Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor

This essay examines the kinship framework and lexemes in the directives for leadership in 1 Timothy, aiming to curb the influence of false teachers and to bolster internal cohesion in the communities. It explores the author’s appeal to household conduct, natural and fictive kinship, and group dynami...

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Main Author: Daniel K. Darko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/2/169
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author Daniel K. Darko
author_facet Daniel K. Darko
author_sort Daniel K. Darko
collection DOAJ
description This essay examines the kinship framework and lexemes in the directives for leadership in 1 Timothy, aiming to curb the influence of false teachers and to bolster internal cohesion in the communities. It explores the author’s appeal to household conduct, natural and fictive kinship, and group dynamics couched in filial parlance vis-à-vis the undisputed Pauline letters. The study sheds light on the authorial framework, and suggests that the notion of a departure from ‘love-patriarchalism’ or egalitarian Paul developing later into hierarchical kinship framework in 1 Timothy may be misleading. It becomes apparent that the letter’s kinship lexemes are consistent with what we find in the undisputed letters. Thus, the pseudonymous author, an associate of Paul, does not appeal to or use kinship lexemes any differently from the undisputed letters or elsewhere in Greco-Roman discourse. This does not establish Pauline authorship, but suggest that the notion that the kinship lexemes reflect an elevated hierarchical institutional development in a post-Pauline era, that is uncharacteristic of Paul in the authorship debate, may need to be reconsidered if not revised.
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spelling doaj.art-39c80edeb0104f9d86d6839073cfa09c2023-11-16T22:59:04ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-01-0114216910.3390/rel14020169Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia MinorDaniel K. Darko0New Testament Faculty, Gordon College, Wenham, MA 01984, USAThis essay examines the kinship framework and lexemes in the directives for leadership in 1 Timothy, aiming to curb the influence of false teachers and to bolster internal cohesion in the communities. It explores the author’s appeal to household conduct, natural and fictive kinship, and group dynamics couched in filial parlance vis-à-vis the undisputed Pauline letters. The study sheds light on the authorial framework, and suggests that the notion of a departure from ‘love-patriarchalism’ or egalitarian Paul developing later into hierarchical kinship framework in 1 Timothy may be misleading. It becomes apparent that the letter’s kinship lexemes are consistent with what we find in the undisputed letters. Thus, the pseudonymous author, an associate of Paul, does not appeal to or use kinship lexemes any differently from the undisputed letters or elsewhere in Greco-Roman discourse. This does not establish Pauline authorship, but suggest that the notion that the kinship lexemes reflect an elevated hierarchical institutional development in a post-Pauline era, that is uncharacteristic of Paul in the authorship debate, may need to be reconsidered if not revised.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/2/169TimothykinshipPaulleadership<i>oikos</i>household
spellingShingle Daniel K. Darko
Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor
Religions
Timothy
kinship
Paul
leadership
<i>oikos</i>
household
title Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor
title_full Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor
title_fullStr Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor
title_full_unstemmed Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor
title_short Kinship and Leadership in 1 Timothy: A Study of Filial Framework and Model for Christian Communities in Asia Minor
title_sort kinship and leadership in 1 timothy a study of filial framework and model for christian communities in asia minor
topic Timothy
kinship
Paul
leadership
<i>oikos</i>
household
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/2/169
work_keys_str_mv AT danielkdarko kinshipandleadershipin1timothyastudyoffilialframeworkandmodelforchristiancommunitiesinasiaminor