1,2 Timothy: The private thoughts of Paul

The letters to Timothy may have ended up as messages to all Christians, but they were likely written as personal correspondence, Paul's private thoughts to his trusted protege.

First Timothy feels a bit jumbled, a little anguished. It sounds like my own prayers on my own overwrought days, when I'm worried about people and trying to comfort myself. Paul, too, was troubled by people he cared about, their bad decisions and bad behavior.

It occurred to me that the infamous passage in 2:9-15, where he speaks rather demeaningly about women, might have been caused by some particular annoying woman who was driving him crazy. I mean, really: who hasn't felt that way? It makes me wonder if "the Church" all these years didn't just snap up that passage and apply it wrongfully to all women at all times.

Interestingly, the next passage in chapter 3, has qualifications for church leaders. Most churches take it pretty seriously, but we just know there are a lot of men who have been accepted as leaders or deacons--even though they beat their wives or were given to drunkenness.

In 1 Timothy, Paul exhorts and counsels Timothy about dealing with his church congregation. Some of it (e.g., 6:20, or 4:1-5) seems to take aim at church members who are off the path of doctrine. As I read these passages, I got to thinking about what I call "The Tea Party Christians." (This doesn't apply to all who embrace the Tea Party, and it does apply to some who eschew the radical right-wing movement.) These are the people who are soooooooooo pious that they end up hateful. I'm especially thinking about people who, during the recent presidential election, were constantly equating their extreme right-wing views with Christianity. I found it offensive, to say the least. I just don't think Jesus would have done or said or behaved as they did.

The takeaway from 1 Timothy is that those "believers" are not much better in God's eyes that non-believers. I would add that it is difficult to discern right from wrong, and each of us needs to beg God for wisdom.

Second Timothy is one of the grimmest books in the New Testament. It was written at the end of Paul's life and his bleak imprisonment in Rome. He was old, lonely, probably sickly. You can feel the despair in his words, especially his frustration and disappointment with false teachers. These were people he knew and had perhaps mentored who were spreading weird religious ideas, probably to enrich themselves, and also taking advantage of "weak-willed women" (3:6). No wonder Paul told Timothy "Preach the Word" (4:2). (This is the motto for Dallas Theological Seminary. I have it on a T-shirt in Greek!)

But Dear God, may we all be able at the end of our lives to say as Paul said, "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing: (4:7-8).