Onesimus in the Bible — Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

useful; profitable; helpful. A servant, or slave, of Philemon's. He accepted the Christ message through Paul at Rome, and returned to Philemon bearing a letter from Paul (Philem. 10; Col. 4:9) Meta. Onesimus was a slave who had escaped from his master and was protected by Paul. His name in the Greek means profitable, useful, helpful. The significance here is that the industry, usefulness, and activity of man are hampered by his slavery to ignorance and error. (See PHILEMON.)