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1-2 Timothy and Titus: Pastoral Epistles

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of Pastorals (1 Timothy 1–6; 2 Timothy 3–4)
    20 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    False Teaching (1 Timothy 1; Titus 1–3; 2 Timothy 1–4)
    18 Activities
  3. Lesson Three
    Church Government (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1–2 Review)
    18 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    Mentoring in Ministry (1 Timothy 1, 6, 2 Timothy 1–4 Review)
    21 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    Women in Ministry (1 Timothy 2–3, 5, 1 Corinthians 11 Review)
    21 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]

Of course, Paul’s letters are themselves a container and lens for the Old Testament, and 1 Timothy 1:14-17 is a good example of the way Paul tended to allude to Old Testament passages. He doesn’t refer directly to any previous text in this passage, or reproduce its word order, but he draws on themes from Exodus 34:6 and expands on them for his own context. The Exodus passage recounts YHWH describing Himself to Moses on Mount Sinai.

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Exodus 34:6 NIV

Paul doesn’t quote Exodus but draws on themes from this passage, which he applies to Jesus. We’ve put the relevant terms in bold to make them easier to spot. 

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

 

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.
1 Timothy 1:14-17 NIV

These parallels are displayed below. 

Exodus 34:6 // 1 Timothy 1:14-17

The LORD, the LORD // our Lord
compassionate // mercy
gracious // grace
slow to anger // immense patience
abounding // abundantly
love // love
faithfulness // faith

  1. What might we take away from Paul’s allusion to Exodus?
Exodus and 1 Timothy

The most obvious message of these similarities is that God is the same today as he was in the days of the patriarchs. His character is unchanging. Also notable is Paul’s insistence, as we’ve seen time and again, to apply passages and characteristics of YHWH directly to Jesus, reinforcing his message that Jesus is YHWH. Finally, this is a reminder that the story of redemption—associated most in the Old Testament with the Exodus—is the same New Testament story of redemption anchored to the cross and resurrection.

Adapted from: Anthony Tyrrell Hanson, The Pastoral Epistles, 1982, p. 63.