St Paul Writes from Rome I
The chain that secured him to the wall and the constant attention of the
Praetorian Guards reminded Paul that he was a prisoner of the Emperor
Nero. But the wall was in a house he had rented at his own cost possibly
near the Jewish quarter of the City, and the regular stream of visitors
reminded him of the relative privilege his Roman Citizenship afforded
him. Imprisoned by the authorities in Jerusalem and Caesarea at the
behest of the Jews, Paul had used his Roman Citizen’s right to be tried
by the Emperor himself to ensure the fulfillment of his long held desire
to visit Rome. It seems he arrived there around March AD 61.
Being a prisoner of the increasingly demented Nero was a very insecure
position. Nero had ordered the murder of his own mother in circumstances
that degenerated into blackest “comedy “in AD 59 and would have his
wife murdered in AD 62. What hope could a humble imprisoned preacher
hold out for himself?
Only three days after arriving in the City and securing the house, Paul
invites the leaders of the Jewish community to visit him, preaches to
them and seeks to ensure that they will not persecute him as the Jews in
Jerusalem and Caesarea did. They had heard nothing about him from
Jerusalem and were not concerned about his work, saying that all they
knew about the followers of Christ was that they were everywhere
reviled.
Paul’s circumstances, as might be expected, affect the content of his
letters. Unlike St. Peter, who as yet, remained free to move about the
great City, Paul is not exposed to its glamour and cosmopolitan
splendour. St Peter is, and he is greatly concerned, warning his flock
to avoid conforming to the dress and manners of the pagans about them.
St. Paul’s world is confined physically to his room. But his soaring
spirit and classically Jewish trained and powerful mind cannot be so
easily confined. His physical immobility gives him for the first time
since his retreat in Arabia so many years ago, time to reflect on the
totality of his teaching to date.
He perceives that there is room to develop more fully his teaching about
the centrality of Christ and about His relationship to His Church, the
relationship of Head to mystical body. Indeed St. Paul discloses that
this teaching came to him by direct revelation. This intense mental and
spiritual reflection during his two years captivity gives rise to a
substantial written output. Thirty per cent of all of St Paul’s writings
come from this relatively short period.
Three of these “captivity “letters, as they are known, form a group in
time- all being delivered by Tychicus(Col. 4:7-9) and (Eph. 6::21) on
the same journey. Internal evidence suggests that Colossians was written
before Ephesians. Each of the letters is different in type – Colossians
is pastoral and monitory, Ephesians is mainly a doctrinal reflection
and Philemon is a private letter. The fourth, Philippians was written at
a different time.
COLOSSIANS
St Paul refers to the founder of the church at Colossae, Epaphras, as
his “fellow servant”(Col.1:7). In Monsignor Ronald Knox’s excellent
translation this is rendered “bondsman”. However later, in Philemon V 23
Paul refers to him as “my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus”. So it
appears that Epaphras came to Rome to see St Paul, or happened to be in
Rome and called on Paul, and told him of his concerns for the church he
led in Colossae. which Paul had not visited. It seems that he stayed in
Rome too long and came to be imprisoned for his activities and perhaps
for his association with Paul, but this is unlikely since Paul seems to
have been allowed free visiting privileges. We cannot know precisely.
Heresy seems to have been the problem in Colossae. Specifically, the
heresy that later came to be known as Gnosticism. It is referred to as
“philosophy “in the Epistle, the very description of some Jewish
teaching used by Josephus and Philo.
We are told in V 16:23 that these false teachers wished to introduce the
observance of Sabbaths new moons and other such days, and forbad the
eating, drinking, tasting, touching of certain things. Worse still they
held angels to be equal to or superior to Christ and promoted worship of
them. (There were at the time a variety of Jewish sects, including the
Essenes, who held bizarre obsessions with “angels” of the stars, of the
seasons, months, days of the year, heat, cold etc., etc.)
Remembering that Paul had not been to Colossae and that Epaphras had
come from there and was asking Paul to help correct these false teachers
and their errors, conjures up a scene of the anxious Epaphras hovering
about as the great Apostle to the Gentiles seeks to devise his address
to these strangers in a strange place, occasionally pausing to receive
further input from Epaphras or to question him further. The letter as it
evolved, falls into two parts, the first is doctrinal and polemical, and
the second is moral and pastoral.
FIRST PART
Paul opens by thanking God for the faith of the Colossians made known to
him by Epaphras. He prays that the Colossians may remain steadfast in
belief and practice.
He opens his teaching at its very heart: the pre-eminence of Christ - God
become Man. He is the Creator of all things and creatures in the natural
order and in the supernatural order: angels, Thrones, Dominations and
Powers. He is the Head of His Church which is His Body. (Here we see
Paul clearly enunciating the existence of the one Universal Church of
which individual local churches are parts. Christ did not found Churches
but only one Church.) And he identifies the role of Christ as
reconciler of man to God “through the Blood of His Cross” (1:20).
Paul knows that the majority of Colossians is Gentile - converts of
Greek and Phrygian origin (1:26, 27 & 2: 13). There may have been a
small number of Jewish converts also, because Josephus (Ant.XII, iii and
4) refers to a scattered Jewish population in the Colossae area. He
reminds them that before their conversion they were estranged from God
by their evil works. But now, through Christ’s saving Death and
Resurrection they are reconciled to God. He affirms his role as Apostle
to the Gentiles and his great concern for them and also for the
Laodecians because he has been unable to visit them.
Paul urges them to build their faith on Christ as they have been taught
and to beware of false teachers whose human traditions are based on the
“elements of the world” (see above). He emphasises how they have been
brought alive by Baptism and spiritually “circumcised”. He warns against
those who preach dietary taboos and new moon festivals, sabbaths and
the false practice of worshiping angels (as opposed to legitimate
veneration of them and their true role). Disregard mere human teachings,
seek and follow what comes from above, he urges them.
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When
Christ, your life shall appear, then you too will appear with him in
glory”.(Col.3 3-4)
SECOND PART
Paul urges the Colossians to avoid immorality, uncleanness, lust, evil
desire and covetousness which the unbelievers practice, and to avoid
“anger, wrath, malice, abusive language and foul-mouthed utterances. Do
not lie to one another”. (Col. 3:8-9) They are all one in Christ with no
racial or status distinctions. Physical circumcision has no privileged
position or value among them.
He urges on them all the practical virtues and they should show forth:
mercy, love and forbearance and forgiveness and do and say everything in
the Name of the Lord Jesus whilst thanking God the Father through Him.
He counsels these virtues in specific terms within the families of the
faithful, with detailed attention to the roles of husbands, wives and
children and their relations with one another. He cautions convert
slaves to work diligently for the sake of their fidelity to God. As we
saw in Foundation for March, Paul had urged Timothy to preach along the
same lines. Few things could more certainly bring down the wrath of the
Roman state on the infant Church than to be seen by Romans as fomenting
rebellion among the slaves.
Paul urges upon the Colossians regularity and consistency in prayer and
asks them to pray for him. He exhorts them to consider carefully how
they spend their time with, or enter into discussion with unbelievers, so
that all will work toward their conversion. He explains that Tychicus
is carrying the letter and will tell them more about Paul and how he is
faring. He is also to be accompanied by Onesimus, himself a Colossian,
who has been working with Paul and is now returning to them.
He sends greetings from his “fellow prisoner” Aristarchus (we recall
that whilst in Ephesus with Paul, Aristarchus had been set upon by a mob
in the theatre) who had sailed from Caesarea with Paul being one of his
close co-workers. Greetings also come from Mark, Barnabas’ cousin and
of course from Epaphras whom Paul assures the Colossians is ever
solicitous for them in his prayers, as he is for Laodicea and
Hierapolis.
Finally he sends greetings from “Luke, our most dear physician” (Col.
4:13) and from Demas. He sends his personal greetings to the church in
Laodicea and to the church in the house of Nymphas and sends a brief
message to Archippus – “Look to the ministry which thou hast received in
the Lord, that thou fulfill it.)
He finishes “in my own hand”: “Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen”.
Tony Dixon
Copyright. This article first appeared in the April, 2009 issue of FOUNDATION.
St Paul the Missionary Part III
THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY 53 - 58 A.D.( Paul is 48-52 years old as he begins.) Covers modern Syria, Turkey, Greece and Israel.
SILAS RETURNED to St. Peter. Timothy remained with Paul and they were joined by Luke’s brother Titus.
From Caesarea Paul returned to Antioch in Syria. He spent some time
there during the winter months building up the church. Then he moved on
again through the Phrygian region of Galatia strengthening the Faith of
the churches he and his companions had previously visited. At Derbe they
were joined by the disciple Gaius.
They travelled on to Ephesus. For three months Paul preached in the
synagogue there, but the Jews in the main hardened their hearts against
his teaching. So Paul and his companions withdrew from the synagogue and
based their preaching and teaching efforts each day in the school of
Tyrannus. They operated in this way with great effect for two years.
Paul worked many miracles and exorcisms in this time by the power of
God.
Numbers of others purported to perform exorcisms in Our Lord’s name.
Among them were the seven sons of Skeva one of the Jewish chief priests.
In the course of one of their efforts, the evil spirit addressed them.
It acknowledged the Name of Jesus and even of Paul which they had used,
but expressed contempt for them and violently attacked them forcing them
to flee naked and wounded. News of the event spread widely through
Ephesus. The Name of Jesus came to be treated with great reverence and
those who had followed the black arts of sorcery came forward making a
bonfire of their books and instruments and seeking conversion.
Paul decided to travel on through Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem and
on to Rome. Pausing a little longer in Asia Minor, he sent Timothy and
another disciple, Erastus, on into Macedonia. During this period there
was a spectacular disturbance when the silversmiths of Ephesus, whose
business relied on making images of the goddess Diana, stirred up a riot
against Paul and his companions. The mob seized Gaius and Aristarchus,
Macedonian companions of Paul, and forced them to the theatre where the
tumult grew with great confusion and lack of direction. Paul wanted to
go to the theatre to address the mob but was dissuaded by the disciples
who feared he would be killed. The Jews at the theatre pushed forward
Alexander who tried to speak. But as soon as the mob found out he was a
Jew, he was drowned out. For two hours the tumult went on aimlessly.
Finally, the town clerk calmed the mob down, reminding them that if
called to account for this disturbance of the peace, they could not do
so. He convinced them to break up and, if they had any legitimate
complaint to take it to court.
Paul then gathered the disciples to comfort and encourage them and set
out on his journey to Macedonia with Titus, Gaius and Aristarchus.
Here, where the Church had been hounded by an enraged mob shouting
“Great is Diana of Ephesus”, some 374 years later, the Council of
Ephesus was to define the doctrine that Mary is the Mother of God. A
man-made “goddess” had been forgotten and the honour of the Blessed
Virgin became the focus of attention in Ephesus.
Having travelled through Macedonia, Paul and his companions went on to
Greece where they spent 3 months preaching and teaching. Paul was
preparing to sail for Syria when he learned of a plot by the Jews to
murder him during the voyage. Rapidly changing his plans, he returned
through Macedonia accompanied by Sopater of Beroea. Aristarchus and
Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, together with
Tychicus and Trophimus of the Asian church sailed on to Troas where they
were re-united with Paul, Sopater and Luke. It was at Troas, whilst
Paul was preaching for many hours, that the young man Eutychus, who had
been sitting on the sill of a window dozed off and fell to his death in
the street.. Paul miraculously brought him to life.
Paul moved on to Assos by land whereas the rest of the group travelled
on by sea. Assos was an ancient city founded around 1,000 B.C. In 133
B.C. it was absorbed into the Roman Empire. Here Paul came aboard and
they sailed on to Mitylene the capital of the island of Lesbos.
This group of representatives of the various churches which Paul led was
travelling to Jerusalem with funds collected to aid the disciples
there. Paul was eager to reach Jerusalem promptly, hoping to be in
Jerusalem in time for the feast of Pentecost. It was for this reason
that from Mitylene he asked the leaders of the Church of Ephesus to come
to him on the coast, and there in most moving terms encouraged them and
farewelled them forever, well aware of the continuing peril to his
life.
They sailed on via Cos and Rhodes to Patara where they joined another
ship sailing for Phoenicia and on to Syria where the vessel was busy
discharging cargo and re-loading for a week. They spent this time in
Tyre. This very ancient city was founded around 3,000 B.C., so that,
even in Paul’s time it was truly ancient. It had been devastated by
Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. – its 30,000 inhabitants massacred or
sold into slavery. In 64 B.C. the inevitable happened and, along with
the rest of Syria, it came under Roman control.
Paul and his group stayed with the church in Tyre. Here disciples were
moved by the Spirit to warn Paul against going to Jerusalem .Undismayed
they sailed on in due course to Ptolemais and Caesarea where warnings
and prophesy of danger to Paul in Jerusalem multiplied. Despite it all
Paul would not be deterred – “the will of the Lord be done “ was his
response..
After some days they set off for Jerusalem, accompanied by some of the
brethren from Caesarea. They were joyfully welcomed in Jerusalem and
stayed at the home of Mnason a Cypriot and one of the first converts in
Jerusalem. The following day they called upon St. James the Bishop of
Jerusalem and all of the presbyters had gathered to meet them and hear
their account of all that God had done through them.
It is interesting to recall that it was on this visit, his first to
Palestine, that St Luke gathered much of the information for his Gospel
and Acts, including, for example, the encounter between St. Phillip and
the Ethiopian (Acts 8)
The leading brethren in Jerusalem were concerned for Paul’s safety
because many Jewish converts were still hostile toward Paul, principally
over the circumcision issue .To make a public demonstration of his
respect for the Law they encouraged Paul to accompany four men under a
vow to the Temple to join in their purification rite and meet the cost
of their head shaving.
The following day, taking their advice, Paul did just that. He repeated
the action daily as the vow observances required, but nearing the
seventh day, some Jews from Asia Minor saw him in the Temple. They
quickly stirred up the crowd thronging the Temple for Pentecost time,
accusing Paul of disrespect for the Law and the Temple. Further they
accused him of bringing a Gentile into the Temple ( some had seen Paul
and Trophimus in the city and assumed he had also brought him into the
Temple). The commotion extended beyond the Temple precinct into the
city. They dragged Paul out of the Temple seeking to kill him The Roman
garrison was installed in the Antonia Fortress which was next to and
higher than the Temple site, affording good supervision of what went on
there. The Romans were on high alert during such religious festival
times, when the population of the city swelled enormously and any number
of factors could create major problems if not nipped in the bud. As a
result the mob dragging Paul out of the Temple ran straight into the
arms of the Roman detachment which had been turned out in the most
efficient bit of “policing” recorded in the Gospels. The mob was quickly
subdued and the Tribune had Paul secured in double chains mistaking him
for an Egyptian trouble maker then being sought. He ordered that Paul
be taken into the Fortress since the mob had again become rowdy and
irrational.
Paul asks to speak to the Tribune - a Greek who had purchased his Roman
Citizenship at high cost (Acts 22:28) The Tribune is surprised that Paul
speaks Greek. Paul asks for permission to address the mob and the
Tribune agrees. Paul is known to many of the leading Jews from his
studies under Gamaliel and his pre-conversion persecution of the Church.
He addresses them in Hebrew, the language used by their biblical
scholars and he gains a hearing. He moves them beyond what they know of
him, relating the story of his miraculous conversion, the vision of Our
Lord during Paul’s visit to Jerusalem ( it seems he is speaking of the
second visit after his conversion, not the first)commanding him to
preach to the Gentiles.
At the mention of the Gentiles, the mob, which had listened quietly
until then, burst out in a new clamour. The Tribune ordered Paul to be
removed to the soldiers’ quarters and examined under the lash. As the
Centurion moved to execute the order Paul asked if he had the right to
scourge a Roman citizen who had been neither tried nor sentenced.
The assertion of his Roman Citizenship alarmed the Centurion who went
directly to the Tribune to warn him of the problem. The Tribune came to
question Paul on the point. Noting Paul’s simple attire, the Tribune
comments that his own Roman Citizenship had cost him a great deal of
money. Paul is quick to point out that he is a Roman citizen by birth.
So Paul was released until the following day when the Tribune had called
him to attend a meeting with the leading priests and members of the
Council., to enable the Tribune to hear both sides of the matter. When
Paul asserted his lifelong fidelity to God, the High Priest Ananias
ordered those near to Paul to strike him in the mouth. Paul rebuked him
for pretending to judge Paul by the Law whilst breaking the Law by
ordering him to be struck. The bystanders cried out that he should not
thus insult the High Priest. Paul makes it clear that he did not know
the man was the High Priest and that he is aware of the respect the Law
accords him.
But seeing the obvious division between the Sadducees and the Pharisees
on the Council, he states that he is being attacked because of his
belief as a Pharisee in the resurrection of the dead. The assembly
dissolved into a furious dispute between the two factions .The Tribune,
fearing for Paul’s safety ordered his troops to protect him and return
him in custody to their quarters
Tony Dixon
Copyright This article first appeared in the October 2008 issue of FOUNDATION.
