Dear Paul - an idea for a new type of commentary

Jeremiah 28:1-29:32
1 Timothy 1:1-20
Psalm 86:1-17
Proverbs 25:17

OK, I know from the stats that there are one or two people who actually read this stuff I have been putting up here, so I want to ask you all about an idea for a book that I have had for a while now related to Paul's letters.  Most of his letters seem to be in response to a letter or message sent by someone else to him to complain about something or tell him about a worrying situation, etc.  What we have in Paul's letters are often the replies that he gave but we do not have the original letter sent by the people in Corinth or Ephesus or wherever.

Normal commentaries on Paul's letters go through what he says line by line and by some very clever detective work piece together the original concerns of Paul's readers so that they can then go on to cast light on some of the trickier things that someone like Paul comes out with.  The problem is that commentaries are often dry, dull and textbook-like rather than having the flow and immediacy of a letter.

Get to the point William...

The point is, what if you did all the detective work and then used your imagination to make up a letter as an introduction to Paul's letter that would help a reader understand some of the trickier things that Paul is saying and why he is saying them?  Do you think that would help or would it only confuse the situation more?  The imaginary letters could be called "Dear Paul" and be full of the questions that Paul seems to be answering in his very real replies.

Here's a first draft for 1 Timothy chapter 1 (and not a very well written one at that) of the kind of thing I mean.  It is an imaginary letter from the young church leader Timothy, he was half Jewish with a Greek father and a Jewish mother and seemed to struggle quite a bit in his work.  What do you think?  Answers on a postcard please to...

Dear Paul

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.  Greetings from the church in Ephesus. 

I thank God for you in my prayers every day because you have been like a father to me in the faith.  My mother and grandmother send you their greetings also, they have been a great help to me here since they joined me last summer. 

Despite their help I have to confess that I still miss your wise advice, especially when it comes to dealing with matters of authority and leadership here in the church.  I will be honest with you, there are times when I feel out of my depth here as a church leader and I have been tempted more than once to leave and return home.  Only your urging while we were in Macedonia that I should stay has kept me here.

I think the main issue for me is the feeling that compared to many of the other Jewish teachers here I feel like I am spiritually very poor and very immature.  I have neither their ready familiarity with the Law nor the sound family background of some of the more aggressive Jewish teachers.

They can recite the Law of Moses to support every one of their arguments in a way I could never do and they continual remind me that my father was a gentile, telling all who will listen that I was born in sin.  To tell the truth, compared to them, I feel sinful, do you think God can still use a man as sinful as me in this work?


Here is the text of chapter 1 for comparison.



 1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.
 2 I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.

   May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

 3 When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations,[a] which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.[b]
 5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. 6 But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.

 8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[c] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.

 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

 18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.