1. Philemon 1:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why does Paul call Timothy "our brother"?

Philemon 1:1 (ESV)

1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,To Philemon our beloved fellow worker

Timothy is called our brother as an acknowledgement that he is a fellow believer together with Paul and Philemon.1 Right from the beginning of his letter, Paul uses familial language and applies it in a way that shows how we ought to think of one another in God’s church. This is of course important for what he wants to address in this letter.