“Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.”
Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say — Paul's confidence (pepoitha) rests not on authority but on Philemon's character and faith. The obedience (hypakoē) is voluntary, rendered freely to the gospel's imperative. The phrase even more than I say (huperekteinō) suggests that Paul's implicit request for Onesimus's freedom may exceed his explicit words; Philemon, moved by grace, may choose the more radical reconciliation.
Church Fathers on Philemon 1:21
What stone would not these things have softened? What wild beast would not these things have rendered mild, and prepared to receive him heartily? After having borne witness to him by so many great testimonies of his goodness, he is not ashamed again to excuse himself. He says, Not barely requesting it, nor as commanding it, nor arbitrarily, but “having confidence in your obedience I wrote to you.” What he had said at the beginning, “having confidence,” that he also says here…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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