LETTERS FROM CAPTIVITY:

Filipenses, Colosenses, Filemón, Efesios

Between the years 58 and 63, Pablo spends four years in prison, first in
Palestine and then in Rome. Here you have time to meditate and delve into the
mystery of Christ and the Church.

Letter to the Philippians

1.-Situation of the Church: Philippians is, along with the one directed to Philemon, the
the most familiar and confidential of the Pauline letters. It is the letter of the friend who
he encounters difficulties with friends who have not forgotten him even for a moment
and they have tried to help him with all means at their disposal. It is the letter of a
grateful heart and at the same time worried, because also in that community
disagreements and misunderstandings are emerging. It also seems that to the Philippians they have
some Judaizing preachers have arrived that can seriously threaten the action
Paul's evangelizer, as had occurred in the communities of Galatia.

2.-Scheme and division:

Paul and the community of Philippi (1-2): news, projects.

Exhortations against the Judaizing preachers in Philippi (3)
Invitation to joy and gratitude for the help received (4)

3.- Theological and Spiritual Content: Paul makes a constant invitation to the
joy, even in the face of death. It also manifests its
concern for spiritual growth and for the harmony and unity of the
community. And lastly, it highlights the central role of Christ in the history of the
salvation, and the supreme model of Christians in everything and for everything.

4.-Style: It is a personal, attentive, cordial, and tender letter. There is no need to seek
systematic doctrine. Uses exhortation, allusion to the past and the present.

Letter to the Colossians

 1.-Situation of the Church: In Colossae there was a considerable community.
Christianity, made up mostly of people converted from paganism. But
it should have had a good number of Judeo-Christians, as can be deduced from the
problems mentioned in the same letter. Among the Christians of Colossae
there were some that taught seriously dangerous errors, where they mixed
Christian, Jewish, and pagan elements. The errors were these: (A)

Judaizing tendency: the Jews converted to Christianity wanted to force

all to circumcision, to the observance of the Sabbath, to the abstinence from certain
food.

Excessive worship of angels to the point of making them gods.

Rigid asceticism: purifications, abstinence from food, etc.

2.- Outline and division:

Introduction
Dogmatic part (1-2): supremacy of Christ in Creation and in
Redemption.
Moral or exhortative part (3): It exhorts them to firmness in faith, in the face of the
errors; and to base their Christian life on the resurrection of Christ.
Conclusion:

3.- Theological-spiritual content: To combat these deviations,

Pablo develops a more extensive theology about Jesus, considering him as
center of the universe, firstborn of all creation and redemption, and head of the
Church. Christ is presented as the 'Son of Love'. The relationship between Him is reiterated.
and everything, (B)with an obvious controversial tone against the gnosticism that despised it
material world and attributed it to another creator.

We give thanks to God the Father,

that has made us capable of sharing
the inheritance of the holy people in the light.

He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness,

and has transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
by whose blood we have received redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
firstborn of all creation;
because through him
all things were created:
celestial and terrestrial, visible and invisible,
Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers;
Everything was created by him and for him.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

He is also the head of the body: the Church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead.
and so he is the first in everything.

For in him God wanted all fullness to dwell.

And through him he wanted to reconcile all beings to himself:
those of heaven and those of the earth,
making peace through the blood of his cross.

Col 12-20

Later, Paul presents Christ as the 'head of the body' which is the
Church. The Church, therefore, is presented as a Mystical Body, which has to
Christ as the head and receives from Him her vital impulse, and is the Bride of Christ. Christ is the
Head of the body, because he is the first in the resurrection: the first to rise again.
and he by whom the others are resurrected, by making them participants in his death and
resurrection through baptism.

Pablo attacks this letter as well, the asceticism and the worship of beings.
intermediaries that proposed new teachers. They expect that certain
practices lead them to salvation. But Paul clearly says that salvation is only
he will come if we are united at the head which is Christ.

As a requirement of baptism and of union with Christ the head, the Christian
to be baptized one must be a new man and renounce the old man, in order to regain
the image of the Creator. A family moral table indicates moral obligations
of each of the family members.

4.-Style: It is characterized by the multiplication of synonyms, complements

that occur in a cascade. Pauline vocabulary: head, body, mystery, fullness,
wisdom, wealth, knowledge, cosmic powers. Influence of literature
wisdom
 Letter to Philemon
1.-Situation of Philemon: Philemon is a wealthy Christian from Colossae,
cattle for the gospel by Paul and who has escaped some time ago.
a slave named Onesimus. This slave is now with Paul, who
he would like to keep it close to him. He knows that he has reasons to do so, but not
wants to force the situation, and with great delicacy leaves the decision in the hands of the
the own Philemon. He returns the slave, who carries this precious letter.

2.-Outline and division: There is no outline, as it is very brief. Pablo gives

thank you, intercede for Onesimus and says goodbye.

3.-Theological-Spiritual Content: The theme is, then, slavery, which was

accepted in that Greco-Roman society, but which was in open
contradiction with the message of Christ. Paul does not confront directly the
The problem lies in its ability to exquisitely present Christian principles.
of which Philemon must draw the consequences. The main idea is this: everyone
we are equal before God.

Style: it is very simple and cordial. It is the shortest letter in the New Testament.

Letter to the Ephesians (62-63 AD)

1.-Situation of the Church: Ephesus, the capital of the Roman province of Asia, was
located on the western coast of the Peninsula of Asia Minor. Its important port
and its numerous population made it, in the times of Paul, a very city
flourishing. It is aimed at second-generation Christians, who have
dazzled by certain pagan philosophies and need someone
helped them delve into the mystery of Christ. There is division, permissiveness and
attraction of the pagan world.

2.- Scheme and division:

Greetings.
Doctrinal and theological part (1-3): Christ and the Church.
Moral and exhortative part (4-6): invitation to unity and duties of the self
state.
Conclusion
 Theological-Spiritual Content:

The action of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the plan of Salvation.
The Father chooses us to be His children. The Son obtains redemption for us with His
blood. The Holy Spirit seals us and is the guarantee of our inheritance.
Sing a hymn about God's salvation plan: for everyone - Jews and pagans -
God has called us to be holy and blameless in love, to make ourselves
your children, redeem us in Christ and give us the strength of the Spirit. In the
history of salvation, Christ Jesus is the center. The salvation that he has brought
Christ is a free gift
Unity of the Church as the body of Christ. The Church is the place where
all discrimination disappears -I am Jewish, I am pagan-, where not
there are no particularisms or racial, religious, cultural, or social privileges,
where unity is not uniformity or passivity, but dynamism and
collaboration. Christ has torn down the wall of the Law that previously separated
Jews and pagans.
Exhortation to the new life in Christ. It shows a life program.
Christianity for everyone, and it reminds the children and parents of the family the
Duties of the fourth commandment of the Law of God. It invites us to renew ourselves.
in Christ, imitate the love of Christ, to walk as children of light. For this,
Pablo gives us the weapons to fight against enemies: the shield of faith,
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. When exposing the relationships between
the spouses appear the basic elements that will serve the Church to
to begin the reflection that will conclude with the definition of the sacrament of
marriage: the relationship between the union of the spouses and the union of Christ
with the Church. This great mystery from which the highest sanctification flows
marriage shows the sacred character and prohibits considering it as a
purely civil contract, subject to the fluctuation of wills. That is why
the Church does not recognize the civil union as legitimate marriage for the
cristiano.

In this letter, Paul speaks to us about the action of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit in the plan of Salvation. The Father chooses us to be His children.
The Son obtains redemption for us with his blood. The Holy Spirit seals us and is
the guarantee of our inheritance. Sing a hymn about the saving Plan of
God: He has called us all - Jews and pagans - to be holy and
impeccable in love, make us their children, redeem us in Christ and give us
the strength of the Spirit. In the history of salvation, Christ Jesus is the center. The
salvation brought by Christ is a free gift
 CANTICLE OF THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS (1,3-10)

The saving God

Blessed be God,
3

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us in the person of Christ
with all kinds of spiritual and heavenly goods.

4
He chose us in the person of Christ,
before creating the world,
so that we might be saints
and irreproachable before him for love.

He has destined us in the person of Christ,

5

on your own initiative,

to be their children,
6
for the glory of His grace,
how generously has he granted us
in His beloved Son,
redundant in praise of him.

7
For this Son, for his blood,
we have received redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.
8
The treasure of his grace, wisdom, and prudence
it has been a waste for us,
9
making known to us the mystery of his will.

This is the plan

which he had planned to carry
10
out for Christ
when the culminating moment arrives:
to recapitulate all things in Christ
of heaven and of earth.

We also find here the theme of the Unity of the Church regarding
Body of Christ. The Church is the place where all discrimination disappears - I
I am Jewish, I am pagan-, where there are no particularisms or racial privileges,
religious, cultural, or social, where unity is not uniformity or passivity,
but dynamism and collaboration. Christ has torn down the wall of the Law that before
separated Jews and pagans.

We are invited, finally to the new life in Christ. It shows a program of

Christian life for everyone, and it reminds children and parents of their duties.
of the fourth commandment of the Law of God. It invites us to renew ourselves in Christ, to imitate
the love of Christ, to walk as children of the light. For this, Paul gives us the weapons
to fight against the enemies: the shield of faith, the helmet of health, and the sword
of the Spirit.

When exposing the relationships between spouses, the basic elements appear.
that will serve the Church to begin the reflection that will conclude with the definition
of the sacrament of marriage: the relationship between the union of the spouses and the
union of Christ with the Church. This great mystery from which holiness flows more
Marriage registration shows the sacred character and prohibits considering it as a
purely civil contract, subject to the fluctuation of wills. That is why the Church
does not recognize civil unions as legitimate marriage for Christians.

4.- Style: It has the appearance of a circular letter; it resembles a dissertation.

theological intended for the whole Christian church, and not just for the Ephesians. In the part
doctrinal and dogmatic, a solemn and redundant style is noticeable, profound phrases,
long images, and thoughts do not arrange themselves progressively. In the
moral part, it is clearer, more precise, and in an imperative or exhortative form.

(A) These Colossians resemble some current believers who trust.

more in particular devotions not approved by the ecclesiastical authority than in
Christ, or they take refuge in astrology, magic, superstitions, horoscopes.

(B) The word 'all' is repeated eight times in the anthem.

(C) One of those philosophies is Gnosticism. This current of thought

amalgamated teachings originating from the religion of Iran, Platonic philosophy,
Judaism and, finally, Christianity. It was characterized by the dualism that rejected
the matter as bad and accepted only the spirit as good. The soul, a spark of
the divinity imprisoned in the body must be freed by a redeemer
that he would transmit a salvific knowledge (gnosis). The redeemer had to
communicate the knowledge of the ascetic means through which the soul will arrive
by dominating the body, he would be liberated and could return to merge with the divinity. It was
characteristic of this thought is the contempt for the human body. They maintained
that there was a complicated system of celestial beings and intermediaries between the
divine and the earthly, which governed the lives of men and to which they attributed
power and they were to be worshipped. These new currents of thought
they intended to settle within the Church.