Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

women; comp. note d), on the ground of wholesome doctrine, (Tit. ii. 1–6; I. v. 2), and equally so the different orders in the community. But, above all, their task is didaσkania (I. iv. 13, 16, vi. 2; Tit. ii. 7; comp. II. iv. 2: didaxn). On the ground of the xápioμa given him (I. iv. 14; II. i. 6), Timothy has to preach the word (II. iv. 2; comp. i. 8); he does the work of an evangelist (iv. 5; comp. Eph. iv. 11). Naturally it is required throughout that the disciple follow the doctrines of the master, is guided by them in all his teaching (I. iv. 6; II. iii. 10, 14). But the most important interest of our Epistles is how doctrine is to be kept pure for the future in the Church, which is the pillar and ground of the truth (I. iii. 15). The work of teaching is no longer henceforth to continue left to the free exercise of the gifted (as § 92, c), but the disciples of the apostles are to look out for trustworthy men, and these they are to commission with the work of teaching, just as the apostles had commissioned their disciples with it (comp. the Tapalýкŋ: I. vi. 20; II. i. 14), that these may be capable to bear the burden of the further development of the truth (II. ii. 2); by this attention would naturally be given to the formal talent for teaching. Further, to secure the entrance into the community of men thus commissioned with the

temptation (ver. 14; comp. moreover, 2 Cor. xi. 3). Their clothing is to be modest and simple, their ornaments to consist of good works (Tit. ii. 3; I. ii. 9, 10). Their special life-task is rexvoyoría (ver. 15), in the discharge of which, apart from their general Christian duty (ἐὰν μείνωσιν . . . σωφροσύνης), they have to pursue the completion of salvation, without seeking a circle of work beyond their sphere (comp. vv. 11, 12). When it is desired, v. 4, that the younger women should marry, bear children, and keep house, in order to escape evil repute, it is indicated, ver. 15, that cases had occurred when these were by no means without foundation, and that therefore the exhortation to marry had the same motive, as § 95, b. Over against such experiences generally, the high estimation of celibacy seems to have given occasion to a consideration of its dangers, and accordingly, as being according to nature, marriage had to be more strongly emphasized. The prohibition of marriage is, I. iv. 3, expressly branded as a devilish error.

9 I. vi. 17-19 shows how the rich are to be instructed in humility and a good use of their property; Tit. ii. 9, 10, I. vi. 1, how slaves are to honour Christianity by reverence, obedience, and fidelity. Even already, notice is taken, vi. 2, of the circumstance that slaves regarded their believing masters as on a footing of equality with them as Christian brethren in a wrong way, and it is enjoined on them, quite in a Pauline sense, that they do them service all the more zealously, in a way really benefiting them (comp. Eph. vi. 7), because they are bound to them in faith and love (comp. Philem. 11-16).

office of teaching, it is required to have regard to capacity to teach in the election of bishops (I. iii. 2; comp. II. ii. 24: SidaKTIKós), and to prefer those presbyters who are active in teaching (I. v. 17), so that evermore the offices of teaching and guiding the church may lie on the same persons, and mutually support each other, as the right guiding of the Church can come only on the ground of pure doctrine (Tit. ii. 1). It is hence required of the bishop, that he hold firmly the faithful word in conformity with the (received) doctrine (i. 9).

(d) To the management of the relations of the community belongs generally the care of the right appointment of officebearers.10 That the elders of the congregation are those who here bear the Pauline name of TioкоTо (Phil. i. 1), is plainly proved by Tit. i. 5, 7 (comp. Acts xx. 28 with ver. 17). That a course of church development has been run is shown by this, that warnings are given against the putting neophytes into office, as these may very easily be led astray through pride by any such preference (I. iii. 6). The leaders of the church, in so far as they discharge the duties of their office by way of a calling, are allowed, and for the same reason as 1 Cor. ix., to be supported by the church (v. 17, 18). The assistants of the apostle are to exercise discipline over the presbyters, sharp but light; they are to be cautious in the choice, but unrelenting in discipline (v. 19-22). From ver. 22 it is clear that presbyters were to be ordained by the laying on of hands, as they had themselves been ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery and of the

10 At Crete (Tit. i. 5), even at the first institution of elders, just as in the church at Ephesus, which had long had her æpsæßúrspas (Acts xx. 17), the case of a later election is already kept in view (I. iii. 1, 2). There the apostle's assistant acted quite independently on the command of the apostle; here also the directions given him as to the qualifications for office in the Church show that he had at least to manage the election of the congregation, and to guide to the right inen. The qualifications for a bishop (I. iii. 2-7; Tit. i. 6-9) are, in the first place, Christian morality in general; for those elected are to have a spotless character within the church and outside it; they must also have shown that they can manage well their own house to be able to manage the Church of God. Those whose children are unbelieving, or disobedient, or lead a licentious life, are shut out from office in the church. If it is required of office-bearers that they are to be such as have been but once married (I. iii. 2, 12, v. 9; Tit. i. 6), regard is had to the stain of incontinence, which in the consciousness of the time clung to a second marriage.

11

apostle (iv. 14; II. i. 6).11 In like manner, as the qualifications for the office of a bishop, are those for the office of a deacon discussed, I. iii. 8-13 (comp. § 106, a). In the appointment of deacons there is similarly a careful scrutiny necessary (ver. 10), in which, in particular, regard is to be had even to their wives (ver. 11), as they must in many ways assist them. Widows also belong to the officials of the church, and for their appointment directions are given (I. v. 9-16). The oversight of the female portion of the congregation seems to have been handed over to them (comp. Tit. ii. 4).12

§ 110. The Church's Confession.

The last times, during which severe dangers threaten faith and Christian morality, and even fresh trials are appointed to patience, are at hand (a). The Church, however, looks for the appearing of her adored divine Lord, who will execute judgment, and bring her into His heavenly kingdom (6). The expressions about it already assume in our Epistles the stereotyped form of the Church's confession that had sprung up from Paul's preaching (c). Even in their great doxologies,

11 It follows also from both passages, that by the laying on of hands, which, according to § 41, d, is to be regarded as the symbol of the prayer connected therewith, the gifts which fit one for the office were really given; and this Ritschl, pp. 386, 387, seems to overlook. And this does not contradict 1 Cor. xii. 11, when, on the ground of gifts already possessed by them (comp. Acts vi. 3, and therewith § 41, c), they have been designated for the office by the words of prophets, to which there is reference, I. i. 18, iv. 14; and only increased capacity for the special office to be steadily executed by them is given by ordination.

12 These widows were to be at least sixty years old, to have been married but once, to be of good report, and to be approved by good works (I. v. 9, 10). Young widows are expressly excluded, as they are in danger either to break the solemn pledge to Christ in their calling by a second marriage (vv. 11, 12), or in the unmarried state to fall again into the temptations of fleshly lusts working in them (vv. 14, 15). Even from their youth directly this position and activity may become dangerous to them (ver. 13). According to ver. 16, only those widows seem to have a right to church support who have no connections to care for them. On the contrary, what is spoken of, I. v. 3-8, is simply the appointed supporting of widows, who are the ordinary objects of church charity. And even these shall have a claim only if they are really quite alone (s xnpa), and on that account quite helpless (vv. 3, 4, 8), and also only if they are worthy of support on the part of the church, and do not trifle with it by an immoral life (vv. 5–7).

Paulinism is expressed in the liturgical form of the Church's confession (d).

(a) The Church existed even in the pre-Messianic age (Tit. ii. 12: ὁ νῦν αἰών = ὁ αἰων οὗτος), which bears the character of the earthly in its opposition to the divine (I. vi. 17; II. iv. 10; comp. also I. iv. 8: vûv (wǹ kai ἡ μέλλουσα). The last times (VOTEρоi Kaiρoi) are at hand, and will bring with them, in consequence of temptation from seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (comp. § 63, c), a great falling away from the faith (I. iv. 1; II. iv. 3, 4). The last days will be specially severe, in which a frightful corruption of morals will gain ground, which will even hide itself under a cloak of godliness (iii. 1-5); and these days will the readers not only see, as is evident from the instructions (L. iv. 3-5) and exhortations (II. iii. 5) given them regarding these days, but their precursors are even already appearing (vv. 6-8). The hardships of the last times expected by Paul, according to § 98, a, assume then, conformably to the point of view of our Epistles, the form of severe imperilling of the pure faith and moral life. That, however, does not exclude the idea that bodily hardships also await the Christian. If, iii. 12, reference is made generally to the actual necessity of suffering for the Christian (comp. § 62, 6), this suffering appears, ii. 12, quite

1 If the doctrines of devils (I. iv. 1), which in principle forbade marriage and the use of foods (ver. 3), seem to be regarded as appearing only in the future, yet a false asceticism must have been already in the sphere of vision of our Epistles (I. iv. 8: ǹ owμarınǹ yuuvaría; comp. v. 23; Tit. i. 14: ivroλad ȧvěpáжv). If, in opposition to that, it is maintained that to the pure all things are pure (Tit. i. 15), and that everything has been given to men by God for their use (I. vi. 17; comp. iv. 3), that is exactly the fundamental principle of Christian freedom in things indifferent, as defended by Paul (comp. § 93, c). But above all, as it is there asserted, that everything was created good by God, and nothing is to be rejected, if only it is received with thanksgiving (iv. 3, 4). Only it may appear strange that, according to ver. 5, food is sanctified only by the word of God and prayer. But for the Christian (ver. 3), who is to be consecrated in his whole life, the question is not, therefore, whether a thing is pure and good, but whether it is consecrated, by which alone is it of the same kind with him as one consecrated. If, now, the rugs (comp. ii. 1) can be nothing else than the thanksgiving required, vv. 3, 4, by which the Christian on his part makes the food to be consecrated, then the word of God can only be the word of blessing uttered at the creation (Gen. i. 29), by which God, on His part, appointed the food for man, and hence made the use of it to be well-pleasing to Him.

VOL. II.

K

as § 86, c, as a result of living fellowship with Christ, and so, along with πίστις and ἀγάπη, ὑπομονή appears as a characteristic grace of Christians (Tit. ii. 2; II. iii. 10; I. vi. 11: But the harder the times were, the more firmly was the Church to grasp for herself what she expects in the future on the ground of faith (Tit. ii. 13).

πраüжábela). πραϋπάθεια).

2

(b) The receiver of the Epistle will presumably yet survive till the appearing of Christ, as he is to keep himself without blame to it (I. vi. 14); and he is conjured by it faithfully to discharge his office (II. iv. 1). It will follow at the time appointed of God (I. vi. 15: kaipoîs idíois), as did the proclamation of the salvation given at His first appearing (Tit. i. 3; I. ii. 6), and the latter is thus designated eiþávera just as is His last (II. i. 10). With it comes the day of judgment (ǹ èkelvn ýμépa: i. 12, 18, iv. 8; comp. § 64, 6), on which Christ, as the judge of the living and the dead (iv. 1, 8), assigns retribution (comp. i. 16, 18, iv. 14); with it also begins the heavenly kingdom of Christ (iv. 1, 18), wherefore all who dare hope to be delivered in it rejoice at His appearing (ver. 8). In the Epistles of the Imprisonment we have already seen the idea of the earlier Epistles, according to which, in the perfected kingdom of God, Christ's mediatorship ceased, disappeared (§ 103, b); the perfected kingdom has here already become entirely a kingdom of Christ, who, at the appearing of His glory (comp. § 98, a), is expressly designated as our great God and Saviour (Tit. ii. 13), a fact which Gess, p. 230, Schenkel, p. 357, question in vain; and He is adored with a doxology (II. iv. 18), which Schenkel, p. 358, will refer to God. It is His name which the Church confesses and invokes (ii. 19, 22), which along with God (iv. 1; comp. ii. 14) and His elect angels (I. v. 21) are taken to witness. this finds its example even in what the earlier Epistles teach of Christ's kupióτηs (§ 76, b); yet the way is peculiar to our Epistles, in which, II. i. 18, ii. 19, kúρios is used

All

2 In the Second Epistle to Timothy especially, corresponding to its situation, is the duty to suffer for the gospel expressly emphasized (i. 8, ii. 3, iv. 5), in which Paul has given an example (ii. 9, 10, iii. 11). As for magistrates, on the other hand, by whom these sufferings are as a matter of fact appointed, not only is obedience to them required (Tit. iii. 1), as in § 94, a, but also intercession for them, which seems even already to have been a practice of the Church, according to I. ii. 1, 2.

« PredošláPokračovať »