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The Pauline Churches The Pastoral Epistles appear to have been written in order to ensure appropriate behaviour in the household of God. The aim of this section is to discover any connections between ritual and the concern for control in community life.
Worship and order
An appreciation for the powerful effects of the community gathering for worship underlies various passages in the Pastorals. That the author is aware of the dangerous consequences of false teaching is obvious. The importance which the author gives to the community gathering for teaching is less obvious but, nevertheless, deserves attention. In 1 Tim 4:16, Timothy is warned to take heed to himself and to his teaching, for in doing so he will save both himself and his hearers. Correct teaching is linked to the offer of salvation itself. Words carry the power to save. The instruction to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:14 makes it clear that words can also destroy. He is told to charge the community before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good but only ruins the hearers. Timothy is bestowed with the authority to determine what kind of teaching may be heard in the community. He is called upon to exercise control in the arena of worship. It is probable that the authority entrusted to Timothy acts to legitimate the authority of the community leaders.
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