PAULINE YEAR TALK # 4

The Writings of St. Paul. Part II

Adult Education, St. Joseph’s, February 4, 2009

Charles P. Poole, Jr.

1. Introduction

2. First and Second Thessalonians

3, Ephesians

4. Philippians

5. Colossians

6. Philemon

7. Pastoral Letters: First and Second Timothy and Titus

8. Hebrews

1. INTRODUCTION

In the third session we provided an introduction to the fourteen books ascribed to St. Paul, and in Table 2 of that presentation we listed the characteristics of these various works such as their lengths, who wrote them, and where they were written. Table 1 provided details of the introductory greetings and the concluding remarks of each of these epistles. This was followed by a detailed discussion of the four major letters, namely Romans, First and Second Corinthians, and Galatians. The present session will provide discussions of the ten remaining works. attributed to Paul. We begin with the two earliest letters to Thessalonica, then come the four captivity letters, followed by three pastoral letters, and concluding with the treatise called Hebrews. First Thessalonians was probably the earliest written work of the NewTestament

2. FIRST AND SECOND THESSALONIANS 50-52 AD

Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia in northern Greece. On his second missionary journey Paul, Timothy and Silas (Silvanus) founded the Church in Thessalonica [50 AD], and then Paul wrote to them a year later in Corinth after receiving a report from Timothy on the conditions there. Both letters send greetings from Paul, Silvanus and Timothy.

First Thessalonians recalls previous praiseworthy relations with the community there [2:1 to 3:13], and makes some specific exhortations in chapters 4 and 5. . Paul praises the Thessalonians for their mutual charity, and then says, “We urge you, brothers, to progress even more” [4:10]. The Greek expression chronos and kairos [5:1], is translated as times and seasons, where chronos is the Greek word for time as a period or duration, and kairos is time as an occasion. Paul says “The day of the Lord will come like a thief at night” [5:2], and then he invokes a military analogy: “We should put on “the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet that is hope for salvation” [5:8]. We should work diligently [4:11] and admonish the idle [5:14]. Paul assures that the dead will come to righteousness.

Second Thessalonians warns the community of his vision not to be deceived about the Parousia or end times [2:1-17], and also ends with some specific exhortations [3:1-16]. The letter is only 46 verses long.

3. EPHESIANS 61-66 AD

The epistle to the Ephesians presents the unity of the Church in Christ [1:15 to 2:22], and the worldwide mission of the Church [3:1 to 4:24]. This is the only Epistle which alludes to the four marks of the Church, namely that the Church is one [2:16, 4:3, 4:13], holy [3:7, 4:12], catholic [3:6,8,9], and apostolic [2:20]. These four marks of the Church are in the Nicene Creed. The Church is an instrument whereby “the manifold wisdom of God might be made known” [3:9-10]. The epistle enumerates seven unities in the Church or body of Christ, by mentioning: “striving to preserve the unity of one body and one spirit . . . one hope . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” [4:3-6]. Next a diversity of gifts is enumerated: “He gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we attain the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God” [4:11-13]. The theme of daily conduct as an expression of unity is developed [4:25-6:20]. We should “put on the armor of God . . . with your loins girded in truth . . . clothed with righteousness as a breastplate . . . faith as a shield to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. . . . and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. . . . Pray at every opportunity in the spirit” [6:13-18]. “Do not let the sun set on your anger” [4:26].

The author elaborates on the relationship between husbands and wives, saying “The husband is head of his wife” and “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved his Church” [5:21-33].

Ephesians and Colossians are similar to each other, and some of Ephesians seems to be borrowed from Colossians. For example, verses 6:21,22 of Ephesians are almost identical in the original Greek to verses 4:7,8 of Colossians. Both letters portray a cosmic Christ and a cosmic Church. Some scholars believe that this captivity letter was written while Paul was in prison in Rome, while other scholars ascribe it to an earlier imprisonment at, perhaps, Caesarea, and still others suggest that Paul was not the author. Paul points out toward the end “I am an ambassador in chains” [6:20]. The phrase “in Ephesus” [1:1] in the greeting is missing in some important ancient manuscripts such as Codex Vaticanus, which suggests that it might be a general circular letter intended for distribution to many local churches.

4. PHILIPPIANS 58-62 AD

Philippi was the principal city in Macedonia (northern Greece). The two main messages of this epistle are in the first three of the four chapters. Philippians is a conflation of three separate letters, 1} a long Letter A of thoughts from prison having 68 verses which comprises the first 59 % of the text, 2) a medium length Letter B with 25 verses which is a polemic against false teachers, and takes up the second 22% of the text, 3) a very short additional letter C Most of Chapter 4 is a composite of fragments of all three letters. The sequence is as follows:

Verses	Number	Letter	Theme
1:1 - 3:1a	61	A	Thoughts from prison
3.1b - 4:3	23	B	A polemic against false teachers
4:4-7	4	A	Rejoice, the Lord is near
4:8-9	2	B	Keep what you learned and received
4:10-20	11	C	Thanks for caring about me
4:21-23	3	A	We send our greetings to you

The Church at Philippi was established during St. Paul’s second missionary journey, and

it was the first Christian community to be founded in Europe. This is a letter of encouragement, thanks, and joy [4:4-10] as attested to by the expression “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice” [4:4]. It is one of the captivity letters written in prison, for Paul says “I hold you in my heart, you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel” [1:7]. An often quoted passage from this epistle is [2:8-11]:

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality

With God something to be grasped

Rather he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave

coming in human likeness, and found human in appearance,

He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death,

even death on a cross, Because of this God exalted him,

and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bend, of those in heaven

and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

.

5. COLOSSIANS 58-61 AD

The Church at Colossae was neither founded by nor visited by Paul, as was mentioned above, and there are some distinct similarities between Ephesians and Colossians. This epistle notes the preeminence and sufficiency of Christ [1:15 to 2:3], warns against false teachers [2:4 to 2:23], and describes the ideal Christian life in the world [3:1 to 4:6]. The Pauline triad of faith, hope and love is mentioned [1:4-5]. Paul asks the Church in Colossae to send this letter to nearby Laodicea, and to read the earlier one that he had sent there [4:16]. We know that this is a captivity letter since Paul tells us that his frequent companion Aristarchus is a fellow prisoner [4:10]. He also mentions that Luke, the beloved physician. sends greetings [Col 4:14], but fails to mention Philemon when he refers to his slave Onesimus [4:9]. Colossians shares themes and expressions with Ephesians; it was mentioned above that in the original Greek verses 6:21.22 of Ephesians are almost identical with verses 4:7,8 of Colossians

6. PHILEMON 55-60 AD)

The letter to Philemon concerns the slave Onesimus. Paul converted Onesimus [10] and is sending him back to his master Philemon in Colossae [12] to be treated more like a brother than like a slave. He asks Philemon to prepare a guest room for him [22].

7. PASTORAL LETTERS 65 - 90 AD

FIRST AND SECOND TIMOTHY AND TITUS

The Pastorals stress correctness of doctrine, using phrases such as “deposit of faith”.

“sound teaching”, and “gospel of truth”. They also discuss the practical development of church offices, and address problems troubling the life of local churches. The Church must acculturate to a pagan society and still remain faithful to the Gospel, dual aims which are very much needed today.

First Timothy and Titus were written from Macedonia to Timothy in Ephesus and to Titus in Crete, respectively, and Second Timothy was written during Paul’s captivity in Rome. First Timothy discusses sound teaching “not to teach any different doctrine” other than that received [1:3-20], problems of discipline [2:1 to 4:16]. It also discusses the ministries of bishop, deacon [3:1-13] and presbyter [6:17-25], duties toward others [5:1 to 6:2a], true wealth and false teaching [6:2b-19], and ends with a recommendation and a warning [6:20-21]. In First Timothy Paul says: “Some by rejecting conscience have made a shipwreck of their faith” [1:19].

Second Timothy includes exhortations to Timothy [1:6 to 2:13], instructions on false teaching [2:14 to 4:8], and ends with some personal requests [4:9-18]. This second letter is quite personal, and includes complaints of loneliness. Toward the end of 2 Timothy it sounds like Paul expects to die soon when he asserts, “The time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith” ]4:6,7]. The two evangelists Luke and Mark are mentioned [4:11]. .

The letter to Titus in Crete gives the qualifications expected of Church leaders such as presbyters and bishops [1:5-11], and discusses teaching the Christian life [2:1 to 3:15]. He admonishes Titus to: “Appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you” [2:5], and cautions him “You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine” [2:1].

8. HEBREWS 65 - 80 AD

The authorship of this treatise is disputed, and early witnesses such as Origen and Tertullian doubted that Paul had written it. It has no initial greeting, and does not mention an author or recipient. It alternates back and forth between moral exhortation and doctrinal exposition. Near the beginning the author asks the question, “What is man that you are mindful of him” [2:6]. An emphasis of the work is public worship and ceremony, and it has theological and exegetical passages alternating with exhortations. It begins by showing that the Son is higher than the angels [1:5 to 2:16], then presents Jesus as the compassionate and faithful High Priest [3:1 to 5:10], with an eternal priesthood offering a unique eternal sacrifice [5:11 to 10:39]. The priest-king Melchizedek is presented as a Type of Christ [7:1-28], and verse 4 of Psalm 110 is quoted three times“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” [5:6; 5:17,21]. No other New Testament work cites this verse or mentions Melchizedek. In the Old Testament Melchizedek is of minimal significance, but St; Paul makes him a very significant person in the context of the New Covenant. The New Covenant supercedes the previous ones with Abraham and David. Some examples of discipline and disobedience are given [11:1 to 12:29]. This austere treatise ends in a friendly way with an exhortation and, of all things, the statement “Those from Italy send you greetings” [13:1-25]. Thus the work begins and reads like a treatise, but ends like a letter reporting local news and sending valedictions.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to thank Doris Christley for her critical reading of this work, and her thoughtful comments and recommendations concerning it.