Paul and Pseudepigraphy (Pauline Studies, Book 8)

pauline chronology 87

suppose that there are a number of other events such as Pauline trips not

included within it. however, this position is also constrained by the evi-

dence that we do have in acts as well. as a result, whereas one might at

first believe that there is a wide range of possibilities for such a reconstruc-

tion within the acts framework, the possibilities are severely restricted.

according to this view, 1 timothy was written either during a one year

gap between acts 19:20 and 21 or during the time of acts 20:1–2; titus

was written either during this same gap or during Paul’s final moments in

Corinth or as he traveled down the coast of asia minor (acts 20:2–38); and

2 timothy, definitely an imprisonment letter, was written either during

Paul’s Caesarean imprisonment (acts 23:33–26:32) or his roman impris-

onment (acts 28:16–31). Whereas the positing of the one year gap is pos-

sible, especially in light of the fact that we seem to know Paul had contact

with the Corinthians during this time according to the Corinthian letters,

this is not nearly as straightforward an explanation as positing the writ-

ing of 1 timothy during acts 20:1–2. this latter view does not minimize

the problem of how 1 timothy relates to 1 and 2 Corinthians, but it is at

least arguable—or at least as arguable as most other hypotheses—that a

personal letter (or one to a co-worker) on particular topics, such as church

order, possible theological problems, and other issues in ephesus, would

have its own character that would not necessarily affect its relationship to

or the relationships between the Corinthian letters, with their own eccle-

sial problems as letters addressed to entire churches. this appears to be

the major problem with this hypothesis. the problem of the chronological

ordering of titus is less in terms of fitting it within the acts framework,

but it does have the similar problem of how it relates to the other Pauline

letters. if 1 timothy and titus were written at the same time, however,

their similarities as personal letters can perhaps account for their similari-

ties in content and style, although this may necessitate further separation

of 1 and 2 Corinthians by a second letter being written between them.

this continues to pose a problem for this hypothesis. finally, with the lack

of plausibility of both the Caesarean imprisonment as the source of the

prison letters, and the relatively unconvincing explanation of 2 tim 1:16–18

by reicke and robinson, a roman imprisonment appears to be the best

explanation of 2 timothy. the period of two years imprisonment in rome,

including the possibility of changing circumstances from the optimistic

initial period with relative freedom, during which a first defense was

offered, to the more pessimistic later period as the end appears to draw

near, seems to provide at least as plausible a scenario for the writing of all

of the prison letters as any other explanation.