Corpus-Paul

["Errol Smith & Colleen Loo" <ERROL.COLLEEN AT bigpond.com>]

Jack Kilmon wrote: 

----------
> From: Jack Kilmon <jkilmon AT historian.net>
> To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Subject: Re: Pauline Pastorals
> Date: Thursday, April 22, 1999 10:58 AM
> .........
> Given that Tim I & II and Titus reflect church structures not in place
> till long after Paul's death...and used by Theophilus of Antioch,
> Irenaeus of Lyon, and the Muratorian list..I have always suspected
> Polycarp.
> 

What structures are you referring to Jack ? 

In Acts ch 20 Luke writing in the early 60's looking back to the previous 
decade says that in Ephesian church there were
Overseers and Elders and Pastors whose function is very similar to the 
situation that 1st Timothy, (also at Ephesus). 

Are you referring to deacons/servants ? - as a role/title we have precedent 
in Paul's uncontested earlier letters, eg Phoebe
in Romans ch.16.
  
Are you referring to the supposed "order" of widows ? I suspect that Paul is 
*not* describing a formal role/title but rather
encouraging a responsible attitude to the needs of the destitute - again 
there is plenty of precedent with Paul's careful
administatration of the collection of money for the poor of Jerusalem from 
all the gentile churches - one can read about in
2 Corinthians etc.

The view that for the pastoral epistles Luke was the emanuensis for a very 
elderly and probably nearly blind Paul deserves
serious consideration. Second Timothy says that only Luke was with Paul as he 
awaited exectution. Such proposals have been
argued in detail elsewhere by others as anyone familiar with the large body 
of literature on this topic should know.

Yours sincerely, Errol Smith