It is utterly impossible for anyone to believe the testimony of the Lord's prisoner, and not to hold fast the great

fundamental doctrine of the Resurrection. Without that glorious fact there could be neither salvation, nor heavenly

sphere, nor prize of the high calling, for all depends upon the Resurrection, Ascension and present Exaltation of the

We have here examined the prison epistles for their testimony of the fundamentals of the faith and have found

six most important doctrines most fully established in these epistles. We have not yet considered their testimony to

the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and this must be our immediate concern. Speaking of the Lord, Paul

says in Philippians:

`Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation,

and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men' (Phil. 2:6,7).

The same apostle writing to the Colossians said of Christ:

`Who is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature ... the firstborn from the dead' (Col. 1:15-

Here are statements that are equal to any that may be found outside the prison epistles for the wonder of their

The Saviour's Deity is stressed, but so also is His manhood. These highly spiritual epistles which turn the

believers thoughts away from the earth, and speak of principalities and powers, heavenly places, and even spiritual

foes, give no uncertain sound as to the human nature of the Lord.

`Having abolished in His flesh the enmity' (Eph. 2:15).

`In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy' (Col. 1:22).

`For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily' (Col. 2:9).

Does John in his Gospel, or Paul in Hebrews teach that the world was made by Him, or that the heavens are the

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work of His hands? (So also ) Colossians tells us that `by Him all things were created, that are in heaven and that

are in earth'. Is it the testimony of other Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Ephesians 4:13 (also*)

places `the knowledge of the Son of God' as the goal of the faith. Is it the testimony of other epistles that this same

Jesus is Lord? (So also*) Philippians 2:9-11 reveals the fact that the Saviour is highly exalted and that one day

every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Is He the Saviour? Philippians 3:20 says

we look for Him as such. Is He Master? Believing masters upon earth are reminded of the title of the Lord in

Ephesians 6:9 and Colossians 4:1. The glory of these prison epistles is the exalted Lord, and they who believe and

hold to their teaching cannot help but bow in His presence and say with perhaps fuller meaning than did Thomas,

`My Lord and my God'. The Lordship of Christ is most fully testified in these prison epistles. The central feature of

the sevenfold unity of the Spirit is the `One Lord' (Eph. 4:5). There is a distinct recognition of the Lordship of

Christ in the change over from doctrine to practice in Ephesians. In chapter 3, where the doctrine of the epistle is

still in progress, Paul calls himself `The Prisoner of Jesus Christ' (Eph. 3:1), but the next time he refers to himself

under that title is in the practical section with its exhortation to walk worthy, and there we find the words `The

Prisoner of the Lord' (Eph. 4:1).

Service is particularly directed to the Saviour in His capacity as Lord, and from Him reward and censure alike

must be expected:

`And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall

receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ' (Col. 3:23,24).

In his last epistle, the apostle says:

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The words in brackets have been added to the original work to assist the reader in following the author's