Philemon 1:3

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-7 Faith in Christ, and love to him, should unite saints more closely than any outward relation can unite the people of the world. Paul in his private prayers was particular in remembering his friends. We must remember Christian friends much and often, as their cases may need, bearing them in our thoughts, and upon our hearts, before our God. Different sentiments and ways in what is not essential, must not make difference of affection, as to the truth. He inquired concerning his friends, as to the truth, growth, and fruitfulness of their graces, their faith in Christ, and love to him, and to all the saints. The good which Philemon did, was matter of joy and comfort to him and others, who therefore desired that he would continue and abound in good fruits, more and more, to God's honour.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Grace to you, and peace ... - See if the notes at Romans 1:7.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. Apphia—the Latin, "Appia"; either the wife or some close relative of Philemon. She and Archippus, if they had not belonged to his family, would not have been included with Philemon in the address of a letter on a domestic matter.

Archippus—a minister of the Colossian Church (Col 4:17).

fellow soldier—(2Ti 2:3).

church in thy house—In the absence of a regular church building, the houses of particular saints were used for that purpose. Observe Paul's tact in associating with Philemon those associated by kindred or Christian brotherhood with his house, and not going beyond it.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The common salutation: See Poole on "Romans 1:7", See Poole on "1 Corinthians 1:3" and See Poole on "2 Corinthians 1:2".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Grace to you and peace, from God,.... Which is the same form of salutation used in the other epistles; See Gill on Romans 1:7 for though this epistle is but a very small one, yet it is introduced in the same form as the larger epistles are; and has an inscription in the former verse, a salutation in this, and a preface in the three following.

Geneva Study Bible

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

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Philemon 1:3. χάρις … εἰρήνη: Cf. Romans 1:7, the usual Pauline greeting (exc. I. 2 Tim.); it is a combination of the Greek salutation, χαίρειν, and the Hebrew one, שׁלום. In the N.T. the word εἰρήνη expresses the spiritual state, which is the result of a right relationship between God and man. According to Jewish belief, the establishment of peace, in this sense, was one of the main functions of the Messiah (cf. Luke 2:14), it was herein that His mediatorial work was to be accomplished.—πατρὸς: see note on Jam 3:9. The phrase ἀπὸ Θεοῦ … Χριστοῦ expresses the essence of Judaism and Christianity.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Grace be unto you, &c.] Verbatim as in the received text of Colossians 1:2; where see notes. In this private Letter, written about a practical matter, as much as in the public and didactic Letter, all is hallowed with the blessed Name.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - Grace to you, and peace. The secular formula of salutation was χαίρειν (Acts 23:26); in Latin, multam or plurimare salutem ant plenissimam. St. Paul's formula was almost invariably as above, "Grace to you, and peace" (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:3; and others). To Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2) and Titus 1:4, "Grace, mercy, and peace." Philemon 1:3