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"Yes, brother, let me have joy..."

Text: Philemon 20

BROTHER TO BROTHER

Paul and Philemon may not have been related by blood. But though there were no biological bonds, they were truly “brothers”.

“Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord;
refresh my heart in the Lord.”
Philemon 20

1. “Yes, brother”

a) Deep affection must be read in these words.

b) These words must have tugged at the heart.

i) Paul writing this word.

ii) Philemon reading this word.

2. “Let me have joy”

a) There were few things that Paul wanted in life.

b) He had dedicated his whole life to serve the Lord Jesus.

c) He had denied himself of all that he could have profited from the world.

d) If he could ask for one thing from Philemon, it would be “joy”.

i) To have Philemon accede to his request.

ii) To have Onesimus fully forgiven and received as “a brother beloved”.

3. A special construction

a) The word “have” is a rare employment of what is called “an aorist optative”.

b) Paul was expressing a wish! (The optative expresses “a wish”).

c) The word “joy” was added by the translators.

d) The word itself simply means “a benefit”.

e) Paul was expressing a wish to receive “a benefit” (a boon) from Philemon.

4. “Refresh my heart in the Lord”

a) The word translated “heart” is not the usual word (Greek “kardia”).

b) This word (Greek “splagchna”) is sometimes translated as “deep affection,” or “compassion”.

c) An acceptable English equivalent is the word “heart”.

5. “In the Lord”

Paul took seriously and literally the Biblical truth of our being “in the Lord”.

Our thoughts and actions should be reflective of a genuine faith in the Lord!