The Two Epistles to Timothy:
THESE ARE ACTS WRITINGS
The Two Epistles to Timothy:
These are Acts Writings.
A Follow-up of previous articles in this topic.
JAN LILLEBY
You may already have noticed that I have articles in my web site on the Pastoral Epistles of Paul, written years ago.
Proving that they all were written during Acts period, which was before Paul had his revelation of the Mystery and that the Law of Moses was abolished (Eph. 2:14, 15; Col. 2:14). I also published writings of Irene Walther in this regard. Very systematic and in full University-standard, with a word-by-word scrutiny. Much like that of Charles Welch’s way of systematizing things.
At that time, I was unfortunate to overlook a strong proof of this Bible truth, in that I did not notice well enough the importance of Paul’s opening greetings in Colossians!
The truth is actually ‘Hidden-in-plain-sight’ as we say. Staring at you… without you grasping the important truth presented there. I shall explain.
The dispute among Acts-28 believers has been whether such epistles as Philippians, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus – were written pre-Acts 28 or post-Acts.
Both E.W. Bullinger and Charles Welch, and also Stuart Allen, and other followers of the three – including Oscar Baker, all held the listed epistles as post-Acts and thus to be part of faith doctrine for the Church dispensation.
I think I have proven otherwise.
And the ‘Nail-in-the-coffin’ will be this latter ‘discovery’ which I missed when I wrote the previous articles:
We find that Timothy was present with Paul as he wrote Colossians! So, why would Paul ever try to write pastoral exhortations to him if he actually sat face-to-face with the apostle in the jail house in Rome? As the revelation of the Mystery was just a few days old. Ephesians and Colossians are held as ‘Twin-epistles’ by scholars…written both within just a couple days or so. They are considered as circular writings, and were to be read in all the assemblies in the districts of Ephesus, Hierapolis, Laodicea, Colossae and others. If Timothy was present when Paul wrote Colossians, then he was there also when Ephesians was written. Paul told him of the Mystery revelation face to face, and thus we know that the two epistles to Timothy never held anything regarding the Mystery.
Col. 1:1, 2, - AMP Bible net version,
«1Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2To the saints and faithful believers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father.”
These two short verses, containing Paul’s AND Timothy’s greetings to the Colossians hereby kills the entire dispute on 1 and 2 Tim. being Acts-writings. They certainly were!
ONLY TWO WRITINGS HOLD THE MYSTERY REVELATION
Sometimes we must have a look at what is not present in certain Biblical writings, - more than what is present there.
Such as in this present case.
We have to ask, “What cannot be found or seen in Philippians, 1 and 2 Tim, and Titus?”
The answer is quite simple really, - we cannot find any clue of the two most important factors taught by Paul in Ephesians and Colossians, namely the abolishing of the Law of Moses; and the mention of the Mystery revealed to Paul. These two factors HAS TO BE PRESENT if a writing is a post-Acts work or not.
Of course, Philemon is a clear exemption since this contains no doctrine of faith. It is rather to be held as a display of how Paul took responsibility for the fugitive slave, Onesimus, and compensated Philemon for his loss. It was written post-Acts for sure. Paul actually wrote same type of greeting to him as he wrote to Colossians,
“Paul, a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), and our brother Timothy,” Phil.v. 1.
These three epistles were written during a few days interval only, and Timothy was present with Paul in the same interval of days.
The simple conclusion is then: Only Ephesians and Colossians contain these two important Bible facts: The Law abolished and the Mystery revealed. End of dispute.
I will friendly appeal to my fellow Acts-28 believers out there: Please do retract or re-write any material published in favor of these epistles (Philippians, 1 & 2 Tim. and Titus) as being post-Acts epistles, for these are not. The Law of Moses was in effect as well as the New Covenant offered to Israel by the return of Christ at Israel’s repentance. Even the known aspect of works together with Law as it was in Acts-period can be seen in these writings. It crashes with the Mystery revelation of faith and NO works. Eph. 2:8, 9.
If you are a true Acts-28 believer, you certainly would not like to drag the abolished Law of Moses with you when preaching Christ and His free Grace Gospel!
There exists a dispute regarding the time-aspect though. Some hold to the year 63 CE regarding Paul in his (second) prison in Rome writing Ephesians and Colossians, while other scholars anticipate it can have been 64-65 CE – after the great city fire, when Emperor Nero in his rage mass-arrested ‘suspects’ to punish them for that fire. History tells of Nero lighting up his big garden with martyrs nailed to poles and set to burn. We have seen document-dramas on TV of this horror. But such dispute cannot rock the very truth of Timothy being present with Paul in the exact time that Paul wrote his new revelation in his two Church epistles, Ephesians and Colossians.
Gracepano.com
