Tlie thoroughly disciplined Christian, instructed in sound doctrine, will deny ' worldly lusts ' and ' live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world ' (Tit 2'=). The frequent occurrence of the term ' godliness ' {eia-i^eia) and its associated forms constitutes one of the features of these Epistles (1 Tim. ten times, 2 Tim. twice. Tit. twice). Outside the Pastorals they are found most frequently in Acts, in which also the phrase ' God- fearers ' {ol a€^6fxetfOi rbv Bedv, ol <po^oO/ievot rhv Q^6v) is used of the proselytes who have discovered in the God of the Christians the true Jahweh and the object of reverent worship leading to a holy life. The terms are also very characteristic of pagan
• For the use of the aorist to express the completeness of an event that may have recurred see F. W. Blass, Grammatih des neuteUainentlichen Griechisch, Gottingen, 1896, § 67 1.
thought in the Hellenistic age. The root idea of the word is reverence, primarily as directed towards God, who is recognized as holy and must receive His due in worship, and then as shown in the con- duct of a man who performs towards others what piety demands. The good man must be godly (euiTf^ijs). His godliness must manifest itself in the performance of practical duties and in goodness towards all men m their several stations. ' Godli- ness' is almost synonymous with the righteousness of the citizen of the Kingdom of God, wlio has the promise both of this life and of that which is to come. It brings contentment with one's lot, and willingness to take all blessings from God's hand, surpassing by this religious motive the old Stoic virtue of contentment or independence of external goods. There was need of the practice of this virtue, because even in the Christian world of Ephesus riches had already become a root of mani- fold evils (1 Ti 6°""*). Other words from the same root peculiar to the Pastorals (with the exception of Ph 4*) are <reixi>6s and aeixv&ri}^ (cf. aWiis, 1 Ti 2'), which signify a reverent type of life becoming to the Christian and winning respect for him from his neighbours (2= 3^-8, Tit 2').
From 'godliness' (evaifieia.) it is not a long step to 'self-control' (cuxppoavi'rj) and its cognates, ten instances of which out of sixteen in the NT occur in the Pastoral Epistles. Self-restraint is a chief virtue for youth, and with reverence is the adorn- ment of pious women (1 Ti 2^ Tit 2'- ''• '''j. Many parallels to tlie three virtues auctipoauvyf, SiKaioairr], evui^eia are to be found in ancient ethics, (roKppoaOvri in particular being the Greek ideal of a harmonious, well-ordered life as opposed to the character divided against itself by its passions. In contrast to the ecstatic worship or ascetic practices of the pagan religions, and even to the inspiration of the primi- tive Christian, the believer of the Pastorals is self-controlled, having disciplined his moral life into reverence and dignity. His character, how- ever, has a supernatural source, Jesus Christ Himself being the fountain of piety, faith, and love (2 Ti 1'* 3'°). But the emphasis is ditt'erent from that of the major Pauline Epistles. There the Christian life is the fruit of the indwelling Spirit, from whom as the outcome of full liberty in Christ springs a splendid luxuriance of virtues. In these Epistles discipline and teaching prune the moral life, which shows itself in a reverent and restrained piety.
7. Relation of the Pastoral Epistles to the other books of the NT.— (i.) The Pauline Letters.— (a) 1 Timothy. — There is undoubtedly a strong Pauline basis underlying this Epistle.
Romans : 7'2 and 1 Ti 18- 9 ; 162? and 1 Ti l" ; 131 and 1 Ti 21. 2 ; 329. 30 66. 10 and 1 Ti 2<- 6- 6 ; 1414 and 1 Ti 4^.
Corinthians: 1 Co 65 and 1 Ti 120; i Co 118.91434 and 1 Ti 211. 12 ; 2 Co 113 and 1 Ti 2i3. 14 ; 1 Co 123 and 1 Ti 41 ; 1 Co I610. n and 1 Ti 412 ; 1 Co 78-9 and 1 Ti 514 ; game quotations in 1 Co 98, 2 Co 131, and 1 Ti 618. 19 ; 1 Co 925. =6 and 1 Ti 6I2.
Ephesians : the conception of ministry, the need of unity and sound doctrine similar in Eph 411-14 and'l Ti 3I-4R ; cf. also Eph 219. 20 and 1 Ti 35- 16 ; 421 and 1 Ti 315. 16 ; 22 and 1 Ti 41 ; ff, and 1 Ti 61.
Philippians : 4" and 1 Ti 112 ; 225 and 1 Ti I'S ; 46 and 1 Ti 2i ; 411- 12 and 1 Ti 6«-s ; 11 and 1 Ti 32-8.
Colossians : 123-27 and 1 Ti li- 4. n. 12 3i»- 16.
These parallels do not exhaust the likene.ss. Only a writer extremely familiar with Paul's writings or thought could have written 1 Ti I8-20 01-7 611-16^ though the distinctively Pauline notes of justification, life in Christ, and the work of the Spirit have been toned down in the Epistle at large. Frequently also a word or conception strange to the Pauline soil is turned up by the critical ploughshare, e.ff. the application of the attribute ' Saviour' to God. Further, the emphasis is changed. ' Teaching,' especially ' healthy ' teach- ing {vyialvova-a SiSax^), is much commoner than in