EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS
                     FROM ROME ABOUT A.D. 61

                      BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION

        There is something to be said for the idea that Paul
wrote the Epistle to the Philippians while a prisoner in Ephesus
if he ever was a prisoner there. All that can be said for that
view has been presented by Professor George S. Duncan in _St.
Paul's Ephesian Ministry_ (1930). But, when all is considered
carefully in the light of the facts in the Acts and the Epistles,
the best that one can say is that a possible case is made out
with many difficulties remaining unexplained. The argument is
more ingenious than convincing. It is not possible here to review
the arguments _pro_ and _con_ that convince me that Paul was in
Rome when he wrote this letter to Philippi. It is not clear
whether it was written before the three that went together
(Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians) or afterwards. Probably there
was no great difference in time, but there was time for
Epaphroditus to come to Rome, to fall sick, for the news to reach
Philippi and for Epaphroditus to hear of their concern about him.
The church in Philippi was Paul's joy and pride and they had
helped him before as they did this time.

        The Epistle is a beautiful expression of gratitude for
the love and gifts of the Philippian saints. He is a prisoner of
hope in Rome with possible death before him, but with the note of
joy running through all that Paul says. He hopes to be set free
and to see them again.

        Meanwhile he tells the Philippians about the difficulties
and triumphs in Rome. The Judaizers have followed Paul here and
there is an echo in chapters  Php 1  3  of their opposition. But
Paul rises to full stature in the great Christological passages
in chapters  Php 2  3  which prepare the way for the controversy
with the Gnostics over the Person of Christ in Colossians and
Ephesians.

        Some special books on Philippians are those by Beet
(1891), Burns (1917), Dibelius (1911), Ellicott (new ed. 1890),
Wohlenberg in Zahn Komm. (3rd ed. 1917), Haupt in Meyer Komm. (8
ed. 1902), Jones in Westm. Comm. (1920), Johnstone (1904), Jowett
(1909), Kennedy in Exp. Gk. Test. (1903), Klopper (1893),
Knabenbauer (1913), Lightfoot (9 ed. 1891), Lipsius (1893),
Lohmeyer in Meyer Komm. (8 ed. 1930), Lueken (1906), Martin (New
Cent. Bible), Michael (1928), Moule (Phil. Studies), Plummer
(1919), Rainy (Exp. Bible 1893), Robertson (1917), Vincent (Int.
Crit., 2 ed. 1910).