Leadership Succession In The World Of The Pauline Circle (new Testament Monographs)

Since New Testament times, the discussion of leadership succession in the church has always been polemical. But what the New Testament, especially in the Pastoral Epistles, means in speaking of succession deserves a more sober investigation in the light of the literary tradition about succession in the ancient Mediterranean world. How is succession actually depicted in Graeco-Roman texts and in Jewish and early Christian texts of that world? This book undertakes, for the first time, a thoroughgoing analysis of the evidence, deftly laying out the data from a wide range of Greek and Roman writers. The question then becomes how the early readers of the New Testament, conditioned by prior knowledge of such epistolary and other literary conventions, would have interpreted Paul's relationship with his delegates like Timothy and Titus, and how they would have conceived the ministry portrayed in the Pastorals as passing from a leader to a successor. Stepp's study has important implications both for our understanding of the ancient Mediterranean world and for our conceptions of ordination and ministry in the New Testament. LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION IN THE WORLD OF THE PAULINE CIRCLE......Page 4 CONTENTS......Page 8 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES......Page 10 PREFACE......Page 14 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 16 1 INTRODUCTION......Page 18 1. Justification of this Study......Page 19 Identification of the Bishops with the Apostles......Page 21 The Responses of the Reformers......Page 22 Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry......Page 23 2. Methodology—Reading from the Perspective of the Authorial Audience......Page 25 Allusions to Literary Conventions......Page 27 Summary......Page 29 3. This Study’s Argument......Page 30 2 THE ANCIENT UNDERSTANDING OF SUCCESSION, PART 1: BACKGROUND AND GRAECO-ROMAN TEXTS......Page 32 1. Describing the Function of Succession......Page 34 2. Graeco-Roman Texts Describing the Function of Succession......Page 36 Texts Describing the Passing on of Leadership/Rule......Page 37 Texts Describing Succession of Headship of Philosophical School......Page 56 Texts Describing Succession of Task......Page 62 Texts Describing Succession of Tradition/Knowledge......Page 64 Texts Describing the Passing on of Possessions......Page 68 3. Summary of Graeco-Roman Texts Describing the Function of Succession......Page 72 1. Succession in Jewish Texts......Page 77 Texts Describing Succession of Leadership/Rule......Page 79 Texts Describing Succession of Tradition/Knowledge......Page 102 Texts Describing Passing on of Possessions......Page 104 3. Summary of Jewish Texts Describing the Function of Succession......Page 105 Texts Describing Succession of Leadership/Rule......Page 108 5. Summary of Christian Texts Describing the Function of Succession......Page 125 4 SUCCESSION IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES, PART 1: FIRST TIMOTHY......Page 128 Evidence of Succession from Christ to Paul......Page 130 2. The Function of the Succession from Christ to Paul......Page 131 Paul Fights for Orthodoxy (i.e. ‘Fights the Good Fight’)......Page 133 Paul Promotes Orthopraxy......Page 142 Paul Oversees the Work of Other Church Leaders......Page 147 Paul as Christ’s Successor in 1 Timothy......Page 150 Evidence of Succession from Paul to Timothy......Page 152 Evidence of Succession from the Elders to Timothy......Page 153 4. The Function of the Successions to Timothy......Page 154 Timothy Fights for Orthodoxy......Page 157 Timothy Promotes Orthopraxy......Page 158 Timothy Oversees the Work of Other Leaders......Page 160 5. Timothy as Paul’s Successor and the Elders’ Successor in 1 Timothy......Page 164 Evidence of Succession from Paul or Timothy to Other Leaders......Page 167 7. The Function of Succession from Paul or Timothy to Other Leaders......Page 168 8. Summary: The Function of Succession in 1 Timothy......Page 169 1. Evidence of Succession from Christ to Paul in 2 Timothy......Page 170 2. The Function of the Succession from Christ to Paul in 2 Timothy......Page 172 Paul Fights for Orthodoxy (i.e. ‘Fights the Good Fight’)......Page 174 Paul Suffers for the Gospel......Page 179 Paul as Christ’s Successor in 2 Timothy......Page 181 3. Evidence of Succession from Paul to Timothy (and on to the Faithful) in 2 Timothy......Page 183 4. The Function of the Succession from Paul to Timothy (and on to the Faithful)......Page 186 Timothy Conducts Himself as a Proper Successor to Paul’s Ministry......Page 187 Timothy Safeguards his Churches......Page 189 Timothy Suffers for the Gospel......Page 190 Timothy Fights for Orthodoxy......Page 191 Timothy as Paul’s Successor in 2 Timothy......Page 193 Summary: The Functions of Succession in 2 Timothy......Page 195 Summary......Page 196 6. Evidence of Succession from Paul to Titus in Titus......Page 197 Summary......Page 198 7. Conclusions......Page 199 6 SUCCESSION IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES, PART 3: READING THE PASTORAL EPISTLES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE AUTHORIAL AUDIENCE......Page 200 1. Titus......Page 201 2. First Timothy......Page 202 3. Second Timothy......Page 205 4. Summary and Conclusion......Page 208 1. Summary of the Evidence......Page 209 Implications of this Study for the Continued Exploration of the Pastoral Epistles......Page 214 Implications of this Study for our Understanding of Christian Ministry......Page 217 3. Avenues for Future Research......Page 222 Primary Sources......Page 225 Secondary Sources......Page 226 INDEX OF REFERENCES......Page 235 INDEX OF AUTHORS......Page 242 1. Introduction -- 2. The Ancient Understanding Of Succession, Part 1 : Background And Graeco-roman Texts -- 3. The Ancient Understanding Of Succession, Part 2 : Succession In Jewish And Christian Texts -- 4. Succession In The Pastoral Epistles, Part 1 : First Timothy -- 5. Succession In The Pastoral Epistles, Part 2 : Second Timothy And Titus -- 6. Succession In The Pastoral Epistles, Part 3 : Reading The Pastoral Epistles From The Perspective Of The Authorial Audience -- 7. Conclusion. Perry L. Stepp. Revision Of Author's Dissertation (ph. D. -- Baylor University, 2002). Includes Bibliographical References (p. [208]-217) And Indexes.