A Welcome Service
Philemon 1:13
Whom I would have retained with me, that in your stead he might have ministered to me in the bonds of the gospel:


I. The apostle intimateth his desire to have retained Onesimus with him, and that he was loath to suffer him to depart from him: which declareth THAT THE PRESENCE OF THOSE THAT ARE DEAR UNTO US IN CHRIST IS WELCOME, PLEASANT, COMFORTABLE, AND MUCH SET BY, AND WE GREATLY DESIRE TO KEEP THEM CONTINUALLY WITH US. For as love is the knot of conjunction that bindeth us together, though we be absent and far severed one from another, so it craveth and requireth the bodily presence of those whom we entirely love, which howsoever we cannot obtain in this life, forasmuch as our earthly affairs will not suffer it, yet we shall be sure to enjoy it perpetually and without end in the life to come, when we shall have the greatest joy and comfort one in another that can be wished or desired; such as the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive.

II. Note with me the end why he desired to retain Onesimus with him, THAT THE SERVANT MIGHT DO SERVICE TO HIM IN THE MASTER'S STEAD. The end, then, is the ministry and attendance which Paul might of duty require of Philemon himself. If then the master be bound to do his service, and wait upon the apostle, much more the servant! Whereby we may note how great right and jurisdiction he that hath gained a man in Christ hath over him whom he hath gained, so that he may challenge not only one of his servants, but himself to minister unto him, and to help him in temporal and transitory things. For he that hath received spiritual blessings cannot without great unthankfulness deny corporal benefits, so that it cannot be expressed how well he hath deserved of that person whom he hath won by the Word of God. "And delivered him by his ministry from the power of darkness, and translated him into the kingdom of His dear Son."

III. We may observe in the apostle's correcting of his former grant, that as he is commended that doth his duty that is required of him, freely and willingly, so he is worthy to be praised and commended, that DOTH NOT GO ABOUT TO WRING AND WREST A BENEFIT AGAINST A MAN'S WILL, though it be due debt and a bounden duty, but laboureth by all means, that it may be voluntary, and not upon necessity; for hereby it cometh to pass oftentimes, that he not only getteth a benefit, but winneth his heart and good will that giveth it, and many times it falleth out that the mind of the giver is more to be respected than the gift itself, as we see in the poor widow mentioned in the gospel, who casting into the treasury two mites, is said to have given of her penury more than all the rich men that bestowed of their superfluity.

(W. Attersoll.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel:

WEB: whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.




A Ministering Friend
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