2 Timothy and Titus

       2 Timothy and Titus are virtually identical in purpose, scope, authorship, and date to 1 Timothy. Our examination of these two epistles will, therefore, be brief (see the introduction to 1 Timothy). 2 Timothy may have, however, been written after Titus. The time frame is difficult to establish with certainty because the two letters are so similar. It is not impossible that they were written mere weeks or months apart. Since we have already discussed the pseudonymity of 1 Timothy and its purpose, we will here examine only the outline of both of these letters.
       2 Timothy, like 1 Timothy, was written to confute the false teachers and help the church achieve some level of minimal organization. Here is its outline:

1- Greeting (1:1-5)
2- Encouragement to Faithfulness (2:1-13)
3- True v. False Teachings (2:14-3:9)
4- Final Words of Encouragement (3:10-4:8)
5- Practical Challenges to Authentic Doctrine (4:9-18)
6- Close (4:19-22)

       Likewise, the letter to Titus strives to establish a young pastor in his office.

1- Greeting (1:1-4)
2- Church Structure (1:5-9)
3- Beware of False Teaching (1:10-16)
4- The Household Code (2:1-10)
5- Jesus Influence on our Daily Lives (2:11-3:11)
6- Conclusion (3:12-15)

ASSIGNMENT: Read Philemon, and Brown's Introduction, chapter 21.