In "The Westminster New Testament" (Andrew Melrose, 2s. net) we
have The Captivity and the Pastoral Epistles, by the Rev. James Strachan. By the " Captivity" is meant the group of letters written by St. Paul during his imprisonment (Mr. Strachan thinks that this lasted from his arrival in Rome down to his death). This is arranged as follows :—Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians. Ephesians is considered to be a circular letter. All are regarded as Pauline, though Mr. Strachan does not fail to emphasise the difference of tone discernible in them. Philippians he puts near the end of the Apostle's life. The Pastoral Epistles are regarded as non-Pauline, though probably including some Pauline utterances. (One would be sorry to lose that noble confession, "I am now ready to be offered," &c., in 2 Tim. iv. 6-8.) But the atmosphere is certainly, as Mr. Strachan puts it, "ecclesiastical rather than missionary." "Organisation takei the place of inspiration. The authority of the Church is substituted for the omnipotence of the Spirit. The age of the prophet is past, that of the bishop and deacon is come." The book as a whole is altogether worthy of the excellent series to which it belongs.
Previous page
