Paul continued with a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession. He gave thanks to God for Philemon’s love and faith. He prayed that Philemon’s faith would be effective. He described the joy and comfort he had received from knowing how Philemon had shown love towards the Christians in Colossae. Is your faith effective?
thanksgiving
Thanksgiving (Philemon 1:4)
“When I remember you
In my prayers,
I always thank
My God.”
Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου πάντοτε μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου,
Paul said, “When I remember you (μνείαν σου ποιούμενος) in my prayers (ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου), I always (πάντοτε) thank (Εὐχαριστῶ) my God (τῷ Θεῷ μου).” Only the Pauline letters used this word μνείαν, that means remembrance, mention, recollection, or commemoration. Paul mentioned that he remembered or made mention of Philemon and the others in Colossae whenever he prayed and gave thanksgiving to God. Thus, Paul was thankful for them and their activities in Colossae. What are you thankful for?
Thanksgiving (chapter 1)
Like many of his other letters, Paul gave thanks to God for the Thessalonians. He was constantly praying for them, because of their faith that was growing and their love for each other that was increasing. Is your faith and love increasing?
Thanksgiving (chapter 1)
Paul thanked God in his prayers. He had heard of their faith in Jesus Christ from Epaphras, a fellow Christian servant and faithful minister. Epaphras told Paul about the Colossians’ spiritual love. They had hope in the truthful gospel of Jesus Christ, that was bearing fruit in the whole world, just like there in Colossae. They had truly appreciated the grace of God.
Thanksgiving (chapter 1)
Paul thanked God for the Philippians because they shared the gospel message. He was always praying for the Philippians. He remembered their zeal for the gospel. He was confident that they would follow through to the end times, since they all shared in God’s grace, whether in prison or defending the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul thought about these Philippians often. God was his witness. He longed for them with the compassion of Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving (Eph. 5:4)
“Entirely out of place
Is obscene talk,
Silly foolish talk,
And vulgar talk.
But instead
Let there be thanksgiving!”
καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
Paul said, “Entirely out of place (ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν) is obscene talk (καὶ αἰσχρότης), silly or foolish talk (καὶ μωρολογία), and vulgar talk (ἢ εὐτραπελία). But instead let there be thanksgiving (ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία).” Only this Ephesian letter uniquely used this word αἰσχρότης, that means baseness, obscenity, or indecent, and the word μωρολογία, that means foolish talking, as well as the word εὐτραπελία, that means ready wit or coarse jesting. Only the Pauline letters used this word ἀνῆκεν, that means to be fit, be proper, or suitable. Paul went ever further. He did not want any obscene, foolish, or vulgar talk. They were all improper for the Christians in Ephesus. Instead, Paul wanted them to give thanksgiving to God for Jesus Christ. Do you engage in obscene or vulgar foolish talk?
Jesus blesses the loaves of bread (Mk 8:6-8:6)
“Then Jesus ordered
The crowd
To sit down
On the ground.
He took
The seven loaves.
After giving thanks,
He broke them.
He gave them
To his disciples
To distribute.
They distributed them
To the crowd.”
καὶ παραγγέλλει τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ λαβὼν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἄρτους εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ἵνα παρατιθῶσιν, καὶ παρέθηκαν τῷ ὄχλῳ
Matthew, chapter 15:36, has a similar statement about the thanksgiving, blessing, and the distribution of the 7 loaves of bread and fish. Mark said that Jesus ordered or directed the crowd to sit down or recline on the ground (καὶ παραγγέλλει τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς), instead of earlier on the grass. This was going to be like a large picnic. Jesus took the seven loaves (καὶ λαβὼν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἄρτους). There is no mention of the fish here. He gave thanks or eucharized them (εὐχαριστήσας) and then broke them apart (ἔκλασεν). He gave them to his disciples to distribute (καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ἵνα παρατιθῶσιν). Then the disciples gave or set them up before the crowd (καὶ παρέθηκαν τῷ ὄχλῳ). This feeding of a large group of people harkens back to the Exodus story, chapter 16:1-36, about the manna and the quails in the wilderness, but on a smaller scale. Yet the word “thanksgiving” was used here instead of a “blessing” as at the earlier feeding of the 5,000 people in chapter 6:30-44. This has almost a foretaste of the Eucharistic Last Supper of Jesus, when he gave thanks, blessed and broke the bread. Otherwise, this process is very similar to the first multiplication of the loaves of bread. However, Jesus did not look up to heaven here. Jesus gave the food to his disciples, who in turn gave the food to the people in the crowd.
Jesus give thanks and distributes the bread (Mt 15:35-15:36)
“Jesus ordered
The crowd
To sit down
On the ground.
He took the seven loaves
And the fish.
He gave thanks.
He broke them.
He gave them
To the disciples.
Then the disciples
Gave them
To the crowds.”
καὶ παραγγείλας τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
ἔλαβεν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς ἰχθύας καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις.
Mark, chapter 8:6-7, has a similar statement about the thanksgiving blessing and the distribution of the 7 loaves of bread and fish. Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground, instead of earlier on the grass (καὶ παραγγείλας τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν). This was going to be like a large picnic. He took the seven loaves and the fish (ἔλαβεν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς ἰχθύας). He gave thanks or eucharized them (καὶ εὐχαριστήσας) and broke them apart (ἔκλασεν). He gave them to the disciples (καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς μαθηταῖς). Then the disciples gave them to the crowds (οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις). This feeding of a large group of people harkens back to the Exodus story, chapter 16:1-36, about the manna and the quails in the wilderness, but on a smaller scale. Yet the word “thanksgiving” was used here instead of a “blessing” as at the feeding of the 5,000 people in chapter 14:19. This has almost a foretaste of the Eucharistic Last Supper of Jesus, when he gave thanks, blessed and broke the bread. Otherwise, this is very similar to the first multiplication of the loaves of bread. However, Jesus did not look up to heaven here. The process is pretty much the same. Jesus gave the food to his disciples, who in turn gave the food to the people in the crowd.
Salvation for the children of Abraham (Isa 51:1-51:3)
“Listen to me!
You that pursue deliverance!
You that seek Yahweh!
Look to the rock
From which you were hewn!
Look to the quarry
From which you were dug!
Look to Abraham your father!
Look to Sarah who bore you!
He was but one when I called him.
I blessed him.
I made him many.
Yahweh will comfort Zion.
He will comfort all her waste places.
He will make her wilderness
Like Eden.
He will make her desert
Like the garden of Yahweh.
Joy will be found in her.
Gladness will be found in her.
Thanksgiving will be found in her.
The voice of song will be found in her.”
Second Isaiah says that the rock of salvation is Yahweh. If they were pursuing righteousness, they were seeking the Lord, Yahweh. They had to remember where they came from. Here it is not dust, but a rock quarry that they came from. The rock from this quarry was formed to make them. They had to remember not only Abraham but also Sarah, one of the few times that she is mentioned outside of Genesis. Yahweh blessed Abraham so that he had many descendants. Now Yahweh was going to comfort their offspring at Zion. The desert and the wilderness were going to become like the Garden of Eden, the garden of Yahweh. There would be nothing there except joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and hymn singing in this new Garden of Eden.
The prayer to the Lord (Sir 51:10-51:12)
“I cried out.
‘Lord!
You are my Father!
Do not forsake me
In the days of trouble!
There is no help
Against the proud.
I will praise your name continually!
I will sing hymns of thanksgiving!’
My prayer was heard.
You saved me from destruction.
You rescued me in the time of trouble.
For this reason,
I thank you.
I praise you.
I will bless
The name of the Lord.”
This author prayed to the Lord like he was asking his father to help him. A father does not give up on his son in times of trouble. He had no help against the proud people. However, he was going to praise the name of God continually by singing hymns of thanksgiving. Fortunately, his prayers were heard as he was saved from destruction. He was rescued in his time of trouble. Therefore, he thanked and praised the Lord. He blessed the name of the Lord.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 