There greet you Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;
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Jerome
AD 420
Concerning the identity of Epaphras, Paul’s coprisoner, we accept a story. Some say that the apostle Paul’s parents were from Giscala in Judea and that when the province was devastated by the Romans and the Jews scattered, they emigrated to Tarsus in Cilicia, where Paul was born. Here he inherited as a young man the personal status of his parents. Thus he could state: “They are Hebrews, but so am I; they are Israelites, so am I; they are Abraham’s seed, so am I.” And again, “I am a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” These indicate that he felt himself more of a Jew than a citizen of Tarsus. Because this was so, we can guess that Epaphras was captured and imprisoned about the same time and that with his parents in Colossae, a city of Asia, he later received the word about Christ. .
Concerning the identity of Epaphras, Paul’s co prisoner, we accept a story. Some say that the apostle Paul’s parents were from Giscala in Judea and that when the province was devastated by the Romans and the Jews scattered, they emigrated to Tarsus in Cilicia, where Paul was born. Here he inherited as a young man the personal status of his parents. Because this was so, we can guess that Epaphras was captured and imprisoned about the same time and that with his parents in Colossae, a city of Asia, he later received the world about Christ.
He was sent by the Colossians, so that from this it appears that Philemon was also at Colossæ;. And he calls him his fellow-prisoner, showing that he also was in much tribulation, so that if not on his own account, yet on account of the other, it was right that he should be heard. For he that is in tribulation, and overlooks himself, and is concerned for others, deserves to be heard.
And he puts him to shame from another consideration, if his countryman is a fellow-prisoner with Paul and suffers affliction with him, and he himself does not grant him a favor in behalf of his own servant. And he has added, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus, instead of on account of Christ.
Epaphras was sent by the Colossians, so that from this it appears that Philemon was also at Colossae. And Paul calls him his “fellow prisoner,” showing that he was also in great tribulation, so that if not on his own account, yet on account of Epaphras, it was right that he should be heard.
And in the Commentary on Paul’s Epistle to Philemon, at the place where Jerome says “Epaphras my fellow-prisoner greeteth you,” some way down he says: “Possibly, however, as some think, a more recondite and mysterious view is set before us, namely, that the two companions had been captured and bound and brought down into this vale of tears.”
