TIMOTHY, THE SECOND EPISTLE TO. It is not unlikely that what is now called the Second Epistle to Timothy really preceded what is now known as the First Epistle. " The picture given of Timothy is very hard to accept as historically accurate if this is really later than the first epistle, for he is dealt with as a younger and less strong personality than in the first epistle " (Currie Martin). But in any case, there are the same difficulties of language, teaching, and relationship to the Acts of the Apostles, as in the First Epistle. Attempts have been made to get over some of the difficulties by regarding the Epistle as composite. Two or three letters have been found in it. One theory is that these comprise (a) i. 1-iv. S (with the addition perhaps of iv. 19-21) and (b) iv. 9-IS. Another theory is that they comprise (a) ii. HAIL 9 and (b) iv. 9-15 and 19-21 and (c) the remainder
of the Epistle. The passage ii. 11-13 seems to be part of a Christian hymn. There are not so many references to false teaching as in the First Epistle, and these are in definite. A special feature of the Epistle is the large number of proper names. There are twenty-three, of which ten are mentioned elsewhere. " The letter con tains a very beautiful portraiture of the Christian minister in the twofold aspects of the writer as a man with his course completed, and of the ideal set before the younger preacher with his work largely before him. These remain of permanent value to all time, whatever decision we may come to with regard to the author ship " (G. Currie Martin). See J. A. M'Clymont, G. Currie Martin; Arthur S. Peake Intr.; J. Moffatt, Intr.