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The Present Age in the Eschatology of the Pastoral Epistles
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2009
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Recent attempts to explain the theology of the Pastoral Epistles are generally agreed that the present age looms large in the thought of the author. But there is less concord regarding the significance of this leitmotif for the message of these letters as a whole, and none have shown in detail the factors which go into the formulation of this theme. As to the first matter, it is usually noted that the present age is the age of salvation. But can a partial understanding of how the author portrays this present age guarantee a clear picture of his full conception of the nature of salvation? For example, Dibelius and Conzelmann ostensibly suggest that the stress on the present age is a concomitant to the delay of the parousia, which more or less required the church to reconcile herself to a long stay in the world. At the same time, the epiphany schema, which plays a part in directing attention to the present age, leads them to what may be generally termed an ‘early catholic’ explanation of salvation which locates salvation almost wholly in the past Christ event: ‘… salvation in the future appears to be nothing but the shadow of this past epiphany’. But there is more to be considered than just the epiphany schema if the author's understanding of the present age and the salvation connected with it are to be perceived aright. Equally, the almost foregone conclusion in some quarters that the delay of the parousia led to a removal of any vivid expectancy of the event in the mind of our author requires a fresh and balanced reappraisal, especially in view of the potential role it could play within the theological structure of his thought. In short, the kind of approach and explanation of Dibelius and Conzelmann and others seems to centre on a conspicuously slender portion of the evidence, and is therefore rightfully challenged.
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[1] Dibelius, M. and Conzelmann, H., The Pastoral Epistles, Hermeneia (Philadelphia, 1972) 8–9Google Scholar; Lips, H. von, Glaube-Gemeinde-Amt, FRLANT 122 (Göttingen, 1979) 87–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Trummer, P., Die Paulustradition der Pastoralbriefe, BET 8 (Frankfurt, 1978) 228Google Scholar; Oberlinner, L., ‘Die “Epiphaneia” des Heilswillens Gottes in Christus Jesus. Zur Grundstruktur der Christologie der Pastoralbriefe’, ZNW 71 (1980) 192–213CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Merk, O., ’Glaube und Tat in den Pastoralbriefen’, ZNW 66 (1975) 91–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar The problems related to the question of the authorship of these letters are numerous and far from solved In our judgment, however, alternatives to Pauline authorship of the Pastorals continue to fall short of convincing, especially in view of the external attestation of their authenticity. See especially Spicq, C., Les Épitres Pastorales (Paris, 4 1969) 157–214.Google Scholar
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[48] Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 191; Bultmann and Lührmann, ‘φαίνω’ 8.
[49] Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 191: ‘… die Erinnerung an diese Ereignisse mit einem Kult in Zusammenhang gebracht wird’. ibid. n. 18: ’Die ⋯πιφάνεια geschieht nicht im Kult, sondern kann einem Kult begründen’.
[50] Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 191; but see Deissmann, , Light, 375Google Scholar (and discussion by Lührmann, 191 n. 19). Έπιφανής is found in this connection (Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 192–3), but as Nock, A. D. (‘Notes on the Ruler-Cult, I–IV’, JHS 48 (1928) 40CrossRefGoogle Scholar) points out: ‘Έπιφανής as a divine epithet does not normally describe a deity incarnate and regularly visible in the person of a king; it implies rather the making of sudden ⋯πιφανεīαι, appearances in person or manifestations of power. A god or divine king is ⋯πιφανής, when he by his ⋯πιφανειά [sic] produces some striking result. A king may show his superhuman powers in healing or again in controlling the weather, but his normal field is war’.
[51] Deissmann, (Light, 375Google Scholar n. 3) offers only one possible case in which ⋯πιφάνεια is supposed to be synonymous with παρουσία; viz. Inscriptions of Cos 391, where Caligula's accession is in view. Paton, W. R. and Hicks, E. L. (The Inscription of Cos, Oxford, 1891, 281Google Scholar) suggest: ‘his accession is called an “epiphany”, because he wished to be regarded as an incarnate god’.
[52] See especially 2 Macc 3. 24; 5. 24 (probably); 12. 22; 14. 15; 15. 27; 3 Macc 2. 9; 5. 8, 51. See the discussion in Bultmann and Lührmann, ‘φαίνω’, 9; Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 193–6; Pax, , Epiphaneia, 159–60.Google Scholar
[53] Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 195–6.
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[55] Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 197, 198.
[56] ibid., 198; Bultmann and Lührmann, ‘φαίνω’, 10.
[57] See especially the substantiation of this view by Harris, M. J., ‘Titus 2:13 and the Deity of Christ’, in Pauline Studies: Essays presented to F. F. Bruce, eds., Hagner, D. A. and Harris, M. J. (Grand Rapids, 1980) 262–77.Google Scholar
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[59] Oberlinner, ‘Epiphaneia’, 200–1; see also Merk, ‘Glaube’, 91–102, esp. 98–100; Hasler, ‘Epiphanie’, 199–200.
[60] Oberlinner, ‘Epiphaneia’, 201.
[61] For a detailed discussion of the author's already/not yet understanding of salvation, see Towner, ‘The Structure of the Theology and Ethics in the Pastoral Epistles’, chapter three.
[62] See also Trummer, , Paulustradition, 201Google Scholar; Lips, , Glaube, 89Google Scholar; Bultmann and Lührmann, ‘φαίνω’, 10.
[63] Oberlinner, ‘Epiphaneia’, 202–3, depending on Pax, , Epiphaneia, 233–4.Google Scholar
[64] Lührmann, ‘Epiphaneia’, 198.
[65] E.g. Phil. 2. 7–8; Gal 4. 4–5; Rom 8. 3; Heb 2. 14; 1 John 4. 10; 1 Tim 3. 16; 2 Tim 1. 10; John 12. 27.
[66] See the connection of proclamation of the gospel with the traditional statements in the Pastorals, which are generally given to enunciating the historical Christ event and salvation. See also Towner, ‘The Structure of the Theology and Ethics in the Pastoral Epistles’, chapter three.
[67] It is the interest in preaching the gospel in the surrounding context that leads to the addition of δι⋯τοṽ εύαγγελίου.
[68] Pax, , Epiphaneia, 239Google Scholar Bultmann and Lührmann, ‘φαίνω’, 10; Dibelius, and Conzelmann, , Pastoral Epistles, 104.Google Scholar
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[70] Windisch, ‘Christologie’, 223–6.
[71] ibid., 225.
[72] ibid., 224
[73] ibid.
[74] See note 20.
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[76] See Harris, ‘Titus 2:13’, 264.
[77] The same arguments hold in answering Hasler (‘Epiphanie’, 201). He maintains that the ‘epiphanies’ are merely manifestations of God's power and grace, and secondarily (or not at all) refer to the revelation of Christ. The assumption underlying Hasler's explanation is that all christology in these letters must be subsumed under the author's primary goal to assert God's transcendence. However, the focus on Christ and salvation based on the Christ event (see Towner, ‘The Structure of the Theology and Ethics in the Pastoral Epistles’, chapter three) will not allow this.
[78] Cf. Oberlinner (‘Epiphaneia’, 212) for a similar statement; but his understanding of epiphany is different.
[79] ibid., 200–1.
[80] For a detailed discussion see Towner, ‘The Structure of the Theology and Ethics in the Pastoral Epistles’, chapter four.
[81] Especially noteworthy are those who explain the conception of salvation as a finished or all but finished product in terms of ‘early catholicism’; e.g. Dibelius, and Conzelmann, , Pastoral Epistles, 104–5Google Scholar; Luz, ‘Rechtfertigung’, 376–82. These would argue that the change to a sacramental salvation was brought about by the delay of the parousia.
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