The Pastoral Epistles

1. The Pastoral Epistles I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy

2. These three letters are called “Pastoral” because they are addressed to individuals working as “pastors” – ministers. • Paul had left Timothy to work with the churches in Ephesus. • Paul had left Titus to work with the churches on the island of Crete. • The date of all three of these is uncertain because we don’t know where Paul was when he wrote them.

3. Timothy • Paul met Timothy in Lystra on his first missionary tour. • Timothy began traveling with Paul as he came through Lystra again on his 2nd trip. • His mother was Jewish and his father Gentile. • Paul had Timothy circumcised before he took him through Jewish communities.

4. Paul called him “my beloved and faithful child in the Lord” and “my loyal child in the faith” ( 1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Tim 1:2). • Timothy is mentioned in the prescripts for 6 letters of Paul: • 1 Thess., 2 Thess., 2 Cor., Philip., Philem., Col. • He was with Paul when he wrote Rom. (16:21). • Worked with Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and Corinth (probably in Philippi).

5. Was with Paul in Ephesus • Took the letters to Thessalonica, Corinth • Timothy was the “trouble shooter” for Paul. • Thessalonica, Corinth (after the painful visit Paul sent Timothy back) • Philippians 2:20, 22 “I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. . . . Timothy’s worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.”

6. 1 Timothy • At some point Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to work with the churches. • He wrote to him to encourage him in the struggles that Paul knew he was having. • Paul had worked there for 3 years and knew the community and churches well.

7. Date and location • Paul left Timothy in Ephesus while he went to Macedonia. • No mention in Acts or Paul’s letters when he could have done this. • Possibly during the third missionary journey, except that Timothy is going back and forth between Ephesus & Corinth. • Maybe when Paul went to Corinth, Tim went to Ephesus? • Possibly after his release from prison in Rome.

8. Main Themes of 1 Timothy • Warnings about false teachers • Emphasize love, conscience, faith in teaching. • Encourage people to live faithful and moral lives. • Discusses qualities and responsibilities of leaders (elders, deacons).

9. Timothy is to focus on “sound (healthy) teaching” as he instructs people (4:6) • Godliness • Let no one despise your youth (4:12) • Set an example for others in your speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. • Pay particular attention to widows. • The church is to support them.

10. Another warning about the effects of the false teaching. • Leads to envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, etc. • Timothy is to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. • Don’t let ministry make you bitter or unfaithful. • Paul’s final words: • “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you.”

11. Authorship • Many do not accept Pauline authorship of the pastoral epistles for several reasons. • Unusual vocabulary; hapax legomena • Framework of Paul’s ministry • Church order • Argumentative strategy • Theology (Categories from DeSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament, 736ff.)

12. Titus • Titus was Greek; not sure where his home was. • He worked with Paul and Timothy in Ephesus, Macedonia, and Achaia. • He took the “sorrowful letter” to Corinth and brought good news to Paul in Macedonia. • Helped Paul with the collection for Jerusalem Christians. (2 Cor. 8:6)

13. At some point Paul went to Crete and left Titus there to continue the work they began. • This is not mentioned by Luke in Acts or in any other letters of Paul. • Possibly during Paul’s 3 year ministry in Ephesus. • Possibly after release from prison in Rome.

14. Crete • Very difficult place to work. • Very rough place • It had a long standing reputation: • “Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons.” • Paul (Titus 1:12, quoting Epimenides of Crete, 600 BC) • Pirates would use Crete as a place to hide from the Romans; the Cretans welcomed them.

15. Themes in Titus • Godliness that leads to “sound” and productive lives. • Titus was to appoint elders in each city. • “Healthy (sound) teaching” • Older men • Temperance, prudence, sound faith, love, endurance

16. Older women • Reverent in behavior • No slandering • Not be a slave to drink • Teach what is good • Encourage younger women to love their husbands, their children, be self-controlled, good managers of the household, etc. • Younger men • Be self-controlled

17. Titus • Be a model of good works • Integrity, gravity, sound speech • Slaves • Be submissive to masters • Don’t steal • Show complete fidelity in your work • General teachings • Be subject to rulers • Be ready for every good work • Speak evil of no one

18. Remind people to be careful to devote themselves to good works • Avoid stupid controversies, etc. • Let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so they may not be unproductive.

19. 2 Timothy • Paul is in prison, most likely Rome. • Timothy evidently still or back in Ephesus. • Paul is more reminiscent, seems to feel that his end is near. • Perhaps while in Rome, after his earlier release. • Writing to encourage Timothy in his ministry.

20. Paul is not optimistic about the possibility of a release (cf. Philip. and Phm). • Paul reflects back over his ministry . • 4:7 “I have fought the good fight . . .” • He has a good conscience about serving the Lord well and is looking forward to being with the Lord. • He knows Timothy well and compliments him and his family background.

21. Paul reflects on his own sufferings and what he has learned about depending on the Lord. • He knows Timothy is in a difficult place, Ephesus, so he encourages him to remain faithful.

22. Specific Instructions • Be a good worker, faithful. • Maintain your own purity. • Be an example of righteousness, faith, love, peace. • Avoid useless arguments. • Devote yourself to studying and teaching. • Follow through with your commitment, in spite of the problems and challenges.

23. Where in Paul’s Ministry? • Neither Acts nor Paul gives us enough information to determine for sure when Paul wrote these letters. • He could have written 1 Timothy from Macedonia after he had left Ephesus on his way to Corinth • He had sent Titus ahead; perhaps he left Timothy in Ephesus.

24. At some point he and Titus worked together on the island of Crete. • This could have been during his stay in Ephesus. • It could also have been after Paul was released from his Roman imprisonment. • Paul may have gone to Crete at that point either before or after he went to Spain.

25. 2 Timothy was probably written from prison in Rome after he had traveled to Spain. • Tradition (not the NT) indicates that Paul did make it to Spain and that later he was executed during Nero’s persecution around 64-65. • Clement of Rome (ca. 96) – “having reached the limit of the west.” (1 Clement 5:1-7; Clement was writing from Rome)