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SECT. II.

St. Paul wrote the Epistle to the Philippians, during his first imprisonment in Rome, at a time, when he expected to be foon releafed.

THAT

HAT St. Paul was prifoner in Rome, when he wrote the Epistle to the Philippians, appears from ch. i. 13. where he fays that his bonds were known to the whole prætorian guard: and ch. iv. 22. he fends a falutation from Cæfar's houshold.' Mr. Oeder, in a Programma published in 1731, has indeed attempted to fhew, that this Epiftle was written at a much earlier period, and not long after the converfion of the Philippians to Chriftianity: but his arguments have been fo completely answered by Wolf in his Prolegemena to this Epiftle, that it is unneceffary to fay any thing further on this fubject. I must make however one obfervation on what Oeder fays of κοινωνια εις το ευαγγελιον, ch. i. 5. which he explains of the contribution of the Philippians toward the propagation of the Gofpel. Now I grant, that the Philippians fent to St. Paul an annual prefent, to affift him in propagating the Gofpel: but I do not admit that this paffage warrants the conclufion, that St. Paul wrote the Epiftle to the Philippians, foon after he received the first contribution; for he adds from the first day until now,' from which we see that these contributions had been repeated several times. In fact, from thefe annual contributions we may conclude that fome years had elapfed between the converfion of the Philippians and the writing of this Epiftle. St. Paul himself

and the Apostle's other fellow-labourers, whofe names are in the book of life.' If this be true we must conclude that Evodia and Syntyche had been with St. Paul in Rome: whither he had fent for them perhaps, in order to bear teftimony to his conduct in Macedonia, where he had been accused of preaching fedition, Acts xvi. 20. 21. xvii. 6. 7. What I have faid in this note, I give only as conjecture, and not

as fact.

himself acknowledges, ch. iv. 16. that he had twice received this annual prefent, befide that which the Philippians had fent to him at Theffalonica, and what I grant was foon after their converfion. When he returned to Philippi on his journey through Macedonia mentioned Acts xx. 1. he undoubtedly returned them thanks in perfon for the prefents, which he had already received: and the imprisonment of St. Paul in Cæfarea and Rome, which happened fhortly after, muft have prevented the fending of their annual bounty during fome years, to which St. Paul alludes, ch. iv. 10. 11. If it be objected, that between the converfion of the Philippians and the year 60, more than four payments must have been made, I anfwer that in thofe times there was not that regular and eafy communication between diftant countries, which there is at prefent, in confequence of the establishment of pofts, and the circulation of mercantile drafts: and therefore the Philippians had it not in their power to remit their annual contribution at a ftated period, but were obliged to wait, till they met with a convenient opportunity.

It is evident that the Epiftle to the Philippians was not written at the fame time with thofe to the Ephefians and Coloffians and I think it equally clear that it was written later than thofe Epiftles. St. Luke accompanied St. Paul to Rome, and ftaid with him there at least two years. Now St. Paul wrote his Epiftles, to the Ephefians, and the Coloffians, while St. Luke was with him, as appears from Col. iv. 14. Philem. 24. But St. Luke had certainly left him, before he wrote his Epiftle to the Philippians for fince St. Luke fpent many years at Philippi, and was therefore well known to the Chriftian community there, St. Paul would not have omitted to fend a falutation from him to the Philippians, if he had been ftill in Rome. Befides, as St. Paul wrote the . Epiftle to the Philippians, not only in his own name

* See above, Ch. viii. Sect. 4.

but

He ftaid at Philippi, during the time of St. Paul's travels related_ A&s xvi. 1-xx. 5. 6. See the last paragraph of Ch. vi, Sect. 3.

but likewise in that of Timothy, beginning thus, ch. i. 1. Paul and Timothy fervants of Jefus Chrift, &c.: I think, that if St. Luke had likewife been prefent, his name alfo would have been added in the exordium, to which he had certainly as good a claim, if not a better, than Timothy. But, what is ftill more decifive, St. Paul fays, ii. 19. 20. I truft in the Lord Jefus to fend Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state.' Surely St. Paul could not have written thus, if his fellow-labourer St. Luke had been with him.

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The fituation of St. Paul, as a prifoner, was likewife different, when he wrote his Epistle to the Philippians, from that, in which he wrote to the Ephefians, and Coloffians. It is true, that even when he wrote to the Ephefians and Coloffians, his confinement was not severe, nor his profpects gloomy: but when he wrote to the Philippians, his fituation was greatly improved, and his expectations much more favourable. He fays, ch. i. 12-14. My bonds in Chrift are manifeft in all the palace, and in all other places: and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear?? And ch. iv. 22. he fays, All the faints falute you, chiefly they that are of Cæfar's houfhold:' whence it appears that the Chriftian religion had been introduced into the imperial palace. That he expected, and was even confident, that he should be foon released, is evident from what he fays, ch. i. 25. 26. Having this confidence I know (T8To Weibws oda) that I fhall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jefus Chrift for me, by my coming to you again." And he is fo confident of his releafe, that he fays, ch. ii. .24. I truft in the Lord, that I alfo myself fhall come fhortly.'

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z He adds likewife ver. 15, that fome Jewish-minded perfons preached Christ also of envy and ftrife,

The two laft-quoted paffages afford a strong argument in favour of the opinion, that St. Paul was twice prifoner in Rome, and confequently, that the Epiftle to the Philippians was written during the firft imprisonment. The ftrong expreffion rows oida, ch. i. 24. especially as St. Paul had immediately before deliberated, whether it were better for him to live or to die, appears to imply, that he fpake in the fpirit of prophecy, and with an actual affurance of being released. Whoever therefore believes that St. Paul was infpired, muft conclude that his expectations were fulfilled, that he was actually released, that his martyrdom therefore did not take place at the end of this imprisonment, and confequently that he underwent a fecond. On the other hand, they who affert that St. Paul fpake in this paffage merely from the fuggeftions of human wisdom, may contend that, though he had every reafon to expect, when he wrote to the Philippians, that he should foon be released, his profpects might have fuddenly changed; for before the clofe of the year, in which this Epiftle was written, namely, in the year 65, the Chriftians really underwent a fevere perfecution from Nero, who charged them with having fet fire to Rome, in order to remove the fufpicion of his having been himfelf the perpetrator.

That the Epiftle to the Philippians was written at the beginning of the year 65, appears from various circunftances. It could not have been written before the year 65, because it was written after the period, with which St. Luke clofes the Acts of the Apoftles. Nor could it have been written after the year 65, or even fo late as the end of that year, because in that year the conflagration of Rome happened, which was followed by a fevere perfecution of the Chriftians: and an Epiftle written. after that perfecution would certainly have represented both the profpects of St. Paul himfelf, and the state of Christianity at Rome, in a different manner from that, which we find in the Epiftle to the Philippians. Nor would Jewish impoftors have ventured after that perse.

• Taciti Annal. Lib. XV. c, 44.

cution

cution to preach the Chriftian religion, though they preached it in a manner, which provoked St. Paul.

The more immediate occafion of this Epiftle was the return of Epaphroditus, by whom St. Paul fent it, as a grateful acknowledgement of the money, which he had received. At the fame time he gave them an account of his confinement in Rome, and warned them against the feductions of the Jews.

CHAP. XXII.

OF THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY,

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SECT. I.

Of the place, where Timothy was, when St. Paul wrote to him his fecond Epiftle.

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was, when St. Paul wrote to him the firft: but as this admits of fome doubt, it will be neceffary to examine it more closely. That Timothy was at least somewhere in Afia Minor, when St. Paul wrote to him the second Epiftle, appears to be probable from ch. iv. 13. where Timothy is requested to bring with him fome things, which St. Paul had left in Troas. But that Timothy paffed through Troas in his way to St. Paul is not a neceffary confequence, fince he might have sent to Troas for the things, which St. Paul requested him to bring. Still lefs can we infer from this paffage, that Timothy was then in Ephefus: and the only probable inference, which we can deduce, is, that Timothy was fomewhere in Asia Minor.

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Ch. i. 15-18.

VOL. IV.

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