“Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.”
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit — the final benediction (charis Kyriou Iēsou Christou) recalls the opening grace-peace formula, now focused on Philemon's spirit (pneuma). The closing returns to Christological foundation: grace alone enables the transformation Paul requests. The singular your (sou) addresses Philemon individually, personalizing the spiritual blessing as he contemplates the decision before him.
Church Fathers on Philemon 1:24
Why then does he put Luke last? And yet he elsewhere says, “Only Luke is with me” 2 Timothy 4:11, and “Demas,” he says, was one of those who “forsook him, having loved the present world.” 2 Timothy 4:10 All these things, although they are mentioned elsewhere, yet nevertheless ought not to be passed over here without enquiry, nor ought we merely to hear them as things of course. But how comes he to say that he who forsook him salutes them? For “Erastus,” he says, “abode at…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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