1-3 · Greetings: In his typical fashion Paul opens the letter according to the standard conventions of the time. Before giving his usual greeting of “grace” and “peace” (v. 3), he indicates that the letter is sent from himself and Timothy and is addressed to Philemon and other members in the church. There are four notable features in this opening greeting. First, Paul identifies himself as a “prisoner of Christ,” which is unusual since he typically describes himself in his letters as an “apostle” or “slave” of Christ. With the use of “prisoner” here Paul is probably (1) reminding his readers of his imprisonment, which results from his identification with Christ and his work for Christ, (2) evoking some emotional sympathy from Philemon and church members, (3) appealing to Philemon not base…