Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other (literally, yourselves), if any one have a complaint against any. (On "bearing with" or "forbearing," see 1 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 11:19, 2 Corinthians 11:20; Matthew 17:17.
) It is ascribed to God, with "long-suffering," especially as shown in his dealing with the sins of men before the coming of Christ (Romans 2:4; Romans 3:26 : comp. Acts 17:30). Long suffering may be shown towards all who do us injury; forbearance especially towards those from whom regard or obedience is due.
It falls short of forgiveness, which can only ensue on repentance (Luke 17:3, Luke 17:4 : comp. Romans 3:25, Romans 3:26; Acts 17:30). The change of pronoun in the two participial clauses appears also in Ephesians 4:2 and Ephesians 4:32 : the first is reciprocal, but the second is reflexive, implying the oneness of the forgiving and the forgiven party.
Forgiving a Christian brother, it is as though a man were forgiving himself (comp. Ephesians 4:14, Ephesians 4:15; Galatians 6:1; Romans 12:5; Romans 15:5-7; and the same variation in 1 Peter 4:8-10).
"Forgive" is literally "to grant grace," used of Divine forgiveness m Colossians 2:13 (see note). The words, "if any have any complaint," etc., would certainly apply to Philemon as against Onesimus. Even as the Lord (or, Christ) forgave you, so also ye (Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24-26; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Acts 13:38; Acts 5:31; 1 John 1:9; Matthew 9:1-8; Matthew 18:27; Exodus 34:6, Exodus 34:7; Psalms 103:3).
This argument is latent in the appeal to the "elect" and "beloved" of Philemon 1:12. The evidence for the alternative readings, "Lord" and "Christ," is nearly equal in weight. In any case, the "Lord" is "Christ" in this passage (Colossians 2:6; Colossians 3:17, Colossians 3:24): and that he forgave (comp.
Colossians 1:20, note) is quite consistent with the assertion that God forgave (Colossians 2:13), for God forgave "in Christ" (Ephesians 4:32). So "God in Christ reconciled" (2 Corinthians 5:19); and yet "Christ reconciled us" (Colossians 1:20, Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 2:16).
"Forgiving," supplied in thought from previous context, completes the sense of "so also ye" (Meyer, Alford, Ellicott). To suppose an ellipsis of the imperative, with Light foot and the English Version ("do ye"), is needlessly to break the structure of the sentence.
Philemon 1:14 shows that the leading imperative, "put on," of Philemon 1:12 is still in the writer's mind. For the reciprocal double καί ("even.., also"), comp. Colossians 1:6 or Romans 1:13; it is characteristic of the writer.