Close (Philemon 23-25)

(Class Notes)

• Salutations and Benediction (Philemon 23-25)
  • Paul sends GREETINGS to Philemon FROM those in FELLOWSHIP with him (Philemon 23-24)
    • Epaphras, "my FELLOW PRISONER in Christ Jesus" (Philemon 23)
      • Epaphras, "our dear FELLOW SERVANT ... a FAITHFUL MINISTER of Christ" (Colossians 1:7)
      • Epaphras, "SERVANT of Christ ... ALWAYS LABORING FERVENTLY" (Colossians 4:12)
    • Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, "my FELLOW LABORERS" (Philemon 24)
      • Marcus, "sister's son to Barnabas ... receive him" (Colossians 4:10)
      • Aristarchus. a man of Macedonia (a Thessalonian believer) and a travel companion of Paul (Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2)
      • Demas, who FOR A TIME was WITH Paul (Colossians 4:14), but IN THE END "FORSOOK Paul, having loved this present evil world (age)" (II Timothy 4:10) - NOT A FINISHER like Paul (Acts 20:24 cf. II Timothy 4:7)
      • Lucas, ONLY mentioned HERE (Philemon 24)
  • Paul concludes his letter to Philemon with the BENEDICTION that "the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ" would be with Philemon's spirit (Philemon 25)
    • This was Paul's DESIRE when EITHER communicating with a PROBLEM CHURCH (Galatians 6:18) OR a DEDICATED PASTOR (II Timothy 4:22)
    • Under "the dispensation (stewardship) of the GRACE of God" (Ephesians 3:2), the believer's BLESSINGS are SPIRITUAL (Ephesians 1:3) and GOD INDWELLS the believer "IN SPIRIT" (Ephesians 2:22)
    • Paul always prayed that believers would have a SPIRIT characterized by "WISDOM and REVELATION in the KNOWLEDGE "of Him (Christ):" (Ephesians 1:16-17)
      • That they would KNOW "the HOPE of His (Christ's) CALLING" (Ephesians 1:18 cf. II Thessalonians 2:14)
      • That they would KNOW "the GLORY of His (Christ's) INHERITANCE" (Ephesians 1:18 cf. Ephesians 1:21-23)
      • That they would KNOW "the EXCEEDING GREATNESS of His (Christ's) POWER" (Ephesians 1:19-20 cf. II Corinthians 12:9-10)

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