Bible Commentaries
2 Timothy

THE PASTORAL EPISTLES

I

INTRODUCTION TO THE PASTORAL EPISTLES

The last group of Paul’s letters consists of 1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy, commonly called the "Pastoral Epistles," not because addressed to pastors, but because they relate to the flock. Though addressed to individuals, the letters are ecclesiastical. So far as New Testament records show, neither Timothy nor Titus was ever a pastor in the ordinary sense, but evangelists acting temporarily here and there as special apostolic delegates, according to the passing emergency. In this case, Titus was left in the Island of Crete and Timothy at Ephesus. The Anglican Church misinterprets the New Testament in deriving their modern bishopric cases from the cases of Timothy and Titus. Neither these nor any other apostolic delegates, and there were many, ever had a settled diocese. They might be counted the apostolic staff, sent here or there, in any part of the world, for a few days only or for a longer time, according to the necessity. Their fields of labor were shifted at the apostolic will, and wherever sent in the name of the apostle, they carried his apostolic authority. Even in the brief period covered by these letters, both of them are directed again to far distant fields.

It is absurd to call them bishops, in either the New Testament or modern sense. In the New Testament the bishop was the pastor of a single church. In our day a bishop of a hierarchial or prelatical denomination has a settled diocese – metropolis, county, province, or state. As Timothy and Titus (with others named in these letters: for example, Luke, Trophimus, Artemus, Tychicus, Zenas, Apollos, Erastus, Demas, Crescens, and Mark) were evangelists, we need at the threshold of this discussion to consider that office somewhat. For a more elaborate discussion, the reader is referred to the author’s address on "The Office of Evangelist," delivered before the Southern Baptist Convention in May, 1907, and published by its Home Mission Board.

Our Lord himself originated the office when he appointed the seventy to go before his face, delegating to them his own power, and distinguished it from the office of pastor or bishop. The pastor had charge of a single flock; the evangelist was a kingdom officer, though like all others, set in the church, that every preacher of whatever kind might be subject to some definite jurisdiction.

We have already seen, in our study of Ephesians, that our Lord gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Apostles and prophets were necessarily inspired; pastors and evangelists might be only illumined. Inspiration qualified to speak or write for God. Illumination qualified to interpret the inspired teaching. Apostles and prophets spoke or wrote authoritatively for God; evangelists and pastors expounded and executed what apostles and prophets taught.

Authenticity. The next question concerning these letters is their authenticity. Are they veritable letters of the apostle Paul? The consensus of Christendom is that they are. There are a few infidels and some semi-infidels holding office as teachers or preachers in some state denominations, who argue that they were written in the second century and attributed to Paul in order to give them currency. There is not a particle of real evidence for any such assertion. Such contention results from radical higher criticism run mad.

If we go back to the earliest lists of Paul’s books of which we have any account at all, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are in them. When we go back to the earliest New Testament Manuscripts, Timothy and Titus are in them. When we go back to the earliest versions, as the Peshito Version, we find these letters attributed to Paul. The external evidence that they are Paul’s is overwhelming. It is really not worth while to take up any more time discussing the authenticity of these letters.

Date. The question of the date of these letters necessarily raises a prior question, namely, was there a second Roman imprisonment? If the imprisonment of Acts 28 resulted in his death, then we must put these letters, in order to make them Pauline letters, at a much earlier date than if we assume that he escaped from that imprisonment. The fact that Paul did escape from that imprisonment rests upon two kinds of evidence.

The unbroken testimony of early history and the apostle’s own testimony in these letters are alike convincing. We need not here enter into the church history problem as to whether Paul ever fulfilled the purpose expressed in the letter to the Romans to visit Spain, nor the more improbable conjecture that he visited Britain, but it is evident from Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, and Hebrews, that he confidently expected a speedy release from the Roman imprisonment recorded in Acts. And it is certain that the events recorded in 1 and 2 Timothy and in Titus never occurred in the period covered by the book of Acts. So that we may count it a settled result of fair biblical criticism that Paul was acquitted on the charges which first held him bound at Rome, and whether or not he ever visited Spain or Britain, we may be sure, on biblical evidence, that after his release he did make an extended tour over his old fields of labor in proconsular Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia.

His companions on this tour – some of them perhaps all of the time, all of them some of the time – were Luke, Titus, Timothy, Tychicus, Erastus, Demas, and perhaps others. While the order of his travels may not be dogmatically affirmed, the following may be accepted as approximately correct:

1. He stopped at the Island of Crete, leaving Titus as his delegate, to set in order certain irregularities and heresies there (Titus 1:5), and later ordered him to rejoin him at Nicopolis, where Paul expected to winter (Titus 3:12), and still later to Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10).

2. Then he went to Ephesus, where he found Timothy, who had been sent from Italy with the letter to the Hebrews, and where he exercised his apostolic authority on two heretics (1 Timothy 1:20), and there left Timothy as apostolic delegate (1 Timothy 1:3).

3. Thence to Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3), where probably he wrote 1 Timothy and Titus, and sends Artemas or Tychicus to Crete with the letter to Titus directing him to join Paul at Nicopolis for the winter (Titus 3:12).

4. He returns to Ephesus (1 Timothy 3:14), where he has a stormy time (2 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 4:14). He found heresy rampant and all the tide against him, caused largely, perhaps, so far as the Jewish and Gnostic elements are concerned, by his recent letter to the Hebrews. From the storm against him he was sheltered in the house of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16). Perhaps his very life was imperiled, and so he hurried to Miletus.

5. At Miletus he left Trophimus sick (2 Timothy 4:6).

6. Thence to Troas, where, perhaps in the hurry of flight, he leaves with Carpus his cloak and books (2 Timothy 4:13).

7. Thence to Corinth, where he left Erastus (2 Timothy 4:20).

8. Thence to Nicopolis, where he intended to winter (Titus 3:12). Here, or somewhere in that section, the Neronian persecution reaches him. Nero had set fire to Rome, causing the most awful conflagration known in the annals of time. It caused such indignation that it was necessary for him to put the blame on somebody else, so he accused the Christians of setting fire to Rome. That brought about the bloodiest persecution of Christians known to history, if, perhaps, we except the persecution of Phillip II of Holland. In some of its horrors it has never been equaled.

Most diligent search was made for anybody that would take the name of Christ. From Rome the persecution spread, and about this time it struck Paul over there in Achaia or in Nicopolis. When Paul was arrested, Demas, one of his lieutenants, got snared and left him, as he writes to Timothy: "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and hath gone to Thessalonica." Paul had sent Titus to Dalmatia and Crescens to Galatia; Trophimus had been left sick at Miletus, so Luke is his only companion. They are arrested and carried to Rome.

When he is brought before Roman judges, he says that nobody stood by him. It was very different when he was there the first time; two great church delegations came out and met him before he reached the city. But now, with the Christians under the ban, when to acknowledge the name of Christ meant the most awful death, matters were different. Afterward he says that only Luke stood with him at the examining trial. This is not the final trial, but the trial for commitment. He was committed and taken to prison to await the final trial, and he never escaped. Under such conditions, winter coming on, having left Troas in a hurry without his cloak and books, he is imprisoned. He has nothing to read. He sends Tychicus to Ephesus to take Timothy’s place and urges Timothy to join him at Rome; to come by Troas and get his cloak and books. The Romans made few provisions for the comfort of prisoners under serious charges. They were shut up in a bare cell. Paul wants his manuscripts, and he tells Timothy to bring Mark back with him, that he needs him. Whether or not they reached him before his martyrdom we do not know.

Before we take up the letters to Timothy, I will give a connected biblical history of Timothy, as follows:

1. His early training. 2 Timothy 3:15: "And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ." As his mother was a Jewess, he was from infancy instructed in the Old Testament Scriptures.

2. His conversion to Christianity. He was converted under Paul’s preaching. In 1 Timothy 1:2 Paul says, "Unto Timothy my true child in the faith"; again in 2 Timothy 1:2 he calls him his "beloved child." His conversion followed that of his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). This conversion occurred on Paul’s first missionary tour (Acts 14:6-7). The relating of Timothy’s Christian experience before the church made a profound impression, as Paul referring to it says, "Thou didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12).

3. His ordination to the office of evangelist, to be Paul’s companion as Barnabas had been. The scriptures bearing on this are Acts 16:1-3; 1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 2 Timothy 4:5. From which it appears that as the Spirit signified to prophets that Paul and Barnabas be set apart to the foreign mission work (Acts 13:1-2), so now the same Spirit, through some prophet, Paul himself or Silas, directed the ordination of Timothy to the same work. And as all the neighboring churches highly recommended Timothy for the work, he was solemnly and impressively ordained by the laying on of hands of the presbytery, one of whom was Paul himself. And that through Paul’s laying on of hands there came the same remarkable gifts noted in Acts 8:17; Acts 19:5.

4. His labors with Paul. In general terms 2 Timothy 3:10-11. More particularly Timothy was with Paul in all the history set forth in Acts 16:1-17:14 at Philippi and Thessalonica and Berea. Here Timothy was left (Acts 17:14), but rejoined Paul at Athens, and from that point was sent back to Thessalonica (Acts 17:15-16 and 1 Thessalonians 3:2). He rejoined Paul at Corinth, bringing the news that occasioned the first letter to the Thessalonians (Acts 18:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:1). So both with Silas were associated in that letter, as well as in the second letter written also from Corinth (2 Thessalonians 1:1).

The record is silent as to Timothy’s accompanying Paul to Syria, Jerusalem, and Antioch (Acts 18:18-22). But we certainly find him with Paul on the third missionary tour at Ephesus, from which place he is sent into Macedonia (Acts 19:22). and from thence to Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:10). Joining Paul in Macedonia, he is associated with him in the second letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 1:1).

He certainly accompanied Paul to Greece (Acts 20:2-3), and goes with Paul back to Macedonia. In Paul’s last visit to Syria he sent Timothy with others ahead of him to Troas (Acts 20:3-5), and Timothy was left there in Asia. There is no further account of Timothy in Acts. But when Paul, arrested at Jerusalem, imprisoned two years at Caesarea, finally reaches Rome, Timothy joins him there, for he is associated with Paul in the letters from Rome (Phil. I: I; Philem. I; Colossians 1:1). His temporary imprisonment, perhaps, accounts for the absence of his name in the address of the letters to the Ephesians, but soon after he is released and bears the letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 13:23) where Paul later finds and leaves him (1 Timothy 1:3). Here again at Ephesus Paul finds him (1 Timothy 3:14), and he is a witness of the stormy time Paul had there (2 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:14).

After Paul’s arrest in Nicopolis of Epirus, or somewhere in Achaia, and his being carried to Rome, and his commitment trial, he writes a second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:1), and urges him to come to Rome speedily, before winter, bringing his cloak and books left at Troas, and also Mark. Paul sent Tychicus to take Timothy’s place at Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:9; 2 Timothy 4:11-13; 2 Timothy 4:21). We do not know positively whether Timothy reached Rome before Paul was executed.

That gives a connected biblical history of Timothy, and if one will go over it carefully he will have impressed upon his mind, in regard to Timothy, two things: One is that by the direction of the Holy Spirit, Timothy was elected to be Paul’s companion in the place of Barnabas, and associated with him in his letters and labors, and also that he, as an apostolic delegate, was the most faithful and useful of all of Paul’s corps of evangelists.

So that the order of the scriptures touching Timothy’s life, in summary, is:

1. Early training: 2 Timothy 3:15.

2. Conversion: 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:5.

3. Ordination: Acts 16:1-3; 1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; 2 Timothy 4:5.

4. Labors with Paul: 2 Timothy 3:10-11; Acts 16:1-17; Acts 17:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; Acts 18:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; Acts 19:22; 1 Corinthians 16:10; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Acts 20:2-3 with Romans 16:21; Acts 20:3-5; Philippians 1:1; Philemon 1:1; Colossians 1:1; Philippians 2:19; Hebrews 13:23; 1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 3:14; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:9; 2 Timothy 4:11-13; 2 Timothy 4:21.

In these letters we bid farewell to Paul. In his first group of letters, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, we have studied eschatology; in his second group, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans, we have seen in 1 Corinthians the disorders of a New Testament church, learned the place and significance of miraculous spiritual gifts, and studied the great argument on the resurrection of the dead. In 2 Corinthians we have heard the vindication of his apostolic claims. In Galatians and Romans we have had the doctrine of justification by faith. In the third group, Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, and Hebrews: we have found in Philemon Christianity’s attitude to the then worldwide institution of slavery; in Philippians, Colossians, and Ephesians, we found a great advance in the plan of salvation and in the meaning of the word "church," and have learned the finalities on the nature, person, offices, and relations of our Lord. In Hebrews we have learned the superiorities of the new covenant.

Now in this last group, 1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy, we find the Christian’s vade-mecum on church order and officers, and take our last look at earth’s greatest man in his exodus, through martyrdom, from the battlefield of time to the victor’s crown of glory in eternity.

As the storm of imperial persecution bursts on him, we hear him, in his weakness, call for Zenas, the lawyer, Luke, the physician, and Timothy, his son in the gospel, his cloak to warm him in his cold cell, his books and parchments to cheer him; then we heard him in his strength, shout his battle cry of triumph for himself and every other saint: "For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing."

QUESTIONS

1. What is the last group of Paul’s letters and why called "Pastoral Epistles"?

2. How does the Anglican church misinterpret Timothy and Titus?

3. What other evangelists mentioned in these letters?

4. Where do you find an elaborate discussion of the office of evangelist?

5. Give brief account of the office as distinguished from others.

6. What can you say of the authenticity of these letters?

7. Their probable dates?

8. Give briefly the proof that Paul was acquitted and released from the first Roman imprisonment.

9. What old fields did he revisit?

10. Give probable order of the itinerary of this last tour.

11. Who are his companions on this tour for the whole or part of the

12. What is the origin of the Neronian persecution which led to Paul’s arrest, second imprisonment and martyrdom?

13. What is the different conditions this time at Rome?

14. Give connected biblical history of Timothy.

15. What is the value of the Pastoral Epistles and what the contrast of the great topics of this group of Paul’s letters with those of preceding ones?