Fathers

Philemon 1

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Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints, that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, yet for love’s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus, who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me. I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News. But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will. For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me. But if he has wronged you at all or owes you anything, put that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides). Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say. Also, prepare a guest room for me, for I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

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What the Fathers say

Philemon 1:24

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers." Why then does he put Luke last? And yet he elsewhere says, "Only Luke is with me" (2 Tim. iv. 11), and "Demas," he says, was one of those who "forsook him, having loved the present world." (2 Tim. iv. 10.) All these things, although they are mentioned elsewhere, yet nevertheless ought not to be passed over here without enquiry, nor ought we merely to hear them as things of course. But how comes he to say that he who forsook him salutes them? …

Homily on Philemon 3 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Demas at first enjoyed respect, as is attested here concerning him as a fellow worker of Paul, but afterwards through frivolity he fell away from Paul, as indeed Paul writes about this in the epistle to Timothy, written evidently after this epistle. "For Demas has forsaken me; only Luke is with me" (2 Tim. 4:9). Thus Luke, placed here last, became first of all when Demas fell away. So no one should place hope in himself, but let him who stands take heed lest he fall. …

Commentary on Philemon ↗

Oecumenius

"Aristarchus, Demas". About this, Paul wrote to Timothy, "Demas abandoned me." (2 Tim. 4:10) [PHOTIUS] They say that this Demas again turned away to Hellenism and became a priest of idols. [end of the Photius excerpt] [OECUMENIUS] And if that was at first, now he has repented. But if later, after these things he became negligent. [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius] "Luke". The last became first. For if in the second letter to Timothy he says, Luke is the only one with me. (2 Tim. …

Commentary On Philemon ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

But this can be doubted since he mentions Demas. How can this be, since he said in 2 Timothy 4:10, 'For Demas has deserted me, loving this world'? How, then, can he use his name? It might be said that he returned to him, but this does not seem to be the case, because this letter was written after that to Timothy and here he says, I hope that through your prayers, and there he foretells his death, saying, 'The time of my deliverance is at hand.' Therefore it should be said that Paul was in Rome for nearly nine years, and this letter …

Commentary on Philemon ↗