Though a prisoner, he was allowed the freest intercourse with his friends, and he was then surrounded by many of his oldest and most faithful companions. From the Epistles we learn that Luke, Timothy, Tychicus, Epaphras, Aristarchus, and others, were with the apostle at this time. Still, we must remember that he was, as a prisoner, chained to a soldier and exposed to the rude control of such. Owing to the long delay of his trial, he was in this condition for two years; during which time he preached the gospel and opened up the scriptures to the congregations which came to hear him; and wrote several epistles to churches in distant places.
Having fully and faithfully discharged the duty which he owed to the Jews, the favored people of God, he addressed himself to the Gentiles, though not, of course, to the exclusion of the Jews. His door was open from morning till night to all who would come and hear the great truths of Christianity. And in some respects he never had a better opportunity; for as he was under the protection of the Romans, the Jews were not allowed to molest him.
The effects of Paul's preaching through the Lord's blessing, were soon manifest. The Roman guards, the household of Caesar, and "all other places" were blessed through his means. "I would ye should understand, brethren," he writes to the Philippians, "that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace [or, Caesar's court, see margin], and in all other places." And again, the apostle says, "All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household." (Phil. 1:12, 13; 4:2212But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; (Philippians 1:12‑13)
22All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. (Philippians 4:22).) The blessing appears to have been first manifested in the Pretorium, or amongst the praetorian guards. "My bonds in Christ are manifest in all Caesar's court"—the quarters of the guards and household troops. The gospel of the glory which Paul preached was heard by the whole camp. Even the kind prefect Burrhus, with his intimate friend Seneca, Nero's tutor, may have heard the gospel of the grace of God. Paul's courteous manners, and great abilities, both natural and acquired, were well fitted to attract both the statesman and the philosopher. His being there two whole years gave them many opportunities.
With nearly the whole of the guards, we may say, he must have been personally acquainted. With every change of guard the door for the gospel opened wider and wider. Being constantly chained to one of the soldiers as his keeper, and having the guard duly relieved, he thus became acquainted with many; and with what love and earnestness and burning eloquence, he must have spoken to them of Jesus and of their need of Him! But we must wait till the morning of the first resurrection to see the results of Paul's preaching there: the day will declare it, and God shall have all the glory.
The apostle gives us also to know that the gospel had penetrated into the palace itself. There were saints in Caesar's household. Christianity was planted within the imperial walls; "and in all other places." Yes, in "all other places," says the sacred historian. Not only was Paul thus laboring within the imperial precincts, but his companions, whom he styles his "fellow-laborers," were no doubt preaching the gospel in "all other places," in and around the imperial city; so that the success of the gospel must be ascribed to the efforts of others, as well as to the unwearied exertions of the great apostle in his captivity.