The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament, Part 2 · 1 Timothy – Titus
THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY;
as may be concluded upon these observations.
1. It is apparent from 1 Tim. 1.3. & 3.15. that that Epistle was written after Pauls setting out from Ephesus for Macedonia, and yet when he was in some thoughts of returning shortly for Ephesus again.
2. Now it cannot be conceived to have been written when he was going towards Macedonia, for then was he but newly parted from Timothy, and it is not likely he would so write to him when he was but newly come from him.
3. Nor can it be conceived to be written when he was coming back again from Macedonia into Greece, for then he was going to Ephesus in his own determination, and might have been his own messenger, and had needed no Epistle sending at all. And besides he intimates in Chap. 3.16. that it might be, he might stay a little long before he came to him: Therefore it cannot but be concluded that this Epistle was written whilest he was in Macedonia or the parts thereabouts, at this time that we are upon.
It is something strange that there should be so various and roving conjectures about the time and place of the writing of this Epistle where there is so plain a demonstration thereof in the Epistle it self, i… studiously compared with these times and voyages of Paul that are before us. The Arabick dateth it from Athens: supposing it, belike, at the time of his perambulation of Greece, of which there is mention in ver. 3. of this Chapter: the Syriack from Laodicea: some Greek copies adde from Laodicea Pacatiana: which mistake belike grew, because there is mention of an Epistle from Laodicea, Coloss. 4.16. of which we shall speak and shew the mistake when we come to the time of that Epistle. The Rhemists suppose this Epistle to Timothy was written at Pauls first imprisonment in Rome, when he was dismissed and set at liberty, but how erroniously, will appear when we come to observe the time of the second Epistle.
Paul had bestowed much pains and a long time with the Church of Ephesus being present with it: and he takes much care of it now he is gone thence: partly because of the eminency of the place, and partly because of the ficklenesse of some, who were ready to warp from the sound truth and doctrine received, to heresie and foolish opinions. For the keeping down of these therefore that they should not overgrow the Church, he leaveth Timothy there, when himself departeth; choosing him for that imployment above all other his followers, because [as was said before] some prophetick predictions had sealed him for a singular and extraordinary instrument in the Gospel, 1 Tim. 2.14.
He had two works to do in that City: first to prevent rising Error… and Heterodoxies, and secondly to direct and order the Orthodox aright in Worship and Discipline: not as any Diocesan Bishop [for he staid but a while there, and what he did, he did but by the Apostles direction,] but as one that Paul had found sound, bold, blamelesse, painfull and faithfull.
Among the Jewish Churches that received the Gospel, there grew in time a very epidemicall and dangerous Apostacy, either totally from the Doctrine of the Gospel, or partially from the purity of it, as we have frequent occasion to observe upon severall passages that we meet withall as we go along: And this backsliding from the Doctrine and Profession of Christ once received, was the topping up of the iniquity of that Nation, and was a forerunner and a hastener of their destruction and casting off.
The first principles whereby their false teachers did poison them toward this recidivation, were, puzzling them with idle fables, intricate genealogies, and especially nice curiosities, and needlesse obligations of the Law: Their fables that were likeliest to serve their turn for this purpose [as near as one may guesse upon view of the whole heap in their Talmudick records] may be supposed to have been those strange legends that they related of the wondrous sanctity, devotion and facts of some of their Pharisaicall and legall righteous ones, and the wondrous gallantry and golden daies that they conceited in a carnall construction of the times of Messias.
Their endlesse genealogies which the Apostle speaketh of Tit. 3.9. and mentioneth together with these fables, 1 Tim. 1.4. were not any of the genealogies of Scripture, holy and divine, but their long and intricate pedigrees that they stood upon, to prove themselves Jews, Levites, Priests and the like, thereby to interest themselves in chain to all those brave things that they perswaded themselves belonged to a Jew as a Jew, upon that very account: And to these we may adde the long genealogy and pedigree of their traditions which they derived by a long line of succession through the hands of I know not how many Doctors: of which the Talmudick Treatise Avoth, is as a Herald. And if we will construe the word foreign Iuchasin, Genealogies, in the foreign Aserah Iuchasin Ten linages, that they speak of that came out of Babel at the return of the captivity, I am sure we may finde endlesse questions wherewithall they puzzled mens mindes about them; as Vid. Talm. in Kiddushin per. 4. Alphes. ibid, &c.
And as for their making their baits of the Law for the catching and withdrawing of simple souls either totally from the acknowledging, or at least from the simplicity of the Gospel, it is very obvious in the Epistles of Paul and the other Epistles how they wrought, and how they prevailed: the witchery of old customs and long use, and the gawdinesse of a Ceremonious Religion, helping them to speed in their designes, and forwarding their deceivings.
Such canker began to break out in the Church of Ephesus: whose creeping and infecting, it is the first and great work of Timothy to prevent, and to fill the ears of his hearers with sound doctrine and admonitions, which might keep such deceit and infection out. And answerably it must be his care to settle the Church in such a salubrious constitution of Worship, Ministry and Government, as that it should not be ready to sway and incline to such dangerous seductions. Hereupon doth the Apostle lay a divine Directory before him, concerning their manner of praying, choosing and ordaining Ministers, approving Deacons, admitting widows, and regulating the people, that nothing could be wanting to the healthfull temper of that Church if they receive and imbrace these applications: In the most of which prescriptions he useth exceeding much of their Synagogue language, that he may be the better understood, and reflecteth upon divers of their own Laws and customs, that what he prescribeth may imprint upon them with the more conviction. He calleth the Minister Episcopus, from the common and known title The Chazan or Overseer in the Synagogue: Aruch in foreign. He prescribeth rules and qualifications for his choice, in most things sutable to their own cautions in choosing of an Elder: Maym. in Sanhedr. per. 4. He speaketh of Elders ruling only, and Elders ruling and labouring in the Word and Doctrine: meaning in this distinction, that same that he had spoken of in Chap. 3. Bishops and Deacons. Both these in the common language then best known, were called Elders, and both owned as Rulers. Yea the very title that they usually tearmed Deacons by [Parnasin] was the common word that was used to signifie a Ruler. The Ierusalem Talmud in Peah. fol. 21.1. speaking of the three Parnasin or Deacons that were in every Synagogue, hath these two passages, which may be some illustration to two passages in this Epistle. They appoint not lesse then three Parnasin in the Congregation: for if matters of money were judged by three, matters of life much more require three to manage them. Observe that the Deacons Office was accounted as an Office that concerned this life, namely in taking care for the subsistence of the poor. According to this may that in Chap. 3.12. be understood. For they that have used the Office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree. A good degree towards being intrusted with souls, when they have been faithfull in discharge of their trust concerning the life of the body. The other passage is this, R. Haggai whensoever he appointed Parnasin [Deacons] he urged the Law upon the people, saying, All rule that is given, is given from the Law, &c. And here you may likewise observe, that Deaconship is called Rule.
We observed before, that it were not so monstrous as it might seem, if by Elders that ruled only we should understand a Civil Magistracy or Bench in every Congregation, as there was in every Synagogue; but since the Apostle nameth only Bishops and D…cons, his interpretation here is best taken from and within himself; and to understand the …lders that ruled only of the Deacons, which were called both Elders and Rulers, as well as the Ministers: and in the Jews Synagogues were professed Scholars: The Talmudick place now cited tell us that R. Eliezer one of their greatest Rabbins was a Parnas, or Deacon in a Synagogue. The Episcopi or Ministers are titled foreign, that laboured in the Word and Doctrine: which most properly is to be understood distinctly thus, which laboured in the Word, and which laboured in teaching: and the former to denote their laboriousnesse in study to inable them to teach, and the later their laboriousnesse in teaching. foreign is but the common phrase of the Jews turned into Greek foreign [See the Syriack here] by which they mean a great student in the Law. Among multitudes of instances that might be alledged, I shall produce but this one out of Ierus. in Maasar sheni fol. 56. col. 2. R. Ionah paid his tithes to R. Acha bar Vlla, not because he was a Priest foreign but because he laboured in the Law, that is, was a great student and an able teacher. They that suppose that the tithes under the Law were paid only at the Temple, and to maintain the Priests in the ceremonious worship there, and upon this conceit look upon them only as Leviticall, are farre deceived: for as some were indeed paid at the Temple upon such an account, so others and that the greatest part, we paid to the Priests and Levites in their 48 Universities, Iosh. 21. to maintain them whilest they were studying there, to inable them for the Ministry, and to teach the people, for which they were designed, Deut. 33.10. Mal. 2.7. and when they were dispersed through the Land, into the severall Synagogues to be Ministers in them, tithes were also paid for their maintenance there.
He speaketh of provision to be made for poor widows, even much according to the Jews own rules, that they went by in their Synagogues, which herein were good. The Talmudick Treatise Ievamoth speaketh of this matter at large, and see Maym. in foreign per. 18. & 20. The widows he allows to be taken in, to be maintained of the publick stock, he would have not to be widows by divorce, nor widows young; but of 60 years of age, and of grave and holy qualifications: Not that these were to vow the vow of continency [as see what a miserable ado the Rhemists make upon this place] but that they must be such as were likely to bring no more charge then themselves upon the Church, nor bring any shame or reproach by the lightnesse of their lives to it, and might be serviceable in their places, to attend upon strangers, to wash their feet, &c. But as for younger widows, their age and those times were dangerous, when the Nicolaitan doctrine without [which taught communicating with things of Idolatry and fornication, and mixing and marriage indifferently with heathen] meeting with the heat of youth within, might make such to wax wanton against Christ, and deny the faith and marry with Heathens: or at least to bring charge upon the Church if they continued in it.
He injoyns prayers to be made for all sorts of men, whereas the Jewish custom was, to curse the Heathen, and to pray for none but themselves and their own Nation. He cals the Church the pillar and ground of truth, Chap. 3.15. the very title by which the great Sanhedrin was ordinarily stiled. Vid. Maym. in Mamrin. per. 1. the observing of which may be of good use for the explanation of it here.
After some stay in Macedonia, and preaching up and down in those parts, Paul turns back again, and goes for Greece, Act. 20.2. and by the way visiteth Creete and there leaveth Titus, Tit. 1.5. thinking that he should presently after a little stay in Greece, have set towards Ierusalem, and that Titus should have staied there till further time: For if what hath been spoken lately concerning Titus be considered, how Paul sent him with his first Epistle to the Corinthians, and that after their parting at Ephesus upon that occasion, they never met till Titus cometh up to him, when he was come from Ephesus to Macedonia, 2 Cor. 7.5, 6. it will readily resolve, that in that first journey to Macedonia he left him not in Creet, for Titus and he were not yet met again since their parting at Ephesus. And that he left him not there at his second coming up to Macedonia [namely after his travelling in Greece, and when he was prevented of his intended journey into Syria, Act. 20.2, 3.] it is apparent also by this, that instantly upon his return from Greece and from his prevented journey, he sendeth for Titus to come to him upon warning, Tit. 3.12. which two particulars joyntly observed do make it plain that he left Titus in Creet when he came back from Macedonia in his journey into Greece, and when he intended after his perambulation of Greece to have gone for Syria, but the lying in wait of some Jews for his life, turned him again to Macedonia.
In his return thither, or upon his coming there, he writeth
THE EPISTLE TO TITVS.
It is not much materiall to controvert whether he sent this Epistle in the way as he went towards Macedonia, or when he was come up into Macedonia; it is enough to know, that it was in this scantling of time, either in his journey thither, or instantly upon his coming there. The postscript hath dated it from Nicopolis, because of his words in Chap. 3.12. Come unto me to Nicopolis, for there I have determined to winter: from which words, as the affixer of the postscript hath gathered some ground to date it thence, so others have gathered better ground, to hold that it was not dated thence, because he saith not foreign Here, but foreign There I have determined to winter: as if he were not yet come thither.
Who first planted the Gospel in Creete may he an endlesse inquiry: certain it is that some Cretans were present at the first powring out of the holy Ghost in the gift of tongues, Acts 2.8. but whether they embraced the Gospel and returned with it into their own Country, is an inquiry as endlesse: Whether Barnabas ever preached there we may question also, but when we have done all we can never resolve. It is more then probable that Paul was there himself, from that expression I left thee in Creete, but his stay there when he left Titus could not be long, as is easily cleared from the time of his journeys lately mentioned.
Whether he had been there some time before, or whether he had sent the Gospel thither by some of his Ministers, or however it came there, there wanted something to the constituting of the Church, which he leaveth Titus to accomplish: And his work is just the same that he left Timothy at Ephesus for, as is easily seen by laying together the two Epistles, viz. to stop the mouth of the Heterodox, and to direct and advise the Orthodox in Doctrine and Discipline, and to ordain Elders or Ministers in the Churches.
This matter of ordaining Elders hath made the postscripts of the Epistles to these two men to intitle them Bishops, the one of Ephesus, and the other of Creete, who how little they stayed or setled in either of these places, he readeth but dimly that seeth not.
The Apostle in this Epistle urgeth him to dispatch the businesse that lay before him, that upon notice from him, he might be ready to come up to him to Nicopolis: a City that bare the name and badge of the victory that Augustus obtained against Antony. Dion. Cass. pag. 426. & 443.
Titus according to his appointment came to him, and when winter began to draw over, and Paul began now to think of journying ere it were very long, he sends him upon an imployment to another place: which because it was when winter was going off, we must place it in another year.
WORLD.
CHRIST. LVI NERO. II A New year being now entred, and Paul intending for Syria as soon as the Spring was a little up, he sendeth Titus before hand to Corinth, to hasten their collections for the Saints in Iudea, that they might be ready against Paul should come thither. And with Titus he sendeth two other brethren, and by them all he sendeth