17 in the Lord ? If thou count me therefore a partner, re- -ceive him as myself. .... Having confidence in thy obe- -dience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” Now, notwithstanding the positiveness with which Onesirnus is asserted to be a “.runaway slave,” there is no proof in the whole epistle that Onesirnus was a slave at all ; the inference that he was a slave rests on the 16th. verse — “Not now as a servant,” &c. (doulos, but doulos* is not in Greek necessarily a slave). There is not a particle of evidence that St. Paul forced or even urged the return of Onesirnus. That he returned as a slave is inconsistent with the whole tone of the epistle, with the endearing ■epithets employed, and especially with the last clause quoted above. The circumstance related in the epistle to the Colos- sians (ch. iv. 7-9) also opposes that view, where Onesirnus is joint bearer with Tychicus of St. Paul’s message to the Co- lossians ; the same affectionate epithets is applied to him as to Tychicus ; and St. Paul says to the Colossians, (Onesirnus) “ is one of you i. e., of the Church or of the people of Colosste, and “ they [Tychicus and Onesirnus] shall make known unto you all things which are done here.” The man who bore that message was surely no chattel. Besides, if St. Paul were “ zealous of the law,” would he venture to send back a “ fugitive slave,” which the Jewish law so strictly forbade ? St. Paul, moreover, in another remarkable passage, while following the example of his Divine Master, whose kingdom was not of this world, in setting forth the much higher and nobler freedom of the soul, that freedom which even the slave after the flesh may possess and derive happiness from, shows his appreciation of civil freedom by advising, which he may do without risk of interfering with the civil power, “ But if thou mayest be free, use it (freedom) rather.” (1 Cor. vii. 21.) The precepts and example of our Saviour and his apostles then brought about that change of feeling which over- * Doulos includes also the Roman libertus or freedman, Chrysipp. ap. Ath. vi. 93. Onesirnus was probably steward, or in some responsible position in Thilemon’s household, thus having the opportunity of appropriating money, which St. Paul promises to repay. 2
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