Was Paul gay? Translation and exegesis of Philemon

-->

Παυλος, δεσμιος Χριστου Ιησου, και Τιμοθεος, ο αδελφος, Φιλυμονι, τω αγαπητ και συνεργω ημων

* Paul, prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, the brother, to our  beloved and our co-worker Philemon

This is traditionally translated “a prisoner for Jesus Christ” but the noun is in the genitive with no preposition, which makes it a direct possessive “prisoner of.”  Why is Paul a “prisoner of” Jesus Christ?  The traditional explanation is that this was written after Paul’s imprisonment for preaching about Jesus.  The problem with that is the only reference we have to Christians being accused of and punished for making trouble comes from Suetonius, who, as we have seen, was writing at the time of the bar Cochba revolt, and retrojecting back onto the Claudian era.  We have no documentation from Roman authority that any such imprisonments occurred, or that “Christians” existed in any presence at that time.  If, however, Paul was in the position of having gotten himself locked into teaching Judean Temple praxis to Greco-Romans using the device of the image of Jesus Christ, who was NOT a figure in Judean history/culture, then it is possible he might consider himself  “a prisoner of Jesus Christ.”  The reference to Philomon is traditionally translated as  “our brother,” and “our beloved brother and co-worker,” but there is no “ημων” present referring to Timothy, and “our beloved brother and co-worker,” but there is no “αδελφος” referring to Philemon

και Απφια, τη αδελφη, και Αρχιππω, τῳ σθστρατιωτῃ ημων, και τη κατ οικον σου εκκλησια

* and to Apfia, the sister, and to Archippos, our fellow-soldier,  and to the gathering your house: 

This is traditionally translated “Apfia ,our sister,” but there is no ”ημων.“  Why is Archippos identified as “our fellow-soldier” when this was supposedly written before the Jewish War, when there was no need of soldiery?  Unless it was written around the time of the bar Cochba revolt, and Archippos was a solider.

χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη, απο θεου πατρος ημων και κυριου Κησου Χριστου.

Favor and peace to you, from our Father God, and Lord Jesus Christ.

This is traditionally translated “grace and peace,” but “grace has already acquired a theological overtone.  “Favor” is more accurate in terms of what Paul was wishing Philemon.

Ευχαριστω τω θεω μου παντοτε, μνειαν σοι ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου

* I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

Paul says “my God,” not “our God,” or “God, our father.”  It would seem that he is distinguishing between the God he prays to, and the God he is coaching Philemon about.

Ακουων σου την αγαπην και την πιστιν ην σχεις προς τον κυριον Ιησουν, και εις παντας τους αγιους

* hearing of your love and the faith which you have for the Lord Jesus, and in all the holy ones

This is traditionally translated with “because I hear,” however there is no “because.” Just the participle “hearing

οπως η κονωνια της πιστεως σου, εωεργης γενηται εν επιγνωσει παντος αγαθου του εν ημιν, εις Χριστον.

*so that the communion of your faith might become efficient in acknowledging every good which is in us in Christ. 

The traditional translation of this is “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.”  The problems with this translation are:  there is no verb “I pray;”  the word translated as “sharing” (a participle) is, in Greek, the noun κοινωνια, in which we can discern “κοινη” meaning “common,” thus  a translation of “communion” would be more accurate; translating  “εις Χριστον” as “through Christ” implies a theology which belongs to the later Church, and is not supported by the Greek.  To arrive at a translation of “through Christ,” the appropriate preposition would be “δια.”

Χαραν γαρ πολλην εσχον, και παρακλησιν επι τη αγαπη σου, οτι τα σπλαγχνα των αγιων αναπεπαυται δια σου, αδελφε.

* For we have great joy and encouragement through your love, because the affections of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother. 

Διο πολλην εν Χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον.

* Therefore having much confidence in Christ to order you what is fitting,

The traditional translation of this is:  Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required.  The text itself makes it clear that Paul has the confidence to give an order, and suggests that he expects Philemon to obey the command because of Philemon’s belief in Christ.  The traditional translation suggests that without Christ, Paul would rather timid in issuing the command.

Δια την αγαπην μαλλον παρακαλω τοιουτος ων, ως Παθλος πρεσβυτης, νυνι δε και δεσμιος Χριστου Ιησου.

* through love rather, I urge, such a one being as Paul the elder, now  also a prisoner of Jesus Christ,

The traditional translation says: “yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—“  There is no “prefer” in the Greek.  Paul is not “preferring” to urge rather than command.  He is urging “instead” of commanding because of love.  Paul refers to himself as πρεσβυτης, “elder.”  He is not telling Philemon that  Philemon should pay attention to him because he is a fragile old man, but because he is senior to Philemon in the community they both participate in.  Paul is not wheedling Philemon and playing on his age, he is pulling rank on Philemon.

Again, Paul calls himself a “prisoner of” Christ, not a “prisoner for” Christ.

Παρακαλω δε περι του εμου τεκνου, ον εγεννησα εν τοις δεσμοις, Ονησιμον.

* I urge you for my child, whom I begot in imprisonment,

The traditional translation: “I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus,  whose father I became in my imprisonment,” gives no indication of the difficulty of the verse.  Paul says he “εγεννησα,” “begot,” (from γενναω).   In claiming that he “begot” Onesimus, he is claiming ownership of Onesimus.  Since Paul claims to have “begotten” Onesimus, it is worth speculation that Onesimus was not simply Philemon’s slave, but property with particular intent.  It is conjecturable that he was Philemon’s boy, and that Paul, in “begetting” him, re-created him as Paul’s own boy.  This is also a way for Paul to avoid violating the command not to take another man's progeny to continue his own family line:  if Paul "begot" Onesimus, he is not taking another man's progeny, he is taking his own progeny to continue his family line.

Τον ποτε σοι αχρηστον, νθνι δε και σοι και εμοι ευχρηστον.

* who was once useless to you, now is useful to both you and me,

ον ανεπεμψα σοι αυτον τουτ εστιν τα εμα σπλαγχνα

* whom I sent back to you himself, that he is my affection,

The traditional translation, “I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart” makes it sound like Paul is in the process of sending Onesimus.  The Greek makes it clear that Paul has already sent him back. 

Ον εγω εβουλομην προς εμαυτον κατεχειν, ινα υπερ σου μοι διακονη εν τοις δεσμιoς του ευαγγελιον

* whom I desired to keep for myself, in order that more than you, he might serve me, in the imprisonment of the good news,

The traditional translation alters the text to say something a little different: “I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel.”  It is a lovely translation.  However, the text is clear that Paul is usurping the place of the person Onesimus is serving, rather than being served on behalf of that person.  Additionally, we find that the text is clear again, that Paul’s imprisonment is “of the good news” rather than “for the good news.”

Χωρις δε της σης γνωμης, ουδεν ηθελησα ποιησαι ινα μη ως κατα αναγκην το αγαθον σου η αλλα κατα εκουσιον

* without your consent, I desired to do nothing,  in so that it was not according to necessity, your good might be according to willingness. 

Ταχα γαρ δια τουτο, εχωρισθη προς ωραν ινα αιωνιον αυτον απεχης

* Perhaps through this he was separated for a time in order that you might possess him eternally,

Again, we find the traditional text glosses over some specifics of the original.  The traditional translation is:  “or this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever.”  The verb απεχης “might possess” seems to have disappeared.  It is conjecturable that the nature of that “possession” caused discomfort in the late early Church, which had redacted anti-homosexuality into the texts.

Ουκετι ως δουλον, αλλ υπερ δουλον, αδελφον αγαπητον, μακιστα εμοι, ποσω δε μαλλον σοι, και εν σαρκι και εν κυριω.

* no longer as a slave, but more than a slave,  a beloved brother, especially to me, how much instead to you both in flesh and in the lord

ει ουν με εχεις κοινωνον, προσλαβου αυτον ως με

if therefore you hold me a partner, receive him as me. 

Paul is placing Onesimus on the same footing with himself, not just as a free man, but as someone Paul begot.  He is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus as a man like Paul.   This, it seems, means more than simply asking Philemon to receive Onesimus as a free man and not as a slave, but as one who is Paul’s own person.  This has a David/Jonathan contract overtone to it.

Ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε, η οφειλει, τουτο εμοι ελλογα

* If he was unjust to you in something that he owes, charge this to me. 

This is not the something an “old” man would say about a young man he emancipated.  This is something a man might say about someone with whom he has constructed a contract for life.  If it were said by a man about a boy he has “emancipated,” the instruction to “charge it to my account” would have the connotation that the emancipation was illusory, because the debt of the owned belongs to the owner.

Εγω Παυλος εγραψα τη εμη χειρι, εγω αποτισω ινα μη λεγω σοι, οτι και σεαυτον μοι προσοφειλεις

* I Paul wrote it in my own hand, I will repay In order that I do not say to you that yourself, you also owe me. 

Paul offers to repay any debt incurred by Onesimus so that Paul will not say to Philemon that Philemon also owes Paul.   There is more to this story than the letter indicates.

Ναι αδελφε, εγω σου οναιμην εν κυριω,  αναπαυσον μου τα σπλαγχνα εν Χριστω.

* Yes, I may have profit of you in the lord, refresh my affection in Christ. 

This suggests that Paul did, indeed, construct a contract with Onesimus, and that in taking Onesimus on, Paul is aware that he has something (someone) whom Philemon had reason to value.  This sounds like there was a lot more to the story than just a matter of manumission of a slave.

Πεποιθως τη θπακοη σου, εγραψα σοι, ειδως οτι και λεφω ποιησεις

* Being persuaded of your obedience, I wrote you knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Αμα δε και ετοιμαζε μοι ξενιαν, ελπιζω γαρ οτι δια των προσευχων υμων χαρισθησομαι υμιν

 * At the same time, prepare a lodging for me, for I hope that through your prayers, I will be granting favor to you.

Ασπαζεται σε, Επαφρας ο συναιχμαλωτος μου εν Χριστου Ιησου

* Epafras, my fellow-prisoner in Jesus Christ, greets you,

Μαρκος, Αρισταρχοσ, Δημας, Λουκας, οι συνεργοι μου

 * and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my co-workers. 

Η χαρις του κυριου Ιησου Χριστου μετα του πνευματος υμων.  Αμην

*The favor of Lord Jesus Christ with your spirit, truly.

            The reference to “fellow-soldier” makes sense in a time of war.  55-60 CE was not a time of war.  The bar Cochba revolt was a time of war.  The references to “my god” and “prisoner of Christ/the good news” suggests that Paul’s “conversion” did not mean he believed the same things that he was teaching the members of the community.  The conversation about Onesimus, whom Paul “begot” does not have the sound of a man freeing a slave, but of a man who has constructed a contract with someone, and who is now in the position of having to have that contract ratified with the man who previously held a contract with the same man.