the problem of the pastoral epistles 161
5:12–27 (7.5 per page).31 This suggests that there is sometimes as much
variety in vocabulary usage in the PE as there is among the non-Pastoral
Paulines, which he shows to be the case in particular for articles, forms of
εἰμί, and even common particles like καί, δέ, and τέ.32 Focusing on Pauline
words missing in the PE, Eta Linnemann argues that many of such words
(or word groups) are used variously among the acknowledged Paulines as
well. Examples include:33
Similarly, Luke Timothy Johnson observes that quintessential Pauline
terms like νόμος, σάρξ, σταυρός, ἐλευθερία/ἐλεύθερος, σωτηρία, and δίκαιος/
δικαιοσύνη/δικαιόω/δικαίωμα/δικαίωσις/δικαίως are used only in some and
not all New Testament letters attributed to Paul. In fact, a typical Pau-
line vocabulary cluster involving “sanctification” language (ἅγιος/ἁγιάζω/
ἁγιασμός/ἁγιωσύνη/ἁγιότης) is present in many of Paul’s letters but want-
ing in Galatians. All this is to say that words can neither be “missed,” nor
contribute to the question of authorship.34
Second-Century Date of the PE
In the history of reception of Harrison’s work, criticism has not only been
directed at the trustworthiness of his statistical argument. It also centered
on his second major point, namely that the language of the PE is closer to
that of second-century writers than to Paul. Both elements of this state-
ment have been challenged.
31 Cf. F. R. M. Hitchcock, “Tests for the Pastorals,” JTS 30 (1929): 276–77; Guthrie, Pas-
toral Epistles, 219; C. Spicq, Saint Paul: Les Épitres Pastorales (4th ed.; 2 vols.; EBib; Paris:
Gabalda, 1969), 1:187–88.
32 Cf. O’Rourke, “Considerations,” 488–90; Mounce, Pastoral Epistles, cxiv.
33 Cf. E. Linnemann, “Echtheitsfragen und Vokabelstatistik,” JETh 10 (1996): 99–109.
34 Cf. Johnson, Timothy, 69–71.
Rom 1 Cor 2 Cor Gal Eph Phil Col 1 Thess 2 Thess Phlm
καυχάομαι κτλ 8 10 29 3 1 3 1
ἀποθνῄσκω 23 7 5 2 1 2 2
περισσεύω κτλ 4 7 21 1 1 6 1 4
φρονέω κτλ 15 3 2 1 1 10 1
σῶμα 13 46 10 1 9 3 8 1
ἄλλος 23 4 2 1 1
οὔτε 10 13 5 5
ἕκαστος 5 22 2 2 5 2 1 2 1
