Corpus-Paul

[Jeff Peterson <peterson AT mail.ics.edu>]

At 11:31 PM -0700 5/19/99, Richard Fellows wrote:
>[A]ll the data can be explained by a single mission of Titus-Timothy.
>The hypothesis that Titus and Timothy were different people has been
>sustained only by multiplying journeys, changes of travel plans etc. etc.
>Is the traditional view really credible in view of the alternative that is
>now available?

The identification hypothesis is very creative and does point up the
problems involved in specifying Paul's contacts with his churches.
Nonetheless, the more economical reconstruction facilitated by the
hypothesis does not of itself supply adequate grounds for its acceptance;
one could dispense with the North/South Galatian question at a stroke by
positing that Galatians is a polemical epitome of Romans by a Paulinist who
felt as Ignatius did about Judaism, but this economy would not of itself
warrant regarding Galatians as pseudonymous. (Though to be sure the
dissertation arguing this would receive attention!)

Both TITOS and TIMOQEOS are attested as Hellenistic proper names outside
early Christian circles; the former was the praenomen of an emperor, and
there is no indication that in his case it was short for the latter. Absent
some such corroboration that the names were equivalent in general usage,
the course of prudence is to recognize TITOS and TIMOQEOS as distinct
members of the Pauline circle, however this may complicate our
reconstruction of events.

Jeff

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Jeffrey Peterson
Institute for Christian Studies
Austin, Texas, USA
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