45. The Books of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus with Mary Hinkle Shore

Are 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus really letters of Paul? Mary Hinkle Shore explores who wrote them.

Are 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus really letters of Paul? In this episode of The Bible in a Year, Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Jennifer Wojciechowski talk with Rev. Dr. Mary Hinkle Shore. Mary is a Lutheran pastor and former Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary. Together, they explore the pastoral epistles and the questions surrounding who wrote them. Mary explains why these letters likely come from a later generation, around 90 to 120 CE. She also unpacks pseudonymity, the ancient practice of writing in a respected teacher’s name.

Free Download: 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus Leader Guide from Enter the Bible

Mary suggests reading these letters attributed to Paul as if they were books from the leadership shelf. They offer practical advice to church leaders about respect, order, and living quiet, respectable lives. She also reflects on what these books teach about passing wisdom to the next generation. That work, she says, calls for both confidence and humility. Plus, Mary plays Bible Bingo and sums up all three books in just six words.

Please note: There was a lag in the recording process — sorry about the occasional glitches in the video version of this episode.

Scripture References Discussed

Romans (contrasted with the pastorals as a theological treatise)
Philippians and 1 Thessalonians (examples of Paul’s more relational, “pastoral” letters)
Philemon (example of Paul’s direct address to his readers)
1 Peter (another later New Testament letter that encourages respectable living)
Proverbs (mentioned as wisdom literature comparable to the Pastoral Letters)
Instructions silencing women (1 Timothy 2)
Instructions for bishops and deacons (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1)
“Let no one disparage your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12)
The temptation of wealth (1 Timothy 6)
Comments on the inspiration of Scripture (2 Timothy 3)

Bible Bingo

Pseudonymity, respect, pastorals, order, respectability

Seven Word Summary

We need some rules around here.

Featuring

Mary Hinkle Shore

Mary is a pastor in the ELCA, with a Ph. D. in New Testament from Duke University. She taught in the Bible Division at Luther Seminary for 16 years. She now lives in Brevard, North Carolina, where she owns and operates Aging Life Care Partners, LLC, helping elders and their families navigate the challenges of later life.
She especially enjoys working with seminarians, clergy and lay preachers on biblical interpretation and the moves between text and sermon. Shore completed a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins at Duke University, and also holds a Master of Divinity from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

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Hosted By

Kathryn Schifferdecker

Kathryn M Schifferdecker is Professor and Elva B. Lovell Chair of Old Testament at Luther Seminary. Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2001, Schifferdecker was associate pastor for five years at Trinity Lutheran Church, Arkdale, Wisconsin, before coming to Luther in 2006. Schifferdecker is a frequent contributor to Working Preacher, Word & World, and the author of "Out of the Whirlwind: Creation Theology in the Book of Job" (Harvard University Press, 2008). She is currently writing a commentary on the book of Esther.

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Jennifer Wojciechowski

Jennifer Hornyak Wojciechowski is assistant professor of church history, and she has been teaching at Luther since 2019. Prior to this, she taught in the religion department at Augsburg University.

Wojciechowski graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota (2005), received her Master of Arts at Bethel Seminary (2011) and her Ph.D. from Luther Seminary (2019).

She is author of the book “Women and the Christian Story: A Global History” (Fortress, 2022) and numerous articles in publications including Word & World and Minnesota History. Her research focuses on women’s history, American history, and the intersection of religion and social reform.

She is the associate editor of the journal Word & World.

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About The Bible in a Year Podcast

This podcast guides you on a journey through the books of the Bible, providing insights on how Scripture can shape your life today. Each episode focuses on one or two books of the Bible in fun, engaging, and authentic conversations between Luther Seminary faculty and guest Bible scholars who are experts on the book(s) in question. Join us as we make our way through the Bible in a year — new episodes drop every Wednesday in 2026!

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