Paul's Prison Epistles

Paul’s Prison Epistles – the epistles of Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians – are fundamentally Christological in their content, focusing on the glory of Christ and the grandeur of His church.  In these letters, Christians are helped to understand the Deity and pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, and are given unparalleled insight into God’s way of saving man.  Then, having gone to such lengths to show what God has done for all mankind through Jesus the Son, Paul offers inspired teaching regarding how men – His church – should now pattern and live their lives in order to honor and reflect Him, drawing on the power and the resources of the Spirit which He offers. The Introductory Studies for this commentary fully address Biblical criticism issues unique to these epistles, including an extended review of the intensely Christological passage in Philippians 2:5-11, an examination of what theologians have called the “Colossian Crisis,” and the authorship and original destination of