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Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles
Today we begin to examine a set of letters called the "Pastoral Epistles". These letters, rather than being directed at churches as a whole, are written to people: Timothy and Titus. The content has a lot do to with the administration and leading of the church, as well as dealing with false teachers. Here's some intro material for these letters:
"OCCASION/PURPOSE
A. The OT gives specific guidelines for the organization of the community of faith. The NT does not contain specific instructions concerning the organization or polity of the church. The Pastoral Letters (I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus) are as close as it comes to guidelines.
B. Another purpose beside the general organization of churches was to combat emerging heresies (cf. I Tim. 1:3). The specific heresy may be a combination of Jewish and gnostic tendencies (much like Eph. and Col.). Possibly there were two distinct groups.
C. I Timothy was written
1. to request Timothy to stay on at Ephesus (cf. I Tim. 1:3)
2. to deal with the false teachers
3. to help organize the leadership (cf. I Tim. 3)
D. Titus had a similar assignment to deal with heresy and organization on Crete (cf. 1:5)
E. II Timothy finds Paul in prison with little hope of release (cf. 4:6–8, 16–18)
F. There is a strong sense of “sound teaching” (i.e. correct doctrine) that rings through these letters (cf. I Tim. 1:10; 4:6; 6:3; II Tim. 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1) or “sound in the faith” (cf. Titus 1:13; 2:2). God entrusted this “sound teaching” to Paul (cf. I Tim. 1:11); Paul entrusted it to Timothy (cf. I Tim. 6:20) and Timothy was to entrust it to faithful men (cf. II Tim. 2:2).
This shows the early development both of the plurality in the churches and the growth of destructive heresies.
THE FALSE TEACHERS
A. It is difficult to discuss the false teachers because of our lack of specific first century information. Paul is writing to those who knew these false teachers firsthand. He, therefore, does not fully discuss their theology, but usually condemns their lifestyle and motives (as does Jude).
B. The main interpretive issue relates to whether they were
1. Jewish
2. Greek
3. a combination
The false teachers seem to be a mixture of Jewish and Gnostic elements. But how did these totally divergent religious movements merge?
a. Judaism always incorporated some dualistic elements (cf. Dead Sea Scrolls)
b. Gnosticism of the second century developed these common near-eastern philosophical/ theological themes
c. Judaism of the diaspora was much more eclectic than modern scholarship previously imagined
d. there is a first century precedent for a Jewish-gnostic heresy in the book of Colossians
C. Some of the elements of the false teachers
1. Jewish aspects
a. false teachers
(1) teachers of the Law (cf. I Tim. 1:7)
(2) the circumcision party (cf. Titus 1:10)
b. false teachers warned about Jewish myths (cf. I Tim. 3:9; Titus 1:14)
c. false teachers concerned with food laws (cf. I Tim. 4:1–5)
d. false teachers concerned with genealogies (cf. I Tim. 1:4; 4:7; II Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14–15; 3:9)
2. Gnostic aspects
a. asceticism forbidding and exempting
(1) forbid marriage (cf. I Tim. 2:15; 4:3)
(2) exempt certain foods (cf. I Tim. 4:4)
b. sexual exploitation (cf. I Tim. 4:3; II Tim. 3:6–7; Titus 1:10, 15)
c. emphasis on knowledge (cf. I Tim. 4:1–3; 6:20)" [1]
Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles
Today we begin to examine a set of letters called the "Pastoral Epistles". These letters, rather than being directed at churches as a whole, are written to people: Timothy and Titus. The content has a lot do to with the administration and leading of the church, as well as dealing with false teachers. Here's some intro material for these letters:
"OCCASION/PURPOSE
A. The OT gives specific guidelines for the organization of the community of faith. The NT does not contain specific instructions concerning the organization or polity of the church. The Pastoral Letters (I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus) are as close as it comes to guidelines.
B. Another purpose beside the general organization of churches was to combat emerging heresies (cf. I Tim. 1:3). The specific heresy may be a combination of Jewish and gnostic tendencies (much like Eph. and Col.). Possibly there were two distinct groups.
C. I Timothy was written
1. to request Timothy to stay on at Ephesus (cf. I Tim. 1:3)
2. to deal with the false teachers
3. to help organize the leadership (cf. I Tim. 3)
D. Titus had a similar assignment to deal with heresy and organization on Crete (cf. 1:5)
E. II Timothy finds Paul in prison with little hope of release (cf. 4:6–8, 16–18)
F. There is a strong sense of “sound teaching” (i.e. correct doctrine) that rings through these letters (cf. I Tim. 1:10; 4:6; 6:3; II Tim. 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1) or “sound in the faith” (cf. Titus 1:13; 2:2). God entrusted this “sound teaching” to Paul (cf. I Tim. 1:11); Paul entrusted it to Timothy (cf. I Tim. 6:20) and Timothy was to entrust it to faithful men (cf. II Tim. 2:2).
This shows the early development both of the plurality in the churches and the growth of destructive heresies.
THE FALSE TEACHERS
A. It is difficult to discuss the false teachers because of our lack of specific first century information. Paul is writing to those who knew these false teachers firsthand. He, therefore, does not fully discuss their theology, but usually condemns their lifestyle and motives (as does Jude).
B. The main interpretive issue relates to whether they were
1. Jewish
2. Greek
3. a combination
The false teachers seem to be a mixture of Jewish and Gnostic elements. But how did these totally divergent religious movements merge?
a. Judaism always incorporated some dualistic elements (cf. Dead Sea Scrolls)
b. Gnosticism of the second century developed these common near-eastern philosophical/ theological themes
c. Judaism of the diaspora was much more eclectic than modern scholarship previously imagined
d. there is a first century precedent for a Jewish-gnostic heresy in the book of Colossians
C. Some of the elements of the false teachers
1. Jewish aspects
a. false teachers
(1) teachers of the Law (cf. I Tim. 1:7)
(2) the circumcision party (cf. Titus 1:10)
b. false teachers warned about Jewish myths (cf. I Tim. 3:9; Titus 1:14)
c. false teachers concerned with food laws (cf. I Tim. 4:1–5)
d. false teachers concerned with genealogies (cf. I Tim. 1:4; 4:7; II Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14–15; 3:9)
2. Gnostic aspects
a. asceticism forbidding and exempting
(1) forbid marriage (cf. I Tim. 2:15; 4:3)
(2) exempt certain foods (cf. I Tim. 4:4)
b. sexual exploitation (cf. I Tim. 4:3; II Tim. 3:6–7; Titus 1:10, 15)
c. emphasis on knowledge (cf. I Tim. 4:1–3; 6:20)" [1]
[1] Robert James Utley, vol. Volume 9, Paul's Fourth Missionary Journey: I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 2000), 3-4.
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