Titus
This is the third of the so-called “pastoral epistles” – letters written in the name of Paul to early spiritual leaders in the emerging Jesus community. Titus was a Gentile co-worker of Paul’s mentioned in Galatians chapter 2, and in Second Corinthians.
Like the other Pastoral Letters… the letter to Titus insists on sound doctrine, combats false teaching, revels in traditional hymns and ideas, and expresses a strong interest in making converts. Repeatedly, this letter emphasizes a concern for the unsaved and sees the good work of believers as a part of God’s redemptive plan for the entire world. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible)
This document represents Paul writing to Titus, whom he has left on Crete to organize new churches in the Pauline mission. This situation fits neither the chronology inferred from the undisputed Pauline letters nor that of Acts (which never mentions Titus or a mission to Crete). In order to fit this situation into the life of Paul as we otherwise know it, one must postulate that Paul was released from his “first” Roman imprisonment… and established churches on Crete. It is more likely that Titus, like 1-2 Timothy, was written in Paul’s name by a disciple of the second or third Christian generation, and that the situation projected by the letter belongs to the literary world projected by the letter rather than to the actual life of Paul. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
Titus 1
Titus 1:1-4: This greeting provides the longest explanation of Paul’s apostleship in the New Testament. It is the writers attempt to distinguish the Christian faith as taught by Paul from other versions of that faith. The entire letter “sets forth the apostolic faith in opposition to the seductive false teachings that threatened the church in the postapostolic period” (People’s New Testament Commentary). In the apostolic faith, truth and godliness are linked together. Truth is not merely abstract teaching, but transformative teaching. The term “faith” in the Pastoral Letters has come to mean “teachings” more than “trust.” It is helpful to see “faith” in both ways, with the element of “trust” being the more essential. Christian faith is a deep trust in the God of Jesus Christ about whom Christian faith teaches. There are those who want to place the content of certain teaching in the center of Christian faith, so that being Christian is to think or believe certain doctrines. They would gain some footing in the Pastoral Letters. I would argue that at the center of Christian faith is a trust relationship with the God we know in Jesus Christ, and that the content of Christian teaching has a certain elasticity to it. Of course, it is much easier to explore the elasticity of Christian teaching when your very existence is not under threat, as it was when the Pastoral Letter were being written.
Titus 1:5-16: Titus was left in Crete, in the narrative of this letter, to put some things in order in the Christian communities there. Among the things he should do included appointing leaders – elders and bishops (though the distinction between them is not clear here). Spiritual leaders must be hospitable, lovers of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, self-controlled. They must also be firmly grounded of the trustworthy word of the gospel. One must be able to preach it and to question those who teach differently.
Competing teachings rear their ugly head again. The teaching that is identified as askew here has something to do with circumcision. This is not meant as a condemnation of Jewish people, but a concern for Christian teachers who have an undue fascination with the Jewish Scriptures and traditions. That they were probably Gentile is reflected in verse 14 where “their prophet” is referenced prior to citing a Greek proverb. Their teaching is disturbing whole families in the community, and their teaching seemed primarily for the purpose of making money. The author is not above using gross stereotypes against these “false teachers.” It obviously worked – have you ever heard “cretan” used as a compliment?
These false teachers taught a certain asceticism, a certain denigration of bodily life based on their unique interpretation of the Jewish Scriptures. To counter their teaching, the author writes, “to the pure all things are pure.” He then characterizes these teachers as corrupt. “They profess to know God, but they deny God by their actions.” “They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” This is very strong language and should not be encouraged in our day and time (given the history of abuse of power in the name of the Christian faith), but look at the focus of the criticism – not so much the content of their teaching, but the lives produced by that teaching. This teaching is not transformative teaching, teaching that moves persons toward good works. It is always a little difficult to interpret a passage when you just get one side of the argument, but the focus on the life lived is clear. Whatever the content of the teaching of these false teachers, even if one might accommodate certain elements of what they had to say into the broad elasticity of Christian teaching, the lives produced by that teaching were deficient according to the writer.
Titus 2
Titus 2:1-10: In this section the Pastor adapts the traditional form of the household code in order to present instructions to various groups in the Christian household, the church…. While in the Pastor’s context he believed it was appropriate that only authorized men serve in teaching roles, every Christian of whatever status in any social situation can serve as a teacher of the faith by the way he or she reflects the faith in daily life. (People’s New Testament Commentary).
In contrast to the false teachers, Titus is to “teach what is consistent with sound doctrine.” Christians would agree on the principle, but might disagree about the content of such doctrine. Again, a certain elasticity seems consistent with the New Testament and Christian tradition. Where one goes beyond that elasticity is a matter for on-going discussion within the church.
Different categories of people are given some particular instructions. The language of the instructions reflects some of the social norms of the time, and we might want to rephrase these instructions in certain instances. Many of the injunctions should be observed by all people. One message the author tries to convey that remains important is that our faith is to be lived out in the whole of our lives, including our family life and the life of the community of faith. It was not just the teachings of the false teachers that was troublesome, but the way of life promoted by such teachings. Christian faith retains credibility by the kind of life it produces in its followers. The author is concerned that the Christian faith not be discredited. As followers of the Jesus way, we, too, want to present a credible way of life to others. Again, we would use some very different language to describe this way of life from some of the language used here.
Titus 2:11-15: The way of life described is rooted in the grace of God – a grace intended for all. As people touched by this grace, Christians are to live lives that are “self-controlled, upright and godly.” Such lives are lived in hope. The complete fulfillment of God’s dream for the world will come, and we should live now in ways that reflect that dream. “Our great God and Savior” was a phrase used of Caesar. Here it is used of Jesus as the Christ. “Redeem” meant to pay the cost of a prisoner’s release or a captive’s freedom. It is another image for how God’s grace in Jesus Christ works in human lives. We are free from stifling patterns of life, and set free for a new kind of life, one that is “energetic in goodness” (The Message).
Titus 3
Titus 3:1-11: The Christian faith is to be lived not only in family and church relationships, but also in relationships to the wider society. Part of the writer’s understanding of what it meant to be ready for every good work was to be subject to the ruling authorities. In modern democracies we might translate this into the language of citizenship. As citizens of a democracy, one of our central tasks is to shape the government that provides the structures and laws under which we live. Beyond relationship with authorities, the writer encourages an open and gentle attitude toward all others. “God’s people should be bighearted and courteous” (The Message).
The writer reminds the readers that they once lived another way, but all that changed “when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared.” What a striking phrase. It is not that we were good ahead of time, but that God’s grace and love freed us in new ways to be God’s good and gracious people. This new life is marked by baptism and is a life lived by the renewing power of God’s Spirit. This Spirit has been lavishly poured into our lives. This writer makes good use of water imagery, connecting baptism and the pouring out of God’s Spirit. We are heirs of God’s dream for the world, a people of hope.
Life lived in a new way because of God’s grace and in the power of the Spirit is to be insisted upon. Believers in God are to devote themselves to good works. On the other hand, they ought to avoid certain controversies – about genealogies or the law. The false teachers which seemed to be a threat to this community had tied their teachings to some obscure points in the Jewish Scriptures. The writer finds energy expended on such matters to be unprofitable. There seems to be a limit to how long those who cause trouble can remain a part of the community. Great care should be taken in trying to apply these verses. The history of the church is littered with examples of people sent out of the community who were later exonerated.
Titus 3:12-15: The letter ends as do other New Testament letters. The theme of good works is present once again, as it has been throughout the letter. “Grace be with you all.”
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
II Timothy 3
II Timothy 3:1-9: “In the last days” – In the typical apocalyptic scheme, the final victory of God at the end of history is preceded by a period in which evil is intensified. The Pastor shares this worldview, according to which there will be a moral decline and appearance of false teachers just before the end. The opponents “predicted” are in fact already present in the author’s own time. (People’s New Testament Commentary). Christian faith has a deep hope that one day the world will be set right – that justice and peace and beauty will all embrace, that God’s dream for the world will be fully realized. This is a powerful hope and is meant to encourage Christians to live in a way consistent with the dream for the world and to keep on in the face of adversity. The dark side of this hope is that persons have become focused on questions about when such events might happen and some become enamored with revenge scenarios – God will make the world right in such a way that many will be punished. Such feelings are understandable among a persecuted people, but I think they should be resisted. The basic message of Christian hope, even in apocalyptic garb, is to keep on living the way God would have you live, even when it is difficult.
The kind of moral decline depicted can be seen in most ages in humanity. Was there ever a time when people did not bemoan the moral decline occurring? What is most interesting are the kinds of attitudes and actions that are considered suspect – love of money, arrogance, abusive behavior, lack of gratitude. Some of these people will maintain a veneer of religion, but it will not be a religion that transforms in the direction of God’s dream for the world. Here is how Eugene Peterson renders part of this passage in The Message: There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. These folks are to be avoided, though this advice needs to be held in tension with other passages in the Bible that ask people to reach out to all others. While lists of vices were a common literary device of the first century, and the writer certainly makes use of this tradition here, we can learn from the list. Some of the things that have become a part of the prevailing culture in our day and time are on this list (cynicism, desire gone wild, hunger for wealthy). How do we live a different way in our day and time?
The strategies of false teachers are elaborated, though in language that is filled with unfortunate stereotypes from the first century. Who might not be, at times, overwhelmed by their own shortcomings or potentially led astray by their desires? The author is critical of those who are always seeking teaching but never seem to get nearer the truth. The negative aspect to the kind of spiritual seeking that happens in our day and time is that it might let people simply flit from one religious tradition or community to another without ever really digging deeply enough to have their lives transformed. The writer is convinced that spiritual teachers who seek to take advantage of the spiritual searching of others will be exposed.
II Timothy 3:10-17: Paul’s life is lifted up as an example to be followed, especially by leaders in the Jesus tradition. His sufferings are particularly noted and sometimes this has been misunderstood. Christians should not go out of their way to seek difficulty. The writer is convinced that simply living the Christian life will lead to conflict with the prevailing values of the surrounding culture. In addition, there will be spiritual teachers willing to lead people in a different direction, away from the important values of God’s transforming dream for the world.
Keep on, continue in the way – that is the advice the writer gives the readers. If one wants to know more about the Jesus way, there are “the sacred writings.” This refers to the Jewish Scriptures for as of yet there were no Christian Scriptures. However, in time, verses 16 and 17 were applied to what developed as the Christian canon, the New Testament. One should note what these verse actually say, however, for they have been used to promote views of the Bible that are not found in the verses themselves. Scriptures are held up as “inspired” – literally “God-breathed.” This does not assume an inerrant Scripture, one without mistakes, contradictions, human elements. It assumes that God’s Spirit uses the words of Scripture to transform human lives in the direction of God’s hopes and dreams for them. Spirit breathed words are useful – useful for “training in righteousness.” The biblical texts are not scientific textbooks, but are intended to help form people’s lives so that they are ready to do good. “Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us” (The Message).
II Timothy 4
II Timothy 4:1-8: The writer continues to encourage the Jesus community spiritual leaders – proclaim the message persistently. Convince, rebuke (lead those who are going off in the wrong direction back), encourage with patience. Even as this is being done, some simply choose to follow those whose words only confirm what they want to hear. Human desire is not a bad thing, but needs to be questioned, needs to be challenged and channeled. To be sober means, literally, to keep your head.
The writer, using the situation of Paul, celebrates what Paul gave to the early church, encouraging others to do the same – fight the good fight, keep the faith.
II Timothy 4:9-22: While the details in this section of the letter are sometimes used to argue for Paul’s authorship, their presence does not make that case. Letters written by others in the Pauline tradition use details of his life and ministry to raise Paul up as a model for others. Here we are given a picture of a person who struggled to remain faithful to the task of leadership even when it became difficult. Friends left him (Demas) or were at work in other places. People betrayed him (Alexander the coppersmith). Still Paul seeks to be a learning leaders (bring the books and parchments!). He trusts his life to the God he knows in Jesus Christ. He ends the letter praying that God would be with the spirits of the readers, and that they might know grace.
II Timothy 3:1-9: “In the last days” – In the typical apocalyptic scheme, the final victory of God at the end of history is preceded by a period in which evil is intensified. The Pastor shares this worldview, according to which there will be a moral decline and appearance of false teachers just before the end. The opponents “predicted” are in fact already present in the author’s own time. (People’s New Testament Commentary). Christian faith has a deep hope that one day the world will be set right – that justice and peace and beauty will all embrace, that God’s dream for the world will be fully realized. This is a powerful hope and is meant to encourage Christians to live in a way consistent with the dream for the world and to keep on in the face of adversity. The dark side of this hope is that persons have become focused on questions about when such events might happen and some become enamored with revenge scenarios – God will make the world right in such a way that many will be punished. Such feelings are understandable among a persecuted people, but I think they should be resisted. The basic message of Christian hope, even in apocalyptic garb, is to keep on living the way God would have you live, even when it is difficult.
The kind of moral decline depicted can be seen in most ages in humanity. Was there ever a time when people did not bemoan the moral decline occurring? What is most interesting are the kinds of attitudes and actions that are considered suspect – love of money, arrogance, abusive behavior, lack of gratitude. Some of these people will maintain a veneer of religion, but it will not be a religion that transforms in the direction of God’s dream for the world. Here is how Eugene Peterson renders part of this passage in The Message: There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. These folks are to be avoided, though this advice needs to be held in tension with other passages in the Bible that ask people to reach out to all others. While lists of vices were a common literary device of the first century, and the writer certainly makes use of this tradition here, we can learn from the list. Some of the things that have become a part of the prevailing culture in our day and time are on this list (cynicism, desire gone wild, hunger for wealthy). How do we live a different way in our day and time?
The strategies of false teachers are elaborated, though in language that is filled with unfortunate stereotypes from the first century. Who might not be, at times, overwhelmed by their own shortcomings or potentially led astray by their desires? The author is critical of those who are always seeking teaching but never seem to get nearer the truth. The negative aspect to the kind of spiritual seeking that happens in our day and time is that it might let people simply flit from one religious tradition or community to another without ever really digging deeply enough to have their lives transformed. The writer is convinced that spiritual teachers who seek to take advantage of the spiritual searching of others will be exposed.
II Timothy 3:10-17: Paul’s life is lifted up as an example to be followed, especially by leaders in the Jesus tradition. His sufferings are particularly noted and sometimes this has been misunderstood. Christians should not go out of their way to seek difficulty. The writer is convinced that simply living the Christian life will lead to conflict with the prevailing values of the surrounding culture. In addition, there will be spiritual teachers willing to lead people in a different direction, away from the important values of God’s transforming dream for the world.
Keep on, continue in the way – that is the advice the writer gives the readers. If one wants to know more about the Jesus way, there are “the sacred writings.” This refers to the Jewish Scriptures for as of yet there were no Christian Scriptures. However, in time, verses 16 and 17 were applied to what developed as the Christian canon, the New Testament. One should note what these verse actually say, however, for they have been used to promote views of the Bible that are not found in the verses themselves. Scriptures are held up as “inspired” – literally “God-breathed.” This does not assume an inerrant Scripture, one without mistakes, contradictions, human elements. It assumes that God’s Spirit uses the words of Scripture to transform human lives in the direction of God’s hopes and dreams for them. Spirit breathed words are useful – useful for “training in righteousness.” The biblical texts are not scientific textbooks, but are intended to help form people’s lives so that they are ready to do good. “Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us” (The Message).
II Timothy 4
II Timothy 4:1-8: The writer continues to encourage the Jesus community spiritual leaders – proclaim the message persistently. Convince, rebuke (lead those who are going off in the wrong direction back), encourage with patience. Even as this is being done, some simply choose to follow those whose words only confirm what they want to hear. Human desire is not a bad thing, but needs to be questioned, needs to be challenged and channeled. To be sober means, literally, to keep your head.
The writer, using the situation of Paul, celebrates what Paul gave to the early church, encouraging others to do the same – fight the good fight, keep the faith.
II Timothy 4:9-22: While the details in this section of the letter are sometimes used to argue for Paul’s authorship, their presence does not make that case. Letters written by others in the Pauline tradition use details of his life and ministry to raise Paul up as a model for others. Here we are given a picture of a person who struggled to remain faithful to the task of leadership even when it became difficult. Friends left him (Demas) or were at work in other places. People betrayed him (Alexander the coppersmith). Still Paul seeks to be a learning leaders (bring the books and parchments!). He trusts his life to the God he knows in Jesus Christ. He ends the letter praying that God would be with the spirits of the readers, and that they might know grace.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Thought on Reading the Scriptures: The whole purpose of the Bible, it seems to me, is to convince people to set the written word down in order to become living words in the world for God’s sake.
Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church
II Timothy 1
II Timothy 1:1-2: The greeting follows patterns we have already seen, though some of the language adds a special touch. Paul’s ministry was seen as “for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.” That should be the point of all our ministry, all our work through the church – to bring life that is in Jesus to others. Timothy is a leader, but also a “beloved child.” It is important for spiritual leaders to claim that part of themselves, too.
II Timothy 1:3-18: As with other Pauline letter, whether written by Paul or by a disciple of Paul’s, that greeting is followed by a thanksgiving. “Timothy” is portrayed as a third generation Christian, which would have been the situation of many in the church at the time of this letter. It is interesting that while in I Timothy women are to be silent, here the role of women in shaping the life of Timothy is extolled! Whatever qualms the authors of the Pastoral may have had about the public teaching role of women, it is clear that they are an important part of passing on the faith. This does not mean we ignore the earlier passage and the damage it has done, only that we not that the news about women is not all bad in the Pastoral letters.
Timothy has a sincere faith, one he learned from his mother and grandmother. He is encouraged to “rekindle the gift of God that is within.” These are sound words of advise for all spiritual leaders – rekindle! Sometimes following that gift leads to suffering, but this should not be a cause of shame for leaders. “The author, along with the whole New Testament, assumes that Christian faith always brings one into conflict with the dominant values of the culture” (People’s New Testament Commentary). The writer invokes the memory of Paul’s suffering. In suffering, one might experience the grace and power of God in fresh ways.
Verses 9-10 seem a fragment of early Christian liturgy celebrating the grace of God in Jesus. In Christ, death has been overcome, and life is made possible. This life may involve suffering. It did for Paul. But again, suffering should not bring shame. We know the God in whom we trust, and we trust God to keep the good we do safe.
Timothy is encouraged to hold to sound teaching and to “guard the good treasure” that has been given to him. He is to do this with the help of the Holy Spirit. The sound teaching, which is the good treasure entrusted to the spiritual leader, is the Christian faith in the Pauline tradition. The term “guard” can have a very defensive quality about it, and can imply that the faith is a set of non-changing teachings and doctrines. I am not sure that this is the best way to discuss Christian faith. It was helpful in that time given the difficult context of the faith communities to which the letter was written. They were besieged by other interpretations of Christian faith, some of which stretched the elasticity of the faith too far. Yes, boundaries need to be drawn and sometimes guarding the treasure one has been given might be an apt metaphor, but it should not be our only metaphor for considering the Christian faith and how we live it and share it with others. The task and challenge of the church’s ministry in every generation is to adapt and reinterpret the traditional faith so that it is relevant to changing needs and times, without losing it or letting it simply become an echo or reflection of current values and ideologies (People’s New Testament Commentary).
In contrast to the encouragement offered to Timothy, the writer cites two examples of people who have abandoned the faith, at least in the author’s eyes. Then he cites the example of one who has remained faithful – eager to help and not ashamed of the difficulties that may come with being faithful.
II Timothy 2
II Timothy 2:1-13: “Timothy” as a representative Christian spiritual leader, is encouraged to stay “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Good advice for any Christian spiritual leader. He is also encouraged to pass the faith on through reliable teachers, faithful people. For the writer, the Christian faith is transmittable from generation to generation, and it is important to pass it on. The sense of receiving and passing on is strong in this letter. The writer uses a variety of images to encourage persistence in this work of faith – the soldier, the athlete, the farmer.
Verse 8 is another creedal hymn fragment. The gospel is about Jesus Christ, a Jew in the lineage of David, raised from the dead. This gospel combines affirmations about the specific human person Jesus and God’s resurrection power at work in his life. Proclaiming this gospel and living this gospel can lead to suffering, and endurance is enjoined. Even in the midst of suffering, the power of God continues to be at work in the world – “the word of God is not chained.”
Verses 11-13 seem to be a series of proverbial sayings linked together, and with a surprising twist. The encouragement throughout is to remain faithful. Failure to do so is a betrayal, but then the last statement says that even then, God remains faithful. God never gives up on us or on the world.
II Timothy 2:14-26: Timothy as spiritual leader is advised to continue his teaching and leading work. His work is contrasted with false teachers who only want to wrangle over words. Timothy is to keep on keeping on, to be a faithful worker in the work of God. “Rightly explaining” literally means “cutting straight” - - - the image again contrasts truthful Christian teaching which aims to transform human lives from teaching that is nothing more than wrangling over words, profane chatter which spreads like gangrene. Two teachers, in particular are named and the objectionable part of their teaching is that “the resurrection has already taken place.” They are not speaking about the resurrection of Jesus, but of the more general resurrection of all persons at that point in time when God makes the world right. “In the Gnosticizing Christianity opposed by the Pastor, the false teachers had reduced the resurrection hope entirely to present experience, and resurrection language became simply a metaphor for what happened at conversion” (People’s New Testament Commentary). This is not to say that the language of resurrection cannot be used metaphorically, for it is used this way in the New Testament itself. At the same time, the New Testament trusts that there is also a future hope for the world, one to which we contribute as we live out God’s purposes, live in a way that builds on “God’s firm foundation.”
The writer introduces another image for staying true to the faith, following the teachings of the faith, living the life of faith and passing it on. A person who does this is like a special utensil in the kitchen available to do good. Being such a person involves turning from “youthful passions” – perhaps a reference to faddish thinking as may have been represented by the false teachers. It involves pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace in community with others who seek God with a pure heart. Again, this is a nice way to discuss some of the essence of the Jesus way of life. Other qualities in this life are kindness, patience and gentleness. The Jesus way is passed on by “apt teachers” who know how to correct others gently. The phrase apt teacher reminds me of a Buddhist phrase – “skillful means” which refers to the ability of a spiritual teacher and leader to adapt ones methods to one’s audience. One hopes that gentle correction will help those in danger of wandering return.
Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church
II Timothy 1
II Timothy 1:1-2: The greeting follows patterns we have already seen, though some of the language adds a special touch. Paul’s ministry was seen as “for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.” That should be the point of all our ministry, all our work through the church – to bring life that is in Jesus to others. Timothy is a leader, but also a “beloved child.” It is important for spiritual leaders to claim that part of themselves, too.
II Timothy 1:3-18: As with other Pauline letter, whether written by Paul or by a disciple of Paul’s, that greeting is followed by a thanksgiving. “Timothy” is portrayed as a third generation Christian, which would have been the situation of many in the church at the time of this letter. It is interesting that while in I Timothy women are to be silent, here the role of women in shaping the life of Timothy is extolled! Whatever qualms the authors of the Pastoral may have had about the public teaching role of women, it is clear that they are an important part of passing on the faith. This does not mean we ignore the earlier passage and the damage it has done, only that we not that the news about women is not all bad in the Pastoral letters.
Timothy has a sincere faith, one he learned from his mother and grandmother. He is encouraged to “rekindle the gift of God that is within.” These are sound words of advise for all spiritual leaders – rekindle! Sometimes following that gift leads to suffering, but this should not be a cause of shame for leaders. “The author, along with the whole New Testament, assumes that Christian faith always brings one into conflict with the dominant values of the culture” (People’s New Testament Commentary). The writer invokes the memory of Paul’s suffering. In suffering, one might experience the grace and power of God in fresh ways.
Verses 9-10 seem a fragment of early Christian liturgy celebrating the grace of God in Jesus. In Christ, death has been overcome, and life is made possible. This life may involve suffering. It did for Paul. But again, suffering should not bring shame. We know the God in whom we trust, and we trust God to keep the good we do safe.
Timothy is encouraged to hold to sound teaching and to “guard the good treasure” that has been given to him. He is to do this with the help of the Holy Spirit. The sound teaching, which is the good treasure entrusted to the spiritual leader, is the Christian faith in the Pauline tradition. The term “guard” can have a very defensive quality about it, and can imply that the faith is a set of non-changing teachings and doctrines. I am not sure that this is the best way to discuss Christian faith. It was helpful in that time given the difficult context of the faith communities to which the letter was written. They were besieged by other interpretations of Christian faith, some of which stretched the elasticity of the faith too far. Yes, boundaries need to be drawn and sometimes guarding the treasure one has been given might be an apt metaphor, but it should not be our only metaphor for considering the Christian faith and how we live it and share it with others. The task and challenge of the church’s ministry in every generation is to adapt and reinterpret the traditional faith so that it is relevant to changing needs and times, without losing it or letting it simply become an echo or reflection of current values and ideologies (People’s New Testament Commentary).
In contrast to the encouragement offered to Timothy, the writer cites two examples of people who have abandoned the faith, at least in the author’s eyes. Then he cites the example of one who has remained faithful – eager to help and not ashamed of the difficulties that may come with being faithful.
II Timothy 2
II Timothy 2:1-13: “Timothy” as a representative Christian spiritual leader, is encouraged to stay “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Good advice for any Christian spiritual leader. He is also encouraged to pass the faith on through reliable teachers, faithful people. For the writer, the Christian faith is transmittable from generation to generation, and it is important to pass it on. The sense of receiving and passing on is strong in this letter. The writer uses a variety of images to encourage persistence in this work of faith – the soldier, the athlete, the farmer.
Verse 8 is another creedal hymn fragment. The gospel is about Jesus Christ, a Jew in the lineage of David, raised from the dead. This gospel combines affirmations about the specific human person Jesus and God’s resurrection power at work in his life. Proclaiming this gospel and living this gospel can lead to suffering, and endurance is enjoined. Even in the midst of suffering, the power of God continues to be at work in the world – “the word of God is not chained.”
Verses 11-13 seem to be a series of proverbial sayings linked together, and with a surprising twist. The encouragement throughout is to remain faithful. Failure to do so is a betrayal, but then the last statement says that even then, God remains faithful. God never gives up on us or on the world.
II Timothy 2:14-26: Timothy as spiritual leader is advised to continue his teaching and leading work. His work is contrasted with false teachers who only want to wrangle over words. Timothy is to keep on keeping on, to be a faithful worker in the work of God. “Rightly explaining” literally means “cutting straight” - - - the image again contrasts truthful Christian teaching which aims to transform human lives from teaching that is nothing more than wrangling over words, profane chatter which spreads like gangrene. Two teachers, in particular are named and the objectionable part of their teaching is that “the resurrection has already taken place.” They are not speaking about the resurrection of Jesus, but of the more general resurrection of all persons at that point in time when God makes the world right. “In the Gnosticizing Christianity opposed by the Pastor, the false teachers had reduced the resurrection hope entirely to present experience, and resurrection language became simply a metaphor for what happened at conversion” (People’s New Testament Commentary). This is not to say that the language of resurrection cannot be used metaphorically, for it is used this way in the New Testament itself. At the same time, the New Testament trusts that there is also a future hope for the world, one to which we contribute as we live out God’s purposes, live in a way that builds on “God’s firm foundation.”
The writer introduces another image for staying true to the faith, following the teachings of the faith, living the life of faith and passing it on. A person who does this is like a special utensil in the kitchen available to do good. Being such a person involves turning from “youthful passions” – perhaps a reference to faddish thinking as may have been represented by the false teachers. It involves pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace in community with others who seek God with a pure heart. Again, this is a nice way to discuss some of the essence of the Jesus way of life. Other qualities in this life are kindness, patience and gentleness. The Jesus way is passed on by “apt teachers” who know how to correct others gently. The phrase apt teacher reminds me of a Buddhist phrase – “skillful means” which refers to the ability of a spiritual teacher and leader to adapt ones methods to one’s audience. One hopes that gentle correction will help those in danger of wandering return.
Monday, March 3, 2008
I Timothy 6
I Timothy 6:1-2b: These verses continue the line of thought from the previous chapter. This time, the behavior of slaves is discussed. As already noted, the early church took the institution of slavery for granted, though its theology pointed in a direction inimical to slavery. Even within that acceptance of this social institution, many of the passages about the behavior of slaves also addressed the behavior of slave owners. This passage is an exception to that, focusing only on the behavior of slaves. The writer’s primary concern is social peace and the reputation of the church. He does not seem to comprehend some of the larger issues – just like us sometimes!
I Timothy 6:2c-10: The writer now returns to discuss his opponents, picking up from chapter 4, verse 5. Those who teach other than in the Pauline understanding of the faith, and those who teach a way of life other than the one written about here, are spoken of rather harshly. When the writer speaks of the teaching of Jesus Christ, the phrase can also be translated “about Jesus Christ” and that is probably the better translation. The author is not referring to the Gospels or to a collection of Jesus’ saying available in his church. The author’s theology, like Paul’s, does not function by citing stories and sayings from the life of Jesus, but by drawing out the meaning of the Christ event as a whole. (People’s New Testament Commentary) Sometimes people contrast the faith of Jesus and the faith about Jesus. I don’t think making a hard and fast distinction between these is warranted, but the early church spoke in a variety of ways about its faith, some of which were later determined to be outside the bounds of Christian faith. Even within, the language of faith is elastic, and it can be illuminating to think about the differences between the emphases of the Jesus of the Gospels and the emphases in the epistles, and in the different epistles. Doing so can enrich our faith.
The other teachers are viewed in terms used in the sometimes rancorous philosophical debates of the time. “The vice list, crafted with conventional philosophical slurs, shows the negative influences of the conceited (or deluded) false teachers on others in contrast to Timothy’s profitable teachings” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). Perhaps worst of all, they consider spiritual teaching and godliness a potential source of profit. The writer, in an ingenious turn of phrase, notes that godliness is profitable, but not in the way imagined.
This entire section is a wonderful piece of writing, combining a number of proverbial phrases into an argument for living simply. “Godliness” is a term never used by Paul, but for this writer it signifies the Jesus way, the Christian way of life, lived in response to God’s love and grace. To live in this way leads to contentment, and such a life avoids the potential perils of the search for riches. Verse 7 is a proverbial saying, as is verse 8. Verse nine seems self-evident in our own time – that relentless search for wealth can entrap people in harmful ways. Later verses indicate that this is not intended to be a condemnation of wealth, but a warning about its dangers. The first part of verse 10 is also a proverbial saying, to which the writer adds a concern for the effect that the love of money has on the life of faith.
These verses are powerful in our context. We take for granted that the search for material well-being is mostly benign or even positive. Capitalism has a philosophical base in a view that human persons acting in their own self-interest will promote a common good. Often that has been the case. However, the kind of growth needed to keep a capitalist economy healthy has led to the development of products that become needs, which can often be a mixed blessing, and to the increasing need for raw materials from the earth, and we may be stretching the earth’s capacity. An uninterrupted capitalist growth economy may require some tempering if we are to keep our planet healthy. Godliness with contentment may be an appropriate counter-cultural faith for our day and time.
I Timothy 6:11-19: The person of God, the leader, is to turn away from this excessive pursuit of money and from teachings which are just disputations over words and not transformative. The Jesus way of life is a life of: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. The Messsage: Pursue a righteous life – a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. This way of life is to be pursued with the dedication and discipline of an athlete – a familiar image in the Pastoral Epistles. One is to keep on in the faith until the work of God is complete at “the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This will happen at “the right time.” The fervent expectation of a quick end to history has gone away by the time of the Pastoral Letters. In anti-imperial language, God is proclaimed the only Sovereign, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. Though the writer has often been concerned with social peace, he cannot completely escape some of the anti-imperial import of the Christian gospel. In the middle of these verses of instruction, the writer engages in a moment of worship – an interesting metaphor for the Christian life, centered in worship (the subject of this week’s upcoming sermon).
The writer now returns to the subject of wealth. They are not to set too much store in their wealth. Instead, while they enjoy the good things of life, they should also be rich in good works, generous and ready to share. This is “the life that is really life” – what a wonderful phrase. For all his shortcomings, this writer is full of insight and often knows how to turn a memorable phrase.
I Timothy 6:20-21: Timothy as a leader is encouraged to keep the faith and avoid false knowledge – talk which distracts from faith.
Second Timothy
II Timothy is the second in the series of Pastoral Letters. Like I Timothy and Titus, this letter is likely the work of a disciple of Paul’s written well after Paul’s death. Again, it is an attempt to interpret Paul’s understanding of the Christian faith for a later generation. The letter represents Paul writing from prison, presumably in Rome shortly before his death. This letter thus belongs to the category of testamentary literature, in which a religious hero of the past blesses and exhorts his followers, preparing them to continue his work without him. (People’s New Testament Commentary) We know little more about the circumstances in which the letter was written, though we suppose the Pastorals were written about the same time.
I Timothy 6:1-2b: These verses continue the line of thought from the previous chapter. This time, the behavior of slaves is discussed. As already noted, the early church took the institution of slavery for granted, though its theology pointed in a direction inimical to slavery. Even within that acceptance of this social institution, many of the passages about the behavior of slaves also addressed the behavior of slave owners. This passage is an exception to that, focusing only on the behavior of slaves. The writer’s primary concern is social peace and the reputation of the church. He does not seem to comprehend some of the larger issues – just like us sometimes!
I Timothy 6:2c-10: The writer now returns to discuss his opponents, picking up from chapter 4, verse 5. Those who teach other than in the Pauline understanding of the faith, and those who teach a way of life other than the one written about here, are spoken of rather harshly. When the writer speaks of the teaching of Jesus Christ, the phrase can also be translated “about Jesus Christ” and that is probably the better translation. The author is not referring to the Gospels or to a collection of Jesus’ saying available in his church. The author’s theology, like Paul’s, does not function by citing stories and sayings from the life of Jesus, but by drawing out the meaning of the Christ event as a whole. (People’s New Testament Commentary) Sometimes people contrast the faith of Jesus and the faith about Jesus. I don’t think making a hard and fast distinction between these is warranted, but the early church spoke in a variety of ways about its faith, some of which were later determined to be outside the bounds of Christian faith. Even within, the language of faith is elastic, and it can be illuminating to think about the differences between the emphases of the Jesus of the Gospels and the emphases in the epistles, and in the different epistles. Doing so can enrich our faith.
The other teachers are viewed in terms used in the sometimes rancorous philosophical debates of the time. “The vice list, crafted with conventional philosophical slurs, shows the negative influences of the conceited (or deluded) false teachers on others in contrast to Timothy’s profitable teachings” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). Perhaps worst of all, they consider spiritual teaching and godliness a potential source of profit. The writer, in an ingenious turn of phrase, notes that godliness is profitable, but not in the way imagined.
This entire section is a wonderful piece of writing, combining a number of proverbial phrases into an argument for living simply. “Godliness” is a term never used by Paul, but for this writer it signifies the Jesus way, the Christian way of life, lived in response to God’s love and grace. To live in this way leads to contentment, and such a life avoids the potential perils of the search for riches. Verse 7 is a proverbial saying, as is verse 8. Verse nine seems self-evident in our own time – that relentless search for wealth can entrap people in harmful ways. Later verses indicate that this is not intended to be a condemnation of wealth, but a warning about its dangers. The first part of verse 10 is also a proverbial saying, to which the writer adds a concern for the effect that the love of money has on the life of faith.
These verses are powerful in our context. We take for granted that the search for material well-being is mostly benign or even positive. Capitalism has a philosophical base in a view that human persons acting in their own self-interest will promote a common good. Often that has been the case. However, the kind of growth needed to keep a capitalist economy healthy has led to the development of products that become needs, which can often be a mixed blessing, and to the increasing need for raw materials from the earth, and we may be stretching the earth’s capacity. An uninterrupted capitalist growth economy may require some tempering if we are to keep our planet healthy. Godliness with contentment may be an appropriate counter-cultural faith for our day and time.
I Timothy 6:11-19: The person of God, the leader, is to turn away from this excessive pursuit of money and from teachings which are just disputations over words and not transformative. The Jesus way of life is a life of: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. The Messsage: Pursue a righteous life – a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. This way of life is to be pursued with the dedication and discipline of an athlete – a familiar image in the Pastoral Epistles. One is to keep on in the faith until the work of God is complete at “the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This will happen at “the right time.” The fervent expectation of a quick end to history has gone away by the time of the Pastoral Letters. In anti-imperial language, God is proclaimed the only Sovereign, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. Though the writer has often been concerned with social peace, he cannot completely escape some of the anti-imperial import of the Christian gospel. In the middle of these verses of instruction, the writer engages in a moment of worship – an interesting metaphor for the Christian life, centered in worship (the subject of this week’s upcoming sermon).
The writer now returns to the subject of wealth. They are not to set too much store in their wealth. Instead, while they enjoy the good things of life, they should also be rich in good works, generous and ready to share. This is “the life that is really life” – what a wonderful phrase. For all his shortcomings, this writer is full of insight and often knows how to turn a memorable phrase.
I Timothy 6:20-21: Timothy as a leader is encouraged to keep the faith and avoid false knowledge – talk which distracts from faith.
Second Timothy
II Timothy is the second in the series of Pastoral Letters. Like I Timothy and Titus, this letter is likely the work of a disciple of Paul’s written well after Paul’s death. Again, it is an attempt to interpret Paul’s understanding of the Christian faith for a later generation. The letter represents Paul writing from prison, presumably in Rome shortly before his death. This letter thus belongs to the category of testamentary literature, in which a religious hero of the past blesses and exhorts his followers, preparing them to continue his work without him. (People’s New Testament Commentary) We know little more about the circumstances in which the letter was written, though we suppose the Pastorals were written about the same time.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Thought on reading the Scriptures: The Bible is true… because reading the Bible enlightens the reader…. The Bible illumines our path, so that we can live our lives with hope and integrity. Reading the Bible in a changed world can still change our world and fill it with meaning and purpose…. When truth is understood in this way, it serves to connect the Bible with other sacred texts which… have the same function: to make available to the conscious mind, through the use of symbolic imagery, the transformative energy of the affections. Schuyler Brown, Text and Psyche, 29
I Timothy 2
I Timothy 2:1-15: The body of the typical Pauline letter is composed of two parts, the first of which provides the theological foundations for the second part dealing with practical instructions for the Christian life…. In contrast, the Pastor’s letters [the pastoral epistles] are composed throughout of practical, ethical instructions, with theological material and rationale woven in from time to time. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
Pray for everyone, that sounds like a pretty good request to be made. The writer goes on to specify prayers for “kings and all who are in high positions.” One prayed for the governing authorities so that one might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. Such language has both an attractive side and a troubling side. We want to pray for all people, including and sometimes especially for those who have power. “The appeals here on behalf of everyone likely reflect the Pastoral’s vision of God as Savior of everyone” (New Interpreters Study Bible). Yet the language seems to encourage a certain quietist social ethic that does not seem in keeping with some of the challenges to imperial theology we have encountered.
The government was pagan and often made divine claims for itself. Nonetheless, it is God’s world they administer. The early Christians were often thought to be a disruptive influence, a threat to community decency and order. The Pastor wants his readers to see themselves, and to be seen by others, as good constructive citizens, even in a pagan state. This was a continuation of the Jewish practice; prayers were offered daily in the synagogue for the emperor, though Jews had resisted to the death the practice of praying to the emperor as a deity. Though they cannot participate in state-sponsored worship of the emperor and the pagan gods, the readers are instructed to pray for rulers so that the church may live peaceably and fulfill its mission. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
I find these words particularly helpful. We live within certain polarities. We seek to change the world, and yet should not be seen simply as disrupters of the social order. We pray for the governing authorities, but there are limits to loyalty to any government. What those limits may be needs to be discerned within one’s context.
Right after this encouragement to pray for the governing authorities comes a slightly anti-imperial word. “God our Savior” contrasts with the imperial theology wherein the emperor was often called “savior.” Only God is Savior, and this saving God desires that all should be saved “and come to the knowledge of truth.” This is interesting language, another way of talking about what it means to be “saved” – to have certain knowledge. The knowledge that saves is reiterated through the use of an early Christian liturgical piece. “There is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.” Knowing, here, could be seen, and should be seen, as something more than intellectual assent to certain propositions. It should be seen as transformative knowing, something that shapes our hearts and lives deeply. One can recite the words of a creed and even believe them to be true intellectually without being transformed by the God of which the creed speaks. One can struggle with the ideas of the creed and yet be transformed in the midst of that struggle by the Spirit of God.
Notice that this creed/liturgy emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. By this time in the history of Christian faith, there seemed to be developments that would have cast Jesus as more than human but less than divine. This author will have none of that. The death of the human Jesus, his self-giving, is seen, metaphorically, as a ransom – a liberation of slaves by buying their freedom. This is poetic language, analogic language, comparing what it means to be “saved” with what it means for a slave to be freed. If pressed too far in a literal direction the language becomes unhelpful – did God really have to pay someone for the release of humanity, and was the death of Jesus that payment?
The writer returns to the topic of prayer and then to the topic of appropriate behavior for women in the Christian community. Men should pray by lifting up holy hands – the typical posture for prayer in the ancient world was to stand with palms open and upraised. That poses little trouble, something that cannot be said for the verses that follow.
This writer argues that women should be silent in the church. They should dress modestly, be most concerned with good works. They will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. The call for silence is different from other Pauline Jesus communities where women were in leadership. Clearly, of course, pseudo-Paul would not bother to forbid what never happened. That prohibition therefore tells us that women were praying and teaching within the community’s catechetical practice and liturgical worship. But this text dismisses women from those functions and relegates them to home, silence, and childbearing. Augustus… would have been particularly pleased with those injunctions. (Crossan and Reed, In Search of Paul, 119) To take these verses out of their context is a gross mistake, one the church made early and often. In my own denominational tradition, women were not ordained until 1956. This writer is attempting to accommodate the practices of the Christian community to the surrounding culture and seems to overdo it. In every situation, the church must decide when to accommodate to and when to resist the dominant cultural ethos. Whichever decision is made must be on the basis of the church’s mission, not lethargy or a desire to fit in, but also not on the basis of individual personal feelings and “rights.” (People’s New Testament Commentary)
These disturbing verses… are influenced by the household codes, or codes of proper domestic behavior, in antiquity’s popular moral treatises. The author supports the command for women to learn in silence with a certain, and somewhat forced reading of Genesis 2:15-22 and 3:13. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible)
While we can appreciate the struggle of the author to try and figure out appropriate behavior for the Jesus community in that time, there seems little here to commend itself to us, except the idea that we, too, need to struggle with the ethos of our culture. That said, there is something positive in the remark about women and childbearing. It is not that women should be relegated to childbearing, but the author is probably arguing with certain emerging elements in the Christianity of the time that denigrated normal family life. Some teachers taught that “marrying and generating come from Satan” (cited in Irenaeus, Against Heresies, an early Christian treatise). Family life, if lived with faith, love and holiness, is a faithful way to live as a Christian.
I Timothy 3
I Timothy 3:1-7: One argument for dating the Pastoral Epistles after the death of Paul was the development in them of particular roles within the church. In Paul’s time, congregational leadership was relatively unstructured, dependent on the spontaneous guidance of the Spirit. Here, we see stages of development toward ministerial offices, as charismatic leadership becomes more structured. (People’s New Testament Commentary) In these verses, the writer describes the qualifications of a bishop. The term bishop means one who oversees or supervises or looks after others. While this text addresses the qualities desired for a more specific role, many of the qualities are applicable to spiritual leaders more generally.
A bishop is to be above reproach and married only once. This last phrase probably refers to the ideal in antiquity for a person to remain unmarried if their spouse were to die. The qualities desired are a combination of personal and professional. We may find some of this overlap uncomfortable. We have known good pastors, for instance, whose personal lives were more difficult. Yet for spiritual leaders, there needs to be some congruence between the personal and professional. For spiritual leaders to succeed they need to develop trust and the components of trust, according to Lovett Weams, are competence, character and relationships – personal and professional qualities.
I Timothy 3:8-13: The word “deacon” means server or minister (not clergy, but minister as one who ministers to others). Obviously this is distinct from “bishop” but this is all developing and not yet finally determined. While the roles may be distinct, the qualifications are very similar, and again, they apply to church leaders more generally. Interestingly, the writer seems to suggest that women can be leaders in the church by being deacons.
I Timothy 3:14-16: These verses serve as something of a summary to this point. The writer has been concerned that those to whom he is writing “know how one ought to behave in the household of God.” This household, an image, by the way, not found in the undisputed letters of Paul, is seen as a place of truth. The writer reiterates the truth of the faith by citing another liturgical piece from the time, a celebration of the mystery of our religion. The central truth celebrated is that the living God “was revealed in the flesh.” God touched the earth is a special and unique way in Jesus – this is central to Christian faith. This God-made-flesh was vindicated by the Spirit and the message about him has spread throughout the world.
I Timothy 4
I Timothy 4:1-5: Having celebrated the mystery of faith, the writer now argues against those he thinks have strayed from that faith. He characterizes his opponents as people who have being paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, who have been affected by liars, hypocrites - persons of little conscience. What do these false teachers teach? They teach abstinence from marriage and foods. In contrast, the writer affirms the goodness of God’s creation. This is in keeping with the creed/hymn/liturgy cited at the end of chapter 3. God’s touching the world in the flesh is a strong affirmation of the goodness of creation.
I Timothy 4:6-16: One antidote to false teachers and teachings is to have solid leaders who exercise their leadership wisely. In these verses, and continuing through the next chapter, the writer discusses the responsibilities for “Timothy” as a spiritual leader. Interwoven with this are hints at the false teachings that are problematic.
Good leaders are nourished in the faith and avoid “profane myths and old wives’ tales.” This phrase was a familiar philosophical slur of the time. Instead, a leader trains herself or himself in the faith – the writer alludes to athletic training here. Leaders toil and struggle, but with hope in God – who is the Savior of all. The statements here are ambiguous – God saves all, “especially those who believe.” In the end, the reach of God’s saving work is up to God. As believers our task is to remain faithful to our way of life in Jesus, trusting that God will indeed save us.
Leaders are to be examples. Again, this can be difficult. Pastors sometimes struggle with the idea that they need to be examples. We are human beings, and that is important to remember – and it is. Yet we have a responsibility to live our very human lives in ways that say something about the faith we teach and preach. So we strive to be examples in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Leaders have a story to tell, a story found in scripture and teaching. Leaders lead from the gift of God within. Leaders pay attention to what is going on in their lives.
I Timothy 5
I Timothy 5:1-16: Instruction for “Timothy” as a spiritual leader continues, here focused on relationships with certain groups of people – younger men, older men, younger women, older women, widows. The writer again makes a case for the importance of family life, arguing that those who do not provide for their families have denied the faith. “The real widow” may refer to an emerging group of widows in the church who have decided to devote themselves fully to prayer and service to God and the church. Verses 9 and following may be qualifications for persons seeking to be a part of this group. The other interpretation is that this is a discussion of who is to become a part of the church’s social welfare program. Widows were often persons in great need in the context of that time. Some of the words about widows seem to appeal to unthinking stereotypes and should not be perpetuated.
I Timothy 5:17-25: Besides bishops and deacons, there was an emerging group of “elders.” These seem to be people who are earning a part of their living from their work of preaching and teaching. They should be people of good character and that character should not be easily vilified. Those who fail to live up to the demands of their role are to be publicly rebuked. In the midst of this word about elders, the writer invites leaders to “take a little wine.” Some of the teachers who were disturbing the community advised a very ascetic life, excluding a little wine. For Christians, this is not prohibited, though the writer has already cautioned against excessive use of wine.
Good works are conspicuous, and will come to light – they will not remain hidden and are thereby encouraged.
I Timothy 2
I Timothy 2:1-15: The body of the typical Pauline letter is composed of two parts, the first of which provides the theological foundations for the second part dealing with practical instructions for the Christian life…. In contrast, the Pastor’s letters [the pastoral epistles] are composed throughout of practical, ethical instructions, with theological material and rationale woven in from time to time. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
Pray for everyone, that sounds like a pretty good request to be made. The writer goes on to specify prayers for “kings and all who are in high positions.” One prayed for the governing authorities so that one might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. Such language has both an attractive side and a troubling side. We want to pray for all people, including and sometimes especially for those who have power. “The appeals here on behalf of everyone likely reflect the Pastoral’s vision of God as Savior of everyone” (New Interpreters Study Bible). Yet the language seems to encourage a certain quietist social ethic that does not seem in keeping with some of the challenges to imperial theology we have encountered.
The government was pagan and often made divine claims for itself. Nonetheless, it is God’s world they administer. The early Christians were often thought to be a disruptive influence, a threat to community decency and order. The Pastor wants his readers to see themselves, and to be seen by others, as good constructive citizens, even in a pagan state. This was a continuation of the Jewish practice; prayers were offered daily in the synagogue for the emperor, though Jews had resisted to the death the practice of praying to the emperor as a deity. Though they cannot participate in state-sponsored worship of the emperor and the pagan gods, the readers are instructed to pray for rulers so that the church may live peaceably and fulfill its mission. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
I find these words particularly helpful. We live within certain polarities. We seek to change the world, and yet should not be seen simply as disrupters of the social order. We pray for the governing authorities, but there are limits to loyalty to any government. What those limits may be needs to be discerned within one’s context.
Right after this encouragement to pray for the governing authorities comes a slightly anti-imperial word. “God our Savior” contrasts with the imperial theology wherein the emperor was often called “savior.” Only God is Savior, and this saving God desires that all should be saved “and come to the knowledge of truth.” This is interesting language, another way of talking about what it means to be “saved” – to have certain knowledge. The knowledge that saves is reiterated through the use of an early Christian liturgical piece. “There is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.” Knowing, here, could be seen, and should be seen, as something more than intellectual assent to certain propositions. It should be seen as transformative knowing, something that shapes our hearts and lives deeply. One can recite the words of a creed and even believe them to be true intellectually without being transformed by the God of which the creed speaks. One can struggle with the ideas of the creed and yet be transformed in the midst of that struggle by the Spirit of God.
Notice that this creed/liturgy emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. By this time in the history of Christian faith, there seemed to be developments that would have cast Jesus as more than human but less than divine. This author will have none of that. The death of the human Jesus, his self-giving, is seen, metaphorically, as a ransom – a liberation of slaves by buying their freedom. This is poetic language, analogic language, comparing what it means to be “saved” with what it means for a slave to be freed. If pressed too far in a literal direction the language becomes unhelpful – did God really have to pay someone for the release of humanity, and was the death of Jesus that payment?
The writer returns to the topic of prayer and then to the topic of appropriate behavior for women in the Christian community. Men should pray by lifting up holy hands – the typical posture for prayer in the ancient world was to stand with palms open and upraised. That poses little trouble, something that cannot be said for the verses that follow.
This writer argues that women should be silent in the church. They should dress modestly, be most concerned with good works. They will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. The call for silence is different from other Pauline Jesus communities where women were in leadership. Clearly, of course, pseudo-Paul would not bother to forbid what never happened. That prohibition therefore tells us that women were praying and teaching within the community’s catechetical practice and liturgical worship. But this text dismisses women from those functions and relegates them to home, silence, and childbearing. Augustus… would have been particularly pleased with those injunctions. (Crossan and Reed, In Search of Paul, 119) To take these verses out of their context is a gross mistake, one the church made early and often. In my own denominational tradition, women were not ordained until 1956. This writer is attempting to accommodate the practices of the Christian community to the surrounding culture and seems to overdo it. In every situation, the church must decide when to accommodate to and when to resist the dominant cultural ethos. Whichever decision is made must be on the basis of the church’s mission, not lethargy or a desire to fit in, but also not on the basis of individual personal feelings and “rights.” (People’s New Testament Commentary)
These disturbing verses… are influenced by the household codes, or codes of proper domestic behavior, in antiquity’s popular moral treatises. The author supports the command for women to learn in silence with a certain, and somewhat forced reading of Genesis 2:15-22 and 3:13. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible)
While we can appreciate the struggle of the author to try and figure out appropriate behavior for the Jesus community in that time, there seems little here to commend itself to us, except the idea that we, too, need to struggle with the ethos of our culture. That said, there is something positive in the remark about women and childbearing. It is not that women should be relegated to childbearing, but the author is probably arguing with certain emerging elements in the Christianity of the time that denigrated normal family life. Some teachers taught that “marrying and generating come from Satan” (cited in Irenaeus, Against Heresies, an early Christian treatise). Family life, if lived with faith, love and holiness, is a faithful way to live as a Christian.
I Timothy 3
I Timothy 3:1-7: One argument for dating the Pastoral Epistles after the death of Paul was the development in them of particular roles within the church. In Paul’s time, congregational leadership was relatively unstructured, dependent on the spontaneous guidance of the Spirit. Here, we see stages of development toward ministerial offices, as charismatic leadership becomes more structured. (People’s New Testament Commentary) In these verses, the writer describes the qualifications of a bishop. The term bishop means one who oversees or supervises or looks after others. While this text addresses the qualities desired for a more specific role, many of the qualities are applicable to spiritual leaders more generally.
A bishop is to be above reproach and married only once. This last phrase probably refers to the ideal in antiquity for a person to remain unmarried if their spouse were to die. The qualities desired are a combination of personal and professional. We may find some of this overlap uncomfortable. We have known good pastors, for instance, whose personal lives were more difficult. Yet for spiritual leaders, there needs to be some congruence between the personal and professional. For spiritual leaders to succeed they need to develop trust and the components of trust, according to Lovett Weams, are competence, character and relationships – personal and professional qualities.
I Timothy 3:8-13: The word “deacon” means server or minister (not clergy, but minister as one who ministers to others). Obviously this is distinct from “bishop” but this is all developing and not yet finally determined. While the roles may be distinct, the qualifications are very similar, and again, they apply to church leaders more generally. Interestingly, the writer seems to suggest that women can be leaders in the church by being deacons.
I Timothy 3:14-16: These verses serve as something of a summary to this point. The writer has been concerned that those to whom he is writing “know how one ought to behave in the household of God.” This household, an image, by the way, not found in the undisputed letters of Paul, is seen as a place of truth. The writer reiterates the truth of the faith by citing another liturgical piece from the time, a celebration of the mystery of our religion. The central truth celebrated is that the living God “was revealed in the flesh.” God touched the earth is a special and unique way in Jesus – this is central to Christian faith. This God-made-flesh was vindicated by the Spirit and the message about him has spread throughout the world.
I Timothy 4
I Timothy 4:1-5: Having celebrated the mystery of faith, the writer now argues against those he thinks have strayed from that faith. He characterizes his opponents as people who have being paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, who have been affected by liars, hypocrites - persons of little conscience. What do these false teachers teach? They teach abstinence from marriage and foods. In contrast, the writer affirms the goodness of God’s creation. This is in keeping with the creed/hymn/liturgy cited at the end of chapter 3. God’s touching the world in the flesh is a strong affirmation of the goodness of creation.
I Timothy 4:6-16: One antidote to false teachers and teachings is to have solid leaders who exercise their leadership wisely. In these verses, and continuing through the next chapter, the writer discusses the responsibilities for “Timothy” as a spiritual leader. Interwoven with this are hints at the false teachings that are problematic.
Good leaders are nourished in the faith and avoid “profane myths and old wives’ tales.” This phrase was a familiar philosophical slur of the time. Instead, a leader trains herself or himself in the faith – the writer alludes to athletic training here. Leaders toil and struggle, but with hope in God – who is the Savior of all. The statements here are ambiguous – God saves all, “especially those who believe.” In the end, the reach of God’s saving work is up to God. As believers our task is to remain faithful to our way of life in Jesus, trusting that God will indeed save us.
Leaders are to be examples. Again, this can be difficult. Pastors sometimes struggle with the idea that they need to be examples. We are human beings, and that is important to remember – and it is. Yet we have a responsibility to live our very human lives in ways that say something about the faith we teach and preach. So we strive to be examples in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Leaders have a story to tell, a story found in scripture and teaching. Leaders lead from the gift of God within. Leaders pay attention to what is going on in their lives.
I Timothy 5
I Timothy 5:1-16: Instruction for “Timothy” as a spiritual leader continues, here focused on relationships with certain groups of people – younger men, older men, younger women, older women, widows. The writer again makes a case for the importance of family life, arguing that those who do not provide for their families have denied the faith. “The real widow” may refer to an emerging group of widows in the church who have decided to devote themselves fully to prayer and service to God and the church. Verses 9 and following may be qualifications for persons seeking to be a part of this group. The other interpretation is that this is a discussion of who is to become a part of the church’s social welfare program. Widows were often persons in great need in the context of that time. Some of the words about widows seem to appeal to unthinking stereotypes and should not be perpetuated.
I Timothy 5:17-25: Besides bishops and deacons, there was an emerging group of “elders.” These seem to be people who are earning a part of their living from their work of preaching and teaching. They should be people of good character and that character should not be easily vilified. Those who fail to live up to the demands of their role are to be publicly rebuked. In the midst of this word about elders, the writer invites leaders to “take a little wine.” Some of the teachers who were disturbing the community advised a very ascetic life, excluding a little wine. For Christians, this is not prohibited, though the writer has already cautioned against excessive use of wine.
Good works are conspicuous, and will come to light – they will not remain hidden and are thereby encouraged.
First Timothy
First Timothy, Second Timothy and Titus are together known as the “pastoral epistles.” Each of these letters claims Paul as the author and each is concerned with leadership and with teachings that seem to deviate significantly from the Christian teaching of Paul. All these letters have a similar content and style.
Those who argue for Paul’s authorship do so by arguing that Paul was released from prison in Rome and engaged in a second period of ministry unrecorded in any of our sources. It was during this second period of his work that he wrote I Timothy and Titus. When he was arrested a second time, he wrote II Timothy from prison. It was this second imprisonment which led to his execution.
In all likelihood, Paul never left Roman custody and imprisonment, and was probably executed in about 64 CE. The martyrdom of Paul about 64 CE meant that one of the most important leaders of early Christianity was gone, but the Pauline tradition was continued by his disciples and associates. According to Acts, Ephesus had been a center of Paul’s missionary efforts, from which he and his coworkers established churches in the surrounding regions of Asia Minor. There is considerable evidence that after Paul’s death a group of Christian leaders who looked back to Paul as the primary apostolic leader of the church continued to interpret and adapt his message to later contexts. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
1Timothy is a letter of exhortation designed to combat the dissident teaching of insiders and the suspicion of outsiders at Ephesus…. The letter is replete with conventional philosophical polemics, commendations on irreproachable behavior, and images of the church as the household of God. Like the other Pastoral Letters, the letter regards any deviation from its own counsel to be false teaching…. If the letter is pseudonymous, or written by someone using Paul’s name… the name “Timothy” may simply represent someone in a later generation entrusted with the responsibility of transmitting Paul’s theological legacy with care and accuracy. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible)
What arguments weigh in on whether or not Paul wrote this letter, and the other pastoral epistles? We have already mentioned the difficult chronology usually associated with arguing for Paul’s authorship. It is also to be noted that in the earliest lists of Paul’s letters, these writings do no appear. “The vocabulary and style are very different from the undisputed letters of Paul, but resemble that of the church fathers from the second century” (People’s New Testament Commentary). “The church situation depicted seems to be later than that of Paul. Church organization has become more institutionalized.” (same source)
More scholars seem to argue against Paul’s authorship than for it. If Paul did not write them, the date and circumstance of their composition are more in doubt. They were probably written anytime between 90 and 150 CE, from Ephesus and were intended to be read in public at church gatherings.
I Timothy 1
I Timothy 1:1-2: As with other letters purported to be written by Paul, this one claims his authorship and identifies an intended recipient. Ironically, the concluding greetings in each letter are plural. Paul has never referred to God as “savior,” but this writer does so six times. Paul refers to Jesus as “savior” only once (Philippians 3:20).
I Timothy 1:3-11: The concern is raised at the outset about persons teaching “different doctrine.” The Pauline understanding of the Christian faith was considered normative by the author and his associates. He understands his own reinterpretation of Paul to be legitimate, to stand in the authentic Pauline tradition, and that of his opponents (who also appealed to Paul as their authority) to be deviant. (People’s New Testament Commentary) Such statements about concern for different doctrine make us uncomfortable. Christian history is strewn with examples of doctrinal disputes that ended in violence, and we do not want any part of that. I have used the image of elasticity to describe Christian faith. Christian faith has an elasticity to it. It can admit of some variation. But it is not infinitely elastic. One would have a difficult time, I think, arguing that reincarnation, for instance, is a Christian doctrine. It is appropriate to draw some boundaries around what is Christian and what is not. Unfortunately, our history has often also claimed that only Christians are good, and only Christians can genuinely know God. Therefore when we drew the boundary around Christian we also drew the boundary around goodness and genuine relationship with God. I believe Christian faith is elastic enough to include the idea that people other than Christians can be genuinely good, and that people other than Christians can have a genuine experience of God and God’s grace and love. That is debatable to be sure, but it helps me deal with the idea that some boundaries should be drawn around Christian faith. The author here is arguing for such boundaries.
What the author is arguing against is not clear. To label something a myth in the first century was “a typical philosophical slur” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). “Myth” can have positive connotations, as well, and did in earlier Greek philosophy, but not at the time of the Pastoral epistles. The author argues that those who teach a different doctrine are engaged in myth-making and idle speculation. Instead, true teaching is aimed at forming a whole person – nurturing love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Those who have other aims are engaged in meaningless talk and don’t even really understand what they say. The writer of this letter is not terribly generous to his opponents! In that, perhaps he fails in his own criterion of love.
These other teachers apparently appealed to the law, the Jewish scripture for their teaching. The author affirms the goodness of the law, in a way that indicates that some of Paul’s issues with the law were long past. The goodness of the law is found in its restraining function – it is intended to keep people in line. The writer lists a number of things that are shown to be wrong through the right use of the lay. The term “sodomites” referred to “the active male in a homosexual act” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). It is unclear that the term used here has much relationship with what we understand to be homosexuality today. Sexual practices in the Greco-Roman world are still a matter of study and debate. Many early Christians shared Paul’s view that same-sex sexual expression was illegitimate because everyone was heterosexual. But what if this is not the case – would the early church writers have then had a different view of homosexuality? To condemn all homosexuality on the basis of this one verse seems an inappropriate use of the verse. The point the writer is making is that the law is oriented toward controlling behavior, and he supplies a list for illustrative purposes. Those teachers he opposes may have used the law in a very speculative manner.
I Timothy 1:12-20: The author uses the story of Paul to make some points about the Christian life and Christian leadership. The author expresses the wonder of God’s overflowing grace, recalling that this grace transformed the life of Paul – from one of opposing the purposes of God and of violence to a life of faith and love in Jesus. The initial section ends with a doxology. The author encourages a younger teacher, noting that some others have “suffered shipwreck in the faith.” Certain persons are mentioned by name. Apparently these persons were expelled from the community (handed over to Satan).
First Timothy, Second Timothy and Titus are together known as the “pastoral epistles.” Each of these letters claims Paul as the author and each is concerned with leadership and with teachings that seem to deviate significantly from the Christian teaching of Paul. All these letters have a similar content and style.
Those who argue for Paul’s authorship do so by arguing that Paul was released from prison in Rome and engaged in a second period of ministry unrecorded in any of our sources. It was during this second period of his work that he wrote I Timothy and Titus. When he was arrested a second time, he wrote II Timothy from prison. It was this second imprisonment which led to his execution.
In all likelihood, Paul never left Roman custody and imprisonment, and was probably executed in about 64 CE. The martyrdom of Paul about 64 CE meant that one of the most important leaders of early Christianity was gone, but the Pauline tradition was continued by his disciples and associates. According to Acts, Ephesus had been a center of Paul’s missionary efforts, from which he and his coworkers established churches in the surrounding regions of Asia Minor. There is considerable evidence that after Paul’s death a group of Christian leaders who looked back to Paul as the primary apostolic leader of the church continued to interpret and adapt his message to later contexts. (People’s New Testament Commentary)
1Timothy is a letter of exhortation designed to combat the dissident teaching of insiders and the suspicion of outsiders at Ephesus…. The letter is replete with conventional philosophical polemics, commendations on irreproachable behavior, and images of the church as the household of God. Like the other Pastoral Letters, the letter regards any deviation from its own counsel to be false teaching…. If the letter is pseudonymous, or written by someone using Paul’s name… the name “Timothy” may simply represent someone in a later generation entrusted with the responsibility of transmitting Paul’s theological legacy with care and accuracy. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible)
What arguments weigh in on whether or not Paul wrote this letter, and the other pastoral epistles? We have already mentioned the difficult chronology usually associated with arguing for Paul’s authorship. It is also to be noted that in the earliest lists of Paul’s letters, these writings do no appear. “The vocabulary and style are very different from the undisputed letters of Paul, but resemble that of the church fathers from the second century” (People’s New Testament Commentary). “The church situation depicted seems to be later than that of Paul. Church organization has become more institutionalized.” (same source)
More scholars seem to argue against Paul’s authorship than for it. If Paul did not write them, the date and circumstance of their composition are more in doubt. They were probably written anytime between 90 and 150 CE, from Ephesus and were intended to be read in public at church gatherings.
I Timothy 1
I Timothy 1:1-2: As with other letters purported to be written by Paul, this one claims his authorship and identifies an intended recipient. Ironically, the concluding greetings in each letter are plural. Paul has never referred to God as “savior,” but this writer does so six times. Paul refers to Jesus as “savior” only once (Philippians 3:20).
I Timothy 1:3-11: The concern is raised at the outset about persons teaching “different doctrine.” The Pauline understanding of the Christian faith was considered normative by the author and his associates. He understands his own reinterpretation of Paul to be legitimate, to stand in the authentic Pauline tradition, and that of his opponents (who also appealed to Paul as their authority) to be deviant. (People’s New Testament Commentary) Such statements about concern for different doctrine make us uncomfortable. Christian history is strewn with examples of doctrinal disputes that ended in violence, and we do not want any part of that. I have used the image of elasticity to describe Christian faith. Christian faith has an elasticity to it. It can admit of some variation. But it is not infinitely elastic. One would have a difficult time, I think, arguing that reincarnation, for instance, is a Christian doctrine. It is appropriate to draw some boundaries around what is Christian and what is not. Unfortunately, our history has often also claimed that only Christians are good, and only Christians can genuinely know God. Therefore when we drew the boundary around Christian we also drew the boundary around goodness and genuine relationship with God. I believe Christian faith is elastic enough to include the idea that people other than Christians can be genuinely good, and that people other than Christians can have a genuine experience of God and God’s grace and love. That is debatable to be sure, but it helps me deal with the idea that some boundaries should be drawn around Christian faith. The author here is arguing for such boundaries.
What the author is arguing against is not clear. To label something a myth in the first century was “a typical philosophical slur” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). “Myth” can have positive connotations, as well, and did in earlier Greek philosophy, but not at the time of the Pastoral epistles. The author argues that those who teach a different doctrine are engaged in myth-making and idle speculation. Instead, true teaching is aimed at forming a whole person – nurturing love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Those who have other aims are engaged in meaningless talk and don’t even really understand what they say. The writer of this letter is not terribly generous to his opponents! In that, perhaps he fails in his own criterion of love.
These other teachers apparently appealed to the law, the Jewish scripture for their teaching. The author affirms the goodness of the law, in a way that indicates that some of Paul’s issues with the law were long past. The goodness of the law is found in its restraining function – it is intended to keep people in line. The writer lists a number of things that are shown to be wrong through the right use of the lay. The term “sodomites” referred to “the active male in a homosexual act” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). It is unclear that the term used here has much relationship with what we understand to be homosexuality today. Sexual practices in the Greco-Roman world are still a matter of study and debate. Many early Christians shared Paul’s view that same-sex sexual expression was illegitimate because everyone was heterosexual. But what if this is not the case – would the early church writers have then had a different view of homosexuality? To condemn all homosexuality on the basis of this one verse seems an inappropriate use of the verse. The point the writer is making is that the law is oriented toward controlling behavior, and he supplies a list for illustrative purposes. Those teachers he opposes may have used the law in a very speculative manner.
I Timothy 1:12-20: The author uses the story of Paul to make some points about the Christian life and Christian leadership. The author expresses the wonder of God’s overflowing grace, recalling that this grace transformed the life of Paul – from one of opposing the purposes of God and of violence to a life of faith and love in Jesus. The initial section ends with a doxology. The author encourages a younger teacher, noting that some others have “suffered shipwreck in the faith.” Certain persons are mentioned by name. Apparently these persons were expelled from the community (handed over to Satan).
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Second Thessalonians
In the New Testament, this is portrayed as a later letter of Paul to the Jesus community at Thessalonica, about which we have already been informed. However, the weight of scholarly opinion is that things are not as simple as that. Since the outset of the historical-critical study of the NT in the late 18th century… biblical scholars have become skeptical about Paul’s authorship of the letter. 20th century scholarship provided evidence that Hellenistic writers sometimes wrote “letters” in the name of revered teachers either to honor them or to enable their teaching to be applicable to a new situation…. Scholars have noted that the outline of 2 Thess essentially follows that of 1 Thess, including the oddity of both texts have two thanksgiving sections. The vocabulary of 2 Thess echoes that ft 1 Thess, but its style is far more wooden than the vivid style of Paul’s own letters…. There is also a clear difference between the expectation of an imminent return of Christ (the parousia)… and the expectation of the parousia in some unknown and apparently far distant future…. By the end of the 20th century the majority of biblical scholars had concluded that 2 Thess is a missive written in the style of 1 Thess by a disciple of Paul who wanted to update Paul’s teaching on the parousia, the future coming of Christ. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible) If this is the case, the letter “was not written to a particular congregation, but is written to the church at large in the form of a letter of Paul to Thessalonica” (People’s New Testament Commentary). As we have noted before, the fact that Paul may not be the author of this work does not diminish its standing as a part of our New Testament. “The church heard in it an authentic witness to the meaning of Christian faith and included it in the New Testament canon” (People’s New Testament Commentary).
II Thessalonians 1:1-2: This beginning is almost exactly the same at the beginning of I Thessalonians. The author does a good job of making this a letter of Paul.
II Thessalonians 1:3-4: As with I Thessalonians, thanks is given for a Christian community. If the letter was written to Christians more generally, these are the kind of things over which all Christians can be thankful – a growing faith, increasing love. The new twist to this section is mention of steadfastness in faith in the face of persecutions and afflictions. If the letter is a later letter from a disciple of Jesus and Paul, then persecutions likely increased since the originally letter to Thessalonians.
II Thessalonians 1:5-10: The thanksgiving is interrupted to reflect further on the situation of persecution, and it uses an apocalyptic perspective. Recall that apocalyptic literature had as its central conviction that God’s deliverance will arrive after a time of intense suffering. That is the most important theme. Beyond the symbolic language and metaphoric timetables, there is a deep conviction of faith “namely, what has begun in Jesus will triumph, despite the tumult and resistance of this world” (Crossan and Borg, The Last Week, 83). Here the writer sees persecution as evidence of God’s on-going work in the world. Enduring suffering will contribute to the qualities that belong to God’s kingdom. It is also common for apocalyptic literature not only to assert the triumph of the purposes of God but also the punishment of those who have persecuted God’s righteous people. The author uses vivid language to describe such retribution. “The description is not objectifying language about what God will do to unbelieving persecutors, but functions as encouragement and warning to the believers addressed by the letter: vengeance is a matter for God in the age to come, not something we may take into our own hands now” (People’s New Testament Commentary). This represents “reinterpreting Paul’s idea of the lordship of Jesus into that of an avenging Lord” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). “The Paul of the undisputed letters does not dwell on the fate of unbelievers” (People’s New Testament Commentary). That says to us that differences of opinion on some of these difficult issues is o.k. It also says that the important point for our faith is hanging on in the midst of difficulty – living and witnessing our faith and inviting others to the Jesus way of life. We do that without spending a lot of time wondering about what finally “happens” to those who refuse our invitation.
II Thessalonians 1:11-12: The thanksgiving is continued. Prayer is offered that God will continue to work in the lives of Christians – that God’s power will help fulfill every “good resolve and work of faith.” When that happens, Jesus is glorified. This is the work of God’s grace.
II Thessalonians 2:1-12: The writer returns to the theme of the coming of Christ. Behind the letter seems to be a concern in the early church that Jesus had not come yet. Paul and many others expected the final coming of Jesus and Christ and Lord in their lifetimes. They expected that God would make the world right very soon. When it did not happen, it created concern. The author again uses apocalyptic language and thinking to respond to this “crisis of faith.”
Apparently, there arose a teaching that “the day of the Lord” had either happened already, perhaps in the experience of the believing community, or, given the intense persecution being suffered, was just around the corner (that all the signs were fulfilled and the coming was very near). The writer categorically rejects these options, instead uses typical apocalyptic thinking to argue that the parousia will come and that the current difficult situation is a part of the pattern. Apocalyptic descriptions usually affirm the idea that God has control of history. Thus human history falls into distinct periods, and there is a timetable to fulfill before the Day of the Lord comes. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). We will encounter this again when we read Revelation.
Crossan and Reed note that this apocalyptic scenario stands in tension with Paul’s own thought in I Thessalonians 4 where he argues that the coming of Christ will be as a thief in the night. The apocalyptic scenario “is like saying that the night thief will not come unless there is first the sound of breaking windows and smashing doors” (In Search of Paul, 171). However, they note that the language here has a particular context. “It is probably the theology of Roman imperialism and the ideology of emperor worship that, one way or another, lies behind” this passage (p. 172).
The typical apocalyptic scenario included the persecution of God’s people, and an increasing power of rebelliousness and lawlessness. This is a faith interpretation of what the people were experiencing, and the author is convinced it will get worse before it gets better. In the end, however, Jesus as Lord triumphs. That is the basic message. Perhaps another important part of the message is the seductiveness of powers that work against God’s purposes. Consider how many evils have been perpetrated under the guise of good – Hitler claimed to be restoring the glory of the Roman empire (reich); Stalin claimed to be creating a worker’s paradise. These are extreme examples, but the point is important. Things which work against God’s intention for the world are often cloaked in power, signs and wonder. The message for that time and for ours is be discerning and stay strong in the faith.
II Thessalonians 2:13-16: The thanksgiving is continued and concluded. The Christians are those who are participating in God’s sanctifying Spirit work. The writer encourages the letter’s readers to hold on in the midst of troubled times. He encourages them to keep the traditions they were taught – taught by Paul in person and by letter. The thanksgiving ends with a delightful prayer, one that can be used for our own lives – that God might comfort our hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word; or in the words of The Message: put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.
II Thessalonians 3:1-5: Prayers are requested by the author for the work of the gospel. Then the focus is once again on the readers. God will be faithful in their lives and the writer asks, “may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” Yet another nice phrase that we could consider for our own lives.
II Thessalonians 3:6-14: The writer addresses some situations that seem to be plaguing some early Christian communities. “Idleness” is better translated “disruptiveness” or “disorderliness.” One concern of the writer is that some in the communities which Paul helped found are departing from the faith as Paul taught it. Another concern may have been the presence of wandering Christian teachers who went from place to place claiming that for their teaching, the community should provide for their support. Paul worked and paid his own way, and so should others, according to this author. These disruptive people should work quietly and earn their own living. If they don’t work, they should not eat. Unfortunately, this passage has often been ripped out of context to argue against social spending to help those who cannot find work are unable to work. The text encourages wholesome work, and while that has applicability in a variety of contexts, we should not lose sight of the original context. We are not to grow weary in doing what is good, and sometimes that may include caring for those who do not have some of the resources at present to care adequately for themselves. The final concern expressed in this section is that some may not take the words of the letter seriously enough. Such persons are to be warned as believers, not completely shunned as enemies. Such an attitude toward those who read the Scriptures of our faith could be applied today, though I would use even gentler language than this author. We should see each other as fellow believers and be careful not to treat each other as enemies.
II Thessalonians 3:16-18: The author’s final words contain words of blessing and an assertion of Pauline authorship. Its strong assertion may, ironically, be an indication that the letter is not from Paul. Paul’s own letter to Thessalonica did not include the note mentioned here. May the Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in all ways. May it be so.
In the New Testament, this is portrayed as a later letter of Paul to the Jesus community at Thessalonica, about which we have already been informed. However, the weight of scholarly opinion is that things are not as simple as that. Since the outset of the historical-critical study of the NT in the late 18th century… biblical scholars have become skeptical about Paul’s authorship of the letter. 20th century scholarship provided evidence that Hellenistic writers sometimes wrote “letters” in the name of revered teachers either to honor them or to enable their teaching to be applicable to a new situation…. Scholars have noted that the outline of 2 Thess essentially follows that of 1 Thess, including the oddity of both texts have two thanksgiving sections. The vocabulary of 2 Thess echoes that ft 1 Thess, but its style is far more wooden than the vivid style of Paul’s own letters…. There is also a clear difference between the expectation of an imminent return of Christ (the parousia)… and the expectation of the parousia in some unknown and apparently far distant future…. By the end of the 20th century the majority of biblical scholars had concluded that 2 Thess is a missive written in the style of 1 Thess by a disciple of Paul who wanted to update Paul’s teaching on the parousia, the future coming of Christ. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible) If this is the case, the letter “was not written to a particular congregation, but is written to the church at large in the form of a letter of Paul to Thessalonica” (People’s New Testament Commentary). As we have noted before, the fact that Paul may not be the author of this work does not diminish its standing as a part of our New Testament. “The church heard in it an authentic witness to the meaning of Christian faith and included it in the New Testament canon” (People’s New Testament Commentary).
II Thessalonians 1:1-2: This beginning is almost exactly the same at the beginning of I Thessalonians. The author does a good job of making this a letter of Paul.
II Thessalonians 1:3-4: As with I Thessalonians, thanks is given for a Christian community. If the letter was written to Christians more generally, these are the kind of things over which all Christians can be thankful – a growing faith, increasing love. The new twist to this section is mention of steadfastness in faith in the face of persecutions and afflictions. If the letter is a later letter from a disciple of Jesus and Paul, then persecutions likely increased since the originally letter to Thessalonians.
II Thessalonians 1:5-10: The thanksgiving is interrupted to reflect further on the situation of persecution, and it uses an apocalyptic perspective. Recall that apocalyptic literature had as its central conviction that God’s deliverance will arrive after a time of intense suffering. That is the most important theme. Beyond the symbolic language and metaphoric timetables, there is a deep conviction of faith “namely, what has begun in Jesus will triumph, despite the tumult and resistance of this world” (Crossan and Borg, The Last Week, 83). Here the writer sees persecution as evidence of God’s on-going work in the world. Enduring suffering will contribute to the qualities that belong to God’s kingdom. It is also common for apocalyptic literature not only to assert the triumph of the purposes of God but also the punishment of those who have persecuted God’s righteous people. The author uses vivid language to describe such retribution. “The description is not objectifying language about what God will do to unbelieving persecutors, but functions as encouragement and warning to the believers addressed by the letter: vengeance is a matter for God in the age to come, not something we may take into our own hands now” (People’s New Testament Commentary). This represents “reinterpreting Paul’s idea of the lordship of Jesus into that of an avenging Lord” (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). “The Paul of the undisputed letters does not dwell on the fate of unbelievers” (People’s New Testament Commentary). That says to us that differences of opinion on some of these difficult issues is o.k. It also says that the important point for our faith is hanging on in the midst of difficulty – living and witnessing our faith and inviting others to the Jesus way of life. We do that without spending a lot of time wondering about what finally “happens” to those who refuse our invitation.
II Thessalonians 1:11-12: The thanksgiving is continued. Prayer is offered that God will continue to work in the lives of Christians – that God’s power will help fulfill every “good resolve and work of faith.” When that happens, Jesus is glorified. This is the work of God’s grace.
II Thessalonians 2:1-12: The writer returns to the theme of the coming of Christ. Behind the letter seems to be a concern in the early church that Jesus had not come yet. Paul and many others expected the final coming of Jesus and Christ and Lord in their lifetimes. They expected that God would make the world right very soon. When it did not happen, it created concern. The author again uses apocalyptic language and thinking to respond to this “crisis of faith.”
Apparently, there arose a teaching that “the day of the Lord” had either happened already, perhaps in the experience of the believing community, or, given the intense persecution being suffered, was just around the corner (that all the signs were fulfilled and the coming was very near). The writer categorically rejects these options, instead uses typical apocalyptic thinking to argue that the parousia will come and that the current difficult situation is a part of the pattern. Apocalyptic descriptions usually affirm the idea that God has control of history. Thus human history falls into distinct periods, and there is a timetable to fulfill before the Day of the Lord comes. (New Interpreter’s Study Bible). We will encounter this again when we read Revelation.
Crossan and Reed note that this apocalyptic scenario stands in tension with Paul’s own thought in I Thessalonians 4 where he argues that the coming of Christ will be as a thief in the night. The apocalyptic scenario “is like saying that the night thief will not come unless there is first the sound of breaking windows and smashing doors” (In Search of Paul, 171). However, they note that the language here has a particular context. “It is probably the theology of Roman imperialism and the ideology of emperor worship that, one way or another, lies behind” this passage (p. 172).
The typical apocalyptic scenario included the persecution of God’s people, and an increasing power of rebelliousness and lawlessness. This is a faith interpretation of what the people were experiencing, and the author is convinced it will get worse before it gets better. In the end, however, Jesus as Lord triumphs. That is the basic message. Perhaps another important part of the message is the seductiveness of powers that work against God’s purposes. Consider how many evils have been perpetrated under the guise of good – Hitler claimed to be restoring the glory of the Roman empire (reich); Stalin claimed to be creating a worker’s paradise. These are extreme examples, but the point is important. Things which work against God’s intention for the world are often cloaked in power, signs and wonder. The message for that time and for ours is be discerning and stay strong in the faith.
II Thessalonians 2:13-16: The thanksgiving is continued and concluded. The Christians are those who are participating in God’s sanctifying Spirit work. The writer encourages the letter’s readers to hold on in the midst of troubled times. He encourages them to keep the traditions they were taught – taught by Paul in person and by letter. The thanksgiving ends with a delightful prayer, one that can be used for our own lives – that God might comfort our hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word; or in the words of The Message: put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.
II Thessalonians 3:1-5: Prayers are requested by the author for the work of the gospel. Then the focus is once again on the readers. God will be faithful in their lives and the writer asks, “may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” Yet another nice phrase that we could consider for our own lives.
II Thessalonians 3:6-14: The writer addresses some situations that seem to be plaguing some early Christian communities. “Idleness” is better translated “disruptiveness” or “disorderliness.” One concern of the writer is that some in the communities which Paul helped found are departing from the faith as Paul taught it. Another concern may have been the presence of wandering Christian teachers who went from place to place claiming that for their teaching, the community should provide for their support. Paul worked and paid his own way, and so should others, according to this author. These disruptive people should work quietly and earn their own living. If they don’t work, they should not eat. Unfortunately, this passage has often been ripped out of context to argue against social spending to help those who cannot find work are unable to work. The text encourages wholesome work, and while that has applicability in a variety of contexts, we should not lose sight of the original context. We are not to grow weary in doing what is good, and sometimes that may include caring for those who do not have some of the resources at present to care adequately for themselves. The final concern expressed in this section is that some may not take the words of the letter seriously enough. Such persons are to be warned as believers, not completely shunned as enemies. Such an attitude toward those who read the Scriptures of our faith could be applied today, though I would use even gentler language than this author. We should see each other as fellow believers and be careful not to treat each other as enemies.
II Thessalonians 3:16-18: The author’s final words contain words of blessing and an assertion of Pauline authorship. Its strong assertion may, ironically, be an indication that the letter is not from Paul. Paul’s own letter to Thessalonica did not include the note mentioned here. May the Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in all ways. May it be so.
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