Every physician understands the need for integrity in investigating and reporting medical advances. Misinformation in medicine has cost patients their lives. Even more so, I recognize the importance of integrity in investigating and reporting on spiritual matters and the life-giving Word of God. Misinformation may be counted costly in an eternal perspective. Indeed, “the mysteries of medicine are much less profound than the eternal themes that are woven into the fabric of the Word of God” (cf. Acts 8:30-31).



I am responsible to teach the word of God correctly, because if people are led astray, I will have to bear that responsibility (cf. James 3:1; Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2). One day, I will have to give an account to Him just how straightforward I was in handling His word of truth. I have made every effort in love to conscientiously critique others’ endeavors in reviewing Paul’s message, to carefully investigate what Paul is saying in the Pastoral Epistles, and to write a methodical report to you, the reader.



During this study, I have encountered numerous ‘off the mark’ teachings, which belittle many aspects of the gospel of truth, Jesus Christ as Lord. I trust this study will bring glory and honor to him. I was astonished during my research that I found that what has been written regarding the Pastoral Epistles is not only good, but bad, and even ugly. The three Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) are semblative to three Old Testament books of the Law (Deuteronomy, Numbers, and Joshua, in that order, respectively) forming a rhetorical paradigm. The “trustworthy sayings” of the Pastorals have their origin directly from these Old Testament books.



Paul has written in the style of the Greeks with the rhetorical paradigm in the earliest Hebraic Midrash that has been discovered, right under our noses. This is a finding that is of utmost importance. Paul uses a paradigm of the Israelites' inheritance of land in those Old Testament books for Christ followers' inheritance of eternal life in the Pastoral Epistles.



I've placed each parallel adjacent to each other from the respective books. Where I've found them alike, I've placed the Greek from the Septuagint and the New Testament for comparison. No doubt, more will be found. I don’t know why others have not been subservient to or apprehended an equivalent interpretation, but I trust this publication has been granted at the right time and that I am truly “skilled in teaching” (2 Timothy 2:24) through the fresh guidance of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, ancora imparo, “I am still a learner.”



My prayer is that this announcement is not seen as some exotic teaching of my own because I have nothing except Christ alone and that is a gift of God (cf. 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5), a mystery in times past. My hope is that this proclamation will be as a “Timothy” sent to you, faithful in the Lord, reminding you of the way of life in Christ Jesus (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:17), and that God works in me before he works through me so that what I have partaken (or will partake of) (cf. 2 Peter 1:4) I might be able to impart.



This paradigm is part of a larger picture however. It is combined with the rhetorical enthymeme and maxim after the style of Aristotle, but those can be found in my other writings. For those skeptics in the crowd, compare 2 Timothy 3:8 with Numbers 22:22 and then look at the endnote associated with that comparison in the back of the book. That should seal it for you...