Dating the New Testament

The Captivity Epistles

Having decisded the timing of the end of Paul’s captivity in Rome it is feasible to place the Captivity Epistles in the chronology. These epistles fall naturally into two groups. The first of these is Philippians, which seems to have been written independently of the others, while Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon form an inter-related group together.


Philippians


There is no doubt that Philippians was written while Paul was in prison, and there is evidence to show that he was in prison in Rome and not in Caesarea at the time of writing.


Phil 4:22 “All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.” This verse tells us that Paul was in Rome, because there was no access to Caesar’s household in Caesarea. Not only that, but Paul has been in Rome for some time, long enough for some people in Caesar’s household to have learned the Gospel and been baptised.


Phil 1:12,13 “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,” This passage refers to Paul’s chains, which confirms that he is in captivity. However, it also tells us that Paul has been in Rome for a considerable time, long enough for it to have become apparent that his misfortunes have “turned out to the furtherance of the Gospel.” and for the whole of the Praetorian Guard to have become aware of Paul’s bonds, as he puts it.


The affair of Epaphroditus also shows that Paul had been a long time in Rome. Phil 2:25-27:


25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;
26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.


This requires enough time to have passed for the news of Paul’s arrival in Rome to have reached Philippi, for Epaphroditus to have been sent, for him to have fallen seriously ill and recovered, for the news of his illness to have reached Philippi, for them to have sent an enquiry about his health to Rome and for this to have been delivered, all in days when the official postal service was restricted to official mail.


Finally, Paul expects to be released, although not immediately. Phil 2:24 “and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.”


All this points to a date in early 62 or, more likely, in late 61 heading towards the end of Paul’s Roman captivity but not right at the end of it.


Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon The remaining Captivity Epistles (Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon) were sent together as a group. Let’s look at the evidence for this:-


Eph 6:21,22a “But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. I have sent him to you for this very purpose…” Tychicus is going with the epistle to Ephesus.


Col 4:7 “As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bondservant in the Lord, will bring you information.”. Again, the letter is going with Tychicus. If you now read on down the page in Colossians, you will find a list of Paul’s companions: v9 Onesimus, who is going with the letter, v10 Aristarchus and Mark, v11 Jesus Justus, v12 Epaphras, v14 Luke and Demas. In Philemon we have exactly the same people - Phm :23,24 “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.”. Not only that, but Philemon is about Onesimus (v10) whom Paul has sent back (v12) and who is therefore also travelling with the letter. Ephesians and Colossians also share a large numbers of coincidences of phrase and thought which suggest that they were written together.


Having established that these three letters should be taken as a group it is relatively simple to set a date for them.


Eph 3:1 “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—” Paul is in captivity. There is little more information about this in Ephesians, but we can add to our knowledge of the situation from Colossians. Col 4:10 “Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’ cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);” Here we find that Aristarchus was with Paul. Paul doesn’t seem to have been captive with Aristarchus in Caesarea, but both of them were sent to Rome on the same ship (Acts 27:2). This would indicate that the group of letters was written while Paul was in the Roman stage of his captivity. Finally Phm :22 “At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.” Paul clearly expects to be released very soon. This would place Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon in 62AD, right at the end of Paul’s captivity in Rome.