PHILIPPIANS,
EPISTLE
TO
2
Co
2",
Ac
20''),
and
he
always
found
his
own
love
reciprocated
by
the
Church,
and
experienced
a
unique
joy
in
their
fellowship
with
him
for
the
furtherance
of
the
gospel
(Ph
1'-*).
The
Apostle's
ascendency
in
the
Church
was
never
questioned,
as
in
Corinth.
There
were,
it
is
true,
rivalries
in
the
congregation,
especially.
It
would
seem,
among
some
of
the
active
women
of
the
Church,
and
St.
Paul
does
not
hesitate
to
use
the
most
powerful
of
Christian
motives
to
give
force
and
direction
to
the
shaft
that
he
aims
at
discord
(2'-").
But,
unlike
the
Churches
of
Galatia,
Philippi
had
not
been
disturbed
by
a
severe
attack
from
the
Judaists,
though
the
Apostle
sees
threatening
indications
of
their
approach
(S^-
's'-).
The
Church
was
organized
with
bishops
and
deacons,
from
whom
St.
Paul
seems
to
have
received
the
people's
gift
(1'),
which
they
sent
by
Epaphroditus,
probably
with
a
letter.
In
no
part
of
his
missionary
field,
so
far
as
we
know,
did
he
find
such
a
pure
Christian
lite.
They
were
'lights
in
the
world'
(2"-
"),
and
the
Apostle's
'joy
and
crown'
(4').
2.
Situation
of
St.
Paul.
—
The
Apostle
is
a
prisoner
(17,
IS.
u.
17).
It
appears
that
his
imprisonment
had
become
more
rigorous
since
the
Philippians
received
their
first
word
concerning
him;
and
it
must
have
been
of
some
duration,
because
there
had
been
several
com-munications
between
them
(225-'"
4"').
They
are
dis-tressed
by
the
fear
that
the
gospel
will
suffer
through
his
strict
confinement
and
possible
martyrdom.
But
this
imprisonment,
instead
of
hindering
the
gospel,
has
really
led
to
a
more
eager
preaching
of
Christ
by
the
Christians
of
the
city
of
Rome.
The
motive
of
this
increased
activity
wa.s
sometimes
an
unworthy
emulation
of
the
Apostle,
and
there
must
have
been
those
in
the
Church
who
refused
to
acknowledge
his
leadership,
being
aroused
by
the
success
with
which
'his
bonds
became
manifest
throughout
aU
the
PrEetorium
and
to
all
the
rest'
(1'*-").
He
has
come
to
be
recognized
as
no
mere
disturber
of
the
peace
(Ac
24s
258),
but
as
a
preacher
of
a
religion
different
from
that
of
the
Jews,
and
one
which
had
already
reached
Csesar's
household
(Ph
i'").
His
defence
has
been
partly
made,
and
he
is
full
of
hope
of
a
speedy
acquittal
(l^"'),
though
the
possibility
of
martyrdom
hangs
like
a
cloud
in
his
sky,
bright
to
his
own
view,
but
casting
a
shadow
upon
his
readers'
joy
(H9-30),
It
has
been
assumed,
in
accordance
with
the
over-whelming
opinion
of
scholars,
that
St.
Paul
was
at
the
time
imprisoned
in
Rome;
but
some
say
in
Caesarea.
The
chief
reasons
for
the
Roman
imprisonment
are
—
(1)
that
the
wide-spread
activity
on
behalf
of
the
gospel
by
friends
and
enemies
of
the
Apostle
involves
a
larger
Church
than
seems
to
have
been
in
Csesarea;
and
(2)
his
own
conviction
that
his
acquittal
is
near.
With
this
view
the
indications
of
1"
and
i^
most
naturally
agree.
■
Prsetorium
'
might,
indeed,
mean
Herod's
palace,
which
was
used
as
the
headquarters
of
the
Roman
governor
in
Cffisarea,
but
the
words
'in
the
whole
Praetorium'
seem
to
point
to
the
bodyguard
of
the
Emperor,
though
Mommsen
supposes
that
the
conditions
are
best
realized
if
the
words
imply
that
St.
Paul
was
handed
over
to
the
judicial
prefects
of
the
Praetorian
guard,
who
presided
over
the
supreme
Imperial
court
in
Rome.
No
sufficient
proof
has
been
adduced
that
the
word
was
used
tor
the
Emperor's
palace
in
Rome,
or
for
the
barracks
of
the
guard.
Also
'CiEsar's
household'
(,4P)
probably
means
the
attendants
of
the
Emperor
in
Rome,
including
those
of
high
rank
and
slaves.
Assuming
that
the
letter
was
written
from
a
Roman
prison,
what
is
its
relationship
to
Ephesians,
Colossians,
and
Philemon—
the
other
letters
of
the
captivity?
Some
hold
that
these
were
written
from
Caesarea
while
Philippians
was
sent
from
Rome,
but
most
assign
all
these
Captivity
Epistles
to
Rome.
There
is,
however,
no
unanimity
as
to
whether
Philippians
preceded
or
followed
the
others.
Some
of
the
most
distinguished
English
and
American
scholars
put
Philippians
earliest.
PHILIPPIANS,
EPISTLE
TO
for
the
reason
that
in
style
and
language
it
is
very
much
akin
to
Romans,
while
Ephesians
and
Colossians
are
more
like
the
Pastorals,
and
their
atmosphere
is
quite
different
from
that
of
Romans
and
Philippians.
There
is
much
force
in
this,
though
Ephesians
also
presents
strong
similarity
to
Romans.
But
the
situation
of
the
Asian
Churches,
invaded
as
they
were
by
a
new
type
of
error,
might
have
called
forth
new
themes
in
a
formal
Epistle
like
Ephesians,
while
Philippians
is
a
friendly
letter
to
an
old
Church
whose
life
was
apparently
now
for
the
first
time
being
threatened
by
the
Judaists,
with
their
gospel
of
legal
righteousness.
Nor
would
the
year
or
so
which
on
this
supposition
elapsed
between
Phil,
and
Eph.
account
for
the
difference
between
them.
The
question
of
priority
may
not
admit
of
final
decision,
but
in
Philippians
St.
Paul's
imprisonment
seems
to
be
nearer
its
end
than
in
the
other
letters.
Hort,
who
is
in
favour
of
the
priority
of
Philippians,
holds
that
the
request
to
Philemon
to
prepare
a
lodging
is
not
to
be
taken
in
a
'crude
literal
sense,'
and
that
in
the
con-temporary
Colossians
there
is
no
expectation
of
a
speedy
release.
Also
in
Philippians
St.
Paul
has
no
friends
upon
whom
he
can
depend,
except
Timothy
(cf.
Col
4'^-
with
Ph
Z">-
21).
An
additional
reason
of
less
weight
in
favour
of
placing
Philippians
last
is,
that
a
somewhat
long
duration
of
St.
Paul's
imprisonment
is
involved
by
the
communications
of
the
Philippians
and
their
anxiety
at
the
change
in
the
rigour
of
his
captivity.
In
regard
to
the
date
of
Philippians,
a
further
difficulty
emerges
because
of
the
uncertainty
of
the
Pauline
chronology,
but
since
a.d.
61
is
the
most
probable
year
for
the
Apostle's
arrival
in
Rome,
this
letter
may,
though
not
without
hesitation,
be
assigned
to
a.d.
63.
In
this
letter
St.
Paul
refreshes
his
lonely
spirit
by
perfect
freedom
of
fellowship
with
his
favourite
Church.
Rome
was
not
so
homogeneous,
nor
did
it
acknowledge
his
gospel
so
whole-heartedly
as
the
Churches
of
his
own
creation;
thither
would
come
Christians
of
every
shade
of
opinion
—
Judaists,
Hellenists,
Petrinists,
and
sym-pathizers
with
St.
Paul.
It
is
doubtful
whether
the
Church
of
Rome
was
ever
of
a
thoroughly
Pauline
type;
for,
notwithstanding
the
change
effected
by
the
Neronian
persecution,
that
Church
could
not
have
soon
become
so
decidedly
Petrine
had
it
originally
been
strongly
imbued
with
the
Pauline
Gospel.
This
letter
shows
us
a
very
active
and
varied
missionary
effort
in
the
capital
—
partly
by
St.
Paul
among
the
Praetorians
and
in
the
Imperial
household,
partly
by
his
friends,
and
to
some
extent
by
others
who
probably
preached
to
the
Jews
and
their
proselytes.
3.
Contents
of
the
Epistle.
—
(i.)
Greeting,
1^'^.
Paul
and
Timothy
salute
the
saints
of
Philippi,
together
with
their
bishops
and
deacons.
Cii.)
introduction,
YV.^-^^.
St.
Paul
is
constantly
moved
to
thanksgiving
for
their
generous
fellowship
with
him
in
the
furtherance
of
the
gospel
from
the
beginning,
and
they
are
all
ever
on
his
heart
where
Christ
dwells.
His
prayer
for
them
is
that
their
love
may
abound
in
knowledge
and
in-sight
as
to
what
befits
the
Christian
life,
that
so
they
may
live
sincere
and
blameless
fives
until
Christ
comes.
(iii.)
The
present
condition
of
St.
Paul,
w.^2-26_
ujg
im_
priaonment
has,
contrary
to
expectation,
led
to
thespread
of
the
gospel,
partly
by
his
being
chained
to
the
Praetorian
guards,
partly
throughanew
courage
among
his
friends,
and
partly
tnrough
envious
rivalry.
He,
however,
rejoices
be-cause
he
is
assured
that
in
answer
to
their
prayers
the
Spirit
of
Christ
will
enable
him
to
glorify
his
Lord
whatever
be
the
issue
of
his
imprisonment;
he
does
not
know
what
to
desire,
though
he
believes
that
he
will
be
acquitted
and
will
work
for
their
Christian
welfare.
(iv.)
Exhortations
to
tkePhilippians
to
walk
worthily
of
thegospel,
12^-2^'.
Nohostility
must
deter
them
from
main-taining
the
gospel
in
a
spirit
of
unity,
for
ability
to
sufferf
or
Christ
is
a
sign
of
Divine
grace
to
them
and
of
ruin
to
their
enemies.
An
appeal
is
also
made
to
them,
by
all
that
they
have
experienced
of
Christian
love,
to
complete
nis
joy
by
living
in
fellowship,
and
to
exhibit
that
unselfish
mind
which
prompted
Christ
to
come
to
earth
and
die
for
them.
Where-fore
He
is
now
exalted
to
be
worshipped
by
every
creature.
