Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings,
We have here, I. The main business of the epistle, which was to plead with Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, that he would receive him and be reconciled to him. Many arguments Paul urges for this purpose, Plm 1:8-21. The 1st Argument is taken from what was before noted, and is carried in the illative wherefore: "Seeing so much good is reported of thee and...
Commenting on Philemon 1:8-25
There salute thee Epaphras,.... Who was a Colossian, and minister of the church at Colosse, and so might be well known to Philemon, who seems to have been of the same place and church; see Col 1:7 his name is omitted in the Ethiopic version: my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus; this good man, and minister of Christ, might have been sent by the Colossians...
Verse 23. There salute thee Epaphras. The same persons who are here mentioned as greeting Philemon, are mentioned in the close of the epistle to the Colossians--furnishing a high degree of evidence that Philemon resided at Colosse. Epaphras was a member of the church there. . My fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus. In the cause of Christ. .