II. It is less certain, however, token and tcAers it wb composed. The common opinion is that Paul wnrte k at I^me during his imprisonment in that city (Act* xxviii, 16, 80). Erasmus, followed by others, Buppoea that Ephesus was the place at which it was oompoeed : but this suggestion is obviously untenable from its ia> compatibility with the allusions contained in the mk- tie itself to the state of trouble and imprisonment ic which the iqxistle was whilst composing it (i, 24; iv, 10, 18). In Germany, the opinions of theologians hart been divided of late years between the common hy- pothesis and one proposed by Schulz in the Tieek- gische Studien und Kritihen for 1829 (p. 612 sq.), viz., that this epistle, with those to the Ephesians and Ftol- emon, was written during the apostle's (two years') imprisonment at Cesarea previous to his being sent t» Rome. This opinion has been adopted and defended by Schott, Bdttger, and Wiggers, whilst it has beea opposed by Neander, Steiger, Harleea, R&dcert, Cnd- ner, and others. In a more recent number of the sanie periodical, however, the whole question has been sub- jected to a new investigation by Dr. Wiggers, wbe comes to the conclusion that, of the AkCs above ap- pealed to, none can be regarded as decijtDe for either hy- pothesis (stud, u, Krit, 1841, p. 486). The above opta- ion that this epistle and those to the Ephenant and to Philemon were written during the apostle's imprison- ment at Cssarea (Acts xxi, 27-xxvi, 82), has been re- cently advocated by several writers d abilitj, and stated with such cogency and clearness by Meyer (£3b- leit. K. Ephes. p. 15, sq.), as to deserve some conskkrt- tion. It will be found, however, to rest on ingenioat- ly-urged plausibilities ; whereas, to go no further into the present epistle, the notices of the apostle's iaprif- onment in chap, iv, 8, 4, 11, certainly seem historicaUr inconsistent with the nature of the imprisonment it Caesarea. The permission of Felix (Acts xxiv, 23ii can scarcely be strained into any degree of libeitr te teach or preach the Gospel, whUe the fkcts reccffded of Paul's imprisonment at Rome (Acts zzviil, 23,811
COLOSSIANS
421
COLOSSIANS
are mich ai to tumnoiiize admirmbly with the frtedom in this nspect which our present epistle represents to have been sceorded both to the apostle and his com- panions (tee chap. iVf 11, and comp. De Wette, Mnkit, s. CciotM. p. 12, 18; Wieseler, Cknmol, p. 420) (Kitto, t. y. ; Smith, s. ▼.). Finally, the foundation for this opinion is taken away by the fact that the imprison- ment of Panl at Cnsarea was not so long as commonly supposed. See Paul. It is most likely, therefore, that it was written during Paul's first imprisonment St Borne, probably in the spring of A.D. 67, and ap- parently 80<Hi after the Epi^e to the Ephedans, with wliich & contains numerous and striking coincidences. In support of this date the following facts may be ad- duced: Timothy was with Paul at the time (chap, i, 1; comp. PhiL il, 19); Epaphroditus (Epaphrae) had laiely come firom Asia Minor (i, 4, 7, 9 ; comp. PhiL ii, 26; iy, MX and was now with Paul (Iv, 2); Paul was m prison, and had been preaching in his confinement (iy, 8, 18; see Acts xxviii, 80, 81); yarious friends were at this time with him (iy,'7-U ; these bad there- fore bad time to gather about him, and it was not a season of ganger) ; Tychicus (on his second journey) and Onesimus carried the letter (iv, 7, 8 ; and subscrip- tion ; comp. Eph. yi, 21 ; Philem. 12). From this last drcumstanoe, it would appear that the epistle could not haye been written yery eariy in bis imprisonment, ss tiie letter to Philemon (doubtless written not long after) speaks confidently of a speedy release (see Cony- besre and Howson's Life and Epitilet of SuPcad^ ii, 884).
"The striking similarity between many portions of this epistle and of that to the Ephesians has giyen rise to much speculation, both as to the reason of this stud- ied similarity, and as to the priority of order in re- spect to composition. These points cannot here be Massed at length, but must be somewhat briefiy dis- missed with the simple expression of an opinion that the similarity may reasonably be accounted for, (1) by the proximity in time at which the two epistles were written ; (2) by the high probability that in two 4Ues of Asia, within a moderate distance from one anotner, there would be many doctrinal prejudices, and many social relations, that would call forth and need precise- ly the same language of warning and exhortation. The priority in composition must remain a matter for s reasonaUe diflference of opinion'* (Smith). See Ephesiaks and Philemon {EpiUUi to).
III. />ei^— The Epistle to the Colossians was writ- ten, apparently, in consequence of inform^ion receiyed by Psol through Epaphras concerning the internal state of their church 0* 6-8). Whether the apostle hsd eyer himself before this time yisited Colossa is Batter of uncertainty and dispute. From chap, ii, 1, where he says, '* I would that ye knew what great con- ffict I haye for you and for them at Laodicea, and for u many as haye not seen my face in the flesh," etc., it hu by some been yery confidently concluded that he hsd not. It has been urged, howeyer, that when, in yfst. 6, the apostle says, *^ though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the sphit," etc., his lan- goage is strongly indicatiye of Ids h&ying formerly heen amongst the Ck>los8ians, for the dviifii is used properiy only ot such absence as arises from the per- son's kavmg gom away from the place of which his ab- Kuce is predicated. In support of the same yiew haye heen adduced Paul's haying twice yisited and gone tbiongfaPhiygia(Act8xyi,6; xyiii, 28), in which Co- lossa was a chief city ; his fiimiliar acquaintance with so many of the Colossian Christians, Epaphras, Archip- pus, Philemon (who was one of his own conyerts, Phfl. 18, 19), and Apphia, probably the wife of Philemon ; his apparent acquittance with Onesimus, the slawe of Phflemon, so that he recognised him again at Rome ; the cordiality of friendship and interest subsisting be- tween the apostle and the Colossians as a body (Cd. i, 24, 26; ii, I; iy, 7, etc.); the apostle's fomiliar ac