1 & 2 Timothy, together with Titus have been called this for a couple of centuries. Many critical scholars think these letters were written by someone (not Paul) as a way to formalize church authority structure around the turn of the century. Even scholars who believe Paul wrote these letters tend to look at them as "manuals for church order."
Not Gordon Fee! "It is a mistaken notion to view Timothy or Titus as model pastors for a local church. The letters simply have no such intent."
5 comments:
Hey, I read Gordon Fee, I think. How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth in college and now I have, but haven't started "How to Read the Bible Book by Book."
My SCB 4 Life tattoo is smudged a bit after reflecting on the authority structure of the local church & beyond. Is it really TOTAL local church autonomy?
I'm not sure I follow...explain your concern.
I believe Paul's letters as well as the picture we see in Acts lays a structure for the church that provides more authority and accountability for the local church. At the same time I don't think the structure is laid out in detail for the church to follow. However, I do not think the New Testament leaves every local church in total autonomy.
I kind of agree with you, but I don't think I could say Paul would have been pleased with any of the denominational structure that has developed "from the NT."
I notice in post-Pentecost NT that the gospel and apostolic witness are the over-arching authority in the churches. So, outsiders showing up with high positions, though the Corinthians or Galatians or Ephesians might respect them, are challenged not merely to submit to a higher ranking (apostolic) authority. Instead, Paul reasons with congregations or sends a partner to reason with them. For example, Timothy stands among the Ephesians as an outsider, but he confidently plans to fix the problem there by urging Christians to attend to the gospel.
How would that look in the post-apostolic era? Maybe something like nailing your complaints about unbiblical doctrines and practices to the door of the church house and calling for a public discussion of the NT teachings. Probably it would be a costly endeavor that would take years in each congregation, comparing the gospel to aberrations and leading the way in repentance and obedience.
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