Inter-Varsity Press

CONTENTS

General preface

Introduction

The designation and character of the Epistles

The Epistles in the ancient church

The Epistles in the modern church

The problem of the historical allusions

The ecclesiastical situation

The heresies reflected in the Epistles

The doctrinal problem

The linguistic problem

The problem of authorship

The message of the Epistles

1 Timothy: Analysis

1 Timothy: Commentary

2 Timothy: Analysis

2 Timothy: Commentary

Titus: Analysis

Titus: Commentary

Appendix

An examination of the linguistic arguments against the authenticity of the Pastorals

AUTHOR’S PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

The main reason for the revision of this commentary has been the need to base it on a modern English version of the text of the Pastorals. I have chosen to adjust the text of the commentary to conform to the text of the New International Version, although in several cases reference is made to other modern versions. The opportunity has also been taken to make minor changes in the commentary itself in the interests of greater clarity. Reference has also been made to more recent commentators and these are reflected at various points in the commentary.

I have seen no reason to depart from my conviction that the view which sees Paul himself as the author of these letters is the most probable, although I am aware that several recent writers on these Epistles have adopted the view that they are fictional and pseudonymous. In my opinion no further evidence has been brought to bear on the issue since my first edition which calls for any change of stance. No doubt the authenticity of these Epistles will continue to be a bone of contention among scholars.

It is my sincere hope that this revised edition will prove a continuing help to those who wish to explore the teaching of the Epistles.

Donald Guthrie

(Extract from) INTRODUCTION

1. The designation and character of the Epistles

These three Epistles have so much in common in type, doctrine and historical situation that they have always been treated as a single group in the same way as the great ‘evangelical’ and ‘captivity’ Epistles.

It was not until 1703 that D. N. Berdot, followed later by Paul Anton in 1726, who popularized it, used the term ‘Pastoral’ to describe them. While this title is not technically quite correct in that the Epistles do not deal with pastoral duties in the sense of the cure of souls, yet it is popularly appropriate as denoting the essentially practical nature of the subject matter as distinguished from the other Epistles attributed to Paul. The Epistles certainly do not contain a manual of pastoral theology, but their usefulness in the ordering of ecclesiastical discipline was recognized at an early date In contrast with the other Pauline letters which are addressed to churches, all three Epistles are directed to individuals, and many of the injunctions are clearly personal. Yet much of the material appears to be designed for the communities to which Timothy and Titus were ministering. Thus they are generally thought to be quasi-public Epistles, although their character as true letters must not be overlooked. The apostle must have written many such letters in the course of his missionary journeys, maintaining in this way not only an interchange of news but an active direction of the many Christian projects he had commenced. That these three Epistles have survived (together with Philemon) to be included in the canon enhances their value as documents throwing light upon the practical problem of early Christianity.

When the literary characteristics of these Epistles are examined, certain features are at once apparent. There is a lack of studied order, some subjects being treated more than once in the same letter without apparent premeditation. The various brief doctrinal statements are intermixed with personal requests or ecclesiastical advice. These letters are, therefore, far removed from literary exercises. They are the natural and human expressions of the apostle’s own reflections about the future of the work he is obliged to delegate to others. They reveal, therefore, as much about their author’s reactions to the situations he faced as contemporary conditions in the church.

2. The Epistles in the ancient church

There is a modern tendency to play down the significance of the external evidence. But it is only against the background of early Christian views about the Epistles that a fair assessment can be made of modern theories unfavourable to Pauline authorship. Indeed, as the following evidence will show, there are no grounds for holding that the early church had any doubts about the authenticity of these Epistles. In fact it was not until the nineteenth century that critical opinions began to be entertained adverse to the Pauline authorship. …