pauline chronology 73
had a time of traveling and ministry, before being re-arrested and sent to
rome for a second time.
Before examining the issue of how the internal chronological indica-
tors within the Pastoral epistles have a bearing on this second position,
i wish to recount briefly the evidence, such as it is, for a second Pauline
imprisonment and a possible post-first roman imprisonment ministry.
that Paul was martyred in rome is beyond dispute among early church
authors. these include comments by 1 Clement (5:7), and further by
dionysius of Corinth (ca. 170 ce; cited in eusebius, Hist. eccl. 2.25), Caius
of rome (cited in eusebius, Hist. eccl. 2.25), tertullian (Scorpiace 15), and
eusebius (Hist. eccl. 2.25). the evidence for Paul being released from his
first imprisonment and then re-imprisoned is much less firmly established,
however. the earliest writer to claim this is eusebius in Hist. eccl. 2.22,
where he simply states that tradition states that Paul, after offering a
defense of himself, again went out and proclaimed the gospel, and then
the second time he was brought to the same city where he wrote 2 timothy
and died as a martyr. Bleek comments that eusebius “knew nothing either
as to the way in which st. Paul obtained his freedom, nor as to his subse-
quent labours.”19 he also believes that eusebius knew of no other sources
about Paul’s release and re-imprisonment and that any subsequent
accounts are probably based solely upon eusebius. that Paul is said to
have gone to spain may also only rest on Paul’s own expressed intentions
(rom 15:24, 28), apart from two other statements. First Clement 5:7 says
that, after suffering in rome, Paul went “to the boundary of the west.”
the phrase used (τὸ τέρμα τῆς δύσεως) has been highly debated, but
probably indicates that he went to spain, as Clement wrote from rome.
J. B. lightfoot argued, and many have accepted his analysis based upon
other ancient references, that “the boundary of the west” refers to the Pil-
lars of hercules in the straights of gibraltar.20 the second statement is
in the muratorian canon, which speaks of Paul’s departure from the city
while going to spain.21 the city again probably refers to rome, where the
canon was probably written. that this latter source is not dependent upon
romans is perhaps indicated by the fact that, just previously, it refers to
Peter’s death, traditionally also said to occur in rome, and not attested
19 Bleek, Introduction, 57, who lists these sources.
20 J. B. lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers (2 parts in 5 vols.; 2nd ed. part 1; london:
macmillan, 1869–1890), 1.2.30. mounce, Pastoral Epistles, liv–lvi, discusses this evidence.
21 see daniel J. theron, Evidence of Tradition (repr., grand rapids: Baker, 1957),
108–109.