Invitation to the New Testament 11: Paul's Pastoral Epistles

Introduction: 

Introduction Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus were written to them as pastors of local churches. All of Paul's other letters were written to the people in the pew instead of the man behind the pulpit. There is more dispute over whether Paul wrote the pastoral epistles than there is over any other letters he may have written, excluding Hebrews. The reason for this is his travels as described in the Pastorals don't fit into the historical account of Acts. This really isn't much of a problem though if you accept Acts as an incomplete history.

Introduction: 

Introduction 1. Acts ends with Paul under house-arrest in Rome. This was his first Roman imprisonment. 2. In Philippians 1:25, written during that first imprisonment, Paul implies that he expects to be released from jail. 3. After Acts ends, Paul was released and ministered for another five or six years. He was then arrested and incarcerated in Rome a second time. Shortly thereafter he was executed.

1 TIMOTHY: 

1 TIMOTHY

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Ephesus

Who was Timothy?: 

Who was Timothy? Paul met Timothy in Lystra , Timothy's hometown. During his first missionary journey Paul had preached there, but whether Timothy met him at that time is unclear. When Paul passed through on his second journey, Timothy joined him (Acts 14, 16:1-3). 1. Timothy's mother was Jewish and a believer. 2. Timothy's father was a Greek. 3. Timothy had a good testimony among those who knew him. 4. He was even willing to waive his personal right of remaining uncircumcised so that he might be an effective minister to the Jews he would meet.

Who was Timothy?: 

Who was Timothy? Paul sent Timothy on several important missions during his journeys (1 Thess. 3:1- 6; 1 Cor. 4:17; Philip. 2:19). Timothy was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment (Col. 1:1). After Paul's release, he took Timothy to Ephesus where he left him to care for the church there (1 Tim. 1:3). Paul writes this first letter to Timothy between 62 and 64 A.D. from somewhere in Macedonia.

Purpose: 

Purpose Paul writes 1 Timothy... to encourage Timothy to oppose false teachers (1:3-7, 18-20; 6:3-5, 20-21) to furnish him with written credentials of authorization by Paul (1:3, 4) C. to instruct him in church policies (2, 3) to exhort him to diligence in the performance of ministerial duties (4:4 - 6:21)

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline Theme – church order Key Verses – 3:14-15 Outline Salutation (1:1,2) 1. Charge to Timothy (1:3-20) a. Rebuke the false teachers of the law (1:3-11) b. Heed the example of Paul (1:12-20) 2. Conduct of the Local Church (2:1 - 3:16) a. Priority of prayer (2:1-8) b. Place of women (2:9-15) c. Qualifications of the bishop (3:1-7) d. Qualifications of the deacons (3:8-13) e. Purpose of the church (3:14-16)

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline 3. Conduct of Timothy (4:1 - 6:21) a. In relation to apostasy (4:1-5) b. In relation to himself (4:6-16) c. In relation to widows (5:1-16) d. In relation to elders (5:17-25) e. In relation to slaves (6:1, 2) f. In relation to greedy teachers (6:3-10) g. In relation to his ministry (6:11-16) h. In relation to the rich (6:17-19) i . In relation to false science (6:20, 21)

Explanations and Insights: 

Explanations and Insights A. 1 Timothy 2:9-15 - The role of women in ministry ~ According to the Law (Gen. 3:16), women are to be in subjection to men.* In what Paul writes here, we find 4 reasons as to why women should be in positions of subjection and not authority in the church. 1. Adam was created as head of the race before Eve was formed (v. 13). 2. Eve was formed from Adam, not Adam from Eve. 3. The woman, not the man, was deceived (v. 14). 4. Women will be saved from the danger of insubordination, deception, and teaching heresy by focusing on their highest calling of homemaking and childbearing (v. 15).

Explanations and Insights: 

Explanations and Insights 1 Timothy 3:3, 8; 5:23 - The use of wine in the Bible 1. Preserved juice was by necessity fermented juice. A person would have to drink a lot of it to become intoxicated. Ministers and deacons were forbidden to drink excessively. (Comparing the prohibitions for the pastor and deacon, I find the one for the pastor to be stricter.) 2. Wine could be used for medicinal purposes. Paul told Timothy, a minister, to use it for his stomach.

TITUS: 

TITUS

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Crete

Background: 

Background Titus is not mentioned in the book of Acts but did accompany Paul to Jerusalem for the Council meeting described in Acts 15 (Gal. 2:1-3) and accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey (2 Cor. 2:13; 7:15-16). B. Titus was an uncircumcised Greek (Gal. 2:3) who later ministered on the island of Crete (Titus 1:5).

Background: 

Background 1. Crete was an island of the Mediterranean, 150 miles long and from 6 to 35 miles wide. 2. On the day of Pentecost, Cretians were present to hear Peter's message (Acts 2:11). They may have taken what they heard home with them and started the church there. 3. On his way to Rome for his first imprisonment, Paul landed in Crete for a short stay. It's possible that he could have led some folks to the Lord then. 4. The Cretians were known as liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies (1:12). Paul writes this letter to Titus on the island of Crete while he is between Roman imprisonments (62 - 64 A.D. from Macedonia).

Purpose: 

Purpose Paul writes Titus... to instruct him about elders of the church (1:5-9) to warn against false teachers (1:10-16; 3:8-11) to instruct in proper Christian conduct (2:1 - 3:11) to send messages and greetings (3:12-15)

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline Theme – precepts to observe in church organization and personal conduct B. Key Verse – 1:5 C. Outline Introduction (1:1-4) 1. Order in the Church according to "sound doctrine" (1:5-16) 2. Obedience of the Church to "sound doctrine" (2:1 - 3:11) Conclusion (3:12-15)

2 TIMOTHY: 

2 TIMOTHY

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Ephesus

Background: 

Background ~ The year is 64 - 67 A.D. Paul is a prisoner of Rome for the second time and facing death. 1. His first Roman imprisonment was much more pleasant than his second. During the first, he was under house- arrest in his own rented house (Acts 28:30). During the second, he was in a Roman dungeon. By the time of this second imprisonment, he had already visited Spain as per his plans (Rom. 15:24, 28). 2. Paul may have been arrested this second time due to an edict of Nero who blamed the burning of Rome upon Christians. 3. He may have been arrested due to charges brought against him by Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim. 4:14). 4. He may have been arrested in Troas (2 Tim. 4:13).

Purpose: 

Purpose Paul writes 2 Timothy... A. to appeal for adherence to the gospel (1:3-18) B. to appeal for steadfastness (2:1-13) C. to instruct in ministerial conduct (2:14-26) D. to warn about the future (3:1-9) to urge Timothy to follow his example and early training (3:10-17) to exhort to Biblical preaching in light of the future (4:1-8) to send greetings and messages (4:9-22)

Theme, Key Verse, Outline: 

Theme, Key Verse, Outline Theme – personal preparation for ministering in the coming apostasy B. Key Verse – 2:15 C. Outline Introduction (1:1-5) 1. The Call of the Faithful Minister (1:6-18) 2. The Character of the Faithful Minister (2:1-26) 3. The Cautioning of the Faithful Minister (3:1-17) 4. The Charge to the Faithful Minister (4:1-18) Conclusion (4:19-22)