IV. CHRONOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS. — Was Paul re- leased from his first imprisonment and imprisoned a second time? Can a place be found for the three letters in his recorded history ?
It is claimed that Paul was released from prison after his first confinement at Rome (Acts xxviii. 16-31) and that he then continued his missionary labours in Ephesus, Epirus, Macedonia, and Crete: that he was again arrested and im- prisoned, and that the second imprisonment was terminated by his execution.
Of this there is no sound historical evidence whatever. The narrative of Acts leaves him in his first confinement. The ordinary course of argument forms a circle. The hy- pothesis of a second imprisonment can be sustained only by the Pastoral Epistles if they are authentic. Their authentic- ity can be shown only on that hypothesis. The only evidence adduced for the second imprisonment outside of these letters is, 1. A passage in Clement’s Epistle to the Corinthians (V.), as follows: (Paul) “having preached the gospel both in the East and in the West, received the glorious renown due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and having come to the boundary of the West, and having borne his testimony before the rulers. Thus he departed out of the world.” The main point is having come to the boundary of the West (éri 70 réppa ths dioews €AOwv). It is claimed that this expression refers to Spain, and that Clement thus records the fulfilment of the apostle’s intention stated in Rom. xv. 24, 28. Others, however, hold that it refers to Rome.* Apart from this difference, which it is impossible to settle, the whole statement is general, vague, and rhe- torical, and has no historical value.
2. The Muratorian Canon (about 170 A.D.) contains a passage apparently to the effect that Luke relates to The- ophilus the things which fell under his own notice, and evi- dently declares as apart from his purpose the martyrdom of
* All that can be said in favour of the reference to Spain, is said by Bp. Lightfoot, 8. Clement of Rome, ad loc.