SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES by F. D. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA · Jan 9, 1907

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES.

By F. D. Starr

Philemon.

THIS short epistle was written about A.D. 64 by Paul while he was a prisoner at Rome. Onesimus, the runaway servant of Philemon, bore this message on his return to his master, and also at the same time carried the epistle of Paul to the church at Colosse (where Philemon resided), as appears from Col. 4:7-9. This is indeed a very interesting account of the conversion of an escaped slave. The question arises why the Lord ever permitted the existence of slavery. A solution of this problem may be gained by reference to a declaration of our Lord, found in Matt. 19:8. The Saviour was questioned in regard to the toleration of divorce—why it was permitted to exist. “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so.” This principle here

laid down settles many questions that perplex the mind in regard to the existence of various evils in our world. “From the beginning it was not so.” We see from this that we should go back to the original conditions before sin entered to ascertain what was proper and what was not.

In the beginning everything was “very good.” There was no divorce then; there was no slavery then. Men often wonder why God allowed polygamy to be practised in olden time. The same answer can be returned in regard to this also. “From the beginning it was not so.” Likewise in regard to war; we know that it was not pleasing to God. “From the beginning it was not so.” There was to be no death in holy Eden from any cause, so war was not in the original plan. This is one of the strongest reasons in favor of abstaining from a flesh diet, and subsisting on the original bill of fare that God gave to Adam. Concerning the carnivorous habits of man, we can say, “From the beginning it was not so.”

Upon the same foundation rests the obligation for Sabbath observance. This holy institution, like that of matrimony, was from the beginning observed in sinless Paradise. Concerning the desecration of the Lord’s day, His original holy Sabbath, and the putting of another day in its place, we can say, “From the beginning it was not so.” Thus we find that slavery, polygamy, divorce, war, etc., were not from the beginning. They have been tolerated because of the hardness of the human heart. But finding ourselves under these abnormal conditions, definite instruction is given in such passages as 1 Tim. 6:1, 2; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22; and the epistle now under consideration, as to how servants and masters should relate themselves to each other. The horrible curse of slavery is one of the most hard-hearted schemes that Satan ever devised.

In verse 14 of this epistle to Philemon, Paul expresses a sentiment that should rule in business affairs: “Without thy mind would I do nothing.” Even as competent a person as the apostle Paul did not presume to act independently in matters in which others were personally interested. So should it ever be among brethren. How much trouble and misunderstanding would be avoided if we would always adhere to this rule.

Another very profitable suggestion is found in verses 18 and 19. The writer here proposes to pay Philemon whatever the latter might possibly consider was his due, altho the fact was that Philemon was Paul’s debtor. This is in harmony with the declaration of the psalmist: “Then I restored that which I took not away.” Ps. 69:4. Where would there be any room for disagreement if this principle were followed?

Have confidence in the brethren. What a grandly encouraging sentiment is uttered in verse 21: “Having confidence in thy obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” In 2 Cor. 7:16 and 2 Thess. 3:4, Paul also expresses the fact that he had confidence in his brethren. He believed they would

even do more than was required, as did the believers in Macedonia, as stated in 2 Cor. 8:1-5, and as did Israel in building the sanctuary. Ex. 36:5-7. If nothing more than the inculcation of this principle is gained from this epistle, its perusal will be very profitable indeed. F. D. STARR.