most natural, since we know from other sources (see notes ad loc.) that there was a large body of Christians in the Imperial household, some of them perhaps connected with Philippi, and, in all probability, this movement had assumed greater proportions during Paul’s sojourn at Rome. His converts there, in their new-born enthusiasm, would be likely to show a peculiarly lively interest in that far-distant Church which had manifested so remarkable an appreciation of their father in the Faith. An unbiased reader must feel that there is something far-fetched in the reference of οἰκία Καίσαρος to Cesarea. The con- text of πραιτώριον indicates that Paul writes from a centre of eager Christian activity, a place of much higher importance than Cesarea, which had long since heard the Gospel (A. x.), and could scarcely, in any case, be supposed to exert a pre-eminent influence. As to the other arguments of Holtzmann, there is nothing to oppose the hypothesis that Timothy visited Rome; in fact, it would be surprising if he had never seen his beloved master during so long a period of suspense. And certainly it did not require any recent experiences of Paul to call forth stern denunciations of those Judaisers who had dogged his steps from the beginning to the close of his career.
But the decisive argument for Rome, in our judgment, is Paul’s situation. He expects a speedy termination of his case. How could this be possible at Czsarea? There, on the first favourable oppor- tunity that presents itself, he appeals to Cesar. Only when that appeal has been heard can any decision be come to. And many hints in the Epistle suggest that the all-important moment was close at hand (see ch. i. 12, 18, 19, 20, 26, ii. 24, probably i. 7; also a discussion by the author in Expository Times, x., 1, pp. 22-24, and an excellent dissertation, The Epistle of St. Paul’s First Trial, by R. R. Smith, Camb., 1899). It is perhaps needless to deal with Spitta’s argument in favour of Ceesarea (A postelgeschichte, p. 281) that the expectation of Felix that he should be offered a bribe by Paul was roused by the gift of money which the Apostle had lately received from Philippi.
(0) We believe that the arguments adduced above are sufficient to fix Rome as the place from which the Epistle was written. They also suggest a late date in Paul’s sojourn at Rome, for he is awaiting the final decision in his trial. Lightfoot has at- tempted to show that Philippians stands first in order among the Imprisonment-Epistles. His main argument is greater similarity (especially in thought) to Romans than to Colossians and Ephesians. But this method of reasoning is precarious. Are we at liberty to break up the thinking of a man like the Apostle Paul, as it is