Religion and Theology

Communicating in the time of the New Testament of the Bible is no different from today. However, to the untrained eye, the New Testament is full of hidden and at times intelligible messages, and it can be very difficult to decipher and to read between the lines. But if the person who is reading takes a minute to learn the background of the people and the context involved, then there can be an enhanced understanding of the message of God in the Bible. In the time of the Roman occupation of Judea, the systems of the Roman Empire, from the military, and most of all, education, has been passed on to the Jewish populations. To reach tertiary education, a student must reach a certain skill of rhetoric, which was the main focus of tertiary education in both Ancient Greece and Rome. To be able to qualify for rhetorical, or tertiary education, a student must prepare by taking part in Progymnasmata (in Latin Praeexercitamina), which is a set of fourteen exercises a student needs to practice and learn to achieve skills for rhetoric. One of these exercises is called ethopoiia. It is a lot like putting someone on somebody elses shoes to further connect to the audience. These studies of Progymnasmata are done by people of aristocratic upbringing, always young men 15 years of age.

People with sufficient education can and will use rhetoric in both spoken and written correspondence as with the case of  Paul the Apostle, whose letter to Philemon will be analyzed in the following chapter.

Analysis of St. Pauls Letter to Philemon (specifically vv. 8-22)
Paul the Apostle, currently held prisoner by the Romans wrote a letter to one of his disciples Philemon. Saint Paul wants his disciple Philemon to take back the runaway slave, Onesimus, who had converted to Christianity after the slave met Saint Paul. How Saint Paul met Onesimus was unknown, but he managed to meet the runaway slave, convert him to Christianity and wrote to Philemon to forgive him and take him back. Saint Paul stated in his letter that he wants to send Onesimus back to Philemon, but he does not want Philemon to feel forced to take him in. He wants Philemon to take back the runaway slave, forgive his past transgressions, and welcome him willingly and with an open heart instead of compulsion. To add, Saint Paul is also telling Philemon to treat Onesimus more than a slave and more like a brother, because of his conversion to Christianity.  Saint Paul tells Philemon that if Onesimus does wrong him again or his family, Philemon will be repaid not by Onesimus but by Saint Paul himself, as he considered Onesimus his son while they were together when Saint Paul was imprisoned. This is a persuasive, advisory speech. Saint Paul is advising Philemon that he take Onesimus back from him, but the way he delivered the speech (in the form of a letter), make this sound not like a formal command that needs to be compulsorily agreed and followed, but he took a more subtle, probing approach like someone negotiating. He knows Onesimus is a slave. And in those times, slaves are considered some of the lowest parts of society, and slaves, unless given their freedom are mostly treated in a substandard fashion. Saint Paul was aware that Philemon might not accept  a runaway slave back into his house and to complicate matters, it was a slave that had wronged him. Though he is a close friend and confidant of the apostle, he wanted Philemon to forgive his slave and take him back home. He also tries to reason to Philemon that as a Christian, they must accept people for who they are, and if they have sinned or transgressed them in the past, people must be able to forgive their mistakes and move on with their lives. This is a perfect example of how Paul the Apostle uses advisory speech by means of ethopoiia to convince Philemon to take back his former slave Onesimus under his wing again, by the grace of Saint Paul. How does he do it.

Paul the Apostle, a Roman citizen, was able to use rhetoric to his advantage by using Progymnasmata, specifically ethopoiia, to convince Philemon. Saint Paul was able to learn rhetoric because he was once a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish politico-religious order. These people are educated because they needed knowledge of Mosaic Law, like the priests and other members of the Jewish elite. And being a Roman citizen gave Saint Paul the edge by having rhetoric education as part of his repertoire.  Geographically, Saint Paul must have been helped by a healthy environment to learn as the city of Tarsus (now part of modern-day Turkey), is a well-known intellectual center. These factors (coming from a Pharisee family, living in an intellectual center) molded Saint Paul to be an excellent communicator and negotiator, something that sets him apart from Jesus 12 apostles and other missionaries of early Christianity. Using ethopoiia in his letter to Philemon made it easy for Saint Paul to express his feelings, and to convince and persuade Philemon to do the right thing. As said earlier, the letter to Philemon was written by Saint Paul while he was in jail. While in jail he met Philemons  runaway slave Onesimus and converted him to Christianity. Now that Onesimus is freed from the prison, He can only find one option for him send him back to his former master Philemon and hopefully he will forgive Onesimus. So, he wrote the letter for Philemon, his disciple and friend. But how does he convey the message that Philemon should forgive and take care of Onesimus He used ethopoiia to appeal to Philemon and together with the teachings of Christianity that Saint Paul taught Philemon, he might just be able to make his disciple forgive his slaves sins and transgressions, and take back his newest brother of the faith with open arms. Using ethopoiia, Saint Paul was able to convey his message by giving Philemon a glimpse of his life in prison, and in the circumstances involved (his meeting and conversion of Onesimus the runaway slave), he was able to convey his message quite well to Philemon, convincing him that in taking care and forgiving Onesimus, he is already taking care of Saint Paul himself. Giving the slave Onesimus his freedom is akin to giving freedom to Saint Paul. The message Saint Paul gives to him is compelling If then you regard me as your partner, receive him as you would me (verse 17 of Pauls letter to Philemon). This is challenging Philemon to shed his old inhibitions about slaves (Philemon is a church leader in Colossae, and wealthy under early Christian standards) under the old norms about slavery and hate and embrace the new, Christian values of acceptance, forgiveness and love, no matter what the person is.

Slaves, though were a nominal part of society in the time of Paul, lived a hard life. They were exposed to dangerous and substandard working conditions, paid little, and were constant receivers of abuse, be it physical, mental, and sometimes (usually newly purchased slaves) even sexual abuse. Slaves were not really treated that well unless their masters decide to manumit them. Slaves at times live in fear of punishment from their masters. But in ancient Greece, and in ancient Greek literature, a slaves punishment can be mitigated and at times forgiven. Slaves do have the power to negotiate and to mitigate their punishments from their masters, if they have a quick and sharp wit, (like the slaves Gastron and Kydilla in Herodus book The Jealous Women) or by using an intermediary in the right place, like the way Plangon pleaded with her masters wife Callirhoe to save her husband Phocas in Charitons novel Chaereas and Callirhoe. In the novel, Plangons husband Phocas has wronged their master Dionysius. While Diosysius was figuring out how to punish the errant Phocas, Plangon had to find a way to spare her husband from his predicament. She then asks for help from Dionysius wife Callirhoe. Though the woman was reluctant, she gives in to Plangons request for a compromise in Phocas punishment due to her despair and panic. She says to her husband I am grateful to Plangon here. She loves me like a daughter. Master, I ask you not to be angry with her husband let him off as a favor to me (Chariton 45). Her husband, moved by his love for Callirhoe, lets go of the punishment for Phocas and forgives him. Though Callirhoe did the negotiation, it was Plangons initiative to mitigate the punishment for her husband that truly saved Phocas skin. Slaves can mitigate their punishment from their masters, and these practices continue on, even on the time of the New Testament, which is the setting for Pauls Epistle to Philemon. The letter draws a parallel to the situation between Plangon, Phocas, Callirhoe, and Dionysius. St. Paul shares traits from both Plangon and Callirhoe, while Philemon is Dionysius and Phocas is Onesimus. St. Paul is trying to mitigate Onesimus punishment from Philemon. But Paul goes one step further by telling Philemon to forgive him and take him in as someone more than a slave, but akin to a brother. Trying to change Philemons old relationship with Onesimus from master-slave to something on an equal footing is a challenge for Saint Paul, and he is using his rhetoric skills to the full, using wordplay He was once useless to you, but now he is very  useful to me, (v 11).

The word useless is actually a play on Onesimus name (Onesimus is useful in Greek) to show Philemon that Onesimus has turned a new leaf and he should forgive him and welcome him to the Christian fold, but not as a slave however, but as a new brother to the faith. St. Paul would have probably liked for Philemon to take back Onesimus back into his household, but the in way Paul wrote the letter, Philemon could interpret it as Paul wanted him to forgive and manumit Onesimus. In fact, thats what Philemon did when he took back Onesimus, he forgave him and set him free. He turned Philemons old attitude towards slaves from having no sympathy towards them to a more caring, sensitive side. Saint Paul made Philemon show the other side of the coin in their relationship, and using the teachings of Christianity, which he directed towards Philemons newfound set of Christian morals and emotions he achieved that desired effect. In Herodius novel The Jealous Women, the slave Gastron was having sexual relations with the house manager Britinna. But when the woman caught Gastron with another woman she decided to punish him. But Gastron had an ace up his sleeve to mitigate his punishment, and so he sets three defenses. His two earlier defenses were failures as his reasoning did not connect with Britinna, but his last defense involves Kydilla, another slave who was a synthrophos (a child who was brought up together with an aristocratic child when they were born, like a playmate) states that the festival for the dead. Gerenia, is coming in four days. Britinna drops her punishment as she was able to connect with Gastron as they were both reminded that they were mortal. Kydillas role as a synthropos helped her standing as well, as she practically grew up with the aristocrats children. In the case of Paul and Philemon, his trump card was that Onesimus has converted to the Christian faith, and therefore he is now more than a slave. Saint Paul is telling Philemon by the use of ethopoiia that he should recognize his slaves turning back of his old sinful ways and living the life of virtue and of Christ, and he should forgive and welcome him. Reminding Philemon about the virtue of acceptance, forgiveness and love for his fellow man has given Paul the upper hand. Paul is aware of Philemons contributions to the Christian community of Colossae, and with forgiving Onesimus, he assures Philemon that he has done more for Saint Paul and God than what Saint Paul has done for him.

The last part is about children and their relationship with their parents, especially when their parents grow old and senile. The commandment Honor thy father and thy mother has repercussions on peoples actions. The commandment, as an extension also calls for their children to take care of their parents in the future. In Ancient Greece, children were responsible for their parents when they are unfit and old. They were trained in their culture to take care and respect the elderly since they were children, not to mention that it was a life-long responsibility. In the point of view of the parents, the children were a valuable resource and an asset, for they will take care of them when they get old. In the case the Epistle to Philemon, Saint Paul refers to Onesimus as my son. This is an another display of ethopoiia to Philemon for him to forgive and take back and possibly free Onesimus. Trying to get Philemons sympathy by painting himself as an old man and Onesimus as my son did wonders for Philemon, as it reminded him of old Greek values of children taking care of their elderly parents, as well as the commandment of honoring your mother and father. He made Philemon think that since he sent Onesimus away, he is skimping on a valuable asset for him when he grows old a child that is willing to take care of him.

Conclusion
Pauls argument to make Philemon forgive his runaway slave Onesimus is a compelling case. Saint Paul is using ethopoiia to convey a message to Philemon by appealing to his emotions and Christian virtues. In addition, Paul also appealed to Philemon by adopting the old Greek custom and tradition of having children taking care of their aged and elderly parents. In doing so, Paul is able to persuade Philemon to take back and forgive his runaway slave. Saint Paul painted Onesimus as a son to Philemon so that forgiving him would be easier for Philemon to do and he made Philemon realize that Onesimus can and will be an asset to him in the future. An example of children requiring them to nurse their parents when they become old is in Longus book Daphnis and Chloe. In the book, Daphnis father, an aristocrat named Dionysophanes had three children, however he left Daphnis as he thought the other two children can take care of him. But cruel luck hit Dionysophanes, his children died of the same illness. However, despite being exposed by his father, Daphnis returned to his home and is welcomed by his father with unending gratitude. It was this feeling that Saint Paul wanted Philemon to experience in forgiving and welcoming back Onesimus, he is assured of his service when he grows old. Paul is saying that he is lucky to have a son that will take care of him when he gets old. A parallel can be drawn between the Epistle to Philemon and that part of the story Daphnis and Chloe. Philemon can be drawn as Dionysophanes, and Daphnis, Onesimus. Philemons punishment for Onesimus can be akin to Dionysophanes exposure of Daphnis as an infant. When Daphnis returns, Dionysophanes is overjoyed to have his son back. Onesimus can represent Daphnis in exile, and he decides to come back.

Saint Paul uses the Progymnasmata exercise ethopoiia in his Epistle to Philemon to teach him the virtue of forgiveness. It is also a hotly contested piece of Biblical literature about Christianitys stand on slavery, with some scholars believing that Pauls Epistle to Philemon has an anti-slavery stance, as Paul is telling Philemon to accept Onesimus as someone more than a slave but as a brother, or it can be interpreted as a pro-slavery stance as what Protestant leader Martin Luther argued, the act that Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon is only for forgiveness, not for the former to be manumitted. But this piece states one thing clearly, and that is to people must learn to forgive all forms of transgressions other people have done to them with an open heart.