ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Onesimus - 'n wegloopslaaf? Oor die ontstaansituasie van die Filemonbrief

 

Onesimus - a runaway slave? The origin of the Letter to Philemon

 

 

D F Tolmie¹

Universiteit van die Vrystaat

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

It is often assumed that Onesimus (mentioned in Paul's Letter to Philemon) was a runaway slave, but in many instances the arguments supporting such a hypothesis are neither provided nor critically examined. A scrutiny of research in this regard indicates the complexity of the matter. In this article various theories on the origin of the Letter to Philemon are discussed and evaluated. The article is concluded by suggestions for making a well-founded decision in this regard.

---

 

 

Full text available only in PDF format.

 

 

Literatuurverwysings

Arzt-Grabner, P 2003. Philemon (PKNT 1). Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.         [ Links ]

Arzt-Grabner, P 2004a. 'Bitten für' oder 'Bitten um'? Zur Problematik des Textvergleichs am Beispiel von Phlm 10 in Protokolle zur Bibel 13(1), 49-55.         [ Links ]

Arzt-Grabner, P 2004b. Onesimus erro: Zur Vorgeschichte des Philemonbriefes in ZNW 95(1-2), 131-143.         [ Links ]

Barnes, A 1846. An inquiry into the Scriptural views of slavery. Philadelphia: Parry & McMillan.         [ Links ]

Bartchy, S S 1992. Slavery: New Testament in ABD 6, 65-73.         [ Links ]

Barth, M & Blanke, H 2000. The Letter to Philemon. A new translation with notes and commentary (ECC). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans.         [ Links ]

Bauer, W, Arndt, W F, Gingrich, F W & Danker, F W 2000. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature. Chicago -London: University of Chicago Press (Afgekort as BDAG).         [ Links ]

Bellen, H 1971. Studien zur Sklaverei im römischen Kaiserreich (FASk 4). Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner.         [ Links ]

Buckland, W W 1908. The Roman law of slavery. The condition of the slave in private law from Augustus to Justinian. Cambridge: University Press.         [ Links ]

Byron, J 2004. Paul and the background of slavery: The Status Quaestionis in New Testament scholarship in Currents in Biblical Research 3(1), 116-139.         [ Links ]

Callahan, A D 1993. Paul's Epistle to Philemon: Toward an alternative argumentum in Harvard Theological Review 86(4), 357-376.         [ Links ]

Callahan, A D 1997. Embassy of Onesimus. The Letter of Paul to Philemon. (The New Testament in Context). Valley Forge: Trinity Press International.         [ Links ]

Dunn, J D G 1996. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon: A commentary on the Greek text (NIGTC). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans.         [ Links ]

Eckey, W 2006. Die Briefe des Paulus an die Philipper und an Philemon: Ein Kommentar. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener.         [ Links ]

Fitzmyer, J A 2000. The Letter to Philemon. A new translation with introduction and commentary (AB 34C). New York/London/Toronto/ Sydney/Auckland: Doubleday.         [ Links ]

Hahn, F 1977. Paulus und der Sklave Onesimus. Ein beachtenswerter Kommentar zum Filemonbrief in EvTh 37, 179-185.         [ Links ]

Harrill, J A 1999. Using the Roman jurists to interpret Philemon: A response to Peter Lampe in ZNW 90(1-2), 135-138.         [ Links ]

Harrill, J A 2006. Slaves in the New Testament. Literary, social and moral dimensions. Minneapolis: Fortress.         [ Links ]

Horsley, R A 1998. Paul and slavery: A critical alternative to recent readings in Semeia 83-84, 153-200.         [ Links ]

Hübner, H 1997. An Philemon. An die Kolosser. An die Epheser (HNT 12). Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck.         [ Links ]

Iser, W 1976. Der Akt des Lesens. Theorie ästhetischer Wirkung (UniTaschenbücher 636). München: Fink.         [ Links ]

Janse van Rensburg, F J 1999. Filemon in Vosloo, W & Janse van Rensburg, F J (reds), Die Bybellennium eenvolumekommentaar. Vereeniging: Christelike Uitgewersmaatskappy, 1672-1676.         [ Links ]

Knox, J 1960. Philemon among the letters of Paul. London: St James's Place.         [ Links ]

Lampe, P 1985. Keine "Sklavenflucht" des Onesimus in ZNW 76, 135-137.         [ Links ]

Laub, F 1982. Die Begegnung des frühen Christentums mit der antiken Sklaverei (SBS 107). Stuttgart: Verlag Katholisches Bibelwerk.         [ Links ]

Llewelyn, S R 1998. The government's pursuit of slaves in NDIEC 8 (A Review of the Greek Inscriptions and Papyri Published 1984-85), 9-46.         [ Links ]

Louw, J P & Nida, E A 1988. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament based on semantic domains. Volume 1. Introduction and domains. New York: United Bible Societies.         [ Links ]

Mitchell, M 1995. John Chrysostom on Philemon: A second look in Harvard Theological Review 88(1), 135-148.         [ Links ]

Nordling, J G 2004. Philemon (Concordia Commentary). Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.         [ Links ]

Nortjé-Meyer, L 2003. Filemon. in Landman, C (red), Leefstyl-Bybel vir vroue. Paarl: Luxverbi.BM, 1594-1598.         [ Links ]

Rapske, B M 1991. The prisoner Paul in the eyes of Onesimus in NTS 37, 187-203.         [ Links ]

Schenk, W 1987. Der Brief des Paulus an Philemon in der neueren Forschung (1945-1987) in ANRW II.25.4, 3439-95.         [ Links ]

Schubert, P 1939. Form and function of the Pauline thanksgivings (BZNW 20). Berlyn: Alfred Töpelmann.         [ Links ]

Stuhlmacher, P 1975. Der Briefan Philemon (EKKNT 18). Einsiedeln: Benziger.         [ Links ]

Suhl, A 1981. Der Brief an Philemon (ZBK.NT 13). Zürich: Theologischer Verlag.         [ Links ]

Wansink, C S 1996. Chained in Christ: The experience and rhetoric of Paul's imprisonments (JSNT.S 130). Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.         [ Links ]

Wilson, R M 2005. A critical and exegetical commentary on Colossians and Philemon. London/New York: T & T Clark.         [ Links ]

Winter, S C 1984. Methodological observations on a new interpretion of Paul's Letter to Philemon in USQR 39, 203-212.         [ Links ]

Winter, S C 1987. Paul's Letter to Philemon in NTS 33, 1-15.         [ Links ]

Wolter, M 1993. Der Brief an die Kolosser. Der Brief an Philemon (ÖTBK 12). Gütersloh: Gerd Mohn.         [ Links ]

 

 

1 Prof D F Tolmie, Hoof: Departement Nuwe Testament, Fakulteit Teologie, Universiteit van die Vrystaat, Bloemfontein. tolmief.hum@mail.uovs.ac.za.