From: Carlton L. Winbery (winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net)
Date: Tue Jul 23 1996 - 07:30:54 EDT
Andrew S. Kulikovsky wrote;
>Carlton,
>
>On the issue of context, surely it is a key factor in interpretation. In
>this case
>the assurance of getting safely through childbirth is never even remotely
>mentioned in the rest of the book - and quite frankly, it just doesn't
>fit here!
>The central theme is the roles and responsibilities of men and women in
>the
>Church.
There is a great deal of concern in the context concerning the faithfulness
of women as well as the faithfulness of others in the church. This passage
seems to me designed to engender that faithfulness to what the Pastor
wanted women to be in the church.
>I don't know how you came to the conclusion that Paul was not the
>writer...
>For a start, the introduction states it was Paul (and incidentally, in
>virtually
>the same format as Romans and Galations). The close relationship
>between Paul and Timothy is alluded to throughout the NT
>(eg. Acts 20:4, Romans 16:21, 1 Corinthians 4:17,
>2 Corinthians 1:1, Philipians 1:1, 2:22, Colossians 1:1,
>1 Thess. 1:1, 3:2)
>
>Surely, Paul was writing to his beloved disciple, co-worker
>and friend.
Generally I do not think that we can effectively argue authorship on this
list, but sometimes it helps to know where those who post stand on this
issue, especially in regard to the changed position on marriage and the
different perspective on eschatology seen in the Pastorals. The issue of
authorship cannot be proven, but the great majority of scholars do question
the authorship of the pastorals. A great commentary that argues for
Pauline authorship has already been published by J. Jeremias, unfortunately
it has never been translated. Most of my friends in America would have
trouble with his contention that Paul did change rather drastically from
Gal/Cor/Rom to the time when he wrote the Pastorals.
I am not totally sure about authorship but two things in particular cause
me concern. The way heresy (if we might use that word for things the
pastor thought was wrong) is dealt with in the Pastorals and the way Paul
addressed such deviant belief in the main letters is very different.
Another concern is the contrast in the following statements.
2 Cor. 3:6 TO GRAMMA APOKTENNEI, TO DE PNEUMA ZWiOPOIEI.
2 Tim. 3:15 KAI hOTI APO BREFOUS TA hIERA GRAMMATA OIDAS, TA DUNAMENA SE
SOFISAI EIS SWTHRIAN . . .
Check out the use of GRAMMA in the main letters and in the Pastorals.
Carlton L. Winbery
Prof. Religion
LA College, Pineville, La
winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net
winbery@andria.lacollege.edu
winbrow@aol.com
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