Paul Mentions Some Personal Matters and Gives the Benediction
Philemon 1:22-25

Lesson 5

background notes

doctrinal / teaching points

1. God provides all kinds of fellow workers.
2. Fellow workers each have a different role to play in the ministry, and each one provides us with a different lesson concerning Christian service.

practical application

Would you be happy to show hospitality to the Apostle Paul?

questions

1. When was this letter written?
2. Where is the city of Colosse located?
3. Why did Paul appeal to Caesar?
4. What did Paul accomplish during his imprisonment in Rome?
5. What indication is there that Paul expected to be released from his imprisonment?
6. What was Paul’s reason for writing this epistle?
7. To whom was the closing benediction written?

answers

1. In the early 60s A.D.
2. Colosse is located in modern-day Turkey.
3. Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem for disturbing the so-called peace of Judaism, and as a result was imprisoned for two years in Cesarea. He saw that the case was going nowhere, so he appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome for trial.
4. He witnessed to the guards to whom he was chained, he ministered to and through fellow believers, and he wrote four books of the Bible.
5. See verse 22, “Prepare a guest room for me.”
6. To have Onesimus return to the scene of the crime to make things right.
7. To the church that met in Philemon’s house. “Your” in verse 22 is plural.

discuss / consider

1. God provides all kinds of fellow workers, each with a different role to play in the ministry. Consider some of your fellow workers, and the role they play in your common ministry.
2. Review the roles of each of Paul’s fellow workers: Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. Can you identify these with some of your fellow workers? What kind of a worker are you?

challenge

Philemon was to prepare a guest room for Paul. Would you be happy to show hospitality to a present-day Paul? What would you want to change in preparation for his visit?

memorize

• “Meanwhile, prepare a guest room for me.” Philemon 22
• “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” Philemon 25