Fragment on Philemon · §1 · Photius of Constantinople

Paul's unusual word prepares his appeal

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

Photius is commenting on Philemon 1:1, explaining how Paul's opening word prepares for his request on behalf of Onesimus.

In many letters Paul places an unusual word as preparation for the argument he is about to introduce. Here too, since he was about to make a request on behalf of Onesimus, he does so on the basis of his own standing—and his standing is being in chains. In this way he shows the credibility of his appeal.

Greek

Phm 1,1 Ἐν πολλαῖς ἐπιστολαῖς ξένον τίθησι ῥῆμα τοῦ μέλλοντος εἰσάγεσθαι λόγου κατασκευαστικόν, καὶ νῦν ἐπειδὴ ἔμελλεν ἀξιοῦν ὑπὲρ Ὀνησίμου τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀξίᾳ– ἀξία δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ δεδέσθαι–, τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τῆς παρακλήσεως δείκνυσιν.

About this text

Photius in a few lines on the opening of Philemon: Paul puts his chains first so that his request for Onesimus carries weight.

Photius of Constantinople (c. 810–c. 893) wrote this brief comment on Philemon 1:1.

Photius observes that in many letters Paul places an unusual word at the opening to prepare for the argument he is about to introduce. Here Paul intends to make a request on behalf of Onesimus, so he grounds that request in his own standing, which consists in being in chains.

A reader will meet Paul as the one making the appeal and Onesimus as the person on whose behalf Paul makes it. To follow the comment, a reader should know that the unusual word is preparatory, that Paul's standing is his imprisonment, and that the appeal is his request for Onesimus. The passage under discussion is Philemon 1:1.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 101 – 104 (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.