170 lines
7.8 KiB
Plaintext
170 lines
7.8 KiB
Plaintext
|
<HTML>
|
||
|
|
<HEAD>
|
||
|
|
<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Philemon, Introduction].</TITLE>
|
||
|
|
<meta name="aesop" content="information">
|
||
|
|
<meta name="description" content=
|
||
|
|
"This site is for those friends and family members who may or may not know Our Lord Jesus Christ, and if not, they may come to know Our Lord through His Prophets."> <meta name="author" content="Brian Duncalfe">
|
||
|
|
<meta name="keywords" content=
|
||
|
|
"Prophecy, Rapture,hope,bible map,bible maps, God, tribulation,Second Coming,Christ,large print bible,commentary,complete">
|
||
|
|
</HEAD>
|
||
|
|
<body background="../sueback.jpg" bgproperties="fixed" >
|
||
|
|
<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
|
||
|
|
on the Whole Bible</h1>
|
||
|
|
<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
|
||
|
|
</h3>
|
||
|
|
</center>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<HR>
|
||
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
|
||
|
|
<TR>
|
||
|
|
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Previous</A>]
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC57001.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
|
||
|
|
<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
|
||
|
|
Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
|
||
|
|
</TD></TR></TABLE>
|
||
|
|
<HR>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<!-- (Begin Body) -->
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<CENTER>
|
||
|
|
<BR>
|
||
|
|
<P><FONT SIZE=+3>Philemon</FONT>
|
||
|
|
<BR>Completed by J<FONT SIZE=-1>EREMIAH</FONT> S<FONT SIZE=-1>MITH</FONT>.</P>
|
||
|
|
<LI><A HREF="MHC57001.HTM">Chapter 1</A>
|
||
|
|
</CENTER>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<BR>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<HR>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A NAME="Page877"> </A>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<CENTER>
|
||
|
|
<P><B>AN</B></P>
|
||
|
|
<P><FONT SIZE=+2>EXPOSITION,</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
<P><FONT SIZE=+1>W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E R V A T I O N S,</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
<P><FONT SIZE=-1>OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO</FONT></P>
|
||
|
|
<P><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P H I L E M O N.</B></FONT>
|
||
|
|
<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=150>
|
||
|
|
</P></CENTER>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
T<FONT SIZE=-1>HIS</FONT>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
epistle to Philemon is placed the last of those with the name of Paul
|
||
|
|
to them, perhaps because the shortest, and of an argument peculiar and
|
||
|
|
different from all the others; yet such as the Spirit of God, who
|
||
|
|
indited it, saw would, in its kind, be very instructive and useful in
|
||
|
|
the churches. The occasion of it was this:--Philemon, one of note and
|
||
|
|
probably a minister in the church of Colosse, a city of Phrygia, had a
|
||
|
|
servant named <I>Onesimus,</I> who, having purloined his goods, ran
|
||
|
|
away from him, and in his rambles came to Rome, where Paul was then a
|
||
|
|
prisoner for the gospel, and, providentially coming under his preaching
|
||
|
|
there, was, by the blessing of God, converted by him, after which he
|
||
|
|
ministered awhile to the apostle in bonds, and might have been further
|
||
|
|
useful to him, but, understanding him to be another man's servant, Paul
|
||
|
|
would not, without his consent, detain him, but sends him back with
|
||
|
|
this letter-commendatory, wherein he earnestly sues for his pardon and
|
||
|
|
kind reception.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Before we enter on the exposition, such general things as follow may be
|
||
|
|
taken notice of from the epistle and what relates to it; namely,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
I. The goodness and mercy of God to a poor wandering sinner, bringing
|
||
|
|
him by his gracious providence under the means, and making them
|
||
|
|
effectual to his conversion. Thus came he to be <I>sought of him that
|
||
|
|
asked not for him, and to be found of him that sought him not,</I>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+65:1">Isa. lxv. 1</A>.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
II. The great and endeared affection between a true convert and him
|
||
|
|
whom God used to be the instrument of his conversion. Paul regards this
|
||
|
|
poor fugitive now as his son in the faith, and terms him his <I>own
|
||
|
|
bowels;</I> and Onesimus readily serves Paul in prison, and would
|
||
|
|
gladly have continued to do so, would duty have permitted; but, being
|
||
|
|
another's servant, he must return and submit himself to his master, and
|
||
|
|
be at his disposal.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
III. The tender and good spirit of this blessed apostle Paul. With what
|
||
|
|
earnestness does he concern himself for the poor slave! Being now,
|
||
|
|
through his preaching, reconciled to God, he labours for reconciliation
|
||
|
|
between him and his master. How pathetic a letter does he here write in
|
||
|
|
his behalf! Scarcely any argument is forgotten that could possible be
|
||
|
|
used in the case; and all are pressed with such force that, had it been
|
||
|
|
the greatest favour to himself that he was asking, he could not have
|
||
|
|
used more.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
IV. The remarkable providence of God in preserving such a short writing
|
||
|
|
as this, that might be thought of little concern to the church, being
|
||
|
|
not only a letter to a particular person (as those to Timothy, and
|
||
|
|
Titus, and Gaius, and the elect lady, likewise were), but of a private
|
||
|
|
personal matter, namely, the receiving of a poor fugitive servant into
|
||
|
|
the favour and family of his injured master. What in this is there that
|
||
|
|
concerns the common salvation? And yet over this has there been a
|
||
|
|
special divine care, it being given (as the other scriptures were) by
|
||
|
|
<I>inspiration of God,</I> and in some sort, as they are, <I>profitable
|
||
|
|
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in
|
||
|
|
righteousness.</I> God would have extant a proof and instance of his
|
||
|
|
rich and free grace for the encouragement and comfort of the meanest
|
||
|
|
and vilest of sinners, looking to him for mercy and forgiveness; and
|
||
|
|
for instruction to ministers and others not to despise any, much less
|
||
|
|
to judge them as to their final state, as if they were utter
|
||
|
|
cast-aways, but rather to attempt their conversion, hoping they may be
|
||
|
|
saved; likewise how to behave towards them. Joy must be on earth, as
|
||
|
|
well as there is in heaven, over one sinner who repenteth. Such must
|
||
|
|
now be loved, and helped, and confirmed in good, and furthered in it;
|
||
|
|
and, in their outward concerns, their comfort and welfare must be
|
||
|
|
consulted and promoted as much as possible. And, on their part, they
|
||
|
|
must be humble and grateful, acknowledging God and his instruments in
|
||
|
|
what good they have received, ready to all suitable returns, making
|
||
|
|
what reparation they can in case of injuries, and living a life of
|
||
|
|
thankfulness and obedience. To such purposes may this epistle have been
|
||
|
|
written and preserved. And perhaps,
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
V. There may be something further in all this; at least, by way of
|
||
|
|
allusion, it is applicable to the mediation and intercession of Christ
|
||
|
|
for poor sinners. We, like Onesimus, were revolters from God's service,
|
||
|
|
and had injured him in his rights. Jesus Christ finds us, and by his
|
||
|
|
grace works a change in us, and then intercedes for us with the Father,
|
||
|
|
that we may be received into his favour and family again, and past
|
||
|
|
offences may be forgiven; and we are sure that the <I>Father heareth
|
||
|
|
him always.</I> There is no reason to doubt but Paul prevailed with
|
||
|
|
Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus: and more reason have we to be
|
||
|
|
confident that the intercession of Christ with the Father is prevalent
|
||
|
|
for the acceptance of all whose case he takes in hand and recommends to
|
||
|
|
him. From these general observations we come to the epistle itself.</P>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<!-- (End Body) -->
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<HR>
|
||
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
|
||
|
|
<TR>
|
||
|
|
<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Previous</A>]
|
||
|
|
[<A HREF="MHC57001.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
|
||
|
|
<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
|
||
|
|
Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
|
||
|
|
</TABLE>
|
||
|
|
<HR>
|
||
|
|
<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
|
||
|
|
<TR>
|
||
|
|
<TD ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="BOTTOM">
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<!--Matthew_Henry's_Commentary_on_the_Whole_Bible:_Philemon:_Introduction--><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank"><b>Back to Bibles Net . Com - Online Christian Library </b></a><br>
|
||
|
|
<a href="http://biblesnet.com/download.html" target="_blank"><br>
|
||
|
|
<b>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Free Download</b></a><br>
|
||
|
|
<br>
|
||
|
|
<A HREF="http://biblesnet.com/contactus.html" target="_blank"><strong>Contact Us </strong></A><br>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
</TD></TR></TABLE>
|
||
|
|
<HR>
|
||
|
|
</BODY>
|
||
|
|
</HTML>
|