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  • From: "Kym Smith" <khs AT picknowl.com.au>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Time and place of Philippians
  • Date: Sun, 19 May 2002 03:09:32 -0400


Dear Richard,

I suspect, with David, that Philippians was written from Rome. 1 Cor 4:17
and 16:10 may indicate two trips of Timothy from Ephesus to Corinth; the
first some time previously, the second still in progress, nearer to the
end of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, and via land and, therefore, via
Philippi (Acts 19:21-22 as per Paul’s intention – 1 Cor 16:5f). What the
Corinthian passages do confirm is Paul’s use of Timothy as his emissary
(also 1 Thess 3:1-6).

There is no reason why Paul could not have sent Timothy on a similar trip
from Rome to Philippi. Travel time varied but a direct journey to Philippi
could easily be accomplished in within a week if the winds were favorable.
The fact that Paul wished to ‘be cheered by news’ of the Philippians
(through Timothy – Phil 2:19) shows that the Apostle expected his young
associate to return to him, not just to precede him, i.e. to Corinth. As
Paul was probably released in spring of 62, and assuming that Timothy
would return in the same year that he was sent (i.e. prior to the close of
shipping from Dec – Feb), Philippians must have been written no later than
late summer or the beginning of autumn in 61 – though it could have been
written earlier, even in 60.

My hunch – in line with my posts (a week ago) re the date and destinations
of Ephesians, is that Paul had heard from Epaphroditus of the spreading
influence of the Nicolaitans – word of their teachings, if not Nicolaitans
themselves – must have reach Philippi (Phil 3:18-19). Besides taking aid
to Paul, Epaphroditus’ trip may have been to get the apostle’s advice re
the Nicolaitans. Realizing that he would have to deal with those heretics
– especially if he already knew that John had been exiled to Patmos – Paul
sent Timothy on a fact-finding mission to learn precisely what it was that
the Nicolaitans were teaching. When Timothy returned, Paul wrote
(primarily to the churches of Asia) a letter in which he methodically
dealt with the heretical teachings and practices of the Nicolaitans.
Though I do not expect too many on this forum to agree with me, I believe
that that letter is what we know as Hebrews. That letter preceded Paul –
as he returned via Philippi – to Ephesus and was copied and distributed
from there.

Sincerely,

Kym Smith
Adelaide
South Australia
khs AT picknowl.com.au




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