PASTORAL EPISTLES

GROUND OF TRUTH BIBLE INSTITUTE

PASTORAL EPISTLES

INTRODUCTION

The first and second epistles to Timothy and the one to Titus are the only ones in the Testament addressed to ministers of the gospel. These letters have been fitly called “ Pastoral Epistles” not because the addresses were pastors of local congregations when they were written these letters. Rather, the nature of the content of these letters has earned them this title they were first called “ pontifical letters, i.e. written by the pontifex, the priest, the controller of the church” Thomas Aquinas, writing about I Timothy in 1274, stated that the “letter is as it were a pastoral rule which  the Apostles delivered to Timothy” But it was in 1703 that D.N. Berdot used the designation “ Pastoral Epistles” to describes all the three letters.

          This title was made popular by Paul Anton when, in 1726, he used to describe his book on I and II timothy and Titus. This Name has gained acceptance; not because Timothy and Titus were pastors of local churches; but because the letters deal with matters which a pastor concerns himself with –church organization and care; how to behave in God’s house, what kind of   person should be a leader and how to deal with  heresies and misconduct in the church.

AUTHORSHIP

Paul of Tarsus, in keeping with his usual style, out-rightly introduced himself as the author of these letters right in the very first opening sentences. This method is not peculiar to paul, but was the norm for writing letters at that time ( of Jas. 1:11, I Pet. 1 : 11, II Pet. 1 : 1 etc).

          Thus the traditional position of the church has been that paul is the author of  all these three epistles.

          There are many church fathers that supported the authorship of the Epistles as Paul, some church fathers are as follows:

Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Athenagorus, Hegesippus, Theophilus of Antioch, Clement of Alexandria, Irenacus, Tertullian and Eusebius.

THE DATE

Student of the Epistles who argued for an authour other than paul tend to assign a late date for them in the send century.

          But for reasons already discussed, this is not possible. The traditional view has been that Paul was released from the first Roman        imprisonment at about 62 A.D when (s0me argue any time between 60 and 63) and was rearrested sometime after ( not precisely at ) 64. A.D when Nero started his persecution on Christians. The consensus is that he was martred around 67 a.D.

          Without attempting any reconstruction of his activities between the first and second imprisonment, it is fairly safe to suggest that within those two or threee years Paul was able to travel as far as spain an did some more work in Ephesus, where he left Timothy and founded some works in Crete, where he left. Titus. Thereafetre, at about 62 or 63 a.D, he wrote I Timothy, and  Titus was to follow shortly. But II Timothy was written after Paul had been re-arrested and put back in prison in Rome.

          Moreover, when Paul the Apostle was sensing that the end was at hand, he felt constrained to write his last words to his beloved yoke fellow and associate, timothy in 67 A.D or thereabout

RECIPIENTS

Timothy was a native of Lystra, whose mother was a Christian Jewess and his father a Gentile and probably, an unbeliever (Acts 16: 1-2). Nothing more is said about his gentile father while more is said within the pastorals of, not only his mother but, his grand mother also. He was a likely eye witness of the stoning of Paul at Lystra and of Paul’s miraculous deliverance from that incident ( Act 14:20). According to II timothy 3 : 14,  15, it indicates that Timothy came  from   a godly home, at least in the Jewish sense, he had been familiar with the Old Testament right from his infancy. But is seems that his family became Christian under ministry of Paul and Barnabas at Lystra.

The next Paul returned to Lystra, Timothy was “well reported of by the brethren” (Acts 16:2) Timothy was circumcised by Paul because of his gentile  background.

          This was to make it easy for him to accompany Paul among the Jews who knew of Timothy’s back ground. This because the beginning of a long and affectionate association between Paul and Timothy.  I Tim. 3:10-11, Heb. 13:23

          Titus’ relationship with Paul is not abundantly treated  in the New Testament as that of Timothy. But Paul calls him “ brother” (IICor.2:13) and then later “ my own son after the common faith (Titus 1 : 4). No mention is made of his name in Acts. Some have seen this as Luke’s way of implying that Titus was his brother. More reference to him is in II Corinthians.

          His relationship with Paul is close enough for Paul to call off an Evangelistic campaign in Troas in order to go to Macedonia and look for him (II Corth. 2:13) and for his coming to always be a source of Comfort to Paul (II Corth. 7:6-13).

          He seemed to have been an older man to Timothy and had quite a place in his heart for the Corinthians, who also seemed to respect him (II Corth. 7:15, 8:16). He carried out a special ministry of raising fund in Corinth for the Jerusalem saints (II Corth. 8 : 6, 23).

          Unlike Timothy; he was a full Gentile and Paul never allowed him to be circumcised; though some demanded that he would be (Gal.2:13)

          At the time of writing the epistle to Titus, Titus was still at Crete where he had accompanied Paul in an Evangelistic-missionary trip. Paul had left him there to follow-up own their success in Crete. The last mention of him is in II Tim. 4:10 where Paul Indicates that Titus had gone to Dalmatian.

          However, both Timothy and Titus are charged to establish order in the churches through appointing bishop and deacons. They were to do this not on their authorities as monarchial bishops, they would not have needed such authorization to carry out their normal duties. II Tim. 1: 5, Phil. 2. 22, II Corth. 7:15, II Corth 8:16.

Faithful words from a faithful man to faithful men.

The first epistle to timothy

A.      Opening Remarks 1: 1-2

B.      Instructions to withstand false teachers 1: 3-20

C.      INSTRUCTIONS ON PUBLIC WORSHIP 2: 1-15

(i)      Prayer in public working (vv 1-7)

(ii)     Men  and  women in public worship (vv8-15)

(D)    INSTRUCTION ON LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH 3:1-16

(i)      Leadership is a noble Task (iv)

(ii)     The qualification of an overseer (vv2-7)

(iii)    The qualifications of Deacons (vv8-10:12)

(iv)    The qualifications Deacons’ wives or Deaconess (v 11)

(v)     The incentive of leaders- (v 13)

(vi)    The purpose of leadership –(vv 14-16)

E.      INSTRUCTIONS OF FALSE TEACHERS – (4:1-16)

          (i)      The time of the false Teachers – (v1a)

          (ii)     The source  of the Errors of false Teachers –(v1b)

(iii)           The nature of the Errors of false teachers – (vv2-5)

(iv)           The qualifications of Deacons’ wives or Deaconess (v11)

(v)             The responsibility of the ministers Towards Believers (vv 11-13)

(vi)           The responsibility of the Ministers to himself (vv 14-16)

F.      INSTRUCTIONS ON CARING FOR MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH (CHAPTER 5: 1-6:2)

          (i)      Caring for men and women – (vv 1-2)

(ii)     Caring for widows – (vv 3-16)

(iii)           Caring for Elders- (vv 17 -25)

(iv)           Caring for slaves – (6:1-2)

G.      INSTRUCTION ON THE MINISTER’S MOTIVE (6: 3-21)

          (i).     The motives of false Teachers – (vv3-5).

          (ii)     The nature of proper motive – (vv6-8)

(iii)           The danger of improper motives – (vv9-11a)

(iv)           The minister’s response to proper motive – (vv11b-12b)

(v)             The minister’s encouragement to have proper motive (vv12c-16)

(vi)           The minister’s responsibility towards the rich (vv17-19)

(vii)        The concluding remarks (vv20-21)

THE EPISTLE TO TITUS

A.      OPENING REMARKS- Chap 1:1-4

B.      INSTRUCTION ON LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH – (1:5-16)

          (i)      Paul’s purpose of writing – (v5)

(ii)     The qualifications of an elders (vv6-9)

(iii)           The purpose of leadership in the church (vv10-11)

(iv)           The reputation of the Cretians –(vv12-14)

(v)             Further Description of the  false teachers – (16)

C       INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SOUND DOCTRINE ( 2:1-15)

          (i)      Teach the different group in the church – (vv 2-10)

          (ii)     The basis for the instructions – ( 11- 14)

D.      INSTRUCTION ON THE CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR IN THE WORLD (CHAP. 3:1-15)

          (i)      Proper Christian Behaviour in the world –(vv1-2)

          (ii).    Basic for proper Christian Behaviour in the world (vv3-8)

          (iii).   Response Toward proper Christian Behaviour in the world (vv9-1)

          (iv).   The concluding Remarks (vv12-15)

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY

SHORT INTRODUCTION

A.      OPENING REMARKS/GREETING-1:1-2

B.      INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST – 1:3-18.

          (i)      Based on Timothy’s sincere faith – (vv3-7)

          (ii)     Timothy should not be ashamed – (vv8-10)

          (iii).   Example of those who are not ashamed – (vv11-18)

C.      INSTRUCTION TO BE STRONG IN THE GRACE OF CHRIST (CHAP.2:1-26)

          (i)      Timothy should grow in the grace of Christ – (vv 1-2)

          (ii)     Timothy should Endure Hardship – (vv3-7)

(iii)           Timothy should remember the Example of Jesus CHRIST – (vv 8)

(iv)           Suffering as a Christian belief – (vv11-14).

(v)             Timothy should present Himself to  God as a WORKMAN – (vv 15-19)

(vi)           Timothy should be a vessel of Honour (vv 20 -21)

(vii)        Timothy as a servant- (vv 224-26)

D.      INSTRUCTIONS TO WITHSTAND APOSTASY – 3:1-17

          (i)      Timothy should know the coming Apostasy – 3:1-17

          (ii).    Timothy Should have nothing to do with such people –(v5b)

(iii).   Timothy should be encourage to withstand Apostasy –(v10-7)

E.      INSTRUCTIONS TO BE A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST (CHP.4:1-8)

          (viii)  A solemn instruction (v1)

(ix)    Details of the instruction – (vv2)

(x)             Reason for the instruction – (v3-4)

(xi)           Continuation of the instruction (v5)

(xii)        Encouragement to keep the instruction (vv6-8)

(xiii)      Closing Personal remarks (vv9-18)

(xiv)      Greetings (vv19-22).