Results 1 - 9 of 9
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Timothy of age 50 treated as a child | 2 Tim 2:22 | 00123 | 241338 | ||
2 Timothy was written in year 67 and Timothy, born in year 17, was age 50. In the old time, a person of age 50 might have been a grandparent and even today most people of age 50 don't live for youthful lusts. So, why does Paul treat Timothy as an adolescent here and in other verses of the letters to Timothy? | ||||||
2 | Timothy of age 50 treated as a child | 2 Tim 2:22 | Beja | 241339 | ||
00123, Normally I would not answer a question unless I felt I had something worth contributing to its answer. But since your question has remained there for some time, I will instead point out the problems with the question. You assume 3 different things in the question which you have a burden of proving. 1. 2 Timothy was written in year 67 2. Timothy was born in year 17 3. Paul treats Timothy as an adolescent. You are asserting far more than most of your readers are likely willing to grant. It is hard to answer a question where you disagree with its presuppositions. I do not intend for this to come across as any kind of rebuke. I only mean to explain to you why I think no answer is forthcoming. In Christ, Beja |
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3 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | 00123 | 241340 | ||
Beja, Thanks for your kindness. Let me reiterate the questions, then. Do you (or any other reader) know (1) the year when 2 Timothy was written, (2) the age of Timothy at that time, and (3) whether or not Timothy was like one generation younger than Paul (e.g., Paul calls timothy as my son)? | ||||||
4 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | DocTrinsograce | 241341 | ||
Hi, 00123... The designation "agapetos teknon" does not necessarily imply that Timothy was a child (chronologically). As John Calvin states in his commentary on the phrase, "By this designation he not only testifies his love of Timothy, but procures respect and submission to him; because he wishes to be acknowledged in him, as one who may justly be called his son, the reason of the appellation is, that he had begotten him in Christ; for, although this honor belongs to God alone [Father], yet it is also transferred to ministers, whose agency he employs for regenerating us." Although I have assumed that Timothy was younger than Paul (cf Acts 16:1), it always seemed to me that this designation was more a ministerial and affectionate one. Paul used the same phrase in addressing Titus. The pattern of use of father and son in this way was commonly repeated in the early church. It is, perhaps, for this reason that it is retained in the Church of Rome and in Eastern Orthodoxy. In Him, Doc |
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5 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | 00123 | 241344 | ||
Dear Doc, thanks a lot for your kind response, but it didn't answer any of my three questions. | ||||||
6 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | DocTrinsograce | 241345 | ||
It wasn't intended to... I was addressing the Timothy-treated-as-a-child thingy from post #241338. Sometimes when a root issue is dealt with, the questions given rise by it may be made less important. Particularly in this case, since the ages of Paul and Timothy are matters of much scholarly dispute, to say nothing of the dates of pastoral epistles. | ||||||
7 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | 00123 | 241347 | ||
Doc, aren't you a scholar? | ||||||
8 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | DocTrinsograce | 241358 | ||
Hi, 00123... No, I am an engineer. But I have a lot of theology classes under my belt from three different seminaries. I have been gradually working toward an MDIV, but at my age, I am not too interested in completing the degree. But I'll probably be taking courses for the rest of my life. How about you? In Him, Doc |
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9 | Timothy's age | 2 Tim 2:22 | 00123 | 241361 | ||
Doc, You are spending time very wisely. I am a doc, too, but not in medicine or theology (obviously not). I am a mere student who wants to learn the Bible for my faith. | ||||||