The Pastorals: A summary of Paul’s teaching concerning ministry

The preaching series on the pastorals has begun by focussing on the two letters to Timothy. We hope to conclude the series with the final three teaching sermons on Titus in the next few months.

For the past 400 years, three New Testament letters have been dubbed ‘The Pastorals’. They are 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. They have a common style, message and their cultural settings in the first century AD are very similar. These are the only Pauline letters that are addressed to individuals, the other ten are addressed to congregations.

Because the pastorals are occasional letters, Paul needs to be forgiven for dealing with particular problems in Ephesus that can be misconstrued as being sexist, patronising and contradictory with what he teaches elsewhere. It is always good to remember the question: “I wonder what caused Paul to write that”.

In 1 Timothy Paul is concerned with local and specific needs at Ephesus. There he gives careful instructions to his young lieutenant Timothy dealing with the thorny problems brought about by the false teachers.  In dealing with the false teachers who targeted younger weak-willed widows who had been spreading heresy, Paul got Timothy to ban women preachers. This had the effect of undermining the authority of the false teachers as their audience was removed.

Also in 1 Timothy there are lists detailing the requirements for those who aspire to be Christian leaders. These requirement lists for bishops and deacons focus on both the character and behaviour of prospective candidates.

In 2 Timothy Paul’s concern is personal, and at the same time, focussed on the universal church.  On a personal level Paul wants Timothy to come and be with him as he suffers the confines of a Roman gaol. Paul’s time is short, yet his focus is on preparing Timothy for his future ministry among the Gentile believers once Paul is gone.  We find vision in the universal dimension of Paul’s second letter to Timothy as we discover, through these instructions, what ministry is all about.  If Timothy cannot get to Rome to be by Paul’s side in time, he will at least have some solid guidelines on which to build the Church as it enters the last three decades of the first century.

The church today benefits greatly as it examines the passion, the due diligence and the inspiration that comes as we ponder and meditate on the situation that both Paul and Timothy faced. Many issues they faced are replicated in our lives as well as our churches. As a result, we would do well to listen to the Spirit speaking to our hearts and our contemporary situations, knowing that God is in control.  God’s word to us is that we are to press on, trusting that Jesus will build his church just as he promised.