Paul wrote these letters in order to instruct two of his most loyal followers, how to organise and govern the communities he had confided to their care; since the 18th century they have generally been grouped as the 'pastoral letters'. Some critics suggest that they presuppose a stage in the evolution of the Church's hierarchy that only occurred after Paul's death: others think that the situation they suppose would not have been at all unlikely towards the end of Paul's lifetime. The titles 'episcopos' and 'presbyter' are still practically synonymous as they had been in the earliest communities governed by a college of elders.
Timothy and Titus are empowered to act as delegates of Paul; they are responsible for several communities though they are not attached to any of them, they are living in an interim period when apostolic authority was in the process of being transmitted, since the apostles themselves were dying. Not long after the death of Paul this authority became vested in the head of the college of presbyters, the 'bishop'.
To invent the interim period represented in the pastoral letters would seem to be so pointless that its presence is a valuable indication of their authenticity. It should also be noticed that these episcopoi-presbyteroi are not just administrative officials; they are that but they are also primarily responsible for teaching and governing, and as such they are the ancestors of our 'bishops' and 'priests'.
1TIMOTHY - (1) Address - Suppress the false teachers - The purpose of the Law - Paul on his own calling - Timothy's responsibility - Liturgical prayer - Women in the assembly - The elder-in-charge - Deacons - The Church and the mystery of the spiritual life - False teachers - Pastoral practice - Widows - The elders - Slaves - The true teacher and the false teacher - Timothy's vocation recalled - Rich Christians - Final warning and conclusion - Chapter 1 to 6 - In summary : Instructions to leads, and how to organise and govern the communities he had confided to their care. Manuals of leadership at Ephesus.
2TIMOTHY - (1) Greeting and thanksgiving - The gifts that Timothy has received - How Timothy should face hardships - The struggle against the immediate danger from false teachers - The dangers of the last days - A solemn charge - Paul in the evening of his life - Final advice - Farewells and final wishes - Chapter 1 to 4 - In summary : Instructions to leads, and how to organise and govern the communities he had confided to their care. Manuals of leadership at Ephesus.
TITUS - (1) Address and the appointment of elders - Opposing the false teachers - Some specific moral instruction - The basis of the Christian moral life - General instruction for believers - Personal advice to Titus - Practical recommendations, farewell and good wishes - Chapter 1 to 3 -
In summary : Instructions to leads, and how to organise and govern the communities he had confided to their care. Manual of Christian conduct at Crete.
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-25 -
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