After reading this tiny little personal letter from Paul to Philemon this morning, I wondered, why was this letter even included in the canon. I was confused because I always hear something from God when I read the Bible. We (me and Randy) are reading through the NT chronologically, and even thrashing it out, I still felt like it was just a piece of fluff that wouldn’t be missed. However, I know that the Father has it there for a purpose and I needed to dig in and find it.
Cloud of Witnesses
We are so fortunate in this age to have so many resources and tools for Bible study, at our fingertips. My personal favorite tool is E-Sword. I have downloaded countless commentaries, dictionaries, concordances, Bible versions, etc., using this free tool, and it has made it easy for me to discover what others have labored and found in God’s word. When Paul wrote in Hebrews 12:1 “…since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us…” he was speaking of the saints of the OT, and we too have their witness, but we also have the witnesses of the last two millennia. One of my favorite Bible commentors is Matthew Henry. His exposition on this little letter is wonderful. Before his exposition he makes some general observations and the fifth one struck a cord with me and reminded me of the Father’s rich and free grace, and that when I can’t hear Him it’s because I’m not listening hard enough!
There may be something further in all this; at least, by way of allusion, it is applicable to the mediation and intercession of Christ for poor sinners. We, like Onesimus, were revolters from God’s service, and had injured him in his rights. Jesus Christ finds us, and by his grace works a change in us, and then intercedes for us with the Father, that we may be received into his favour and family again, and past offences may be forgiven; and we are sure that the Father heareth him always. There is no reason to doubt but Paul prevailed with Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus: and more reason have we to be confident that the intercession of Christ with the Father is prevalent for the acceptance of all whose case he takes in hand and recommends to him. ~ Matthew Henry
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