Timothy (Epistles)
(a) First Epistle.
It was probably written when Paul had regained his freedom, after his first captivity in Rome (see PAUL). The apostle, who desired to go to Macedonia, had entrusted Timothy with the direction of the church in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3).
Many exegetes assume that Paul wrote this letter in Macedonia. Its date of writing is probably in the year 64 or 65 AD. The epistle deals with the practical problems that Timothy was going to face in the ministry, and gives him concrete instructions from Paul. It shows Paul’s personal interest in the progress of the church and in the person of Timothy himself.
(A) Analysis.
(I) Instructions about the Church, chaps. 1 to 3: Warning against false doctors (1 Tim. 1), prayer, the role of women in the Church (1 Tim. 2), duties of bishops and deacons (see ELDERS, DEACONS, BISHOPS) . Greatness of the mission of the Church, and depth of the “mystery of piety” (1 Tim. 3).
(II) Advice to Timothy (1 Tim. 4-6): doctrinal errors and practices that he should avoid (1 Tim. 4); attitude of the Church (1 Tim. 5:1-6:2). Final exhortations, particularly in the form of a personal message to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:3-21).
(b) Second Epistle.
It dates from Paul’s second captivity in Rome, shortly before his death, which probably took place in AD 66 or 67. This is the last epistle written by the apostle.
He says that he is imprisoned (2 Tim. 1:8, 16) and treated as an evildoer (2 Tim. 2:9). He is waiting to suffer martyrdom (2 Tim. 4:6). His friends had abandoned him (2 Tim. 1:15; 4:10-12) and only Luke was with him (2 Tim. 4:11).
However, some Roman Christians visited the prisoner (2 Tim. 4:21). At his first appearance he had not been convicted (2 Tim. 4:16, 17), but he was still detained in a dungeon.
Paul senses the end of his career on earth, and writes to Timothy to exhort him to persevere in the ministry, and asks him to come to Rome soon.
(A) Analysis.
(1) Brief introduction: the prisoner expresses his desire to see Timothy again (2 Tim. 1:1-5). He exhorts him to be courageous in the midst of trials and hardships (2 Tim. 1:6-12); to be faithful in the faith despite opposition (2 Tim. 1:13-18).
(2) Timothy must vigorously defend the fundamental truths of the Gospel, take care of his spiritual life, be long-suffering and pure, keeping away from everything that dishonors the Lord and from vessels of dishonor, in order to be “an instrument of honor, sanctified.” , useful to the Lord, and ready for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:19-22).
(3) Revelation about the future apostasy within the Church (cf. 2 Tim. 3:5). The apostle recommends that Timothy follow the example that he has given him, and that he put the word of God into practice in his life, knowing that all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3).
(4) Last exhortation to preach the word of God (2 Tim. 4:1-5). With martyrdom imminent, Paul expresses his joy at having faithfully fulfilled his evangelical ministry (2 Tim. 4:6-8). The epistle ends with some personal instructions (2 Tim. 4:9-22).
(c) Authenticity.
The epistles to Timothy and the one addressed to Titus are called Pastoral Epistles because they deal in a special way with the apostolic church and pastoral care under apostolic authority.
Over the past hundred years, critics have emerged who have attacked the authenticity of the Pastoral Epistles. Some of them have wanted to attribute them to some unknown author from the 2nd century.
This opinion has been refuted by eminent biblical scholars. The external proofs of the authenticity of these epistles are very numerous. The early church and the Fathers never questioned them.
They are cited or mentioned in the 2nd century by Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria. They were already aware of the previous circulation of these epistles, and a forgery from the same century could not have been imposed on them. The arguments that enter into the controversy are as follows:
1. From a chronological point of view, the question has been raised whether the journeys mentioned here by Paul can be squared with the account in Acts.
It is precisely for this purpose that the Pastoral Epistles seem to lend support to the traditional view that Paul was freed after his first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28:30-31).
He still had to carry out missionary activity for three or four years, which could have allowed him to go to Crete with Titus (Tit. 1: 5) and entrust Timothy with the care of the church in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1: 3). It is evident that Paul himself did not return personally to this city (cf. Acts 20:25).
The painful farewell mentioned in 2 Tim. 1:4 could have taken place in Miletus (cf. 2 Tim. 4:20). From there the apostle passed through Troas (2 Tim. 4:13) to go to Macedonia, from where he probably wrote 1 Timothy.
It seems that also at this time he wrote his epistle to Titus, announcing his plan to spend the winter at Nicopolis (Tit. 3:12). However, he could not carry out his plan.
Arrested again and taken to Rome, he wrote his second epistle to Timothy from his dungeon shortly before his death, asking him to come and see him quickly (2 Tim. 4:9).
2. From the linguistic point of view, it has been claimed that the vocabulary of the Pastoral Epistles differs from that of Paul.
It is a fact that there are 96 new terms in 1 Timothy, 60 in 2 Timothy, and 43 in Titus, that is, twice as many as in the other epistles of this apostle.
But that argument cannot be at all conclusive, since Paul was writing here about particular themes different in many respects from those of his other epistles, and demanding a partly different vocabulary; furthermore, there is no constraint on the great breadth of variety of style and expression in various circumstances of a person’s life, especially of Paul’s intensity and genius.
Furthermore, none of the terms used in these epistles claim a later date, and about half of them are found in the LXX. Finally, an imitator would have taken care to avoid these divergences.
3. The situation of the Church described in these three epistles would fit better, say critics, with that of the second century. For example, the ministries would be too structured to match Paul’s time.
However, this is the opposite of what we find in these writings. At the time of the writing of 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Tit. 1:5-9, the terms bishop and elder were synonymous (see ELDER, BISHOP), while in the second century the two terms designated different positions (cf. the letters of Ignatius, around the year 110, see BISHOP). .
Furthermore, Paul and Barnabas had appointed elders in each church during the first missionary journey (Acts 14:23), and in the church at Philippi to which Paul addressed his epistle there were also bishops and deacons appointed as such (Phil. 1:1).
Thus, in the Pastorals there is no trace of “second century priesthood.” It is perfectly natural that the apostle, about to go to martyrdom, took care to give detailed instructions to Timothy about the problems that he had to face, and that it provides us with invaluable principles in our conduct within the Church of God.