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Finding Onesimus: Recovering the Story of a First-Century Fugitive Slave

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Finding Onesimus: Recovering the Story of a First-Century Fugitive Slave University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2015 Finding Onesimus: Recovering the Story of a First-Century Fugitive Slave Ryan Lokkesmoe University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Lokkesmoe, Ryan, "Finding Onesimus: Recovering the Story of a First-Century Fugitive Slave" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1039. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1039 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. FINDING ONESIMUS RECOVERING THE STORY OF A FIRST-CENTURY FUGITIVE SLAVE ____________________________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program University of Denver ____________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ____________________________ by Ryan Lokkesmoe August 2015 Advisor: Pamela Eisenbaum © Copyright by Ryan Lokkesmoe 2015 All Rights Reserved Author: Ryan Lokkesmoe Title: Finding Onesimus: Recovering the Story of a First-Century Fugitive Slave Advisor: Pamela Eisenbaum Degree Date: August 2015 ABSTRACT This dissertation is an investigation into the experience of a first-century fugitive slave named Onesimus, who is known to us primarily through Paul’s letter to Philemon (Phlm) in the New Testament. Within this broader purpose, this project challenges a popular historical theory for Onesimus’ flight, the so-called Amicus Domini theory. This is the theory that Onesimus fled his master Philemon with the premeditated intention of seeking out the Apostle Paul as a peacemaker in a conflict Onesimus was having with Philemon. The Amicus Domini theory is accepted by many scholars, though rarely discussed in detail or examined critically. The goal of this project is to offer a more probable historical reconstruction of Onesimus’ flight – one that takes better stock of the available evidence (historical, textual, archaeological, legal, and rhetorical). This project is rooted in the sub- discipline of the Historical Critical method, though rhetorical analysis is applied as well. This study offers a translation and commentary of Phlm, as well as an examination of Paul’s rhetoric in the letter. Other sources that specifically mention Onesimus are also investigated, e.g. Colossians, ancient Christian commentators, and the subscriptions in the manuscripts. The project also examines slavery in the Ancient Mediterranean world with a view toward understanding what most slaves experienced, ii and especially fugitive slaves. Roman law of slavery is also discussed, as well as the estimated travel times and cost of Onesimus’ journey (whether from Colossae to Rome, Caesarea Maritima, or Ephesus). There are many factors that are problematic for the Amicus Domini theory, e.g. the duration of Onesimus’ journey, the financial cost to Philemon, and the fact that the documents typically used to support the Amicus Domini theory (Pliny’s letters to Sabinianus and the writings of Roman jurists) do not comport with the data in Phlm. This dissertation offers a modified theory for Onesimus’ predicament: Amicus Domini Ex Post Facto . Onesimus did not leave Philemon intending to seek out Paul and reconcile with Philemon, but he eventually decided to seek help long after the fact. This historical reconstruction makes better sense of the evidence, and provides a clearer view of what Onesimus faced during his flight. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….1 Methodology…………………………………………………………………...4 Chapter One: Onesimus in Paul’s Letter to Philemon (Part One)……………………11 Introduction to Phlm………………………………………………………….11 Translation……………………………………………………………………16 Commentary on Phlm………………………………………………………...17 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………...52 Chapter Two: Onesimus in Paul’s Letter to Philemon (Part Two)…………………..53 Rhetorical Theories…………………………………………………………...53 Historical Theories……………………………………………………………66 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………...75 Chapter Three: Onesimus in Other Ancient Sources…………………………………77 Colossians…………………………………………………………………….77 Ancient Commentators……………………………………………………….86 Subscriptions in the Manuscripts……………………………………………..96 Conclusions………………………………………………………………….122 Chapter Four: Slavery in the Ancient Mediterranean World (Part One)……………124 Philosophy of Slavery……………………………………………………….128 Sources of Slaves……………………………………………………………132 Types of Slaves……………………………………………………………...138 Daily Life of Slaves…………………………………………………………143 Conclusions………………………………………………………………….152 Chapter Five: Slavery in the Ancient Mediterranean World (Part Two)………....... 154 Overview of Roman law…………………………………………………….154 Fugitives……………………………………………………………………..160 Amicus Domini ………………………………………………………………177 Conclusions………………………………………………………………….191 iv Chapter Six: Travel and Communication in the Roman Empire……………………193 Colossae……………………………………………………………………..205 Paul’s Place of Imprisonment……………………………………………….207 Colossae to Rome……………………………………………………………213 Colossae to Caesarea Maritima……………………………………………...217 Colossae to Ephesus…………………………………………………………221 Conclusions………………………………………………………………….223 Conclusion: Amicus Domini Ex Post Facto …………………………………………226 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………238 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Laodicea ad Lycum to Rome (by land, all seasons)………………………214 Figure 2: Laodicea ad Lycum to Rome (by land and sea, Fall/Spring/Summer)……215 Figure 3: Laodicea ad Lycum to Rome (by land and sea, Winter)………………… 216 Figure 4: Laodicea ad Lycum to Tyrus (by land, all seasons)………………………218 Figure 5: Laodicea ad Lycum to Tyrus (by land and sea, Fall)……………………..219 Figure 6: Laodicea ad Lycum to Tyrus (by land and sea, Winter)………………….219 Figure 7: Laodicea ad Lycum to Tyrus (by land and sea, Spring)…………………..220 Figure 8: Laodicea ad Lycum to Tyrus (by land and sea, Summer)………………...220 Figure 9: Laodicea ad Lycum to Ephesus (by land, all seasons)……………………222 vi INTRODUCTION The subject of slavery in the ancient world is a monstrous one. It is monstrous in the sense that it is a seriously disturbing subject, and also because it is an enormous subject. There is no way to fully comprehend the horrors of ancient slavery, and it is impossible to fully describe such a longstanding and varied institution. This project will instead be concerned with one slave, Onesimus, and his own experience within the difficult life that most slaves of his day faced. Onesimus has for the most part been forgotten to history, despite having a canonical text devoted to his situation – Paul’s letter to Philemon (Phlm). Throughout history, Paul’s letter has received little attention compared to the rest of Scripture. The conversations that do happen about the letter have generally focused on the writer (Paul), the recipient (Philemon), and what the contents say about Christian community or Pauline theology. Relatively little attention has been paid to the individual who had the most at stake in this letter, Onesimus. That name, which means “useful”, was certainly not given to him by his parents. It was his slave name. It is, however, the only name we have for him. Thus, the story of one of the most ignored figures in the history of Christianity is found within one of the most overlooked documents in the Bible. 1 This dissertation is an investigation into the experience of a particular fugitive slave in the first-century Roman imperial context. He is the starting point and the primary focus of this project. Paul’s letter to Philemon will be regarded, therefore, as the most important source of information about Onesimus. In attempting to reconstruct the part of Onesimus’ story that unfolded in Phlm, commentators have arrived at several possibilities. The traditional and most common interpretation is that Onesimus was in fact a runaway slave (i.e. a fugitivus , fuga,j , or drape,thj ). This view is generally accepted, but many commentators either assume that Onesimus simply found Paul by chance (which would be highly improbable), or they do not pursue the issue beyond cursory speculations. John Knox famously proposed the alternative that Onesimus was deliberately sent to Paul from Philemon in order to provide him assistance in his imprisonment, and that Paul’s letter was simply a request for continued service. This theory has been generally rejected, because it does not square with some of the data in Phlm which indicates a serious offense on Onesimus’ part. Allen Callahan’s proposal is that Onesimus was actually the biological brother of Philemon, and that Paul’s letter was written to repair a broken relationship between two siblings in the Christian community. Callahan’s theory has likewise failed to garner substantial support. The historical theory that has gained the most traction recently is the so-called Amicus Domini theory. This is based on the ancient practice of slaves running away from their masters with the prior demonstrable intention of finding a friend of the 2 master (an Amicus Domini ) that could mediate a dispute. According to this theory, Onesimus ran away from Philemon with the prior aim of finding Paul as an arbiter in some conflict he
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