Ἐν ἀδήλῳ που σκότει φωλευόντων εἰσέτι τοτε τῶν, εἰ καί τινες ὑπῆρχον, παραφθείρειν επιχειρούντων τὸν ὑγιῆ κανόνα τοῦ σωτηρίοὺ κηρύγματος.—HEGESIPPUS ap. Euseb. H.E.iii. 32.
I SHALL not attempt, by more than a few sentences, to dispel the obscurity of that last stage of the Apostle’s life which began at the termination of his Roman imprisonment. We feel that our knowledge of his movements is plunged in the deepest uncertainty the moment that we lose the guidance of St. Luke. I cannot myself believe that he was able to carry out his intention of visiting Spain. The indications of his travels in the two later Pastoral Epistles seem to leave no room for such a journey; nor, if it had really taken place, can we imagine that no shadow of a detail respecting it should have been preserved. But even if he did accomplish this new mission, we cannot so much as mention a single church which he founded, or a single port at which he touched. To speak of his work in Spain could only therefore leave a fallacious impression. If he went at all, it must have been immediately after his imprisonment, since his original object had been merely to visit Rome on his way to the “limit of the West.” In writing to the Romans he had expressed a hope that he would be furthered on his journey by their assistance. Judging by the indifference with which they treated him in both of his imprisonments, there is too much reason to fear that this hope was in any case doomed to disappointment. The next trace of his existence is the First Epistle to Timothy. That Epistle is less organic—that is, it has less structural unity—than any other of St. Paul’s Epistles. The time and place at which it was written are wholly uncertain, because the only historic indication which it contains is that “on his way to Macedonia Paul had begged Timothy to remain at Ephesus.”1
“Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the commandment of God our Saviour,2 and Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true child in the faith; grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father3 and Christ Jesus our Lord.”4
This salutation is remarkable for the title “Saviour” applied to God the Father, perhaps derived from some recent study of Psalm 63:7, and continued throughout the Pastoral Epistles when once adopted; for the name “our Hope,” applied to Christ, and not improbably borrowed from the same verse; and for the word “mercy” so naturally introduced by the worn and tried old man, between the usual greetings of “grace and peace.”5
“As I begged thee to remain still in Ephesus, on my way to Macedonia, that thou mightest command some not to teach different doctrine, nor to give heed to myths and interminable genealogies,6 seeing that these minister questions rather than the dispensation of God7 which is in faith—”8 The sentence, quite characteristically, remains unfinished; but St. Paul evidently meant to say, “I repeat the exhortation which then I gave.”
In contrast with these false teachers he tells him that the purpose of the Gospel is love out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, failing of which some turned aside to vain jangling. They wanted to pass themselves off as teachers of the Jewish Law, but their teaching was mere confusion and ignorance.
The mention of the Law leads him to allude to its legitimate function.9 To those who were justified by faith it was needless, being merged in the higher law of a life in unity with Christ; but its true function was to warn and restrain those who lived under the sway of mere passion in heathenish wickedness.10 For these, though not for the regenerate, the thunders of Sinai are necessary, “according to the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God, wherewith I was entrusted.”11
He then at once digresses into an expression of heartfelt gratitude to God for that grace which superabounded over his former ignorant faithlessness, a faithlessness which had led him to outrage and insult, such as only his ignorance could palliate.
“Faithful is the saying,12 and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.13 But on this account I gained mercy, that in me first and foremost Christ Jesus might manifest His entire long–suffering as a pattern for those who were hereafter to believe on Him to life eternal. Now to the King of the Ages,14 the incorruptible, invisible, only God,15 honour and glory unto the ages of the ages. Amen.16
“This charge I commit to thee, son Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies which in time past were prophesied of thee,17 that thou in them mayest war the good warfare,18 having faith and a good conscience, which some rejecting have been wrecked as regards the faith; of whom is Hymenæus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan, that they may be trained not to blaspheme.”19
It will be seen that in this section he begins with the false teachers, and after two digressions—one suggested by the mention of the Law, the other by his personal commission to preach the Gospel—returns to them again.
The second chapter contains regulations for public worship, the duty of praying for those in authority, and the bearing and mutual relations of men and women in religious assemblies,—broken by brief and natural digressions on the universality of God’s offered grace, and on his own Apostolic office. He directs that
“Petitions, prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings20 should be made for all, and especially for kings,21 and those in authority, that we may spend a calm and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. This is fair and acceptable before our Saviour, God, who wills all men to be saved, and to come to full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,22 who gave Himself a ransom for all—the testimony in its own seasons. For which testimony I was appointed an herald and an Apostle (I speak the truth;23 I lie not,24) in faith and truth.”25
After this double digression he expresses his wish that the men26 should pray in every place, “uplifting holy hands,27 without wrath and doubting; and that women, with shamefastness and sobriety, should adorn themselves, not with plaits of hair, and gold or pearls, or costly raiment, but, in accordance with their Gospel profession, with good works.” Let them be silent and submissive, not obtrusive and didactic. This rule he supports by the narrative of the Fall, as illustrative of generic differences between the sexes,28 adding, however, that in spite of the greater liability to deception and sin, woman “shall be saved through motherhood, if they abide in faith and love and sanctification with sobermindedness.”29
The third chapter passes into the qualifications for office in the Church. It is introduced by a sort of Christian aphorism, “Faithful is the saying, If any man desires the office of the pastorate,30 he desires a good work.” The qualifications on which St. Paul insists are irreproachableness, faithful domestic life,31 soberness, sobermindedness, decorousness, hospitable disposition, and aptitude to teach. He who is quarrelsome over wine, given to blows and covetousness, is unfit. Moderation, peacefulness, indifference to money, a well–ordered household, grave and obedient children, are signs that a man may aspire to the sacred work; but he must not be a neophyte,32 that he may not, through the cloudy fumes of pride, fall into the devil’s judgment.33 He must be well thought of by his Pagan neighbours, that he may not fall into disrepute, and the devil’s snare which such loss of character involves.34
Deacons, too, must be grave, straightforward, sober, not avaricious, sound in faith, and pure of conscience; and their freedom from reproach must be tested before they are appointed.35
Deaconesses36 must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful. The domestic relations of deacons and deaconesses must be irreproachable; for an honourable diaconate secures an honourable position,37 and boldness in the faith.38
“These things I write to thee, though I hope to come to you unexpectedly soon;39 but in order that, if I am delayed, thou mayst know how to bear thyself in the house of God— seeing that it is the Church of God—as a pillar and basis of the truth.40
“And confessedly great is the mystery of godliness—who was41
“Manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen of angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory.”42
dicebantur.”—Plin. ix. 27), because the wives of deacons were certainly not selected by the Church.
The true doctrine again recalls him to the subject of the false teachers. Beyond the present peril lies the prophecy of future apostasies, in which some shall give heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils, by means of the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences have been seared. This apostasy, partly present, partly future, is marked by dualistic tendencies. It hinders marriage,43 and commands abstinence from meats,44 forgetting that thankfulness and prayer sanctify everything. Another feature of the nascent heresy is a fondness for profane and anile myths. A third is mere bodily asceticism. This training may indeed have a partial advantage; but better is the gymnasium which trains for godliness, since godliness is profitable both for this life and the next (“faithful is the saying”): for with a view to this—because we have hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all, specially of the faithful45—we are enabled to endure both toil and struggle.46 These truths Timothy is to teach, showing himself an example to the faithful in speech, conversation, love, spirituality, faith, purity, so that none may despise his youth.47 Till St. Paul arrives he is bidden to occupy himself in reading,48 exhortation, teaching; securing progress by diligence, and not neglecting—which possibly Timothy, in his retiring character, was tempted to do—the grace which was solemnly bestowed on him at his ordination.49
Then he is advised how to behave towards various orders in his Church. He is not to use severe language to an elder, but to exhort them as fathers; the younger men as brothers, the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, in all purity.50 Special directions are given about widows.51 Those are true widows who rightly train their children or grandchildren, who do their duty to their parents, who devote themselves to constant prayer. But in a widow, a prurient, frivolous character is a living death; for, in a Christian, neglect of domestic duties and relations is worse than heathenism. No widow is therefore to be put on the list before sixty years of age, after one honourable marriage,52 and after having acquired a character for motherliness, hospitality, kindly service, succour to the afflicted, and continuance in every good work. But Timothy is to have nothing to say to younger widows who want to marry again when they begin to wax restive against the yoke of Christ—and so are convicted of setting at nought their first faith.53 To avoid the danger of gadding idleness and unseemly gossiping, it is better that such should avoid all chance of creating scandal by quietly re–entering into married life. Hence all younger widows must be supported by their own relations, and not at the expense of the Church.54
Returning to the Presbyters, he quotes the passage of Deuteronomy, “Thou shalt not muzzle a threshing ox,” and adds the maxim, “The labourer is worthy of his hire,”55 to support his rule that “double honour” be paid to faithful and laborious pastors.56 If they do wrong they must indeed be rebuked, but never on ill–supported accusations. “I solemnly charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels,57 to observe these rules without prejudice, and without doing anything by favour.” He is not to ordain any one too hastily, lest he be involved in the responsibility for their sins; and this discrimination is the more necessary because there are flagrant sins which marshal men to judgment, and hidden sins which stealthily follow behind them; just as also there are some good works which are openly manifest, and others which are concealed, although ultimately all shall stand revealed in their true light.
In the very midst of these wise and serious directions are introduced two personal exhortations. One of them—“Keep thyself pure”—may naturally have been suggested by the passing thought that he whose duty it was to exercise so careful an oversight over others must be specially watchful to be himself free from every stain. The other, “Be no longer a water–drinker, but use a little wine because of thy stomach, and thy frequent infirmities,”58 is so casual that, though we see at once how it may have occurred to St. Paul’s thoughts—since otherwise the former rule might have led to a self–denial still more rigid,59 and even injurious to health—it is far too natural and spontaneous, too entirely disconnected from all that precedes and follows it, to have occurred to any imitator. An imitator, if capable of introducing the natural play of thought to which the precept “Keep thyself pure” is due, would have been far more likely to add—and especially in an Epistle which so scrupulously forbids indulgence in wine to all Church officials—“And, in order to promote this purity, take as little wine as possible, or avoid it altogether.”60
He then passes to the duties of slaves.61 Their conversion is not to be made a plea for upsetting the social order, and giving any excuse for abusing the Gospel. Christian masters are still to be treated as masters, and to be served all the more heartily “because all who are partakers of this kindly service are faithful and beloved.” Here again he to the false teachers—who had perhaps perverted the truth of Christian equality into the falsehood of socialism62—to denounce their inflated ignorance and unwholesome loquacity as the source of the jealousies and squabbles of corrupt men, who look on religion as a source of gain. A source of gain indeed it is when accompanied with the contentment63 arising from the sense of the nakedness of our birth and death, and the fewness of our real needs,64 whereas the desire of wealth breeds the numerous forms of foolish desire which plunge men into destruction and perdition. For all evils spring from the root of covetousness,65 which has led many into heresy as well as into manifold miseries. The Apostle appeals to his son in the faith to flee these things: to pursue66 righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness; to strive the good strife of faith; to grasp eternal life, “to which also thou wert called, and didst confess the good confession before many witnesses.” He most solemnly adjures him, by Christ and His good confession before Pontius Pilate,67 to keep the commandment without spot, without reproach, till the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He shall show in His own seasons, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable, whom no man ever saw, or can see—to whom honour and eternal strength. Amen.
With this majestic description of the Divine attributes it might well have been thought that the Epistle would close. A forger might naturally desire a climax; but St. Paul is never influenced by such considerations of style. Filled with the thought of the perils of wealth in a city like wealthy Ephesus, he once more, in a sort of postscript,68 advises Timothy to warn the rich “not to be high–minded, nor to fix their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly affords us all things for enjoyment,” and to use their riches wisely and generously, “treasuring up for themselves a fair foundation for the future, that they may grasp that which is really life.”69
Then, with one parting reference to the false teachers, the Epistle ends:—
“O Timothy, guard the trust committed to thee, turning away from these profane babblings, and “antitheses” of the knowledge which usurps the name; which some professing have gone astray as regards the faith. Grace be with thee.”70
The “Amen”71 is probably a pious addition, and the various superscriptions which tell us that the Epistle was written from Laodicea, “which is the metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana,” or “from Nicopolis,” or “from Athens,” “by the hands of his disciple Titus,” or “from Macedonia,” are idle guesses, of which the latter alone has any plausibility, though even this is only a precarious inference from the verse which suggested it.