A pastoral epistle

St. Paul’s missionary trips and the chronological order of his epistles First missionary trip extended from 48 A.D. through 52 A.D. No epistles during this trip as he was getting to know the places he visited. After this trip he went back to his base camp, i.e., Antioch, only to face the problem of Legalism that led to the Jerusalem Assembly which included St. Paul and the 12 apostles to condemn Legalism

Missionary trips & apostles (cont.) Second trip started around A.D. During this trip, St. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. The first was to encourage the Thessalonians during severe persecution reminding them with the second coming of our Lord. Some people thought that the 2 nd coming was at hand, so they stopped working. Therefore, 2 Thessalonians was written to tell those people that certain signs have to precede 2 nd coming and those who do not work should not eat too.

Missionary trips & apostles (cont.) The 3 rd trip happened in the late fifties A.D. The Legalists travelled around spreading their ideas, therefore Paul had to write “Romans” to denounce legalism and emphasise salvation by faith in Christ, pure life and baptism. For the same reason he wrote “Galatians” to emphasise salvation in Christ. Also he wrote 1 Corinthians & 2 Corinthians to solve several problems in the church of Corinth.

Missionary trips & apostles (cont.) At the end of 3 rd trip he went back to Jerusalem where he was caught and was put in prison in Jerusalem, then Caesarea and finally in Rome as he appealed to Caesar. While in prison in Rome around 62 A.D., he wrote the four “prison epistles”, i.e., Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Paul was released from prison (was not found guilty). However, he felt that he is approaching the end of his life (many Jews and pagans were seeking to see him dead). Therefore, he wrote his “Pastoral epistles”, i.e., 1Timothy, Titus, and 2Timothy to give them advice re: shepherding the flock, leading and administering the church.

Missionary trips & apostles (cont.) He also wrote “Hebrews” to the Jews to convince them that Christ is the Messiah they had been waiting for. Finally, Paul was put in prison again around 67 A.D. in Rome and there he wrote his last “farewell epistle”, i.e., 2Timothy as he knew he was going to be martyred when he said “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of rightiousness” 2Tim 4:7-8 In total 14 epistles (> ½ the new testament) between 52 A.D. to 68 A.D. Therefore, we read part of the Pauline epistles in every Mass.

The life of St. Timothy born in Lystra of Lycaonia of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. Though Timothy had read the Scriptures from his childhood, he had not been circumcised as a Jew probably because his father was a pagan. His mother and grandmother were praised by the Apostle Paul for their sincere faith (2 Tim. 1;4-5).

The life of St. Timothy (cont.) He met the great Apostle Paul for the first time in Lystra during Paul’s 1 st missionary trip. He was an almost constant travelling-companion of Paul's, visiting Achaia, Macedonia, Italy and Spain with him. He was imprisoned with Paul in Rome for sometime (as mentioned in Hebrews). He took some of Paul’s epistles to their destinations, e.g., Philippians and Thessalonians, and was sent by Paul to places he preached before to make sure that they stand fast in faith.

The life of St. Timothy (cont.) Timothy was circumcised by Paul personally because he was the closest disciple to Paul and accompanied him consistently to the Synagogues to preach. This would not have been possible if he were not circumcised as it would have enraged the Jews who knew that his father was a pagan and uncircumcised people are not allowed into synagogues. Circumcision here is not a necessity for Timothy’s salvation but is a necessity for ministering to the Jews. Other disciples like Titus remained uncircumcised for the rest of their lives as circumcision (one of the works of the Law) is no more essential for salvation

The life of St. Timothy (cont.) When Paul was released from prison the 1 st time, he sent Timothy to Philippi to relate the good news (phil. 2:19-23), while Paul himself went to Ephesus (in spite of his earlier expectations in Acts 20:38), and to other Asian churches like Colosse (Philem 22). When Timothy rejoined him in Ephesus, Paul ordained Timothy a bishop for Ephesus while he journeyed to Macedonia When Paul saw that he might be delayed in Macedonia, he wrote 1 Timothy.

The life of St. Timothy (cont.) Timothy was then in his late twenties or early thirties. So he was a young bishop and hence the importance of 1Timothy in which Paul as a Patriarch reviews the spiritual principles in church leadership in a pastoral epistle. A great zealot for the Faith, a superb preacher and of a gentle spirit, Timothy contributed greatly to the spreading and establishing of the Christian faith. Paul called him his own son in the faith (I Tim. 1:2).

The life of St. Timothy (cont.) After Paul's martyrdom, Timothy had St John the Evangelist as his teacher. But when the Emperor Domitian exiled John from Ephesus to the island of Patmos, Timothy remained in Ephesus as bishop. Some say that the message to Ephesus in the book of revelation was directed to Timothy who was believed to be the bishop of Ephesus then. At the time of an idolatrous feast called Katagogium, the pagans, resentful of the Christians, made a merciless, masked attack on Timothy and killed him (stoned him), in about the year 93. His honoured relics were later taken to Constantinople and buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles by the graves of St Luke the Evangelist and St Andrew the First-Called.

Theme Paul the experienced and aged apostle writes to the young bishop who is facing a heavy burden of responsibility in the church of Ephesus. In addition to conduct of the church, Paul talks pointedly about the conduct of the minister. This also relates to the conduct of all servants. This epistle is considered to be the basis for ministry. This epistle highlights the sacrament of priesthood as being existent from the very beginning of the church. Also bishops and deacons existed then.