Master and Slave.
Observe in this letter
I. The exquisite courtesy of the Apostle. The manner of the Epistle teaches us as well as its matter. He offers to pay the debt of Onesimus for him, or to make up what he had taken, out of his own slender purse. Onesimus must pay what he owed. It would be a poor beginning in his new Christian life to attempt to evade his obligations. "Put that on mine account," says St. Paul. And then he adds, as if this were not sufficiently businesslike for a Christian, "I, Paul, have written it with mine own hand; I will repay it." This principle condemns all attempt to slip off, or shuffle over, any social or commercial engagements on the score of Christian claims or exclusiveness.
II. Note the destination of Onesimus after he had been converted to Christianity. He is bidden to return to his master. True, St. Paul writes a beautiful letter for the runaway slave to present when he gets back; but back he must go. St. Paul is kind, but firm. Onesimus, being now a Christian, must return to the post which he had deserted. Surely here we may learn something about the social duties of the Christian, and especially of any one who has been newly impressed with Christian truth. The more worldly our business is, the more do we want good Christians to be engaged in its management. God is with us in many ways, and yet I do not know that He ever specially visited any one who had forsaken a clear duty without a clear call to do so, though it were professedly to serve Him better. Wherever we are, God is. Wherever we work, He works. There is no greater mistake than to think that we are kept from God by our business.
H. Jones, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxx., p. 326.