Beloved Brother or Slave?: Rethinking Koinonia in Paul's Letter to Philemon (Cascade Library of Pauline Studies)

Okitakatshi, Laurent

ISBN 13: 9798385217830

Published by Cascade Books, 2025

About this Item

Seller Inventory # I-9798385217830

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Beloved Brother or Slave?: Rethinking Koinonia in Paul's Letter to Philemon (Cascade Library of Pauline Studies)
• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798385217830
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Addressing Philemon as well as the church that meets in Philemon’s house, Paul makes this prayer: “I pray that the koinonia of your faith may become effective when you realize all the good that we may do for Christ” (vv. 4–6). What was Paul’s intention in revealing the content of his prayer for Philemon in a letter he knew would be read publicly? Why was Philemon’s koinonia of faith both a matter of praise and an object of concern for Paul? The text does not answer these questions until ten verses later. In verse 16, one finds this radical and earth-shaking request, namely that Philemon receive Onesimus no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother in the flesh and in the Lord (v. 16). This book stems from the realization that the word “brother” in verse 16 not only explains why Philemon’s koinonia of faith was ineffective (v. 6) but also strengthens my claim that a call to an ethic of koinonia is the central message of the letter.

About the Author

Laurent Okitakatshi is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Tshumbe (Democratic Republic of the Congo). He is the President-Rector and professor of New Testament at St. John Paul II Theological Seminary in Lodja.