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hardly have given much satisfaction to those in possession of the key to the O.T. Also
the newly-formed `sect' came to be "everywhere spoken against" (Acts 28: 22).
These facts would naturally lead to the meeting of believers in houses, thrown open
for this purpose by the wealthier brethren. They would not supersede the synagogue
services, but supplement them, for the reason already given above.
With the passing of Israel's hope at Acts 28: 25-28 and the coming in of a
different hope, and especially with the passing of the "first place" of the Jew, emphasized
previously by his position in temple and synagogue, the connections with these
institutions would gradually cease. True they might at first be used, if opportunity arose,
to announce the new calling, but it can hardly be expected that many, if any, would be
kindly disposed towards the idea of Israel's having become Lo-Ammi, "not My people".
Since no buildings existed at this time for Christian worship (Bishop Lightfoot says,
"There is no clear example of a separate building set apart for Christian worship within
the limits of the Roman Empire before the third century") then it was natural that
apartments in private houses would be devoted to this purpose. Hence "the church in the
house" would come into prominence.
The letter to Philemon is addressed then, "to the church in thy house", and as such
suggests how it could be said of Philemon, "the saints are refreshed by thee, brother" (7).
Also, those who met together "in thy house" would be involved in fulfilling Paul's desire
for Onesimus, that he might be received as "a brother beloved' (16).
"Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (3).
Dr. John Eadie writes, "Eirene--Peace, is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew shalom
. . . . . It was the formula of ordinary courtesy at meeting and parting . . . . . it is the result
of the previous charis (grace) . . . . . As the West embodied its wishes in charis, and the
East in shalom--eirene,--so the apostle, in catholic fullness, uses both terms in their
profoundest Christian significance: no ordinary greeting, or `as the world giveth', but a
prayer for all combined and fitting spiritual blessings" (from his commentaries on
Galatians and Ephesians).
There has been some disagreement amongst expositors as to the true disposition of the
next verses and consequently the meaning of the apostle. The A.V. reads:
"I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love
and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; that the
communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good
thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love,
because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother" (4-7).
The view held by Bengel, H. A. Meyer and others is that verse 6 attaches itself
directly to verse 5, "specifying the tendency of" the love and faith of Philemon. So that
the words, "that the communication of thy faith . . . . .", are not the subject of Paul's
prayer but the tendency of Philemon's "love and faith". This conception is roughly
expressed thus: