From: Wisdom 9:13-18
Wisdom essential for discerning God’s will
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Commentary:
9:13-18. These verses conclude the survey of wisdom, which as we saw is
sometimes identified with the “holy Spirit” that God sends from on high (v. 17).
The last verse says that thanks to wisdom men are saved (v. 18), for through it
they have learned to understand God’s purposes. Left to himself, man cannot
attain wisdom because his reasoning powers are quite limited and he is often
side-tracked (v. 14); moreover, the cares of life get in the way (v. 15); in the last
analysis, man is really quite limited (v. 16). In speaking like this, the writer is not
saying that we cannot discover truth; all he means is that God’s purposes, the
Wisdom of God, cannot be discovered by man on his own. But now that the
Word has become man, we can manage to know the mystery of God: “Because
God did not wish to be known any longer through the image and sign of living
wisdom to be found in created things, as happened in former times, it was his
will that Wisdom itself would become flesh, and that, having been made man, he
would suffer death on the cross; so that in all the days to come, everyone who
believed in him could be saved through their faith in the cross. In former times,
the Wisdom of God stamped his seal on all created things – and the presence of
his sign is the reason why we called them ‘created’ – to reveal himself and so
make his Father known. But later, this same Wisdom, who is the Word, was
made flesh, as St John says; and having overcome death and saved the human
race, he revealed himself in a clearer way and, through himself, revealed the
Father” (St Athanasius, Contra arianos, 2, 81-82).
Verse 15 seems to contain the Platonic idea of the body being the prison of the
soul, but the sacred writer does not think that the soul pre-existed the body: all he
is doing is making the point that the physical part of man blinds him to spiritual
things. St Paul will expand on this when he talks about how his members contend
with his “inmost self”: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this
body of death?” (Rom 7:24).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Philemon 9-10; 12-17
A Plea on Onesimus’ Behalf (Continuation)
[15] Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you
might have him back for ever, [16] no longer as a slave but more than a
slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you,
both in the flesh and in the Lord. [17] So if you consider me your
partner, receive him as you would receive me.
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Commentary:
8-12. At this point St Paul gives his main reason for writing—to
intercede for Onesimus. Typically, he appeals to Philemon’s charity,
rather than demanding his cooperation (cf. 2 Cor 1:23), and to support
this appeal he refers to his (Paul’s) being “an old man” and a
“prisoner” for love of Jesus Christ (v. 9).
The Apostle’s generosity of spirit is plain to see: in spite of being
imprisoned he is self-forgetful and he uses every opportunity that
presents itself to win converts—as was the case with Onesimus; and
now he intercedes on his behalf. If once he was “useless” to his master,
Onesimus can now be very “useful”; there is here a play on words,
because the name Onesimus means “useful”: it is as if he were saying
that maybe Onesimus did not formerly live up to his name, but now he
does; he has been very useful to Paul and now that he is going back he
will also be useful to Philemon, who should receive him as if he were
the Apostle himself (v. 12).
We should never have fixed ideas about people; despite mistakes and
shortcomings, everyone can improve and, with God’s grace, undergo a
true change of heart.
The New Testament writings clearly show that the first Christians’
apostolate extended to all sectors of society with the result that
Christians were to be found everywhere. St John Chrysostom points
this out as follows: “Aquila worked at a manual wade; the lady who
sold purple ran a workshop, another [Christian] was in charge of a gaol;
another a centurion, like Cornelius; another was sick, like Timothy;
another, Onesimus, was a slave and a fugitive; yet none of them found
any of this an obstacle, and all shone for their holiness—men and
women, young and old, slaves and free, soldiers and civilians” (”Hom.
on St Matthew”, 43).
13-14. This is another example of the Apostle’s typical refinement.
Although his first idea was to keep Onesimus with him to help him
during his imprisonment, he prefers that he who has the force of law on
his side (Roman law, in this instance) should freely decide what action
to take (cf. his approach to making collections: 2 Cor 9:7).
In line with the teaching of Christ and his Apostles, the Second
Vatican Council “urges everyone, especially those responsible for
educating others, to try to form men and women with a respect for
the moral order and who will obey lawful authority and be lovers of
true freedom—men, and women, who direct their activities with a
sense of responsibility, and strive for what is true and just in willing
cooperation with others” (”Dignitatis Humanae”, 8).
St Paul’s refinement was not inspired only by reasons of friendship nor
was it a mere tactic: he wants people—in this case, Philemon—to come
to free personal decisions, for freedom is a great gift which God has given
to every person. “If only we lived like this, if only we knew how to imbue
our behavior with generosity, with a desire for understanding and peace!
We would encourage the rightful independence of all. Everyone would
take a responsible approach to the tasks that correspond to him in
temporal matters” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 124).
15-16. At this point Paul’s thinking becomes exceptionally theological
and incisive. What at first sight could have been seen as something
bad—Onesimus’ running away—can now be viewed in another light, the
sharper light of divine providence: God can draw good out of evil, for
“in everything, God works for good with those who love him” (Rom 8:28);
he has allowed this incident to happen so as to give Onesimus the
chance to discover the Christian faith.
Therefore, Philemon should now recognize him as a brother, for faith in
Jesus Christ makes us all children of the same Father (cf. Gal 3:27- 28;
Eph 6:9). “Look at Paul writing on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave;
he is not ashamed to call him his child, his very heart, his brother, his
partner. What can I say?”, St John Chrysostom asks; “Jesus Christ
lowered himself to the point of making our slaves his brothers. If they
are brothers of Jesus Christ, then they are also our brothers” (”Hom.
on Philem”, 2, ad loc.).
Due to this teaching slavery gradually died out. The teaching of the
Church’s Magisterium has contributed to a growing realization that all
workers have innate dignity and rights as men and as sons and daughters
of God. In an early encyclical of modern times Leo XIII called on
employers to see that “it is truly shameful and inhuman to misuse men
as though they were mere things designed just to be used in the pursuit
of gain”, and reminded them of their duties never “to look upon workers
as their bondsmen but to respect in every man his dignity and worth as
a man and a Christian” (”Rerum Novarum”, 16).
Christianity, then, elevates and gives a new dignity to interpersonal
relationships, thereby helping produce changes and improvements in
social structures. Every Christian insofar as he can should contribute
to bringing these changes about, but the methods used to do so must
always be moral. Neglect to play one’s part in social reform could even
constitute a grave sin, a “social” sin against the virtue of justice.
John Paul II teaches that “the term ‘social’ applies to every sin
against justice in interpersonal relationships, committed either by the
individual against the community or by the community against the
individual. Also ‘social’ is every sin against the rights of the human
person, beginning with the right to life and including the life of the
unborn, or against a person’s physical integrity. Likewise ‘social’ is
every sin against others’ freedom, especially against the supreme
freedom to believe in God and adore him; ‘social’ is every sin against
the dignity and honor of one’s neighbor. Also ‘social’ is every sin
against the common good and its exigencies in relation to the whole
broad spectrum of the rights and duties of citizens. The term ‘social’
can be applied to sins of commission or omission—on the part of
political, economic or trade union leaders, who though in a position to
do so do not work diligently and wisely for the improvement and
transformation of society according to the requirements and potential
of the given historic moment; as also on the part of workers who
through absenteeism or non-cooperation fail to ensure that their
industries can continue to advance the well-being of the workers
themselves, of their families, and of the whole of society”
(”Reconciliatio Et Paenitentia”, 16).
17-21. Paul identifies himself with Onesimus because they share the
same faith—and Paul is an extremely generous person. Here we can
clearly see his great charity which leads him to love everyone much
more than is his strict duly. “Be convinced that justice alone is never
enough to solve the great problems of mankind. When justice alone is
done, do not be surprised if people are hurt: the dignity of man, who
is a son of God, requires much more. Charity must penetrate and
accompany justice because it sweetens and deifies everything: ‘God
is love’ (1 Jn 4:16). Our motive in everything we do should be the Love
of God, which makes it easier for us to love our neighbor and which
purifies all earthly love and raises it on to a higher level” ([St] J. Escriva,
“Friends of God”, 172). It is not surprising, then, that the Apostle should
ask Philemon to charge it to his account if Onesimus has wronged him
or owes him anything (v. 18). And as if to confirm this commitment with
affection and good humor he as it were signs a docket promising to
pay any charge there may be. However, he immediately goes on to
remind Philemon that if they worked out their accounts Philemon would
be found to be in debt to Paul, because it was due to Paul that he
became a Christian (v. l9). On this account Paul feels that he can
ask him to forgive Onesimus: that sign of love and affection would
really do Paul good in his present circumstances. But, he goes on to
say (it is a suggestion that delicately respects Philemon’s decision)
that he hopes Philemon’s obedience will lead him to do “even more” (v.
21). As suggested in the Introduction to this letter he is probably
hoping that he will set Onesimus free. In the eyes of the law Onesimus
is still a slave; but as a Christian he is already a free man.
St Paul does not directly ask for Onesimus’ freedom, although he does
hint at it, encouraging his old master to set him free but leaving it
up to him to decide (and thereby merit). He reminds Philemon how
generous he, Paul, was towards him (vv. 18-19), in the hope that
Philemon will reciprocate. “This is a repetition of the same testimony
he expressed earlier in his letter”, St John Chrysostom points out;
“’knowing that you will do even more than I say’: it is impossible to
imagine anything more persuasive, any more convincing argument than
this tender regard of his generosity which St Paul expresses; Philemon
cannot but agree to his demand” (”Hom. on Philem, ad loc.”).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.