1 Timothy on Authority and Order

1 Timothy: on Authorities and order

St. Paul divides the question of authorities into three categories:

A. Ecclesiastical – church authorities

B. Civil – kings, rulers, and government

C. Relational – realm of family and labor

Since the prime purpose for the Epistle is to direct a young minister in his church activities (1 Timothy 3:15), we will start with ecclesiastical authorities.

We can identify three areas of interest:

(1) Criteria for the office.

(2) Their relationship to the laity – the members of the church.

And (3) expected relationship of church members toward the authorities.

In the 1 Epistle to Timothy, we have 2 offices identified and 3 offices mentioned. The identified ones: “bishops” (3:1-7) and “deacons” (3:7-13). While St. Paul also mentions “elders” (4:14; 5:17), the criteria for elders are given in Epistle to Titus (Titus 1:5-9).

(2) The apostle presents a 4-part matrix for the church membership:

It is a basic square from age and gender:

Older men (5:1a)	Older women (5:2a) a subgroup: widows (5:3-16)
Younger men (5:1b)	Younger women (5:2b)

Interesting to see the attention St. Paul draws to the widows. He divides them into two categories: truly widows (no husband, no children/grandchildren), and a widow that should be taken care of by her children and/or grandchildren. It looks like widows got some support from the church and the apostle gives an outline for a godly use of financial resources, which are always limited (5:9-16).

There is also another sub-group – the rich (6:17-19). The fact of their financial blessing doesn’t give them additional rights or privileges in the church, at the same time the riches given to them are from God to enjoy, be thankful, and ready to share.

Now to the treatment of the “clergy.” In this epistle St. Paul points out only two things: “salary” (5:17-18) and respect (4:12-15; 5:19).

Civil authorities. Unlike ecclesiastical authorities, the civil ones were not for “election” in the Ancient World. Therefore, St. Paul does not provide a list criterion for them. He simple draws out the basics for our/Christian attitude toward them – regardless of their creed.

He begins with identifying Jesus as the King of the universe and God (1:15-17). This gives the foundation for the proper respect to those whom God in His ultimate wisdom placed to the positions of civil authority. Please note that the civil authorities in the times of the apostle were not friendly toward the Church. His archenemies are the Jews who did not recognized Jesus as the Messiah. They were the instigators of the riots in Ephesus and Jerusalem. At the same time, Roman authorities were happy to follow their lead until St. Paul would present the fact of his Roman citizenship acquired by birth (Acts 22:28). Same thing happened during Jesus’ trial. He was not a Roman citizen, but when Pilate attempted to save Him, Jewish authorities twisted his arm, which resulted in crucifixion (John 19:12). Therefore, prayer to God for civil powers is not an act of surrender and a usage of the last reserve. Au contraire, we submit our petitions about the “local” or earthly authorities to the ultimate Authority – God, showing our trust in Him (2:1-3).

Relational aspects of life order. St. Paul identifies at least 3 pair: husbands and wives (2:8-15); servants and masters (6:1-2); rich people in the church (6:17-19). The relationships in all three pairs are based on Creation order of responsibilities toward God, the other, and oneself. For example, a woman should learn quietly, following the original example of Eve before the Fall. Men are responsible for teaching (see the criteria in 3:1-7). At the same time, it is the women (St. Mary in particular) who gave birth to Messiah, bringing salvation into the world (2:15).

 

Titus

 Letter of St. Paul to Titus   

Title: This is the third of the pastoral letters of St. Paul (1-2 to Timothy and to Titus). Titus means either “honorable” or “strong/giant”.                       

Date of writing: The Lutheran Study Bible states that the date of writing 68 AD. Possible, but I might suggest a bit earlier date, around 64 AD. The reason is based on the fact that the only time, according to the Book of Acts, St. Paul stops at Crete is on the way to Rome (Acts 27:7-8). The proper identification of the date can be based on the understanding of Nicopolis (3:12). There are three readings of this town – (1) town on the West coast of Greece, (2) town between Jerusalem and Jaffa, (3) St. Paul uses it as a symbolic name “city of victory” for Rome, hoping to achieve judicial victory and being vindicated.               

Structure:

a. 1:1-4, Greetings

 b. 1:5-9, elders and bishop

  c. 1:10-16, dealing with insubordination etc.

   d. 2:1-2, older men

    e. 2:3-4a, older women

    e’. 2:4b-5, younger women

   d’. 2:6-8, younger men

  c’. 2:9-3:2, submissiveness of bondservants   

 b’. 3:3-11, turning from disobedience

a’. 3:12-15, final greetings

 

Main themes: Qualifications for the leaders of the church – both the presbyters/elder and the bishop/overseer. It looks like the St. Paul charged Titus to install one bishop over the island, at the same time instructing him to install several elders. If this conclusion is true, it might help us in understanding of the proper roles of bishops as the overseers of a region, while the elders were the leaders on a congregational level.    

Important inputs on godly behavior for a variety of church members. In a very concise form, the apostle lays out the needed instructions for the moral standards of the older and younger generation of believers.   

Letter to Titus is yet another example where we can observe the interconnection of the mission field. Wherever Nicopolis might be (see “date of writing”), St. Paul asks people to move around the Mediterranean area according to his understanding of the current needs of the mission/church.          

Main Characters: Paul, Titus, Artemas, Tychicus, Zenas and Apollos            

Reflection in other parts of the Bible: There are at least three topical parallels of Titus with the other two pastoral epistles of St. Paul: Christological foundation for the teaching and confession of the church; the need for the transformed leadership of the new Body of Christ and high moral standards for leaders; and the practical ethical lessons the preachers should deliver to their congregations.   

Lutheran teaching: St. Paul greets his younger colleague Titus reminding him of God’s faithfulness to His promises and the fact that God never lies (1:2, cp. Num 23:19). Our confessors use this statement many times throughout the Book of Concord (LC I:46,165; III:120; IV:57; V:14; FC Ep. VII:13; FC SD VII:23).

Probably, the most famous usage of the passage from the Epistle can be found in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther. Chapter four talks about the magnitude of impact of baptismal waters on the life of a person based on Tit. 3:5-8.

Lutheran hymnody:

LSB 599 – O Gracious Lord, with Love Draw Near (Tit. 3:5-8)

LSB 517:11 – St. Timothy and St. Titus   

Relevancy of the Book: The epistle is the most compact manual for the godly church life. In only three chapters the apostle asserts the deepest theological convictions, gives needed instruction on the question of the church governance, and sets the moral standards for the Christian living for the people of God.           

Memory verses: 

3:5 – He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. 

1 Timothy

First Letter of St. Paul to Timothy   

Title: This is the first letter of St. Paul to his younger colleague Timothy. His name means either “honoring God” or “honored by God”.                      

Date of writing: There is a standard view on the dates of writing – 62-65 AD (TLSB). Yet, Timothy “disappears” out of the narrative of the Book of Acts in ch. 20. Therefore, we cannot be sure that he was with Paul during his last visit to Jerusalem, imprisonment, and the trip to Rome. IMHO, he – Timothy – is going back to Ephesus together with the elders whom Paul summoned to Miletus before going to Jerusalem (Acts 20:17-38). Then the date goes back to 55-58.          

Structure:

a. 1:1-2, Greeting

 b. 1:3-20, stay away from false doctrine

  c. 2, Prayer for the world and authorities because God saves all people

   d. 3:1-13, Bishops and deacons

    e. 3:14-16, confession of faith

     f. 4:1-5, some will fall away

    e’. 4:6-16, hold this true confession

   d’. 5, relations to older people and elders of the congregation

  c’. 6:1-2, relations to the authorities outside of the church

 b’. 6:3-19, false teachings

a’. 6:20-21, Final greetings

Main themes:

Preeminence of stewardship (good order) of God over the myths, genealogies, vail discussions, relying on what is falsely called “knowledge” (1 Tim. 6:20).

Good order of the prayerful life for the sake of the whole world based on the fact that Jesus is the only mediator between the Creator and all people.

Qualifications for overseers (bishops) and deacons as ministers and relationship with the older men and women in the congregation.

The central point of the Epistle is the Christological hymn as a confession of faith (3:14-16).       

Main Characters: Paul and Timothy, and Hymenaeus and Alexander (as those who are opposing the work of St. Paul, 1:19b-20).          

Reflection in other parts of the Bible:

The letter should be correlated to the events of the Book of Acts chapters 16 to 20 – second and third missionary journeys of St. Paul.

Discussing the financial support of the ministers St. Paul reflects on the institutions of Torah/the Law (Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15). But what is more surprising is the fact that he quotes from the Gospel of Luke 10:7 saying “for the Scripture says” (5:18).     

Lutheran teaching: The Book of Concord picks up the idea of Jesus as the only mediator of redemption between God the creation (1 Tim 2:5), using this verse in different documents. It is an important statement by itself, but also as a frame of reference for a proper understanding of the role of the saints (AC XX:9; XXI:2; SA III, XIII:1; FC SD III:23).

Also, our Confessions use 1 Tim. 4:1 as a Scriptural argument to equal the teaching of demons and the attempts to use the traditions of the Church as the norm for theology. (AC XXVIII:49; Ap. VII and VII (IV):40; XV (VIII):4; XXIII (XI):58,63; XXVII (XIII):26; LC III:47).         

Lutheran hymnody:

LSB 378 – Break Forth, o Beauteous Heavenly Light (1 Tim. 2:5)

LSB 905 – Come, Thou Almighty King (6:14-16)

Relevancy of the Book: This Letter of St. Paul should have an important part in our Biblical reading for three reasons. First, it shows us the challenges of the church of the First century AD and the proposed godly ways to overcome them. Careful reading shows that not much have changed in the nature of men and the challenges. Second, we see very close relations between the Apostle and Timothy – he calls him “my child” (1:18). It will be even more obvious in the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy. Third, it is important to note the usage of quotations from Luke labeled as Scripture (5:18).         

Memory verses:

4:16 – Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.