Journal: Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry
Volume: JBTM 19:1 (Spring 2022)
Article: Sharing In The Distributed Body Of Christ: Luther’s Eucharistic Reading Of Philemon 6
Author: Casey B. Hough

Sharing In The Distributed Body Of Christ: Luther’s Eucharistic Reading Of Philemon 6

Casey B. Hough

Casey B. Hough serves as pastor of Copperfield Church in Houston, Texas, and assistant professor of Biblical Interpretation at Luther Rice College & Seminary in Stonecrest, Georgia.

Introduction

Philemon 6 is one of the more obscure and variously understood passages in the New Testament. Thus, when the interpretation of such a passage by a figure of the stature of Martin Luther is practically ignored over the course of history, one is left curious and puzzled.1 Luther took a eucharistic approach to Philemon 6, understanding Philemon’s fellowship of faith to refer to his sharing in the distributed body of Christ in the Lord’s Supper. When Luther read Philemon 6, he understood the koinōnia tēs pisteōs as referring to Philemon’s sharing in the literal body of Christ through the Lord’s Supper. Luther’s understanding of this passage is relatively unique within church history.2

This dearth of engagement with Luther’s view provided the impetus for this article, which aims to understand Luther’s eucharistic reading of Philemon 6 in light of his understanding of the role of the Supper in the life of the Christian community. My thesis is that Luther’s commentary on Philemon 6 has been largely ignored because it originates in a polemical context wherein he takes aim at the “tropical subversion” of contemporaries like Zwingli and Oecolampadius. Nevertheless, while a polemical context may be true, an investigation of Luther’s interpretation of Philemon 6 can be beneficial for those seeking to ascertain how he understood the importance and function of the Supper for fellowship in the church. By reading Luther’s interpretation of

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Philemon 6 in the broader context of his writings on the nature of the Eucharist, my hope is that we will be compelled to not dismiss his helpful insights simply because they surface in the context of his quarrels of the Lord’s Supper.

To this end, my article will begin with a brief survey of recent interpretations of Philemon 6 to set the stage for the presentation of Luther’s eucharistic interpretation. From here, I will consider Luther’s theology of real presence, which influences ...