Read: 1 and 2 Timothy

Overview

The pastoral letters are attributed to Paul and were personal letters named for their recipients, Timothy and Titus. In these letters, Paul mentors his younger associates, calling them to be faithful to Jesus Christ in their lifestyles and ministries to the church.

Final Letters from Paul

The books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are the pastoral letters. They are attributed to the Apostle Paul, although Paul’s authorship is debated. If written by him, these were his final letters before his death. These correspondences were written to two individuals—Timothy and Titus, Paul’s coworkers. In these letters, Paul showed his pastoral love and concern for his younger associates by encouraging them to be faithful in their ministry to Jesus, be an example in integrity and lifestyle, and oppose any false teachings.

1 Timothy

Timothy was Paul’s trainee working with the Christian churches in Ephesus, one of the ancient world’s largest and most influential cities. Paul wrote to Timothy and offered advice after leaving him in Ephesus to address the false teachers that infiltrated the church. In light of this, two important themes of this letter include the character of leaders and proper interpersonal relationships in the church.

Paul began by urging Timothy to resist the false teachers infiltrating the church in Ephesus. These false teachers were obsessed with obscure minutia and commands. If this false teaching were not refuted, it would distort the essence of Christianity.

As he wrote, Paul gave Timothy instructions regarding the character and lifestyle of church leaders. First, Timothy should set an example for the believers in his speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity so others could see his progress toward maturity. A Christian’s life, and especially the character of church leaders, should reflect a transformation into the character of Jesus Christ, Paul taught. Paul gave instructions for proper interpersonal relationships within the church. Church leaders should treat older men as fathers, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters by treating all with purity. In addition, Paul commanded leaders to show consideration for widows who have no one else to care for them.

In his closing words, Paul told Timothy that, as a servant of God, he should pursue “righteousness, piety, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.” He encouraged his younger associate to run the great race of the faith and to take hold of eternal life.

2 Timothy

Paul was in prison again when he wrote a second letter to Timothy; he expected to be martyred. A martyr is someone who willingly sacrifices their life for their beliefs. In Paul’s case, he was killed because of his faith in Christianity. The biographical details of Paul’s life come in bits and pieces, and scholars speculate about Paul’s final days. At the end of Acts 28, Paul was in prison in Rome. Tradition says that Paul was released from this imprisonment and did further ministry with Timothy and Titus. Later, he was imprisoned again and wrote 2 Timothy. Some believe he was martyred in Rome, likely between 64 and 67 CE. However, this is debated, and others believe Paul was not released and was martyred.

If authored by Paul, the second letter to Timothy contains his last known written words. He expected to die soon. Even in such tragic circumstances, Paul’s focus and concern were for his friend Timothy. One important theme in 2 Timothy is suffering. Paul had no regrets for the suffering and persecution he endured for his faith. He asked Timothy to join him in suffering for the Gospel. Though several of Paul’s friends deserted him because he was in prison, he encouraged Timothy to find strength in Jesus’s grace. Paul was chained, but God’s word was not. He endured such suffering so others may have a relationship with God through Jesus.

The cost of being Jesus’s disciple was high. However, Paul encouraged Timothy to remember Jesus’s victory over death. Jesus suffered, so his followers should remain faithful during such times. In writing about Jesus's death and resurrection, Paul encouraged Christians to focus on his example amid their suffering and persecution.

As he wrote, Paul instructed Timothy to remain faithful to his ministry in Ephesus by exemplifying Jesus in his character, lifestyle, preaching, and service. If he did not, others who looked to Timothy as a model might stop growing into Jesus’s character, and the Gospel would stop spreading. He encouraged Timothy to flee from the passions of youth and to reject foolish quarreling. Rather, pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, and teach others with gentleness.

In his final words, Paul wrote,

The time of my departure is close at hand. I have run the great race; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith. And now the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will give me on that day – and not only to me, but to all who have loved Jesus’s return.

Unsure of how much time he had left, Paul asked Timothy to visit him.

Expand: Titus

The book of Titus is a letter attributed to the Apostle Paul and named for its recipient, Paul’s young coworker, Titus. Paul wrote this letter to encourage and instruct his trainee.

Background of Titus

Crete is an island off the coast of Greece with several harbors. According to several ancient sources, the island’s culture was renowned for lying, treachery, greed, and violence in the first century. After working on the island of Crete together, Paul left Titus to finish the mission and appoint elders in the towns where there were churches. Paul began his letter by reminding Titus of these instructions.

Paul wrote this letter to give his young minister friend practical advice for following his instructions. The major themes of Titus include practical advice to a young minister on appointing leaders and describing the lifestyle of a Christian after the Gospel transforms them.

Titus: Advice to a Young Minister (Titus 1-2)

After leaving Titus on Crete, Paul instructed him to appoint Christian leaders with excellent character: people who were good, self-controlled, and living a holy life. They could encourage others by sound teaching.

In addition, by Paul’s instructions, Titus must dispute the false teachers spreading beliefs and commands contrary to Christianity for dishonest gain. These folks claimed to know God, but their actions denied him. Titus should respond by teaching what was true to his faith. He should live and teach with integrity, so those who opposed him could not find anything bad about the character of Christians. Like all Christian leaders, Titus set an example of a life transformed by believing in the good news of God in Jesus Christ.

The Lifestyle of a Transformed Christian (Titus 3)

As Paul wrote, he reminded Titus that, before their conversions, all Christians were foolish, deceived, and enslaved by pleasure and hate. However, people who learned to trust God would devote themselves to doing good. Paul wrote,

When the kindness of God our Savior and his love for humanity appeared, he saved us, not as the result of any righteous actions that we had done, but due to his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the power of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that having been put right with God through his grace, we become heirs to the hope of eternal life.

Per Paul’s teachings, since the Gospel transforms people through the power of the Holy Spirit, the lifestyle of a Christian should be transformed to reflect the character of Jesus.

Module 13 Lesson 4 of 4