Onesimus. A Tale.

Act 1

Scene 1

Roman Empire, First century. City of Colossae. At the Comitium in the Forum set up for the tribunal of Onesimus, a slave of Philemon. Onesimus is on trial for stealing from his master. Key figures attending are the local Magistrate, the Prosecutor, Onesimus, the citizen Philemon and his wife Apphia, and Paul the Apostle.

MAGISTRATE

“Will the Prosecutor call their first witness.”

PROSECUTOR

“Yes, your Honor. I call to the stand, Paul, a self-proclaimed slave of one called Jesus Christ.”

Paul moves from his seat in the arena to the front of the comitium and sits down on the sella provided.

PROSECUTOR

“Paul, will you tell the court before us how you came to know the accused, Onesimus?”

PAUL

“Gladly. While being under house arrest in Rome, as you can see by these chains, I met Onesimus as an attendant assigned to me by the Roman Consul. His job was to bring provisions to the house that was ordered by my fellow companions Epaphras or Luke.”

PROSECUTOR

“Thank you, Paul. Did you know that Onesimus was a runaway slave from his master Philemon, a free citizen of Rome?”

PAUL

“Oh yes. Onesimus and I had many discussions on his previous employment with Philemon and his household. He told me about stealing at first some food when the cook wasn’t watching, then taking a stylus from one of the visitors to the villa. Finally, he told me about sneaking into Apphia’s dressing room and taking the jewelry.”

PROSECUTOR

“And did he tell you of his capture and arrest?”

PAUL

“Yes, he said it was just outside Smyrna. I still don’t know how he got so far and so fast away from Philemon and the Roman sentry at Colossae…”

PHILEMON

Stands and interrupts Paul’s testimony:

“It was because I had not reported him to the guards, Paul. You said that in Christ I should treat Onesimus with respect.”

A whisper starts in the comitium causing a stir among the jury and the gallery.

MAGISTRATE

“Quiet, please. Thank you for the explanation, Philemon, but I will remind you that it is Paul’s testimony we are needing today. You have already given yours. And as to this Christ you speak of, he is dead according to our records.’ The Magistrate turns to Paul, ‘please continue your answer, Paul.”

PAUL

“Now that I know how Onesimus got to Smyrna so quickly, he was arrested while getting into a fight with one of the vendors. Onesimus was caught stealing some fruit by the owner. He was reported to a Centurian who called his guards to apprehend him. When he was confronted by the vendor, he got into a fight with him. Onesimus was arrested and put on the first boat back to Rome. He must not have told the guards about Philemon as clearly; he would have been crucified as punishment. It was only after being assigned to help me in my house arrest that he confessed to stealing the jewelry.”

PROSECUTOR

“So why did Onesimus confess to stealing the jewelry belonging to his former master’s wife? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just keep quiet? Onesimus is nothing more than property to Philemon, and we know his wealth affords him multiple slaves. Losing Onesimus probably only cost him 10 denarii seeing he was a petty thief. No doubt he could have been relieved to get rid of him.”

PAUL

“True, Onesimus was a petty thief while at Philemon’s villa. He was one before he came to his estate as certainly, he continued his thievery after he left. But a change happened in Onesimus. One that could only happen from outside himself.’

Paul turns to address the Magistrate.

‘If it pleases the court, may I speak more freely on this matter?”

MAGISTRATE

“Proceed as you were saying. We know his stealing had to have started prior to Philemon purchasing him.”

PAUL

“Onesimus and I spoke often of his mother, Iokaste, a Greek woman from Thyatira. She had fallen on hard times after her husband left and took a trade dyeing cloth. Onesimus followed her from one master to another. At times his mother took in male visitors, and here Onesimus learned to steal from these men. His mother sold the items to pay the debt collectors. Yet even Iokaste had a change while working for her new master, Lydia. While she worked there dyeing the cloth purple, Lydia spoke often to Iokaste to get to know her better. She invited her over to dinner one night and while there Iokaste heard of Christ and his payment for her life of sin. This she learned he did out of true love, and it pierced into her heart. She accepted his payment and began a new life of freedom from her past. Onesimus wanted nothing to do with his mother and her new-found Christianity. In his opinion the old gods were fine and there was no need to replace them. He left home at age twelve and never looked back.”

PROSECUTOR

“But this tells us nothing of why Onesimus came back to Colossae and turned himself over to his former master Philemon! So, the boy wants nothing to do with his mother’s new God! As Mercury is my witness, Onesimus must pay! He has condemned himself by his own confession of theft.”

PAUL

“But Prosecutor, Onesimus’ story does not end with his mother’s conversion. Once Onesimus left home his mother, Lydia, and the church in Thyatira prayed for him. No doubt he was trying to get back home when he was arrested in Smyrna. After all those years of being away he thought he could find refuge there. If the Jewish law was still upheld today, Onesimus would have been stoned a long time ago for rebellion. It had to have broken Iokaste’s heart when she heard of him being sold as slave. He had fallen so low that thievery was no longer paying. When Philemon bought Onesimus he was employed into a Christian home. One filled with love for each other as Christ loved them. This had a profound impact on Onesimus. He was a slave but was not treated as one. Philemon wrote to me of how Onesimus was learning to trust him as his master, and friend as well. But the past could not be overlooked according to Onesimus. He started stealing again now that his master ‘trusted’ him.”

PROSECUTOR

“Okay, okay Paul. So being a slave in the household of Philemon was easier than being one in mine. That is all good and well. But get to the point of why Onesimus came back to the very household he stole from! It wasn’t like he could return the jewelry, and he was carrying a letter to citizen Philemon written by you! He claims he was told by you to deliver it to his former master. In my opinion he forced you to write this letter then came back to the scene of the crime as a means to not be handed over to the authorities. A crime punishable by death. What other testimony do we need of yours to change our mind to the otherwise?”

PAUL

“Only Onesimus’ testimony. Back in Rome, we talked also of how Christ is the only God able to forgive one’s sin. His ability to erase a life of stealing, conniving, and trickery can only be done from a changed heart. This is the change outside of himself that I was speaking of earlier. You see Prosecutor, Onesimus had finally run out of himself and had stooped so low that only a risen Christ could help him. No other god, including Mercury, could give him what he needed… a changed heart. I remember the day Onesimus came to my study and asked if Christ could really accept him as he was. The answer was yes. So right then and there Onesimus became a Christian. Oh, what rejoicing was had that day with fellow brothers Luke, Aristarchus, Mark, Demas, and even Timothy had arrived by then. Yet we knew that Onesimus had to make right with Philemon. He was now his brother in Christ, and even though it would be difficult he had to go back. That is why I wrote the letter. I knew Onesimus had to come back to ask forgiveness from Philemon and Apphia.”

PHILEMON and APPHIA simultaneously interject:

“We forgive you Onesimus.”

Both the Magistrate and the Prosecutor look at them in disbelief yet says nothing.

PAUL

“I knew that you would, thank you my friends. So only the testimony from Onesimus can change your mind. He is a new creation in Christ. Ask him yourself. My doctor Luke will affirm that he never stole from us while attending to our needs. And besides, I have taken his debt into my own account. It is all there in the letter that you can read for yourself.’

Paul pauses for a moment.

‘Do you have any other questions Prosecutor?”

PROSECUTOR

“I have none. You may step down Paul.”

NOT THE END

… the rest of the story. Although the above scenario is purely fiction based on the book of Philemon, it is what happens on a daily basis with our own Prosecutor, the Devil. He stands before the Judge of the Universe and accuses each Christian on prior sins, mistakes, and shortcomings we have done in our life since coming to Christ just as Onesimus did. Ephesians 6:1-9 does not mention Onesimus, Philemon and Apphia, Lydia or even the fictional character of Iokaste. Yet it does tell of parents, children, employers and employees. All four roles are intertwined in the above story and the book of Ephesians. All four roles are seen by an Almighty God, and how we live them out can only be done through a changed heart. One changed by Jesus Christ who is able to transform our life. Only then are we able to no longer be people pleasers as our new Lord reigns over our hearts and minds.

Grace and peace, James

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