Philemon 1:1 KJV
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
Paul used a number of titles by which to describe himself:
- An apostle
- A minister
- A father in the faith
- A nursing mother
- A soldier of Christ
- A servant of the Lord
But there is likely no title that is more moving and proper for Paul than the one he uses here;
Prisoner of Jesus Christ
He had been apprehended of Christ on the road to Damascus and had seen himself as belonging to Christ ever since. Paul's life had been completely dominated by Christ so that, regardless of the consequences, Paul:
- Did as Christ pleased
- Went where Christ pleased and
- Spoke what Christ pleased
Paul said that he died daily and that the life he now lived was by the faith of the Son of God.
It was as Christ's prisoner he had traveled the world preaching Christ. It was as Christ's prisoner he had returned to Jerusalem even though he was warned not to go. It was as Christ's prisoner he was captured in Jerusalem and subsequently taken to Rome. There, as a literal prisoner Paul accomplished what was his most enduring work; the production of so many of the books of our New Testament Bible.
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