Not wishing to effect such things by command, and not taking it ill, if he did not imme- diately comply with his request; but he begs them to do what a stranger might have done1540 to aid his request. For not only the being requested by many, but the petition being urged to many, contributes to its being granted. And on this account he says, “And Archippus our fellow-soldier.” If thou art a fellow-soldier, thou oughtest also to take a concern in these things. But this is the Archippus, about whom he says in his Epistle to the Colossians, “Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” (Col. iv. 17.) It seems to me too, that he, whom he joins with him in this request, was also one of the Clergy. And he calls him his fellow-soldier, that he may by all means cooperate with him. “And to the Church in thy house.” Here he has not omitted even the slaves. For he knew that often even the words of slaves have power to overthrow their master; and more especially when his request was in behalf of a slave. And perhaps it was they particularly who exasperated him. He does not suffer them therefore to fall into envy,1541 having honored them by including them in a salutation with their masters. And neither does he allow the master to take offense. For if he had made mention of them by name, perhaps he would have been angry. And if he had not mentioned them at all, he1542 might have been displeased. Observe therefore how prudently he has found a way by his manner of mentioning them, both to honor them by his mention of them, and not to wound him. For the name of the “Church” does not suffer masters to be angry, even though they are reckoned together with their servants. For the Church knows not the distinction of master and servant. By good actions and by sins she defines the one 548 and the other. If then it is a Church, be not displeased that thy slave is saluted with thee. “For in Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free.” (Gal. iii. 28.) “Grace to you, and peace.” By mentioning “grace,” he brings his own sins to his remembrance. Consider, he says, how great things God has pardoned in thee, how by grace thou art saved. Imitate thy Lord. And he prays for “peace” to him; and naturally: for it comes then when we imitate Him, then grace abides. Since even that servant who was unmerciful to his fellow-servants, until he demanded the hundred pence, had the grace of his master abiding on him. But when he made that demand, it was taken from him, and he was delivered to the tormentors. Moral. Considering these things, then, let us also be merciful and forgiving towards those who have trespassed against us. The offenses against us here are a hundred pence, but 1540 He may mean a stranger to Onesimus. 1541 i.e. of Onesimus. 1542 Some suggest the plural, “they,” but there is no ms. authority for it. The last editor defends the singular, as the expression used would please Philemon. 947 Philemon 1:1-3