As the Philippians had thrice fent to St. Paul their annual prefent, previous to that, which they fent by the hands of Epaphroditus, it is probable that he had not reived thefe prefents in filence, but that he had made fome written acknowledgement. One night conclude therefore that he had already written to them feveral Epiftles: a conclufion, which is corroborated by what the Apostle himself fays, ch. iii. 1. 18. efpecially in the latter place, where he writes thus to the Philippians, For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the crofs of Chrift.'

In the exordium of this Epiftle, we find, contrary to St. Paul's general practice, bithops and deacons mentioned in the general falutation: πασι τοις άγιοις τοις εσιν εν Φιλιπποις συν επισκόποις και διακονοις, ch. i. i. The moft probable reason for this deviation is that affigned by Theophylact, namely, that they were the perfons, who had fent Epaphroditus, to bring the contributions of the Philippian community". St. Paul therefore greeted them in particular in this Epiftle, which he did not in his Epiftles to other churches, because the Philippians alone contributed to his neceffities, as he himself fays in his Epiftle to them. But he first mentions the members of the community at large, and then the bishops and deacons, as minifters of the church. That there were feveral bishops at Philippi will not appear extraordinary to any one, who reflects on the ftate of the Chrif tian communities in the time of the Apoftles. In that age the Chriftians had no public edifices or temples, which contained, as in later ages, an affembly of feveral thoufands, but were obliged to hold their meetings in private

See Phil. IV. 16.

* The words of Theophylact are: Τινος δε χάξιν τῷ κληρῳ νυν γραφει, όπως είδαμε αλλαχε εποίησεν; Ότι αυτοι τον Επαφροδιτον επεμψαν επαγόμενον τα προς χρείαν των αποτελῳ. It may at the fame time be oblerved that this very addrefs to the bishops and deacons in the exordium to the Epiftle to the Philippians, and its being a deviation from the addrefs in all St. Paul's other Epiftles, is fufficient to confute the opinion maintained by Dr. Semler that St. Paul's Epistles were all defigned for the exclufive ufe of the clergy.

private houses. Where the Chriftians were numerous, thefe meetings, and confequently the infpectors, or bishops, who prefided in them, were multiplied in proportion for no room in a private houfe could hol a very numerous congregation. This order of things continued, till by degrees the jurifdiction of Chriftian bishops extended itfelf to whole cities, to whole dioceses, and at length to whole principalities,

In ch. iv. 2. St. Paul fpeaks of Evodia and Syntyche, as two very excellent women, but who unfortunately were at variance: and the difference, which fubfifted between them, appears to have occationed likewise a divifion in the whole community. If we judge from their names, they were not Jewish, but Greek women, who before their converfion to Chriftianity, had adopted perhaps the Jewish religion, and therefore, according to the language of the Acts of the Apoftles were yuvaixes' Coμeva, like Lydia, mentioned Acts xvi. 14. As perfons of rank and fortune, they must have had material influence on the other members of the community, whom St. Paul defcribes, 2 Cor. viii. 2. as being in general poor. Whether they had an office in the church, or not, no one at prefent can determine. It is indeed not impoffible, that they were deaconeffes, and made their houses places of aflembly: but no one can affert it, fince we have no knowledge on this fubject. Both Evodia and Syntyche appear to have been in the wrong: St. Paul therefore advifes them to be reconciled to each other, and requests à friend, whofe name he has not mentioned, to take upon him the office of mediator".

Ερωτω και σε, σύζυγο γνήσιο, συλλαμβανε αυταίς, άιτινες εν τω ευαγγελια συνήθλησαν μοι, μετα και Κλημεντος και των λοιπων συνεργών μe, wv тa ovoμara & Bibaw (wns. Ch. iv. 3. Beside the mediator therefore, whose name St. Paul has not mentioned, it might be thought that Clement was also requested to co-operate in effecting a reconciliation. But inftead of condiruing μετα και Κλήμεντος with εξώτω και στ I would rather conftrue it with unbancar poi, and fuppofe that St. Paul meant to fay, that Evodia and Syntyche had combated for the Golpel, together with Clement (by whom I understand Clement of Rome)

and

SECT. II.

St. Paul wrote the Epifle to the Philippians, during his firft imprisonment in Rome, at a time, when he expected to be foon released.

THA

HAT St. Paul was prifoner in Rome, when he wrote the Epiftle 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 houfhold.' 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 anfwered 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 obferration on what Oeder fays of κοινωνία εις το ευαγγέλιον, 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 Gospel: 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 firft contribution; for he adds 'from the first day until now,' from which we see that these contributions had been repeated feveral 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 himfelf

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 sedition, Acts xvi. 20. 21. xvii. 6. 7. -What I have said 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 hin 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 answer that in thofe times there was not that regular and easy 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 stated 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 Ephefans 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 Epistle 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 Epistle 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 Acts xvi. 1—xx. 5. 6. See the last paragraph of Ch, vi. Sect. 3.

but likewife 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 allo 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 trust in the Lord Jefus to fend Timothy shortly unto you, that I alib may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your ftate." Surely St. Paul could not have written thus, if his fellow-labourer St. Luke had been with him.

The fituation of St. Paul, as a prifoner, was likewife different, when he wrote his Epiftle 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 bre thren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to fpeak the word without fear? And ch. iv. 22. he fays, All the faints falute you, chiefly they that are of Cæfar's houthold:' whence it appears that the Chriftian religion had been introduced into the imperial palace. That he expected, and was even confident, that he fhould be foon released, is evident from what he fays, ch. i. 25. 26. Having this confidence I know (T&TO WETоows 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 release, that he fays, ch. ii. 24. I trust in the Lord, that I also myself shall come fhortly.'

The

He adds likewife ver. 15. that fome Jewish-minded perfons preached Chrift alfo of envy and ftrife.