CHAPTER 1
The second of the pastoral letters is also widely believed
by scholars to not really be something Paul wrote. I forget exactly what the logic behind it is, but I’ll say this
for it – of all the letters in the Bible believed to be forged, this is clearly
the one that does the best Paul imitation.
I don’t mean it does the best job nailing his theology. I mean that this letter breathes with raw
emotion, just the way that many of Paul’s undisputed letters do. Whoever wrote this knew what he was doing.
This letter claims to be from Paul when he’s in jail in
Rome, so near the end of his life. The
first chapter doesn’t say much more than that, other than to go over some basic
points of theology. The most memorable
moment comes near the end, when Paul tells Timothy that, “You know that
everyone in Asia deserted me.”
Ouch. Sounds like rough times
for Paul.
CHAPTER 2
Well, I guess this is why it’s considered to be an imitation
letter, as Paul gives Timothy rules and lessons for trying to organize his
church and conducting himself. Paul
didn’t worry much about those sorts of things because he felt Christ’s return
would be imminent. (True, he might’ve shifted his viewpoint near the end). Paul also opposes false teachings and warns
against useless disputes.
CHAPTER 3
I’ve noted plenty of Bible passages that fit better the
liberal bent of myself. So it’s only
fair that I note how well Chapter 3 of Timothy II works for a conservative
cultural warrior. Here, Paul writes
Timothy, “But understand this, there will be terrifying times in the last
days. People will be self-centered and
lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal,
hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its
power. Reject them.”
There is plenty of End of Times talk now from
fundamentalists. (Look at the popularity of the Left Behind novels, for
instance). People see the cultural
values shifting noticeably and blame it on the rising tide of irreligion. Is support for gay marriage going up, why
that just shows that the masses have become licentious lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God. So the
cultural warriors double down – because they can read passages like this and
figure that what they see as the cultural decay of modern society is the
beginning of the End of Times.
There is some comfort in thinking you’re living through the
End of Times. It makes the little
fights of the current day extremely important.
It means that you live in the most important age of all, fighting the
most important battles of all. This is
how a lot of our most popular stories are set.
Star Wars had a republic last for hundreds of thousands of years – but
the exciting part is when an empire replaces it and has to be overthrown. Lord of the Rings had its great age come to
an end – that’s the exciting part.
People want to think that’s what they’re living through.
Paul’s message is also shot through with pessimism. At one point he even says, “In fact, all who
want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” That’s right – all. Not some, not many, not most – all. Thus many cultural warriors are that much
more insistent on doubling down. They
know which way the wind is blowing – but that means it truly is nearing the End
of Times.
CHAPTER 4
Paul tells Timothy to carry on in Paul’s name, for Paul
recognizes that, “the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the
race. I have kept the faith.” That is rather well put.
It ends on a highly personal note: Paul is lonely. He urges Timothy for companionship, noting
how few people he has around him. In
fact, he says he has but one close friend by him – Luke. And that, I assume, is why Luke is believed
to be the authors of the gospel bearing his name and Acts of the Apostles.
Those books are clearly written by the same guy. They both
have similar introductions, and in Acts it begins by noting how the author has
already written the story of Christ – now for the story of his followers. So whoever wrote Acts also wrote Luke. Well, Acts is primarily about Paul. Also, the Gospel of Luke doesn’t know as
much about the land of Judas as the other gospels, and so is believed to be
written by a Gentile. Well, Luke is a
Gentile, he’s with Paul – and he’s apparently with Paul in Rome (which is where
Acts end). So Luke is the most likely
author of Acts, which means he also wrote the third gospel, which is why it now
bears the name The Gospel According to Luke.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
I liked this letter a lot.
It’s my favorite of the disputed Paul letters, easily. Simply put, the emotions of a real human
bleed through it. If it’s a forgery, it’s an excellent forgery. The Bible is always at its best when it’s at
its most human, and this book feels very human indeed.
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