Philemon 1:16

Not now as a servant,.... That is, not only as a servant, for a servant he was, and was to be received as such; his call by grace had not dissolved the civil relation that was between him and his…

Not now as a servant - The adverb rendered “not now” (οὐκέτι ouketi), means “no more, no further, no longer.” It implies that he had been before in this condition, but was not to be now; compare Mat…

Not now as a servant? - Do not receive him merely as thy slave, nor treat him according to that condition; but as a brother - as a genuine Christian, and particularly dear to me.

Both in the flesh and…

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…

not now as a servant No more as bondservant. Not that he would cease to be such, necessarily, in law; St Paul does not say "set him free." But in Christ he was free, an and of kin.

a brother beloved…