Pastoral epistles

The pastoral epistles are a group of three books of the canonical New Testament: the First Epistle to Timothy (1 Timothy), the Second Epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy), and the Epistle to Titus. They are presented as letters from Paul the Apostle to Timothy and to Titus. However, many scholars believe they were written after Paul's death. They are generally discussed as a group and are given the title pastoral because they are addressed to individuals with pastoral oversight of churches and discuss issues of Christian living, doctrine and leadership. The term "pastorals" was popularized in 1703 by D. N. Berdot and in 1726 by Paul Anton.^[1] Alternate nomenclature for the cluster of three letters has been proposed: "Corpus Pastorale," meant to highlight the intentional forgery of the letters as a three-part corpus,^[2] and "Letters to Timothy and Titus," meant to emphasize the individuality of the letters.^[3]

^ Donald Guthrie, (2009), "The Pastoral Epistles," Inter-Varsity Press, ISBN 978-0-8308-4244-5, p. 19; Guthrie is referring to David Nicolaus Berdot, Exercitatio theologica-exegetica in epistulam S. Pauli ad Titum (Halle, 1703), and Paul Anton, Exegetische Abhandlung der Pastoral-briefe Pauli an Timotheum und Titum, im Jahr 1725. und 1726. öffentlich vorgetragen (ed. Johann August Majer; 2 vols.; Halle: Wäysenhaus, 1753–55).
^ This nomenclature appears to have been first proposed by Peter Trummer, “Corpus Paulinum—Corpus Pastorale: Zur Ortung der Paulustradition in den Pastoralbriefen,” in Paulus in den neutestamentlichen Spätschriften: Zur Paulusrezeption im Neuen Testament (ed. K. Kertelge; Quaestiones Disputatae 89; Freiburg: Herder, 1981), 122–45.
^ Influential in this regard is Philip H. Towner, The Letters to Timothy and Titus (New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), esp. 88.

[1] Donald Guthrie, (2009), "The Pastoral Epistles," Inter-Varsity Press, ISBN 978-0-8308-4244-5, p. 19; Guthrie is referring to David Nicolaus Berdot, Exercitatio theologica-exegetica in epistulam S. Pauli ad Titum (Halle, 1703), and Paul Anton, Exegetische Abhandlung der Pastoral-briefe Pauli an Timotheum und Titum, im Jahr 1725. und 1726. öffentlich vorgetragen (ed. Johann August Majer; 2 vols.; Halle: Wäysenhaus, 1753–55).

[2] This nomenclature appears to have been first proposed by Peter Trummer, “Corpus Paulinum—Corpus Pastorale: Zur Ortung der Paulustradition in den Pastoralbriefen,” in Paulus in den neutestamentlichen Spätschriften: Zur Paulusrezeption im Neuen Testament (ed. K. Kertelge; Quaestiones Disputatae 89; Freiburg: Herder, 1981), 122–45.

[3] Influential in this regard is Philip H. Towner, The Letters to Timothy and Titus (New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), esp. 88.

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