Making mention of thee always in my prayers. We may judge of the reality of our affection by the current of our thoughts. Do we find them tending towards some absent friends daily? Then we have evidence that ours is not the superficial love that can live only in the presence of its object. With the Christian thought turns to prayer. There on the throne of the universe is One who can best befriend our dearest friends.

I. THERE WAS BLESSEDNESS IN THE EXPERIENCE. "I thank my God making mention," etc. It was not a prayer touched with sorrow for Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus, or with anxiety about their faith and character. It was the prayer of one who rejoiced that the Christ above could keep them from falling.

II. THERE WAS PURPOSE IN THE PRAYER. Paul remembers its subject-matter. When he heard of their love and faith towards the Lord Jesus, he prayed that their faith might not be merely personal or selfish, but that their religion might be, in the modern speech, "altruistic," which is "otherism" as opposed to "selfism." Paul prayed that the communication of their faith might be effectual, that the light might shine on others so as to guide them, that the fountain might flow into other hearts so as to refresh them. - W.M.S.

Paul has the habit of beginning all his letters with thankful commendations, and assurances of a place in his prayers. The exceptions are 2 Corinthians, where he writes under strong and painful emotion, and Galatians, where a vehement accusation of fickleness takes the place of the usual greeting. But these exceptions make the habit more conspicuous. But though this is a habit, it is not a form, but is the perfectly simple and natural expression of the moment's feelings. He begins his letters so, not in order to please and to say smooth things, but because he feels lovingly, and his heart fills with a pure joy which speaks most fitly in prayer. To recognise good is the way to make good better. Teachers must love if their teaching is to help. The best way to secure the doing of any signal act of Christian generosity, such as Paul wished of Philemon, is to show absolute confidence that it will be done, because it is in accordance with what we know of the doer's character. "It's a shame to tell Arnold a lie; he always trusts us," the Rugby boys used to say.

(A. Maclaren, D. D.)

God cannot be possessed except as a personal good; and yet cannot be possessed and enjoyed as a personal good only, any more than sunshine can be held as mere private property. The more of such blessings a neighbour enjoys, there is the more for any one else to use and enjoy. So there is that in vital personal interest in God which at once guarantees a thankful spirit in the possessor, and acts as a safeguard against the spirit of self-worship. The law of the solar system is that "the more quickly a planet revolves round the sun, the more slowly it turns round its own axis"; and the very principle which regulates its speed makes it sway to and fro from its own centre towards neighbouring orbs, while keeping it balanced in its course round the central one of all. No wonder there exhales from Paul's heart the incense of pure thanks to God for all the evidences of Philemon's goodness and grace, as inwrought by saving mercy, and as working outwardly in acts of love and kindness unto others! Far from the expression of his self-interest, "My God" being self-confined, his very thanks are absorbed with the good in another. The more a fire shoots its flame and heat towards heaven, the farther out from itself will it shoot its warmth. So the more vehemently the soul can possess itself of God and be possessed by Him, the more ardently will it be carried upward with its thanks and outward with its intense desires for the good of others. Thoughts of God's mercies will ever be found lying very close to thoughts of others' needs. To be able to thank God sincerely for the good we see in others, is the best security for our feeling intensely solicitous for their further good.

(A. H. Drysdale, M. A.)

I. HIS PRAYERFUL THANKSGIVING.

1. The mingling of thanks with intercession is true prayer — the discovery of a reason in blessings bestowed for craving and expecting more (Psalm 115:12).

2. Thanksgiving insures further grace by fostering a spirit of dependence.

3. Gratitude for the good in others is a spiritual grace. Disinterested love — the prime feature of heavenliness — Christ-likeness.

II. THE OCCASION OF HIS GRATITUDE. Two leading characteristics of Christianity are specified as being possessed by Philemon.

1. Faith fixed on Christ. This is —

(1)The absolute source of salvation.

(2)The principle of the saved life.

(3)The spring of beneficent activity.

2. Love of the brethren proving the faith. Such affection —

(1)Impartial.

(2)Discriminating.

(3)Active. A grace of the heart first, the force of life afterward.

III. THE OBJECT OF HIS PETITION. Twofold: Increase —

1. In practical godliness. "Be ye enlarged" is the Divine mandate in the natural and spiritual realm. Paul "prays for that very thing for which he 'gives thanks.' The most perfect need prayers for their perseverance and progress."

2. In the number of believers. The eloquence of good deeds cannot be resisted. "Everything in us that is good makes known our faith" and impels us to make "acknowledgment" of our relation to Christ. His reflected light in us will attract men to seek Him for themselves.

IV. THE GREATNESS OF HIS JOY. Great heart he who could be glad for others' sakes under such conditions!

1. His triumph in adversity. Thinks little of his own troubles. Mentions them only to appeal to his friend's heart in the interests of another.

2. His unselfishness. "The hearts of the saints are refreshed." This was the fountain of his pleasure. "Singular love to feel so much joy on account of the benefit received by others."Learn:

1. To cultivate sympathy.

2. To master circumstances.

3. To commend the gospel.

4. To advance in every good.

(A. W. Johnson.)

I. THE OBJECT. "I thank my God," etc.

1. God is the Author of all good (Hosea 14:8).

2. To him, therefore, is all praise due (1 Chronicles 29:13, 14).

3. It is the privilege of good men to approach Him as their God.

4. Our prayers and praises should be for others as well as for ourselves.

II. THE CIRCUMSTANCE. "Always," etc.

III. THE MATTER.

1. Of his praises, on account of Philemon —

(1)Love for Christ.

(2)Faith in Christ.

(3)Love to saints.

2. Of his prayers.

(1)That fruits may abound.

(2)That others may be won.

(3)That God may be glorified.

IV. THE REASON.

(M. Henry, D. D.)

We learn from hence that all Christians (especially teachers) are greatly to rejoice and praise God when they see that professors grow forward in heavenly graces. It is a matter of great joy and comfort to see men grow in graces as they do in years, and to increase in heavenly things as they multiply their days.

1. It serveth exceedingly to advance the glory of God that men grow in godliness, which ought to be an effectual reason to move us to rejoice; for what is there that should more cheer us, than when God's name is magnified, and His truth extolled among the sons of men.

2. The forwardness of one is a notable means to draw forward another. For as one wicked man maketh another, and he that is seduced is an instrument to seduce another; so he that is truly converted will not rest in the quiet fruit and inward comfort of his own conversion, but labour to convert others, and so make them partakers of that comfort which they have found.

3. It is a great comfort to the pastors and teachers of the Church, when such as are taught do grow in grace and prosper by those means that are brought and offered unto them. The apostle calleth the Philippians his brethren, beloved and longed for, his joy and his crown; wherein he accounteth their growth, his honour; their increasing, his rejoicing; their faith, his hope; their flourishing, his felicity. It is a great comfort to the husbandman after his toiling and tilling, after his planting and ploughing, to see the fruits of his labours, and to behold the increase of the earth. So it fareth with the spiritual husbandman, whose labour is greater and oftener, enduring all the year long, whose patience is greater in waiting for the early and latter rain, whose gain and profit is less in tilling a dry and barren soil, that yieldeth little or no increase, but a crop of cares, a bundle of briars and bushes, and an harvest of thorns and thistles, that are reserved for the fire.

4. The graces of God, and the growing in these graces, are fruits of their election, and seals of their salvation, so that the angels in heaven rejoice at the conversion of a sinner.

(W. Attersoll.)

I. FOR HIS GRATULATION, OR REJOICING WITH PHILEMON IN HIS GRACES, IT IS SET DOWN IN THE FORM OF THANKSGIVING, "I thank."

1. Where observe, the manner of true Christian congratulating and rejoicing with our friends, for any good thing they have; namely, to rejoice in the Lord; giving Him first of all His due, the praise of all that good they have. The rejoicing of the world is carnal and profane. God is never so much as thought upon. The parties whom we congratulate, they are dignified and almost deified. "Oh, I admire your wisdom, eloquence, learning," etc., will the flatterer, or the inordinate lover of his friend, say. But Paul would say, "I admire the goodness and mercy of God towards you, in enriching you with these gifts, I thank God for your wisdom," etc.; so all the praise is given wholly to God, whereas before it was wholly derived from God to man, and so God was defrauded and defeated of His right. Not that it is unlawful to praise men endued with the graces and gifts of God's Spirit; nay, it is a duty we owe unto them; but it must be performed in that wise sort, that God in the first place be praised; for by this means we shall both in ourselves take away suspicion of flattery, and in our brother commended, suspicion of pride.

2. The title that Paul giveth God in this his thanksgiving, "My God."(1) The privilege of every true Christian. He hath a peculiarity and special propriety in God, that look as a man may say of his inheritance, his house and lands, "These be mine," so he may as truly say of God, "God is mine;" I am righted and interested in Him. This privilege is conferred upon us in the covenant of grace which runs in this tenor, "I will be thy God, and thou shalt be one of My people."(2) The nature of true justifying faith, which is, to apply God in special to the believer. True faith doth not only believe that God is the God of His elect in general, but that He is his God in special, as Paul here saith, "My God."

II. The second effect WHEREBY PAUL DECLARETH HIS LOVE TOWARDS THEM, IS HIS DAILY PRAYING FOR THEM. "Making mention of you always in my prayers."

1. Even in our private and solitary prayers, we must be mindful of our brethren.

2. Observe, that Paul did pray even for those for whom he gave thanks; from whence it followeth, that there is no man so perfect that he hath need only to give thanks for that good he hath received, and not to ask some good thing he wanteth. Unto thanksgiving, there fore, for ourselves or others, petition must be annexed both for the continuance and increase of that good we give thanks for.

III. We may observe, THAT PHILEMON WAS SUCH AN ONE AS MINISTERED TO PAUL JUST OCCASION, AS OF PRAYER, SO LIKEWISE OF THANKSGIVING. We must labour herein to be like him, that others, specially God's ministers, who either see us, or hear of us, may have cause not only to pray for us, but also to praise God for us.

(D. Dyke, B. D.)

The best men, cumulated with the greatest graces of the Spirit, had need be prayed for. St. Paul was rapt up into the third heaven, where he saw secrets not to be uttered, yet he desires the Ephesians' prayers. St. Peter was a stout champion; yet Christ prays that his faith should not fail. Philemon abounded in all good gifts, of knowledge, faith and love, yet St. Paul ceased not to pray for him.

1. The best of all know but in part, love in part; therefore we had need to pray for them, that their defects may be supplied, that they may increase daily more and more.

2. Here we are wayfaring men, we are not come to our journey's end; therefore we had need to be prayed for, that we may persevere to the end, and have the crown of life.

(W. Jones, D. D.)

Alexander counted Achilles happy, that he had such a trumpeter of his praises as Homer was. Philemon might count himself happy, that he had such a worthy man to pray for him as St. Paul.

(W. Jones, D. D.)

What a list of persons for whom he daily entreated God must St. Paul have had! If he thus prayed especially for this convert in the comparatively small city of Colosse, what numbers must he have mentioned in Corinth, in Ephesus, in Philippi, in Thessalonica? And notice how in these supplications for private persons he mentions thanksgivings. He remembers not only their wants, but the blessings already bestowed upon them.

(M. F. Sadler, M. A.)

When we are poor and can do our brethren no other good, yet may we benefit them by our prayers. When we see our brethren in necessity, in danger, in affliction, in persecution, in sickness, and in great misery; when we have no hand to help them, no power to deliver them, no means to succour them, no favour to speak for them; yet, we have hearts to lift up for them to God, the Father of all mercies, and the God of all consolation, and by praying unto Him for them, we shall do them much good, give them much comfort, minister unto them much help, and procure unto them speedy deliverance. This shall be more available and profitable unto them than all other means of help and succour used for their safety without this. Let such as are of the greatest gifts earnestly crave and call for the prayers of those that have lesser and smaller gifts. This reproveth such as never regard them, nor require them, that think they have no need of them, nor know the necessity of them. It is all one to these men, whether they be prayed for or not; whom God no doubt doth oftentimes cross in the works of their hands, that they do not prosper, because they make no account of the Church's prayers. It reproveth such also as regard not the public assemblies of the faithful, and the meeting of the congregation of Christ in one place, where prayers are made for the Church, where praises are sung, and thanks are rendered for the blessings of God; yea, heaven and earth are made to ring and rebound with sounding out His glory, as it were with the voice of one man. All our churches, for the most part on the Lord's day, assemble at one hour, we come together at one time, a blessed hour, a blessed time; the best hour, the best time in the whole week. Oh, how should we love it, how should we desire it, how should we delight in it? Then do we pray for the Church, then the Church prayeth for us; then are we mindful of our brethren, then are our brethren likewise mindful of us; then is God mindful of us all.

(W. Attersoll.)

It is matter of thank fulness that the privilege of intercession is the property of all Christians. While perishable good — such as friends, health, riches — are denied to thousands, there is not one so poor or so powerless as may not be a benefactor, not to individuals merely, but to the Church and to mankind, through the common privilege of prayer. It enables the weakest and most lonely to direct the arm of Omnipotence, and to help the objects of their affection from afar. It gives power to bless those who are separated from our presence by half the globe, and secures to the absent child the comfort of a parent's presence, whom he shall never meet except in heaven. "Surely some good Christian is praying for us tonight." has been heard from the lips of a pious seaman, when the tempest that was driving them in resistless fury towards destruction suddenly veered round, and saved them from the rocks on which they expected to be dashed the next moment; and God only, and the good angels whom He sends to minister to His children, can tell what good thoughts have been inspired, what temptations have been averted, what peace has been communicated, through the power of some absent believer's prayers. Let it be our care to make use of this practicable and powerful instrument of diffusing good. The poorest can obtain it; the humblest believer is already in possession of it. Say not thou canst do nothing for men if thou canst give them thy love, thy Christian example, and thy prayers.

(R. Nisbet, D. D.)

Prayer is based on a supreme contentedness with Divine gifts and blessings but also on a sublime uncontentedness with human attainments in them. It therefore catches up thankfulness and petition into a happy unity, as the railway train holds its passengers at rest and yet in motion at the same moment. True prayer is free alike from querulous discontent and from cloddish self-content. The very satisfaction of the traveller at the well with the water it affords, bids him draw more largely on its supply for himself and others. And so Paul is thankful for all that God is and does, for all He has and offers, as manifested in the evangelic faith and love of Philemon; but he cannot think of either Philemon or himself resting satisfied where so much more remains to be possessed. To have nothing further to ask and yearn after were to have the mainspring of activity and improvement utterly broken. To pray is therefore a privilege and a relief. To pray for others is especially so to a loving and benevolent heart. We might have been permitted to pray only for ourselves; but amid the separations and scatterings of earth, God has been pleased to put intercession for one another as an instrument of mutual interest and blessing into the hands of all who would promote each other's good.

(A. H. Drysdale, M. A.)

Apphia, Archippus, Aristarchus, Demas, Epaphras, Lucas, Luke, Marcus, Mark, Onesimus, Paul, Philemon, Timotheus, TimothyColossaeAlways, Brother, Continual, Making, Mention, Praise, Prayer, Prayers, Remember, Thank, Thanks1. Paul rejoices to hear of the faith and love of Philemon,
8. whom he desires to forgive his servant Onesimus, and lovingly to receive him again.

Philemon 1:4

     8352   thankfulness
     8618   prayerfulness

The Epistles of the Captivity.
During his confinement in Rome, from a.d. 61 to 63, while waiting the issue of his trial on the charge of being "a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes" (Acts 24:5), the aged apostle composed four Epistles, to the Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon, and Philippians. He thus turned the prison into a pulpit, sent inspiration and comfort to his distant congregations, and rendered a greater service to future ages than he could have …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

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