The Pastoral Epistles I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy

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.

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

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).

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.”

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.”

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.)

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)

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.

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.

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

–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

–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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 –Clement of Rome (ca. 96) – “having reached the limit of the west.” (1 Clement 5:1-7; Clement was writing from Rome)