Spiritual Parentage Better than Natural
W. Jones, D. D. Philemon 1:10 I beseech you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: St. Paul, then, was Onesimus's father — not natural but spiritual; and we are more beholden to our spiritual than to our natural fathers. 1. They beget us of a woman; these of the Church which is the spouse of Christ. 2. They beget us of mortal seed, therefore we die; these of the immortal seed of the Word of God, whereby we live forever. 3. They beget us to a temporal life; these to an eternal. 4. They to the miseries of the world; these to the joys of the world to come. Therefore let us love them, let us have them in singular love for their works' sake. As Alexander professed he was more beholden to Aristotle than Philip; the one gave him esse, being, the other bene esse, his well-being. Yet this is little considered of. (W. Jones, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: WEB: I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,