ONESIMUS, a Phrygian by Nation, a Slave to Philemon, and lastly a Disciple of the Apostle St. Paul. This is what we find concerning him. Onesimus having run away from the House of his Master, and also having robb’d him of something1, went to Rome about the Year 61 of the common Æra, while St. Paul was there in Prison the first time. As Onesimus knew him by Reputation, for his Master Philemon was a Christian, he took care to find him out, acquainted him with what he had done, own’d his Flight to him, and did him all the Service that Philemon himself could have done him, if he had been at Rome. St. Paul brought him to a Sense of the Greatness of his Crime, disposed him to the receiving of the Gospel, instructed him, converted him, baptized him, and soon after sent him back to his Master Philemon with the Letter that we have among St. Paul’s Epistles, and which is acknowledged as canonical by all the Christian Church.
It may pass for a Master-piece of Eloquence in the persuasive Kind. There St. Paul has Recourse to all the Considerations that Friendship, Religion, Piety, and Tenderness can inspire, to reconcile a Servant to his Master. He mingles even Prayers with Authority, and Praises with Recommendations; and makes a Parallel between Onesimus become a Christian and Child of God, with the same Onesimus an evil Servant and a Fugitive. This Letter had all the good Success he could desire. Philemon not only received Onesimus as a faithful Servant, but rather as a Brother and a Friend. A little time after he sent him back to Rome to St. Paul, that he might continue to be serviceable to him in his Prison. And we see that after this Onesimus was employed to carry such Epistles as the Apostle wrote at that Time. He carried, for Example, that which was written to the Colossians, while St. Paul was yet in his Bonds, in the Year of Christ 62.
From this Time Onesimus’s whole Employment was in the Ministry of the Gospel. The Apostolical Constitutions2 acquaint us that St. Paul made him Bishop of Berea in Macedonia. The Martyrologies give him the Title of Apostle, and say that he ended his Life by Martyrdom. The Roman Martyrology mentions him as being made Bishop of Ephesus by St. Paul after Timothy. Others add, that it was he whom Ignatius the Martyr speaks of, as being Bishop of Ephesus in the Year of Christ 107: But this Opinion has no solid Proof to support it3. The same Martyrology places his Feast upon the 16th of February, and says, that having succeeded Timothy in the Bishoprick of Ephesus, and having been charged by him with the preaching of the Gospel, he was taken into Custody and sent to Rome, where he was stoned for his Faith in Jesus Christ. His Body was buried there, but was afterwards taken up and carried to the Place where he had been Bishop. The Greeks celebrate his Feast on the 15th of December.
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