Tychicus was a native of Asia Minor[1], a companion and delegate of St. Paul, like Timothy and others[2]. He was entrusted with the task presumably of conveying this letter to the churches of Asia Minor, and certainly of informing them as to the apostle's state in his Roman imprisonment--information which could not fail to comfort and encourage them. St. Paul brings this wonderful letter to a conclusion with a brief benediction to the brethren--an invocation upon them of divine peace, and love with faith--an invocation of divine favour upon all that 'love our Lord Jesus Christ in {249} uncorruptness.' Corruption is the fruit of sin, the condition of the 'old man[3].' Incorruption is the state of the risen Christ, and in Him the members of His body are to be preserved, and at last raised 'incorruptible[4]' in body. But there is a prior 'incorruptibleness' of spirit in which all Christians are to live from the first[5], a freedom from all such doublemindedness or uncleanness as can corrupt the central life of the man. And to love Christ with this incorruptibility is the condition of the permanent enjoyment of all that His good favour would bestow upon us. [1] Acts xx. 4. [2] 2 Tim. iv. 12. [3] Eph. iv. 22 [4] Cor. xv. 52. [5] 1 Pet. iii. 4. {251} APPENDED NOTES. NOTE A. See p. 26. THE ROMAN EMPIRE RECOGNIZED BY CHRISTIAN WRITERS AS A DIVINE PREPARATION FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL. (1) The Spanish poet Prudentius (_c._ A.D. 400) fully appreciates the influence of the Roman Empire in welding together the world into a unity of government, laws, language, customs, and religious rites, to prepare the way for the universal Church. The stanzas are remarkable and worth quoting. They are put as a prayer into the mouth of the Roman deacon Laurence during his martyrdom. He recognizes what the Roman Empire has done, and prays that Rome may follow the example of the rest of the world in becoming Christian. O Christe, numen unicum ut discrepantum gentium O splendor, O virtus Patris, mores et observantiam, O factor orbis et poli, linguas et ingenia et sacra, atque auctor horum moenium! unis domares legibus. Qui sceptra Romae in vertice En omne sub regnum Remi rerum locasti, sanciens mortale concessit genus: mundum quirinali togae idem loquuntur dissoni servire et armis cedere: ritus, id ipsum sentiunt. {252} Hoc destinatum, quo magis Confoederantur omnia ius Christiani nominis hinc inde membra in symbolum: quodcunque terrarum iacet mansuescit orbis subditus: uno illigaret vinculo. mansuescat et summum caput. Da, Christe, Romanis tuis _Peristephanon_, ii. 413 ff. sit Christiana ut civitas: per quam dedisti ut caeteris mens una sacrorum foret.