New Testament Biblical Theology

Lecture #27
Dr. Hoke

How Paul Addresses Pastors: Timothy and Titus

Paul never intended to have his apostolic ministry begin and end with him. He planted a
number of churches around his world and knew he could not possibly attend them all. In fact,
Paul never intended to stay at any one church, for he was an itinerant minister. Therefore, it
was always his goal that the churches continue without his presence. This meant that others
had to take the mantle of pastoral ministry to the churches. In the New Testament we have
three letters written to pastoral concerns, two to Timothy and one to Titus.

Did Paul Write the Letters and, If So, When?

Be sure to read Dr. Robertson’s Syllabus carefully, as I am only summarizing here.

As to the first question, the church believed Paul wrote these letters until the higher criticism of
the 19th century. Higher Criticism is comprised by scholarly unbelievers and I don’t think their
views should sway the church. It’s sort of like having a non-citizen of your country telling you
how to vote or a non-family member telling you how to conduct family matters. So, I am
perfectly happy to believe that Paul wrote the pastoral letters.

When did he write them? Again, read Dr. Robertson’s notes. He concludes that Paul wrote 1
Timothy and Titus around 61 AD or so, and 2 Timothy before 68 AD. His view is very plausible,
but as he admits, no one really knows.

Continuity with Paul’s earlier Writings

You would expect his pastoral letters to bear similarities with his previous letters. So, let’s take
a look at the similarities with previous letters.

Scripture and Revelation

How Paul Valued Christian Writings

2 Timothy 4:13 “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the
books, and above all the parchments.”

What were these parchments? We do not know for sure. They could have been the OT, Luke’s
gospel, or other writings regarding the Christian faith. All we know for sure is that Paul wanted
them very badly!

Few OT Quotations
Does this mean Paul devalued the OT? Not at all. He employed the OT when needed. In Romans
and Galatians Paul sprinkled many OT quotations and allusions to make his point regarding the
gospel. Here, he doesn’t need to do that. Rather, he is guiding pastors in pastoral ministry. They
know and believe the gospel. Otherwise, they would not be pastors!!!!!

The Word of Truth

Already in the prison letters, Paul refers to the Word of truth (Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5).

2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has
no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

The Ten Commandments Continue

Already Paul has said in Romans 7 that the law is “holy, just, and good.” He, of course, had to be
speaking of the moral law, not the ceremonial one. So, too, in 1 Timothy 1:8-10 Paul writes:
“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law
is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners,
for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10
the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and
whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the glorious gospel of the
blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”

Remember that the Moral Law never changes, for it reflects the character of God and he never
changes.

High View of Scripture

1 Timothy 4:13 “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to
exhortation, to teaching.” The 1st century church met for worship. When they did, we know
some of the things they practiced. Of course, they prayed, sang, and preached. But mark this
well, they also read Scripture publicly. Why was the Scripture so important? It provided the
divine guidance they needed to regulate their lives. When considering how to remunerate
pastors, 1 Timothy 5:18 says, “For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it
treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

Then there is that great passage, 2 Timothy 3:14-17 “But as for you, continue in what you have
learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from
childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that
the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”

Let’s consider Paul’s view of Scripture in these verses.

First, note that they are sacred (set apart).

Second, they are able to make a person wise unto salvation. In other words, the Scriptures
teach the truth about Jesus Christ and how to trust in him as our Lord and Savior.

Third, Scripture is breathed out by God. The Greek theopneustos means to exhale. When you
inhale where does it come from? It comes from outside you. Now, when you exhale, where
does the air come from? It comes from within you. In other words what you breathe out is
YOUR air. So, if God BREATHED OUT (exhaled) Scripture it came from him and from no one else.
The point of this is that Scripture derives from God alone and from no one else. When you read
Scripture, you are reading God’s Word!

Fourth, Scripture is profitable for teaching. It will instruct you in God’s ways. What could be
better than that?

Fifth, Scripture is profitable for reproof. Reproof means to blame or show disapproval. Do you
want to know when you’ve done wrong? Scripture is you guide!

Sixth, Scripture is profitable for correction. Once you’ve been reproved, you need to be
corrected so you know the right way to go. Scripture tells you what pleases God so that you
know how to replace bad behavior with good behavior.

Seventh, Scripture is profitable for training in righteousness. If we want to know how to live a
righteous life (God pleasing) we only need the Scriptures.

What is the result of consulting the Scriptures? 17 that the man of God may be competent,
equipped for every good work. In other words, as a Christian, if you want to live a God-
honoring life and do as God intends, turn your attention to the Scriptures! This is why Paul said
in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has
no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

God and the Trinity

God is ONE
1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus.”

God is Creator
1 Timothy 4:3-5 “who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to
be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything
created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for
it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”

God is Sovereign in Salvation

Titus 1:2 “in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.”

2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but
because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages
began.”

2 Timothy 2:10 “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may
obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Father and Son Unified

1 Timothy 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ
Jesus our hope.”

1 Timothy 1:2 “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the
Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Titus 1:1 “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.”

Titus 1:4 “To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Savior.”

The Holy Spirit’s Indwelling

2 Timothy 1:14 “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to
you.”