Revised by Mary Hinkle Shore, 10/23
The author of the letter
According to the first three verses of 1 TimothyThe companion on Paul’s later journeys for whom two pastoral epistles are named., it was written by PaulThe Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was the author of several New Testament letters and the founder of many Christian communities.. More likely, however, this letter was written in Paul’s name by an anonymous writer (making it a pseudonymous work) after the death of Paul. The author sought to impersonate Paul in a post-Pauline situation. Reasons cited for that view depend on an assessment of the Pastoral EpistlesThe Pastoral Epistles are the New Testament letters of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. They are described as pastoral because they are addressed to individual persons rather than churches; they deal with matters of leadership and church governance. (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus) as a group. The reasons are as follows: (1) the Pastorals do not appear as known Pauline letters in the earliest sources; (2) the Pastorals contain 901 different Greek words, but once the 52 proper nouns (names and places) are removed, there are 849 left; of the 849, some 306 (36%) do not appear within the seven undisputed letters of Paul; (3) the Pastorals assume and prescribe a church order with ecclesiastical offices (bishop, presbyter [=elder], and deacon“Deacon” originally meant “one who serves” or “ministers.” In the early church deacons served in leadership roles; later they became a specific rank of clergy. Today some churches ordain deacons while others commission them to serve in specific ways such as worship, pastoral care, and…) firmly in place, which is not evident in the undisputed letters of Paul; (4) the Pastorals contain teachings otherwise unknown in the undisputed letters of Paul (such as an emphasis on “piety” or “godliness,” and “faith” understood as the Christian faith that is transmitted by tradition, not simple trust); and (5) the Pastorals cannot be fitted well into the chronology of what we know about Paul’s career.
Knowledge (gnōsis)
The term appears in 6:20. Is this evidence of the existence of GnosticismGnosis means “knowledge,” although it often refers to secret or mystical knowledge revealed to a specialized few. “Gnosticism” is a generalized term of reference to movements during the second and subsequent centuries that taught, contrary to other Christian teachings, that matter was evil and salvation… at the time, and is 1 Timothy therefore an anti-gnostic work? Generally it is thought that there was a precursor to Gnosticism or incipient Gnosticism in the first century, but the great gnostic systems arose in the second century. Scholars debate the extent that any of the New Testament books address (or even reflect) Gnosticism, and this passage is key for the discussion.
False teaching addressed by the author
The author does not provide much information about but the content of the false teaching he is urging Timothy to reject. Instead, the author of the letter simply attacks the individuals considered false teachers. He even tells Timothy to avoid them and not to engage them (6:20). A few things stand out: they teach an asceticAn ascetic is one who willingly lives a life of self-denial and refrains from worldly pursuits. John the Baptist lived a life of asceticism. Such a lifestyle, which was believed to promote spirituality, was not uncommon in the early and medieval church. form of Christian life, opposing marriage and forbidding the eating of certain foods (4:3), and they promote a highly speculative system of teaching with “myths and genealogies” (1:4).
The Pastoral Epistles
These three books–1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus–share much in common in terms of language, style, and theological themes. Each is written to a pastor from a pastor. One cannot discuss the theology of one of them in isolation from its two companion pieces.
The roles of office bearers in the church
The terms “bishop,” “elder,” “deacon,” “women,” and “widowA widow is a woman whose spouse has died, often plunging her into poverty and putting her in a vulnerable position in society. Jesus, in his concern for the poor, regards widows with compassion and concern.” appear in 1 Timothy (3:1, 8, 11; 5:3, 17, and elsewhere). At least in the case of the first three mentioned, it appears that these are fixed offices in the church at the time of the letter’s composition. However, their interrelationships and functions are not clear, nor is it clear whether or not the “women” mentioned are counted among the “deacons,” even though they appear to carry on diaconal work. There is a roster of “widows” who receive financial support. But whether one can speak of an “order of widows” (as did some Christian writers in the second century) is not clear. The duties and relationships of bishop, elder, and deacon, and how important these offices are in the ordering of the church, have been major issues in ecumenical conversations among Christians.
The scope of redemption
In 1 Timothy 4:10 the author says that God is “the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” Interpreters have sought to come up with interpretations to get around the “all” of the statement, such as the idea that the “all” simply means both Jew and GentileA gentile is anyone who is not Jewish. The term, which is derived from words that the Bible uses to denote the “nations” of the world, reflects beliefs that God had designated Israel as a nation that would be distinct from others, and a blessing…. But the distinction between Jews and Gentiles does not seem to be an issue in the Pastoral Epistles. Another interpretation is that the passage speaks of God as Savior of all in this world–one who rescues or heals all–whether they believe or not. All such attempts avoid the implicit universal scope of redemption that the passage seems to affirm. The passage must of course be assessed in light of the larger canonical context of Scripture as a whole.
The silencing of women
Women are to keep silent in the church and have no authority over men (1 Timothy 2:11-14). This passage has been a text of great importance for those churches and individuals who oppose the ordination of women.
Slavery
The author takes it for granted that some Christians are enslaved (1 Timothy 6:1-2; see also Titus 2:9-10), and that some Christians enslave other human beings. (6:2). He assumes that slavery may be preserved in Christian community. The enslaved and those who enslave them are exhorted to be respectful of one other. These texts have been used in support of slavery as an institution.
