PHILIPPIANS IS A PRISON EPISTLE:

`Both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel' (1:7).

`My bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace' (1:13).

`Many of the brethren ... waxing confident by my bonds' (1:14).

`Supposing to add affliction to my bonds' (1:16).

`All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of C -sar's household' (4:22).

COLOSSIANS IS A PRISON EPISTLE:

`The mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds' (4:3).

`Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you' (4:10).

`Remember my bonds' (4:18).

2 TIMOTHY IS A PRISON EPISTLE:

`Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner' (1:8).

`Wherein I suffer trouble ... even unto bonds' (2:9).

`At my first answer no man stood with me' (4:16).

PHILEMON IS A PRISON EPISTLE:

`Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ' (1).

`Now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ' (9).

`Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds' (10).

`He might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel' (13).

`There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus' (23).

Here, then, are five epistles, each one unmistakably written from prison. The epistle to Philemon is of a

somewhat private nature. Philemon was host to the church at Colosse, and the epistle shews something of the home

life at the time in which it was written. It is a lovely letter, full of Christian grace, but for the purpose of this attempt

to frame a form of sound words, seeing that we are seeking the special truth committed to Paul as the Lord's

prisoner, it cannot be included in our exposition. We shall find all that we require in the other four epistles, and far

more than we can deal with in the space at our disposal.

These four epistles have been placed by different editors in every possible order. We feel ourselves that they do

not contain sufficient evidence to decide the point, but - and this is far more important to us - they have a most

definite interrelation that it is of the utmost importance to observe, for a true realization of the scope of each epistle

is essential to the correct interpretation of its parts.

Before setting out this intimate inter-relationship, it will be necessary to discuss the presence of a principle that is

found throughout the pages of revealed truth. Truth is balanced, not arbitrarily, but morally and essentially. The

truth revealed in Scripture concerning the Lord's people deals with their standing and with their state. Not standing

only, for all privilege without some responsibility is fatal to growth. Not state only, for the burden of responsibility,

coupled with the knowledge of so much failure, would depress and render salvation fruitless. These two sides of the

Christian life - standing and state - are expressed in a variety of ways. These are some of them:

Free gift.

Reward or prize.

Not of works.

Unto good works.

If we be dead with Him, we

If we suffer, we shall

shall also live with Him.

also reign with Him.

Two passages from the epistles may here be studied with profit. The first is from Corinthians: