Today, in the final matchup of the first full week of Lent Madness 2025, Onesimus takes on Philip the Deacon and Evangelist as we head deep into the New Testament.
Yesterday, Mechthild of Magdeburg swept to victory over Ninian 66% to 34% to advance to the Saintly Sixteen against…
Enjoy a couple days of respite — though do plan to lobby all your church friends at coffee hour on who to vote for next week — and we’ll see you bright and early Monday morning as Quiteria takes on Rose of Lima.
Vote now!
Onesimus
Onesimus is the rare saint who has an entire letter written about him in the New Testament; yet, for all that, remarkably little else is known about him. The letter Paul writes to Philemon tells us about an enslaved person, Onesimus, who has met Paul and become Christian while both were in jail. Onesimus has ended up there for some offense against his enslaver (probably theft) as well as for trying to escape. Paul decides to take this opportunity to apply some pastoral guilt to Philemon in service of Onesimus, and ever-so-gently reminds him that Onesimus is now a baptized Christian and is returning of his own will back to Philemon, utterly overcome with Christian love and guilt. WOULDN’T IT BE NICE, Paul gently inquires, in a manner not unlike a character from The Sopranos, or that one Southern lady at the church coffee hour, IF PHILEMON FREED ONESIMUS IN RETURN? SO NICE. Has Paul also mentioned that Onesimus saved Paul’s own life, and become utterly indispensable to him? Because that also happened. Again, no pressure. You do what you want, Philemon. Paul is fine. Paul makes no demands. Paul is just over here, hanging out in prison, while you, Philemon, ponder what to do with the new life in Christ that Paul obtained for you. Please think well of Paul when you receive word of his death, which will no doubt be soon, etc.
We don’t precisely know what happened to Onesimus after this letter. There are several traditions which record that an Onesimus did go on to become the bishop of Ephesus, after Timothy. Ignatius of Antioch records that someone named Onesimus became bishop there, and then was imprisoned during a Roman persecution, and finally martyred around 68 CE. Ignatius speaks extremely highly of him in his writings, which would align well with an image of Onesimus as someone who followed the Gospel’s promise of freedom all the way from slavery to the episcopate to a martyr’s death.
Collect for Onesimus
God whose vision for your creation is wholeness and freedom, we thank you for your servant Onesimus, who found usefulness and liberty in following the call of the gospel. Guide us in recognizing the ways in which we limit ourselves and others from the abundance of life you intend for us and lead us all to that heavenly place where you reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Philip, Deacon and Evangelist
Philip, Deacon and Evangelist (not to be confused with the Apostle, which happens quite frequently), is a pivotal figure in the Book of Acts. He plays a key role in the narrative at three inflection points.
In Acts 6, the twelve apostles are torn between the work of proclaiming the gospel and of serving the needs of people in their fledgling communities. Perhaps curiously, the twelve do not want to be bothered by menial tasks like making sure that widows are not neglected in the distribution of food. (And don’t get me started on the conflict between Hebrews and Hellenists.)
To solve this problem, they appoint seven men to handle this task. Philip is among those selected. The apostles lay their hands on Philip and the other six men and commission them to do the work of caring for widows. We never see Philip do this work. (But we can assume he did this work and did it well. “Deacon” is in his title, after all.).
We next meet Philip in Samaria in Acts 8. He is proclaiming “the word” and healing people and casting out demons. His message is so compelling that even a corrupt magician, Simon Magus, believes and is baptized. Philip has now become an evangelist. Curiously, it is not until after Peter and John visit that the believers in Samaria are able to receive the Holy Spirit.
Shortly after their visit, an angel sends Philip south from Jerusalem to Gaza. On this wilderness road, Philip encounters an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official to the queen of the Ethiopians. Philip explains the gospel to him, and he requests to be baptized on the spot. As soon as they emerged from the water, Philip was “snatched away” to Azotus. (See Acts 8:26-39 for the delightful story.)
Philip eventually settles in Caesarea. We get one final brief mention of him in Acts 21:8-9, when Paul visits Caesarea and stays in Philip’s home. We are told there that Philip had four unmarried daughters who were all prophets.
Some traditions hold that he later became the Bishop of Tralles in Lydia.
Collect for Philip, Deacon and Evangelist
O God, who has made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that we, following the example of your servant Philip, may bring your Word to those who seek you, for the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
64 comments on “Onesimus vs Philip, Deacon and Evangelist”
Onesimus should win just because
I have a feeling the deacons are banding together on this one. But I am sticking with Onesimus and I loved the write up. Very well done in giving Paul that voice of the "nice" Southern lady at coffee hour.
Had to abstain today because these two saints are equally worthy and I can't vote against either of them. Not a good matchup; I would choose either of these over quite a few others.
I went with Onesimus, simply because he spent time in jail with Paul and was redeemed thereafter. I always think of the fact that people who have done wrong things can be forgiven in spite of themselves, and given another chance to do right. Onesimus seems to embody that so he gets my vote. I do find it deeply sad he was martyred (murdered) though. I don't like that at all.
Onesimus is featured in Paul's letter in a wonderful way, but there is not much else he's known for except speculatively. Philip is featured in Acts several times as a known deacon and evangelist, doing the extremely difficult and important work of first century Christians. Philip deserves to advance.
In some ways, that was a hard one!
Philip, because I've always loved the story of the Ethiopian Treasurer. According to a wise priest and friend, he could not become one of the people of Israel because he was not considered "a whole man" in the Jewish faith at the time. The Christians accepted him as was.
Delighted to vote Onesimus this morning, as I’ve always enjoyed the unexpected challenge his situation posed for Paul. That said, I didn’t like at all how the write up cheapened the challenge the three men found themselves in. With Paul’s letter, we see first hand (FIRST HAND!!!) the emergence of Jesus followers sorting out sticky situations applying grace live-time! My view has always been - how majestic! So, it was hard to see Paul being brought low to Soprano type behavior.
I know, I’m a bundle of fun this morning.
Philip was an unsung hero and happy to be such, never mind that St Luke picked up and broadcast his story.
A comment to Beth Galbreath if she comes back and reads some more comments today. (PLEASE fix the Reply function!) I have noticed that very often it's the underdog in the voting who gets the most comments. I've never really understood why, but that seems to happen a lot.
I thought I would vote for Onesimus today, but I ended up voting for Philip. As David noted, I have him confused with the apostle. I always thought it was the apostle Philip who met the Ethiopian eunuch, but it makes much more sense for it to have been the deacon. Thanks for setting me straight. I have years worth of respect for Megan and I'm sorry to see all her saints losing, but I have always taken Paul's exhortations to Philemon as genuine pastoral concern for Philemon himself as well as for Onesimus who had become a beloved companion. We're allowed to be snarky in Lent Madness, but . . .
Vote early and often (don't really vote often -- it's just a saying we have in Boston) for the martyred bishop. Onesimus all the way!
We know so little for sure about today's contenders (although we do know what a drama queen Paul could be, and Megan's fabulous retelling of his letter to Philemon sounds like an epic SNL sit!) that I found myself which of the two stories are more edifying and important for us today. Scripture, after all, is full of stories rich with truth, regardless of whether they are fiction, nonfiction, or somewhere in between.
Philip's story reminds us -- as good deacons always do -- that we are all called to serve and care for others in need. Unfortunately, the story relates that some church leaders felt they had something more important to do, making diaconal ministry feel like a second thought. Fortunately, today's revival of the diaconate as a full, separate, and equal order reminds us all, through the deacons' example and sharing the Gospel and dismissing us forth into the world, that writing the checks and mixing the martinis doesn't cut it. All of us -- laypeople, deacons, priests, and bishops -- are called not only to serve but to meet, get to now, honor, and break bread with those who are impoverished, cast out, or struggling in any way. There is no other -- we are all God's beloved.
Onesimus, Paul insists, is a brother, not an other. With this example we are called to see people with new eyes, as Jesus did again and again, with tax collectors and lepers, Nicodemus, the Canaanite woman, and the woman at the well. And not only if they've been baptized, but because they are all, just like us, beloved by the One in whose image we are all made: enslaved people and their descendants, refugees, people with disabilities, Palestinians, Ukrainians and Russians, Sudanese and South Sudanese, members of every political party, LGBTQIA folks... love them, know them, listen to them, welcome them, feed them and celebrate them. We are all God's beloved; there is no other.
And there is no other way to heal the world than to honor and love all people. Empathy is a charism, not a sin!
I went with Onesimus today.
English has been declared (unilaterally) the official language of the U.S. It behooves us, then, to use English-language names of our saints. "Oenisimus" is "useful" or "profitable," and "Phillip" is "horse-lover." They are two of the many minor but inspiring figures scattered throughout scripture. Examples: Rufus, son of Simon the Cyrenian, who became St. Rufus of Thebes; Lamech, Noah's father; and Habakkuk, minor prophet.
Not being a horse-lover, I vote for Useful, a.k.a. Oenisimus.
I love the story of Philip baptizing the courtly eunuch. One of my favorite narratives in the whole Bible. He must have been compelling.
Tough choice today. I learned something about each I didn’t know. Voted for Onesimus because his icon fitted him better, But I bet Philip had a good ride when caught up !
I was able to vote for Onesimus today, although Philip was my choice. The voting dots are not as sensitive as Captcha. Captcha always works.
I voted for Philip because I love the story of the Eunuch. I also think highly of the deacons who serve in our churches.
I voted for Phillip because I think his works furthered the aims of the church more fully, but I have a whole new view of Onesimus (and Paul) than I did before. I am intrigued by how nicely the alphabetic pairings served to illumine these saints. But especially I want to compliment Megan for "making bricks without straw."
Both so obscure.
Since slavery and inequality are still very much with us today, and since the church is still figuring out how to respond to its complicity in both, I'm voting for Onesimus today
It's interesting to have to compare these two Saints, "anchored" only in scripture stories. Symbolism, lessons to be learned, messages from God emerge when reminded of Bible characters we know well. For me, it's easier to compare Saints when what we know of their lives is based only on historical records. Both Onesimus and Phillip are "slaves" of a kind. One - redeemed and returned to his owner as a Christian - lived a brutal, slave's life. The other, a "slave" in service to God, performed work others did not want to do. But the difference lies in this: one received God's truth. The other, spread God's truth. I voted for the evangelist.
Having a little problem a couple times voting. It does not show that I voted and the results do not automatically pop up as usual. Not sure what's up with this and if I should try again?
Many thanks, Lent Madness is awesome!! J
For me, this is the hardest one yet. Onesimus is certainly worthy, especially as written up here, but Deacon Philip gets my vote in the end, or perhaps I should say Evangelist Philip because it is his compassion and inclusion of the Ethiopian Eunuch that shine out especially to me, especially in these times.
I voted for Onesimus. Looks like he’s not going to advance though so I’m sad.
At our church, we are having our own Tournament of Christian Champions, and I really admire Onesimus (one of our choices). However, I had to vote for Philip, one of the underappreciated worker bees.
In a world in which slavery is still a concern, I made the difficult choice between two worthy men and came down on the side of Onesimus. Props to Philip, too, but with only one vote......
This is getting to be annoying. I cannot vote either on my IPad or android phone . There's no button to press on the Captcha visual or auditory. So, I vote in silence unbeknownst to the Global Viewing Public.
I always thought Philip the Apostle and Philip the Evangelist were one and the same, so he was my favorite disciple (other than Mary Magdalene). Oh well, you learn something new every day. Still, Philip and the Ethiopian emissary is one of my favorite stories from Acts.
However, I think it was Philip's four unmarried prophetess daughters that sealed my decision. If true, this man took his daughters seriously and brought them up to speak for themselves, not to become the polite, deferential, silent wives of church leaders that Paul would have expected them to be.
I have to vote for Phillip because we are told more about his deeds, but have to note that I thoroughly enjoyed Megan Castellan's delightful summary of the Letter to Philemon - very well written!