Today is the recognition day for Philemon and Onesimus who are to be for us examples of reconciliation. I don’t need to go through the story of these two – you can read about it in one of Paul’s shortest letters and one of the smallest “books” of the Bible, It is called, wait for it….. Philemon. Take two minutes and read it for yourself, but first here is Luther’s take.
What Christ has done for us with God the Father, that St. Paul does also for
Onesimus with Philemon. For Christ emptied himself of his rights [Phil. 2:7] and
overcame the Father with love and humility, so that the Father had to put away his
wrath and rights, and receive us into favor for the sake of Christ, who so earnestly
advocates our cause and so heartily takes our part. For we are all his Onesimus[es]
if we believe.
