Timothy, Titus, Philemon

In this Bible Backroads adventure, we’re going to explore four of Paul’s other letters that made it into the New Testament – 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. What makes these letters a bit different than the others? Well, in these four, Paul wrote to individual people rather than regional churches. As such, they’re more personal in nature. However, like Paul’s other letters, his inspired content still applies to all Christians, in all churches, even to this day.

Paul wrote two letters to Timothy that became part of the Bible’s New Testament. In the first, written sometime between 64 and 66 AD, Paul encouraged Timothy in his leadership role at the church of Ephesus. That letter instructed Timothy on church doctrine, church leadership, and church administration. Basically, it was an instruction manual on how to run a Christian congregation. While some of the church issues were brand new at the time, they still apply today.

Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy shortly before his death in about 67 AD. Imprisoned in Rome, Paul recognized that his life was nearing its end, so he drafted his “last words” to Timothy. Paul didn’t focus on his own circumstances; rather, he focused his concern on all the churches he planted over the years. In the end, Paul used this last letter to encourage Timothy (and all believers) to persevere in their faith and continue proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Titus was a Gentile who was led to faith in Jesus Christ by Paul. According to the Book of Acts, Titus was later drawn to Paul’s ministry and became one of his co-workers, accompanying Paul and Barnabas from Antioch to Jerusalem. At the Jerusalem Council, Titus would have been a prime example of an early Gentile Christian. Titus was living proof that the rules and rituals of Judaism were unnecessary for salvation through Jesus Christ.

At the request of Paul, Titus led the church on the island of Crete. Just like he did with Timothy at Ephesus, Paul later wrote a letter to Titus on Crete that made its way into the New Testament. The “Epistle of Paul to Titus” (as it’s sometimes known in our Bibles) was written in about 66 AD to reassure Titus in his pastoring role on Crete. While Paul’s letter warned Titus about the reputations of those living on the island, it also encouraged him to work hard to find good leaders to help him run the church there.

Philemon was a first-century Christian who lived in Colossae. As you might recall from our series on the Colossians, Colossae was located about 120 miles east of Ephesus, near the sister cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis. Today, the ruins of ancient Colossae sit within an archaeological mound known as a tel, just waiting to be uncovered.