230 linda l. belleville
earle ellis (1987) contended that traditional materials make up at least
forty-one percent of 1 timothy, sixteen percent of 2 timothy, and forty-
six percent of titus.37 James miller went even further to propose that the
Pastorals are a collection of preformed traditions compiled and stitched
together by the author.38 analysis has largely focused on matters of source
and form, while little attention has been given to their Christological or
contextual contribution.39 this has especially been the case regarding
1 tim 1:15,40 2:5, and 3:16.41
A Faithful Saying: 1 Timothy 1:15
1 timothy 1:15 is introduced as a “faithful saying”: πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης
ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν
πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ. the majority of scholarly remarks revolve around the source
of 1 tim 1:15. since there is no exact parallel, suggestions are wide-ranging.
some posit a creedal formula taken from the community’s tradition.42
others think that the wording implies knowledge of the gospels43 or
is a gospel echo.44 still others argue for dependence on a specific pas-
sage such as matt 9:13 (“ ‘i desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ for i came not
37 e. earle ellis, “traditions in the Pastoral epistles,” in C. a. evans and W. f. stinespring
(eds.), Early Jewish and Christian Exegesis: Studies in Memory of William Hugh Brownlee
(atlanta: scholars Press, 1987), 237–53.
38 James d. miller, The Pastoral Letters as Composite Documents (Cambridge: Cam-
bridge university Press, 1997). for a critical review of miller, see ray Van neste, Cohesion
and Structure in the Pastoral Epistles (Jsntsup 280; london: t&t Clark, 2005).
39 mark yarbrough identifies eight criteria by which to discern units of preformed
material and lists twelve passages in 1 timothy that meet his criteria; see his Paul’s Utiliza-
tion of Preformed Traditions in 1 Timothy: An Evaluation of the Apostle’s Literary, Rhetorical,
and Theological Tactics (lnts 417; london: t&t Clark, 2009).
40 see the excursus on πιστὸς ὁ λόγος in Collins, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, 41–45.
41 see especially Werner stenger, Der Christushymnus 1 Tim. 3:16: Eine strukturanaly-
tische Untersuchung (frankfurt: Peter lang, 1977); martin hengel, “hymnus und Christolo-
gie,” in W. haubeck and m. Bachmann (eds.), Wort in der Zeit: Festgabe für Karl Heinrich
Rengstorf zum 75. Geburtstag (leiden: Brill, 1980), 1–23 (reprinted in idem, Studien zur
Christologie: Kleine Schriften IV [Wunt 201; tubingen: mohr siebeck 2006], 185–204); Wit-
mar metzger, Der Christushymnus 1 Timotheus 3,16 (azth 62; stuttgart: Calwer, 1982); Klaus
Wengst, Christologische Formeln und Lieder des Urchristentums (snt 7; gutersloh: mohn,
1972); William h. gloer, “homologies and hymns in the new testament: form, Content,
and Criteria for identification,” Perspectives in Religious Studies 11 (1984): 115–32; robert
h. gundry, “the form, meaning and Background of the hymn Quoted in 1 timothy 3:16,”
in Ward gasque and ralph martin (eds.), Apostolic History and the Gospel (grand rapids:
eerdmans, 1970), 203–22.
42 hanson, Pastoral Letters, 61; Conzelmann, Pastoral Epistles, 29.
43 lock, Pastoral Epistles, 15; towner, 1–2 Timothy and Titus, 145.
44 Knight, Pastoral Epistles, 101–2; Johnson, Pastoral Epistles, 180.