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In Philemon, Paul says Onesimus was once useless but is now useful. In the Shepherd of Hermas, Hermas is similarly described as useless to God while rich and useful once his wealth is cut away, like a round stone trimmed square.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Philemon 1:11
New Testament
8 So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper, 9 I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—I, Paul, an old man and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus— 10 I am appealing to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become during my imprisonment, that is, Onesimus, 11 who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you and me. 12 I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you. 13 I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place during my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel. 14 However, without your consent I did not want to do anything so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness. 15 For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while so that you would have him back eternally, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking and in the Lord.
Shepherd of Hermas 14:7
Early Christian
5 “But the white and round stones, which did not fit into the building—who are they, lady?” She answered me, “How long will you be foolish and slow-witted, always asking about everything and understanding nothing? These are those who have faith, but also have the riches of this world. When tribulation comes, they deny their Lord because of their riches and their business affairs.” 6 And I answered her, “Then when, lady, will they be useful for building?” “When,” she replied, “their wealth, which leads their souls astray, is cut away, then they will be useful to God. For just as a round stone, unless it is cut away and loses some portion of itself, cannot become square, so also those who are rich in this world, unless their riches are cut away, cannot become useful to the Lord. 7 Learn first from yourself. When you had riches, you were useless; but now you are useful and profitable for life. Be useful to God, for you yourself were also taken from the same stones.
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Notes and References
“... These are rich Christians who have the wealth of this world along with their faith, and in time of tribulation, when forced to choose between faith and prosperity, make the wrong choice. [...] Making rich people useful to God is like trying to fit round stones into square holes; they must be trimmed into squares first, an illustrative image of the dangers of riches, a major early Christian theme and one that will play a large part in the development of Hermas' message. [...] Hermas had previously suffered some kind of reversal of fortune, somehow connected with the misbehavior of his family (Vis. 2.3.1) [...]. This reversal of fortune is again introduced here in a play on the words "useless/useful" [...] reminiscent of Phlm 11. ...”
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