The Letters to Timothy And Titus

by Towner, Philip H.

• ISBN13: 9780802825131
• ISBN10: 0802825133
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-28
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co

Summary

The newest volume in the acclaimed NICNT series explores Paul's three letters to Timothy and Titus within their historical, religious, and cultural settings. Significantly, Philip Towner treats these texts principally as communications from the apostle to his coworkers as they carried out assignments in the Pauline mission.The introduction, which questions certain untested assumptions of recent critical scholarship, sets out the rationale for this historical approach. It also establishes the uniqueness and individuality of each letter and the importance of this starting point for interpreting their messages.The commentary itself highlights a wealth of new insights. Especially evident in 1 and 2 Timothy, for example, is Paul's concern to deal with a group of opponents. Towner suggests that other dangerous trends outside the church were also in Paul's mind as he addressed the matter of the behavior of women who were active as teachers in the church. The situation of opposition in Titus took a different form -- that of a substandard Christianity characterized by course and immoral cultural values and habits from which Paul insisted the church needed to be removed.Centered on a superb translation of the Greek text and complemented with thorough footnotes, bibliographical citations, and indexes, Towner's commentary on the letters to Timothy and Titus will quickly become a standard reference in New Testament studies.

Author Biography

Philip H. Towner is director of translation services for United Bible Societies, Reading, England, and honorary lecturer in New Testament at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Table of Contents

Editor's Preface	xiii
Author's Preface	xv
Abbreviations	xix
Bibliography	xxvi
Introduction
Introduction and Agenda	1	(2)
The Letters to Timothy and Titus in the Earliest Centuries	3	(6)
Reception and Canonicity	4	(3)
Text and Translation	7	(2)
Readings of the Letters in the Modern Era: Interpretive Options and the Authorship Question	9	(18)
The Traditional Paradigm and Its Status Today (the Minority Interpretation)	10	(5)
The Second Imprisonment Theory	11	(1)
Locating the Letters within the Acts Framework	12	(3)
The Modern Paradigm (the Majority Interpretation)	15	(10)
The Modern Paradigm and Its Methodology	15	(5)
Assessing the Modern Paradigm	20	(1)
Pseudonymity	20	(2)
Illegitimate Historical Disjunctions	22	(1)
Illegitimate Literary Disjunctions	23	(2)
The Search for a Historical Middle Ground: ``Allonymity''	25	(2)
Reading the Letters in Historical Context	27	(56)
The Literary Character of the Letters to Timothy and Titus	27	(10)
The Unity and Individuality of the Letters	27	(4)
The Literary Character of the Letters	31	(6)
Reading the Letters as Letters: The Historical Character of the Letters to Timothy and Titus	37	(16)
Ephesus and Crete: Cities and Churches	37	(4)
Elements of Historical and Cultural Setting	41	(1)
False Teaching/Opposition/Cultural Movements	41	(9)
The Organization of the Churches	50	(2)
The Addressees: Timothy and Titus	52	(1)
Unity and Diversity of Theological and Thematic Elements	53	(15)
Shared Elements of Theology	53	(1)
Salvation in Jesus Christ	53	(2)
The Pauline Gospel and Mission	55	(1)
The Holy Spirit	56	(1)
The Christian Life	57	(1)
Church and Leadership	57	(1)
The Authority and Use of Scripture	58	(1)
In Search of a Christological Center: Savior and Epiphany	59	(3)
The Trajectories of Christology in the Three Letters	62	(1)
Christology in 1 Timothy: ``Christ Jesus, himself human''	63	(1)
Christology in Titus: Christ Jesus, Co-Savior	64	(1)
Christology in 2 Timothy: The Lord Jesus Christ, Paradigm of Suffering and Vindication	65	(2)
Unity and Diversity in the Christology of the Letters to Timothy and Titus	67	(1)
Theological Perspective, Structure, and Message in the Letters	68	(15)
Timothy: The Oikonomia Theou and Oikos Theou	68	(1)
The Theological Perspective of 1 Timothy	68	(2)
The Structure and Message of 1 Timothy	70	(4)
Titus: The God Who Does Not Lie and the Cultural Deception of Crete	74	(1)
The Theological Perspective of Titus	74	(1)
The Structure and Message of Titus	75	(4)
Timothy: Suffering and Succession	79	(1)
The Theological Perspective of 2 Timothy	79	(1)
The Structure and Message of 2 Timothy	80	(3)
Paul and the Letters to Timothy and Titus: Defining the Parameters	83	(10)
Paul and the Letters to Timothy and Titus	84	(1)
Paul's Letters within His Mission: Letters to Churches and Letters to Coworkers	85	(1)
The Authorship Enigma: Open Questions	86	(2)
Farewell to the ``the Pastoral Epistles''?	88	(5)
THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY
Opening Greeting (1:1-2)	93	(11)
The Writer	94	(4)
The Recipient	98	(3)
The Greeting	101	(3)
Body of the Letter (1:3--6:21A)	104	(331)
Ordering and Organizing God's Household: Part I (1:3--3:16)	104	(182)
Regarding False Teachers and False Doctrine (1:3-20)	104	(1)
Timothy's Commission: Engaging the Opponents (1:3-7)	105	(12)
Excursus: Conscience in the Letters to Timothy and Titus	117	(5)
The Law and Paul's Gospel (1:8-11)	122	(11)
Paul's Calling as a Pattern of Conversion (1:12-17)	133	(10)
Excursus: The ``Trustworthy Saying'' Formula	143	(11)
Charge to Timothy Resumed (1:18-20)	154	(8)
Regarding Appropriate Prayer in the Church (2:1-7)	162	(9)
Excursus: Godliness and Respectability	171	(19)
The Behavior of Men and Women in the Public Worship Assembly (2:8-15)	190	(16)
Excursus: Self-Control	206	(4)
Excursus: Good Deeds	210	(29)
Regarding Qualifications of Overseers and Deacons (3:1-13)	239	(8)
Qualifications of Overseers (3:1-7)	247	(13)
Qualifications of Deacons (3:8-13)	260	(10)
The Church and the Faith (3:14-16)	270	(16)
Ordering and Organizing God's Household: Part II (4:1--6:21a)	286	(149)
Regarding Heresy, Godliness, and Timothy's Responsibility (4:1-16)	286	(1)
The Emergence of Heresy (4:1-5)	287	(14)
Sound Teaching and Godliness (4:6-10)	301	(11)
Timothy: Paradigm of the Healthy Teacher (4:11-16)	312	(17)
Regarding Other Groups in God's Household (5:1--6:2a)	329	(1)
Proper Treatment of Age Groups (5:1-2)	329	(3)
Proper Treatment of Widows (5:3-16)	332	(28)
Proper Recognition and Discipline of Elders (5:17-25)	360	(19)
Expectations of Slaves (6:1-2a)	379	(11)
Contrasting False and True Teachers: Godliness, Greed, and the Correct Use of Wealth (6:2b-21a)	390	(2)
Charge to Timothy: Confront the False Teachers and Their Lust for Wealth (6:2b-10)	392	(13)
Recasting Timothy's Commission: Genuine Character and Motive for Ministry (6:11-16)	405	(11)
Excursus: The Epiphany Concept	416	(7)
A Corrected Perspective on Wealth (6:17-19)	423	(6)
Repeating the Charge to Engage the Opponents (6:20-21a)	429	(6)
Closing Benediction (6:21B)	435	(4)
THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY
Opening Greeting (1:1-2)	439	(5)
The Writer	439	(3)
The Recipient	442	(1)
The Greeting	443	(1)
Body of the Letter (1:3--4:18)	444	(174)
The Call to Personal Commitment and Spirit-Empowered Ministry (1:3-18)	444	(43)
Thanksgiving for Timothy's Faith (1:3-5)	445	(11)
The Renewed Call to Boldness and Faithfulness in Ministry (1:6-14)	456	(1)
The Call to Action (1:6-8)	457	(9)
The Gospel for Which We Suffer (1:9-10)	466	(7)
The Apostolic Model for Timothy and the Call to Succession (1:11-14)	473	(7)
Models of Shame and Courage (1:15-18)	480	(7)
Called to Dedication and Faithfulness (2:1-13)	487	(27)
Carry Out Your Ministry with Dedication (2:1-7)	487	(11)
Reasons for Enduring Suffering (2:8-13)	498	(16)
Addressing the Challenge of Opposition in the Church (2:14-26)	514	(37)
Prophecy, Commitment, and Call (3:1-4:8)	551	(67)
The Heresy in Ephesus in Prophetic Perspective (3:1-9)	552	(17)
The Way of Following Paul (3:10-17)	569	(25)
The Final Charge to Timothy (4:1-8)	594	(24)
Final Instructions and Personal Information (4:9-18)	618	(31)
Closing Greetings, Instructions, and Blessing (4:19-22)	649	(10)
THE LETTER TO TITUS
Sources of Background Information on Crete	659	(3)
Opening Greeting (1:1-4)	662	(14)
Paul and His Apostolate (1:1-3)	663	(11)
Titus: The Recipient (1:4a)	674	(1)
The Greeting (1:4b)	675	(1)
Body of the Letter (1:5--3:11)	676	(123)
Instructions to Titus (1:5-16)	677	(35)
The Overarching Instruction to Titus: Putting in Order and Finishing Up (1:5)	678	(3)
Appointing Church Leaders Able to Instruct the Church and Correct Opponents (1:6-9)	681	(13)
Naming and Engaging the Opponents (1:10-16)	694	(18)
Instructions for the Church (2:1--3:11)	712	(87)
Some Local and Formal Matters of Introduction	712	(5)
Christian Living within the Household (2:1-15)	717	(1)
Living in accordance with Sound Doctrine (2:1-10)	717	(23)
The Basis of This Life (2:11-14)	740	(26)
Summary Command to Titus (2:15)	766	(2)
Living as the Church in the World (3:1-8)	768	(1)
Christian Living within Society (3:1-2)	769	(5)
The Theology That Generates This Life (3:3-7)	774	(15)
The Motive (3:8)	789	(5)
Disciplining the Opponents in the Church (3:9-11)	794	(5)
Personal Notes and Instructions (3:12-14)	799	(5)
Final Greetings and Benediction (3:15)	804	(77)
INDEXES
Subjects	807	(4)
Authors	811	(6)
Scripture References	817	(49)
Early Extrabiblical Literature	866	(15)
Key Greek Words	881