PAUL’S PRICE

     Our understanding of the closing years of the Apostle Paul’s life is not altogether complete. We know from Acts 28 that he was under house arrest, a form of imprisonment for Roman citizens under accusation, for “two whole years.” The nature of that imprisonment is much different from the one that forms the context for 2 Timothy.

     In his time of restraint that Luke records in Acts 28 Paul was able to preach and receive visitors, with no man forbidding him. I am certain, given the nature of the man revealed in his letters, that Paul would have preferred to have free course to do as he wished. But still, he was able to preach and teach. This is not the case later as he wrote his last letter to Timothy, and so far as we know, to anyone else.

     When it comes to what happened to Paul after his time of custody in Rome (again, Acts 28), we would do well, as the writer F.F. Bruce said, to be undogmatic. We do not know for sure. Based on what we have in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 some sort of change definitely took place.

     The options come down to two. Either the relatively open form of custody of Acts 28 became much more restrictive or he was released for a time and then rearrested. Such a change in either case could be accounted for by changes in the Roman Imperial government of the time. Nero was the Emperor and is known to have been mercurial.

     A man like Paul could be used to accomplish the goals of an administration that had its problems. From what we know about Nero, there were problems. A famous man like Paul would be a lightning rod for both Jewish opponents of the gospel and the Roman establishment. It was not unknown to blame Christians for whatever calamity came along.

     Remember also that evidently he taught successfully those of Caesar’s household. In Philippians 1:13 he wrote, “So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.” Note also Philippians 4:22: “All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.” Just think of that. A man from Tarsus by way of Jerusalem and Antioch was able to teach the gospel to people in the household and palace of Nero!

     Since the Apostle and his doctrine were well known in Rome it is not hard to see that he could be the object of scrutiny and unjust blame. This seems to be the case.

     Based on the available materials, I think Paul may well have been released for a time, perhaps traveling to Spain. He even could have been exiled there or some other place. In any case, when he wrote Timothy that second letter, he was in trouble again. He was not readily accessible at this time because Onesiphorus had to seek him out “very diligently” (2 Timothy 1:17). In the touching close to 2 Timothy he wrote that “no man stood with me.” Paul had spent at least the last half of his life teaching Jesus Christ, now he was getting ready to pay his price.

     “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

     Today, as we contemplate Paul and the price he paid for faith, should we not perhaps consider the price we pay for ours?