Philemon 1:11

Phm_1:11

Now profitable to thee and to me

A new leaf turned over

The apostle has had but short experience of his convert, but he is quite sure that he is a Christian; and, that being the case, he is as sure that all the bad, black past is buried, and that the new leaf now turned over will be covered with fair writing, not in the least like the blots that were on the former page, and have now been dissolved from off it by the touch of Christs blood.

It is a typical instance of the miracles which the gospel wrought as everyday events in its transforming career. Christianity knows nothing of hopeless cases. It professes its ability to take the most crooked stick and bring it straight, to flash a new power into the blackest carbon, which will turn it into a diamond. Every duty will be done better by a man if he have the love and grace of Jesus Christ in his heart. New motives are brought into play, new powers are given, new standards of duty are set up. The small tasks become great, and the unwelcome sweet, and the difficult easy, when done for and by Christ. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Self-profitableness

St. Paul does not commend Onesimus for being profitable to himself, but to him and Philemon. He that is not good for himself is good for nobody: there our goodness must begin, but it must not stay there; do good to all, so be profitable to all. (W. Jones, D. D.)

The hurtful made profitable by conversion

Philemon might object, I have found him hurtful; why, then, should I receive into my house as a member of my family that servant which will cause more harm than bring profit? I have had experience of the damage that he hath done me; what homage he will do me I know not. To this the apostle maketh a double answer--first, by granting, then by correcting that which he hath granted, and both ways by comparing the time past with the time present--the time before he embraced religion with the time of his conversion; as if he should say: True it is, and I grant he was once unprofitable to thee, for while he was unfaithful to God he could do no faithful service unto thee; but why dost thou urge the time of his ignorance? And why dost thou consider so much what he bath been? For now he has become a new man; he has tasted of the true religion; he hath learned to know God, to know himself, to know thee, and to know me--to know God, his merciful Creator; to know himself, a wretched sinner; to know thee, his loving master; to know me, his spiritual father; whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these. As he regarded not to know God, so he could not regard thy good, but now thou shalt receive a new Onesimus, a new servant, a new man, the same in substance, but renewed in quality, and altered from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. He was not before so profitable, but now thou shalt find him as profitable unto thee as I have found him both diligent and dutiful unto me in my bonds and imprisonment. (W. Attersoll.)

Altered by conversion

Before he was Onesimus in name, now he is so indeed; before he held the title, now he hath the truth; before thou sawest the shadow, now thou shalt see the substance; thou hast had experience of his unprofitableness, now shalt thou have the benefit of the profit that he bringeth with him; being made a new creature in Christ Jesus. We learn from hence that Christian faith or religion of a man unprofitable maketh him profitable, and of one unfit maketh him fit to every good work. The conversion of men to the true faith worketh the greatest change and alteration that can be, and maketh them good, profitable, and helpful unto others that have been before unjust, injurious, cruel, and hurtful. (W. Attersoll.)

Conversion of heart produces alteration in the life

Where is a right conversion of the heart there is also a true alteration of the life, and where there is an embracing of the true Christian religion there is a change of our conversation.

I. The reasons of this doctrine are evident, and shine as clearly as the sun at noonday.

1. If we consider our natural estate and condition, what we were before our conversion, we shall easily be brought to acknowledge both where and what and whence the change is; for naturally we hate the truth and the professors of the truth.

2. When men are truly converted they will make conscience of hurting; they will abstain from wrongs and injuries; they will be ready to do good to others, to profit others, to walk in all the duties of their callings, and to keep a good conscience toward God and man.

3. True conversion worketh in us the love of God and men, and so maketh us fruitful in all good works; it suffereth us not to be barren and unfruitful, and it subdueth the rage and corruption of our sinful nature.

II. Now let us come to the consideration of the uses, and to the application of the doctrine to ourselves.

1. We see hereby that they are greatly deceived that think true godliness to be unprofitable, and no gain at all to return to the practiser of it. Great is the benefit of true religion, and much is the profit of our conversion. When once we are truly converted we have gotten Christ; He has become ours; we have Him dwelling in us--Him, I say, in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily, who is the Head of the Church, whom to know is eternal life. By Him our bondage is turned into freedom, our beggary into riches, our thraldom into liberty, our death into life. Who is it, then, can be so simple or ignorant to affirm that profession to be without gain and profit that bringeth Christ Jesus with it, in whom all treasures are hid and had?

2. Seeing Christian religion, planted in the heart of a man, maketh him good and helpful to others, who before was unjust and unprofitable, let everyone prove his effectual calling and true conversion by earnest seeking after the good of others, and by a careful abstaining from hurting, troubling, and wronging of others. It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer than to offer wrong, to receive than to require, to take than to give.

3. Seeing it is the turning of us to God that turneth us to the good of men, it serveth as a notable direction unto us, to teach us that whosoever desireth that such as belong unto him should be profitable and faithful unto him, let him labour to plant godliness in their hearts and to sow the seeds of eternal life in their minds. (W. Attersoll.)

Religion makes us profitable

To render us profitable is the design of religion, and it is easy to see that it must be the effect of it. Religion is social and diffusive. According to our Saviours language the possessors of Divine grace are the salt of the earth to keep it from corruption. They are the lights of the world to keep it from darkness; and this light is not to be concealed under a bushel, but to be fixed on a candlestick, that it may give light to all that are in the house. The blessings they enjoy they are to communicate. Divine grace never leaves us as it finds, us. It produces a change the most wonderful and glorious and beneficial. Divine grace destroys those vices by which we are injurious to others. For the best charity I can exercise towards my fellow creatures, says a good man, is to leave off sinning myself. Every company and neighbourhood is the better for us: we are as a dew from the Lord. And thus the promise is fulfilled in every child of Abraham by faith: I will bless thee, and thou shalt be blessing. Finally, we remark that our being useful does not depend upon our abilities and station. See Onesimus, a slave, profitable even to such men as Philemon and Paul--profitable to thee and me. It is with the community as it is with the body (1Co_12:14-21). Thus we behold, in the world and in the Church, difference of rank, of office, of talents; but there is a connection between the whole, and a dependence arising from it. And from this none are exempted; even the king is served by the labour of the field. Every man, whatever be his condition and circumstances, is of some importance in society, and we should labour to impress our minds with this reflection, especially in three cases. Let us remember it when we are in danger of pride and disdain with regard to any of our fellow creatures. Perhaps he is more necessary to you than you are to him. Let us remember it when discouraged from exertion. He that is not faithful in little has no reason to believe that he would be faithful in much. We should also remember it when we are tempted to do good in unlawful ways. What I mean is this: some suppose that they can only be useful in such a particular station or office, and hence they are ready to leave their present condition to rush into it. But, says the apostle, Let every man abide in the calling in which he is called of God. Things are so constituted that if any man wishes to do good he may do it in the circumstances in which he is placed; he has some influence. Let us conclude with two reflections. First, if religion renders people, in all situations, valuable and useful, how deserving is it of encouragement! Let, therefore, all unite to promote it. Secondly, if religion be profitable to others, it is much more so to ourselves. It sanctifies all our mercies. It sweetens all our trials. It teaches us in whatever state we are therewith to be content. (W. Jay.)

Manhood raised

Being supplied with religious principle and animated with ennobling motives, his life will be pervaded by a new and improved spirit. The man was raised. His service will rise with him. Paul had found it so. (A. H. Drysdale, M. A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:11 Onesimus means “useful.” • hasn’t been of much use (literally useless) . . . very useful: This might be a play on words (cp. 1:20). Onesimus was now serving others and proclaiming the Good News. At last he had become what his name means.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Phm 1:11. Ἄχρηστον, unprofitable) A Litotes [see Append.] for he was guilty of injury. In like manner there is a mild expression in the use of the word, was separated [departed], Phm 1:15; likewise Phm 1:18, but if—he oweth.—σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ, to thee and me) He courteously puts Philemon before himself. He treats of himself, Phm 1:13-14; of him, Phm 1:15-16. Chiasmus [see Append.]—εὔχρηστον, truly profitable) The allusion is to the name of Onesimus; so ὀναίμην, Phm 1:20. Not even does a servant do his duty without godliness. With godliness any man is profitable.—ἀνέπεμψα, I have sent back) Onesimus even before he had attained true profitableness, had however thought well of Paul, and fled to him on the occasion of his own crime.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Phm_1:11. Ingenious allusion to the literal signification of the name (current also among the Greeks) Ὀνήσιμος, useful. The objection of Estius, that Paul expresses himself in words derived from another stem (not from ὀνίνημι), presupposes a mechanical procedure, with which Paul is least of all to be charged. We may add that, while there were not such forms as ἀνονήσιμος and εὐονήσιμος, doubtless he might, had he wished to retain the stem of the name, have employed ἀνόνητος and ὀνητός (Suidas), or ὀνήτωρ (Pindar), or ὀνησιφόρος (Plutarch, Lucian). An allusion, however, at the same time to the name of Christian, as sometimes in the Fathers Χριστιανός is brought into relation with χρηστός, is arbitrarily assumed by Cornelius a Lapide, Koch, and others, and the more so, as the expressions have already their occasion in the name Onesimus, and, moreover, by means of σοί and ἐμοί an individually definite reference.

ἄχρηστον] unserviceable, only here in the N.T. (comp. however, δοῦλος ἀχρεῖος, Mat_25:30; Luk_17:10). Plato, Lys. p. 204 B: φαῦλος καὶ ἄχρηστος, 3Ma_3:29; Sir_37:19. A definition, wherein the uselessness of Onesimus in his service consisted (the usual view from the time of Chrysostom: that he had robbed his master) does not appear more precisely than in the hint Phm_1:18 f.

νυνὶ δὲ … εὔχρηστον] Comp. 2Ti_2:21; 2Ti_4:11; Plato, Pol. iii. p. 411 B: χρήσιμον ἐξ ἀχρήστου ἐποίησεν. The usefulness, which now belongs to Onesimus, is based simply on his conversion which had taken place, Phm_1:10, and consequently consists for Philemon in the fact, that his slave now will render his service in a far other way than before, namely, in a distinctively Christian frame of mind and activity (consequently without eye-service and man-pleasing, ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ κ.τ.λ., as it is expressed at Col_3:2-9 ff.), and for Paul himself in the fact that, because the conversion of Onesimus is his work (Phm_1:10), in that transformation of the previously useless slave there has accrued to the apostle, as the latters spiritual father, gain and recompense of his labour (Php_1:22), the joy and honour of not having striven in vain (Php_2:16). Thus the benefits, which Philemon and Paul have respectively to enjoy from Onesimus as now constituted, are brought into contact and union. Comp. Theodore of Mopsuestia: σοὶ κατὰ τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν, ἐμοὶ κατὰ τὴν βελτίωσιν τοῦ τρόπου. What a weighty and persuasive appeal was urged in the ingenious καὶ ἐμοί (comp. Rom_16:13; 1Co_16:18) is at once felt.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which . . . was . . . unprofitable--belying his name Onesimus, which means "profitable." Not only was he "unprofitable," but positively injurious, having "wronged" his master. Paul uses a mild expression.

now profitable--Without godliness a man has no station. Profitable in spiritual, as well as in temporal things.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 11. Was to thee unprofitable] Alluding to the meaning of Onesimus's name, as has been already noted; though the apostle uses a different Greek word to express the same idea.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(11) In time past . . . unprofitable, but now profitable.—The name Onesimus means “useful,” or “profitable,” though derived from a different root from the words here used. It is hardly possible not to see in this passage a play on words, though (curiously enough) this is not noticed by the old Greek commentators. St. Paul seems to say, “He belied his name in days past; he will more than deserve it now.”

To thee and to me.—St. Paul says “to thee,” for he was sending back Onesimus. He adds “to me,” in affectionate notice of his kindly ministrations already rendered to his spiritual father.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. in time past] In the Greek, simply, once.

unprofitable] A gentle “play” on “Helpful’s” name; an allusion, and no more (for no more was needed), to his delinquencies. To Onesimus himself Paul had no doubt spoken, with urgent faithfulness, of his sin against his master. What the sin had been we can only guess, beyond the evident fact that he had run away. Phm_1:18-19, suggest that he had robbed Philemon before his flight, though the language does not imply more than petty crime of that kind.

Perhaps Philemon would recall the “unprofitable bondservant” of the Lord’s parable, a parable recorded for us by “the beloved physician” now at Paul’s side (Luk_17:10).

and to me] “An after-thought … According to common Greek usage the first person would naturally precede the second” (Lightfoot). The words are a loving testimony to Onesimus’ devotion.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable,.... Yea, injurious and hurtful; one that was an eye servant, that loitered away his time, and set an ill example to fellow servants; and not only so, but embezzled his master's goods, and robbed him, and run away from him. So every man, in his state of unregeneracy, is an unprofitable man, Rom 3:12 unprofitable to God, to men, and to themselves; their sins will not profit them, though they may promise them liberty and pleasure; nor will their riches, should they lose their own souls: nor their own righteousness, in the business of justification and salvation; nor even an outward profession of religion: yea, they are not only said to be unprofitable, but are represented as good for nothing; hence they are compared to dishonourable and unserviceable vessels; to briers and thorns, and the earth which brings them; to the salt that has lost its savour, and is fit neither for the land, nor for the dunghill; to rotten figs, to chaff, and dross of metals: yea, they are hurtful and injurious to themselves, on whom they bring ruin and destruction; to others, to wicked men, whom they more and more corrupt, and harden in sin; and to good men, whom they grieve; and also to the interest and glory of God, whose laws they transgress, and against whom they sin, affront his justice, and provoke the eyes of his glory,

But now profitable to thee and to me; that is, he was now likely to be so, to be profitable to Philemon, as a servant, and to the apostle as a ministering brother. Some think there is in this an allusion to his name Onesimus, which signifies "profitable"; before he did not answer to his name, but now he was a true Onesimus, really a profitable person; grace, of an unprofitable man, makes a profitable one. Such an one is profitable to himself; his godliness is gain unto him, it having both the promise of this life, and of that which is to come; and he is profitable to others, if he has gifts qualifying him for the public work of the ministry, as Onesimus seems to have had; then he is made and becomes very useful to many for conviction, conversion, comfort, and edification; and if only a private believer, he is often profitable to others, by relating the work of God upon his soul; he is serviceable to the interest of Christ, for the support of the ministry, and supply of the poor; he is useful by his good examples, and prayers, in the neighbourhood, town, city, or nation, in which he dwells. This argument from profit, the apostle knew would be an engaging one.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

Ver. 11. But now profitable] So is every true convert; there is little cause that men should boast they are no changelings, since whosoever is in Christ is a new creature. Sir Anthony Kingstone came to Mr Hooper the martyr a little before his death, and said, I thank God that ever I knew you; for God did appoint you to call me, being a lost child. For by your good instructions, whereas I was before both an adulterer and fornicator, God hath brought me to forsake and detest the same. Savoy, for the narrow passages infested with thieves, was once called Malvoy, or ill-way; till a worthy adventurer cleared the coasts, and then it was called Savoy or Salvoy, the safe way. Such a change there is in every good soul.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable - Either because he was indolent; because he had wronged him (compare the notes at Phm 1:18), or because he had run away from him. It is possible that there may be an allusion here to the meaning of the name “Onesimus,” which denotes “profitable” (from ὀνίνημι oninēmi, future ὀνήσω onēsō, to be useful, to be profitable, to help), and that Paul means to say that he had hitherto not well answered to the meaning of his own name, but that now he would be found to do so.

But now profitable to thee - The Greek here is εὔχρηστον euchrēston, but the meaning is about the same as that of the word Onesimus. It denotes very useful. In 2Ti 2:21, it is rendered “meet for use;” in 2Ti 4:11, and here, profitable. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament.

And to me - Paul had doubtless found him useful to him as Christian brother in his bonds, and it is easy to conceive that, in his circumstances, he would greatly desire to retain him with him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Who heretofore was unprofitable to thee, in taking and spending what belonged to thee, yet now, after a sincere conversion, is profitable [5] both to me and thee; to me, by the services he has done me in prison; and the joy I have had by his conversion; and also to thee, because I know thou wouldst have been glad to have rendered me all possible services thyself, and he has done them for thee; he hath supplied thy place. For these reasons I could have wished to have detained him with me: but I have sent him back, thou being his master, nor would I do any thing in regard of thy servant, without thy advice and consent, that if thou thinkest it fitting to send him back again to me, and to give him his freedom, it may be without any constraint upon thee, without any necessity, thy voluntary and charitable act and deed. (Witham) --- St. Paul here makes an allusion to the word Onesimus, signifying useful in the Greek. He was before unprofitable, he says, to thee, contrary to the import of his name; but now he is truly an Onesimus, or useful, both to you and to me; to you indeed, by his conversion, and the resolution he now makes to serve you faithfully the remainder of his life; to me also, by the services he renders me in my chains. (Calmet) --- St. Jerome observes that some hypercritics pretended that this subject was not deserving the solicitude of an apostle, and on that account questioned its author; but this reasoning is unworthy of those who adore a God who did not refuse to die for rebellious and impious slaves. It shews pastors how solicitous they should always be for the salvation of the meanest of their flock; yes, though they may appear obdurate, and dead and buried in the pit of sin.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Greek: Onesimos, utilis, but he useth Greek: achrestos and Greek: euchrestos. See Cornelius a Lapide.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Which in time past was to thee unprofitable; αχρηστον he useth a soft word, for it appears, Phm 1:18, he had

wronged him, taking away some of his goods, and running away with them, without Philemon’s knowledge, which made him doubly criminal.

But now profitable to thee and to me; but now ευχρηστον, profitable, one that may be profitable to thee, having learned Christ, and to me, who have used him in my service, and whose conversion will add to my crown.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. Unprofitable—A play upon the name Onesimus, which signifies profitable.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who was aforetime unprofitable ... to me. The play upon words seems unmistakable, and is peculiarly Pauline. Onesimus means "useful," or "profitable;" acrhstov , "unprofitable," and eucrhstov is emphatic, "very profitable." "Useful he is named, but in time past he was (I confess it) not useful, but useless; in future, however, he will be of great use to us both." Compare with this the corresponding passage of Pliny"s "Letter to Sabinianus," given in the Introduction. "Unprofitable" is a figure of speech, an euphemism, for "useless and even injurious." St. Paul makes the best of Onesimus"s fault that it will in justice allow. But an old commentator says bluntly that Onesimus was "damnosus fuga et furto." How could he have been, in his unconverted state, otherwise than "unprofitable" to his master? "Olim paganus," says a Lapide, "jam Christianus; olim fur, jam fidelis servus; olim profugus, jam redux.

Ungodly men are unprofitable to themselves and to others.

I IS SIN, THEN, PROFITABLE TO THE SINNER? Whether the pleasures of sense or the possessions and honors of the world have prompted him to sin, it will be found that they alike issue in vanity and vexation. Should the desires not be satisfied, then the discontented appetite thirsts for more, and renders the man unhappy. If it be satisfied, yet it is a satisfaction of weariness, not contentment, (Rom_6:21) and there is a sting of shame in the recollection of such pleasures.

II "THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH" (Rom_6:23) a penalty which must necessarily outweigh any apparent profit or pleasure arising from sin, however great it can be supposed to be. "What shall a man give or, "receive in exchange for his soul?". (Mar_8:36, 37) Sin were unprofitable if we should only consider the ultimate consequences of exhaustion and satiety which it has on the sinner. When the judgment of God is taken into account, it becomes absolute and manifest folly. Two facts to be borne in mind:

(1) man is accountable for what he does; and

(2) he has an immortality of future existence in which to bear the penal consequences of his doings.

Could the sinner have but a single sight of the awful fires of hell, he could never again doubt whether the sin which leads men thither were in any sense of the word profitable to any human being.

III IS THE SINNER, THEN, PROFITABLE TO OTHERS? He is rendered unprofitable to others in so far as he is given up into the power of sin. Onesimus had been "unprofitable" (Ver. 11) in time past to Philemon, because, under the influence of sinful motives (we do not know of what precise kind), he had sought dishonestly his own interest, not his master"s. The dishonest person will cheat his master or employer; the deceitful person will deceive others; and they are thus "unprofitable" in various ways to those who are brought into communication with them. Onesimus had become Christian, and his unprofitableness had disappeared. He was transformed by the grace of God. Self-seeking, dishonesty, untruthfulness, need not thenceforth be looked for from him (although these were the usual vices of the slave). He would be able to be trusted, and therefore he was profitable. See the influence of Christian motives. He would be faithful to Philemon as to others, kind, preferring others to himself. (Php_2:3, 4)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now profitable - None should be expected to be a good servant before he is a good man. He manifestly alludes to his name, Onesimus, which signifies profitable.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

11. “Who at one time was unprofitable to thee, but now profitable both to thee and to me, whom I have sent back to thee, him, that is my own heart.” See the intense fatherly kindness, and the deep parental love and Christian affection in the Pauline references to Onesimus.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable. He may not only have been a restless, discontented servant, but in addition, he ran away. But now profitable. Such a change has taken place in him. He has served Paul in his bonds well, and will also serve Philemon well.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

11. τόν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον, “who once was useless to thee.” ἄχρηστος here only in N.T. occurs a few times in LXX., but in no instance illustrating our passage. In Mat 25:30; Luk 17:10 ἀχρεῖος is used of worthless slaves. According to Tittmann quoted by Trench Synon. § c. 17 ἀχρεῖος is the more negative word of the two, ἅχρηστος suggesting positive hurtfulness. All the modern commentators quote Plato Resp. III. p. 411A χρήσιμον ἐξ ἀχρήστου … ἐποίησεν.

νυνὶ δὲ σοὶ καὶ ἑμοὶ εὔχρηστον. Onesimus “erit nomini suo respondens servus utilis” (Wetstein), and will presumably act in accordance with Col 3:22 sqq. It is curious that the Greek commentators do not notice the play on the name. P. Ewald indeed doubts it here, saying that St Paul might have employed more closely related terms such as ἀνόνητος and ὀνητός. For εὔχρηστος see 2Ti 2:21; 2Ti 4:11† and in LXX. Pro 31:13 (31); Wis 13:13†.

καὶ ἐμοί is, as Lightfoot points out, strictly an afterthought (cf. Php 2:27) and therefore (contrary to Greek usage) the second person precedes. Observe that as his usefulness to Philemon must lie in the same range as the uselessness, i.e. in material service, so also presumably his usefulness to St Paul. The latter, that is to say, is not thinking of Onesimus’ conversion representing the gain and recompense of his labour (cf. Php 1:22; Php 2:16), but of the practical assistance that Onesimus was to him in the things of daily life. The words thus serve to introduce the thought of Phm 1:13.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11.] Here there certainly appears to be a play on the name—‘quondam … parum suo nomini respondens,—nunc in diversum mutatus.’ Erasm. (No play on χριστός (as Koch, al.) must be thought of, as too far-fetched, and because the datives σοί and ἐμοί fix the adjectives to their ordinary meanings.) He had been ἄχρηστος in having run away, and apparently (ver. 18) defrauded his master as well. Meyer quotes from Plato, Lys. p. 204 b: φαῦλος κ. ἄχρηστος: and from ib. Rep. p. 411 b: χρήσιμον ἐξ ἀχρήστου ἐποίησεν. On account of the σοὶ καὶ ἐμοί, εὔχρηστον must not be limited to the sense of outward profit, but extended to a spiritual meaning as well—profitable to me, as the fruit of my ministry,—to thee as a servant, and also as a Christian brother (ver. 16).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. ἄχρηστον: ‘useless,’ ‘unserviceable.’ Titmann (Syn.) says that to the idea of uselessness it adds that of harmfulness, while ἀχρεῖος means simply that of which there is no need. (See Schmidt, Synon. 166, 6.) It is not, however, probable that the idea of harmfulness is implied in connection with a possible robbery of his master by Onesimus. (See on vs. 18.)

Ἄχρηστος only here in N.T., LXX, Hos 8:8; Sap. 2:11, 3:11; Sir. 16:1, 27:19; 2 Macc. 7:5.

νυνὶ δε: ‘but now,’ that he has become a Christian disciple. Νυνὶ δε, mostly and very often in Paul. (See Rom 6:22, Rom 6:7:6, Rom 6:17, Rom 6:15:23, 25; 1Co 5:11, etc.)

σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ εὔχρηστον: ‘profitable to thee and to me.’ Formerly useless to thee, when he was thy worthless, runaway slave, and before I had known him. Now profitable to us both. The nice use of the personal pronouns and the assumption of a joint interest in Onesimus are very charming. (Comp. Rom 16:13; 1Co 16:18; Php 2:27.)

א* Fgr G, 17, 31, 47 67, Syr.sch, Æth., add και before σοι. So Tisch., Weiss.

και om. by ACDKLP, Syr.P, Arm., WH., R.T.

εὔχρηστον occurs only here, 2Ti 2:21, 2Ti 4:11. Profitable to Philemon in the new and higher character of his service as a Christian, as described (Eph 6:5 ff.; Col 3:22 ff.). Profitable to Paul as an evidence of his successful apostolic labor (καρπὸς ἕργου, Php 1:22), and therefore a cause of joy and encouragement. There may also be a reference to Onesimus’ kindly ministries to himself in his imprisonment (vs. 13).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Unprofitable [αχρηστον] . A play on the word Onesimus profitable. Compare unprofitable [αχρειος] servant, Mt 25:30. These plays upon proper names are common both in Greek and Roman literature. Thus Aeschylus on the name of Helen of Troy, the play or pun turning on the root eJl, hel, destroy : Helene, helenaus, helandras, heleptolis : Helen, ship - destroyer, man - destroyer, city - destroyer (" Agamemnon, "671). Or, as Robert Browning :" Helen, ship 's - hell, man's - hell, city's - hell. "So on Prometheus (forethought) :" Falsely do the gods call thee Prometheus, for thou thyself hast need of prometheus, i e., of forethought "(" Prometheus Bound," 85, 86). Or Sophocles on Ajax. Aias [ααξ] cries ai, ai! and says, "Who would have thought that my name would thus be the appropriate expression for my woes?" (" Ajax, "430). In the New Testament, a familiar example is Mt 16:18;" thou art Petros, and on this petra will I build my church. "See on Epaenetus, 2Co 8:18. 21 2 Now profitable." Christianity knows nothing of hopeless cases. It professes its ability to take the most crooked stick and bring it straight, to flash a new power into the blackest carbon, which will turn it into a diamond "(Maclaren," Philemon, "in" Expositor's Bible ").

And to me. The words are ingeniously thrown in as an afterthought. Compare Phi 2:27; Rom 16:13; 1Co 16:18. A strong appeal to Philem. lies in the fact that Paul is to reap benefit from Onesimus in his new attitude as a christian brother.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

ὃν ἐγέννησα κ.τ.λ.] So too 1 Cor. iv. 15. In Gal. iv. 19 he speaks of himself as suffering a mother’s pangs for his children in the faith. Comp. Phil. Leg. ad Cai. 8 (II. p. 554) ἐμόν ἐστι τοῦ Μάκρωνος ἔργον Γαΐος· μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἢ οὐχ ἧττον τῶν γονέων γεγέννηκα.

ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς] He was doubly dear to the Apostle, as being the child of his sorrows.

Ὀνήσιμον] for Ὀνησίμου by attraction, as e.g. Mark vi. 16 ὃν ἐγὼ ἀπεκεφάλισα Ἰώαννην, οὗτός ἐστιν. Henceforward he will be true to his name, no longer ἀνόνητος, but ὀνήσιμος: comp. Ruth i. 20 ‘Call me not Naomi (pleasant) but call me Mara (bitter) etc.’ The word ἄχρηστος is a synonyme for ἀνόνητος, Demosth. Phil. iii. § 40 (p. 121) ἅπαντα ταῦτα ἄχρηστα ἄπρακτα ἀνόνητα κ.τ.λ.: comp. Pseudophocyl. 37 (34) χρηστὸς ὀνήσιμός ἐστι, φίλος δ’ ἀδικῶν ἀνόνητος. The significance of names was a matter of special importance among the ancients. Hence they were careful in the inauguration of any great work that only those who had bona nomina, prospera nomina, fausta nomina, should take part: Cic. de Div. i. 45, Plin. N.H. xxviii. 2. 5, Tac. Hist. iv. 53. On the value attached to names by the ancients, and more especially by the Hebrews, see Farrar Chapters on Language p. 267 sq., where a large number of instances are collected. Here however there is nothing more than an affectionate play on a name, such as might occur to any one at any time: comp. Euseb. H.E. v. 24 ὁ )Ειρηναῖος φερώνυμός τις ὢν τῇ προσηγορίᾳ, αὐτῷ τε τῷ τρόπῳ εἰρηνόποιος.

J. B. Lightfoot, St Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and Philemon: a revised text with introductions, notes and dissertations (London: Macmillan, 1875) — public domain. Electronic text from Project Gutenberg (ebook #50857). Covers Colossians and Philemon only (the verse-by-verse notes; introductions and dissertations are omitted); Lightfoot's companion Galatians and Philippians volumes are not included, as the available public-domain scans carry garbled Greek that cannot be faithfully reproduced.