This article was originally written for Christ Hold Fast. Nestled between the rich ministerial theology of Paul’s Pastoral Epistles and the covenantal theology of Hebrews is, perhaps, the most personal book in the entire New Testament — in the entire canon, even. Along with 2 Corinthians, Philemon is easily the most intimate canonical letter Paul ever wrote, and remains one of the great early examples of personal scriptural correspondence. One might wonder why epistles such as this one are included alongside such doctrinal treatises as Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, and the like. The occasion for a letter like Philemon, though, is discovered as you realize that the cardinal objective of God is to speak to hearts and not merely heads. Therefore, do not let the individuality of a letter like Philemon fool you. This is no isolated or obscure fragment of New Testament writing. Contained within Paul’s correspondence to Philemon is the most striking portrait of the gospel ever recorded.