bible is initially perplexing. However, given that it’s also addressed to the church that met in Philemon’s house, it’s clear that Paul intended it as more than a private communication.
The book of Philemon addresses doing what is right in God‘s eyes and forgoing personal rights and what would be acceptable action from a legal or societal standpoint. The ramifications of this example have wide-reaching applications.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
