First and Second Timothy and Titus are designated Pastoral Letters because they deal with leadership and organizational issues of the early Christian community. Probably written after the death of Paul, they nevertheless express what Paul himself would have and could have written to community leaders. Second Timothy gives the greatest amount of biographical material we have about Paul. The Letter to Philemon, a miniature but authentic Pauline Jewel, is a masterpiece of persuasion regarding a slave's freedom. Terence J. Keegan's perceptive commentaries on these precious remnants of first century Christianity provide information and insight regarding the gradual growth of the church. There are pertinent lessons here for today's shepherds and their flocks. Comprehensive and understandable, the New Collegeville Bible Commentary series brings the timeless messages and relevance of the New Testament to today's readers. With recent scholarship, this series provides vital background and addresses important questions such as authorship and cultural context. The New Collegeville Bible Commentary includes New American Bible translation and will appeal to preachers, teachers, Bible study groups, and all Bible readers.
