Editing Epistle to Philemon (section)

==Significance==

In order to better appreciate the Book of Philemon, it is necessary to be aware of the situation of the early Christian community in the Roman Empire; and the economic system of [[Classical Antiquity]] based on slavery. According to the [[Epistle to Diognetus]]:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://biblehub.com/library/mathetes/the_epistle_of_mathetes_to_diognetus/chapter_v_the_manners_of_the.htm|title=The Manners of the Christians.|website=biblehub.com}}</ref><blockquote>For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe... They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives.</blockquote>[[Pope Benedict XVI]] refers to this letter in his [[encyclical letter]], ''[[Spe salvi]]'', highlighting the power of Christianity as power of the transformation of society:
{{quote|Those who, as far as their civil status is concerned, stand in relation to one an other as masters and slaves, inasmuch as they are members of the one Church have become brothers and sisters—this is how Christians addressed one another... Even if external structures remained unaltered, this changed society from within. When the Letter to the Hebrews says that Christians here on earth do not have a permanent homeland, but seek one which lies in the future (cf. Heb 11:13–16; Phil 3:20), this does not mean for one moment that they live only for the future: present society is recognized by Christians as an exile; they belong to a new society which is the goal of their common pilgrimage and which is anticipated in the course of that pilgrimage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/es/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi.html|title=Spe salvi (30 de noviembre de 2007) &#124; Benedicto XVI|website=w2.vatican.va}}</ref>}}