Ephesians, Philemon, and Philippians. He thus turned the prison into a pulpit, sent inspiration and
comfort to his distant congregations, and rendered a greater service to future ages than he could
have done by active labor. He gloried in being a "prisoner of Christ." He experienced the blessedness
of persecution for righteousness’ sake (Matt. 5:10), and "the peace of God which passeth all
understanding" (Phil. 4:7). He often refers to his bonds, and the coupling chain or hand-cuff (ἅλυσις)
by which, according to Roman custom, he was with his right wrist fettered day and night to a soldier;
one relieving the other and being in turn chained to the apostle, so that his imprisonment became
a means for the spread of the gospel "throughout the whole praetorian guard."^1142 He had the privilege
of living in his own hired lodging (probably in the neighborhood of the praetorian camp, outside
of the walls, to the northeast of Rome), and of free intercourse with his companions and distant
congregations.
Paul does not mention the place of his captivity, which extended through four years and a
half (two at Caesarea, two at Rome, and six months spent on the stormy voyage and at Malta). The
traditional view dates the four Epistles from the Roman captivity, and there is no good reason to
depart from it. Several modern critics assign one or more to Caesarea, where he cannot be supposed
to have been idle, and where he was nearer to his congregations in Asia Minor.^1143 But in Caesarea
Paul looked forward to Rome and to Spain; while in the Epistles of the captivity he expresses the
hope of soon visiting Colossae and Philippi. In Rome he had the best opportunity of correspondence
with his distant friends, and enjoyed a degree of freedom which may have been denied him in
Caesarea. In Philippians he sends greetings from converts in "Caesar’s household" (Phil. 4:22),
which naturally points to Rome; and the circumstances and surroundings of the other Epistles are
very much alike.
Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon were composed about the same time and sent by the
same messengers (Tychicus and Onesimus) to Asia Minor, probably toward the close of the Roman
captivity, for in Philemon 22, he engaged a lodging in Colosae in the prospect of a speedy release
and visit to the East.
Philippians we place last in the order of composition, or, at all events, in the second year
of the Roman captivity; for some time must have elapsed after Paul’s arrival in Rome before the
gospeI could spread "throughout the whole praetorian guard" (Phil. 1:13), and before the Philippians,
at a distance of seven hundred miles from Rome (a full month’s journey in those days), could
receive news from him and send him contributions through Epaphroditus, besides other
communications which seem to have preceded the Epistle.^1144
On the other hand, the priority of the composition of Philippians has been recently urged
on purely internal evidence, namely, its doctrinal affinity with the preceding anti-Judaic Epistles;
while Colossians and Ephesians presuppose the rise of the Gnostic heresy and thus form the
connecting link between them and the Pastoral Epistles, in which the same heresy appears in a more(^1142) Phil. 1:7, 13, 14, 17; Eph. 3:1 ("the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles"); 4:1 ("the prisoner in the Lord");
Col. 4:3, 18 ("remember my bonds"); Philem. 10, 13; comp. Acts 28:17, 30.
(^1143) So Böttger, Thiersch, Reuss, Meyer, Weiss. Thiersch dates even 2 Timothy from Caesarea, but denies the second Roman
captivity.
(^1144) This is the prevailing view among critics. I have discussed the order in the History of the Apost. Ch. (1853), pp. 322 sqq.
A.D. 1-100.