Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus (Sacra Pagina series) [Hardcover]

S.J. Benjamin Fiore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2003

First and Second Timothy and Titus have for many years borne the collective title “The Pastoral Epistles.” Both their style and their content make it difficult to locate them within the corpus of Pauline letters, and recent scholarship most often considers them pseudonymous, works that imitate Paul's letters but apply the apostle's teaching to the concerns of a later time, two or more decades after Paul's death. The Pastorals differ from Paul's own letters in being addressed to single individuals, coworkers of Paul who have been placed in charge of particular churches—Timothy apparently in Ephesus, Titus in Crete. They provide instruction for community leaders, both the individual addressees and other leaders whom they will appoint. The specification of certain offices within the local churches is one of the features that appear to locate these works in a later phase

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Liturgical Press (October 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814658148
• ISBN-13: 978-0814658147
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #573,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Liturgical Press, October 31, 2007

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S. McDonald "Library World" (Independence, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus (Sacra Pagina series) (Hardcover)

First and Second Timothy and Titus have for many years borne the collective title "The Pastoral Epistles." Both their style and their content make it difficult to locate them within the corpus of Pauline letters, and recent scholarship most often considers them pseudonymous, works that imitate Paul's letters but apply the apostle's teaching to the concerns of a later time, two or more decades after Paul's death. The Pastorals differ from Paul's own letters in being addressed to single individuals, coworkers of Paul who have been placed in charge of particular churches--Timothy apparently in Ephesus, Titus in Crete. They provide instruction for community leaders, both the individual addressees and other leaders whom they will appoint. The specification of certain offices within the local churches is one of the features that appear to locate these works in a later phase of church development. In this commentary the author places the Pastorals in their historical and literary context. The reader will find here a solid introduction to parallel literary forms in Latin and Greek literature and particular descriptions of the way in which these documents use ancient rhetorical forms to achieve their paraenetic and hortatory purpose. Drawing on his parish experience as well as his academic training, the author also provides reflections on the contemporary pastoral application of these books, giving readers a renewed appreciation for the "pastoral" label these epistles bear.