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

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I was not convinced that there is a real problem the author was addressing, and I did not find the argument persuasive. The author should more fully articulate both the position being critiqued as well as the main arguments for this position so that this "response" has a proper context.

Author Response

I have responded to all the comments in the revised manuscript

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments are in the attached form.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Thank you for the comments, I have responded to them in the revised manuscript

Reviewer 3 Report

In line 1 of your introduction, the word "occasion(s)" should be changed to "needs."

In line 3 of your introduction, it would be less awkward to say, "it is a letter purportedly written by Paul to his protege..."

In line 10 of your introduction, the word "import" should be changed to "importance of."

The term "the undisputed Paul" should be changed to "the undisputed Paulines" or "the undisputed letters."

Since there are two letters to Timothy, you need to be clear about which letter you are citing.

Proofread your article to catch minor grammatical errors.

Author Response

Thank you for the comments, I have addressed the issues in the revised manuscript.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

After the author's revisions, the article maintains a similar form and line of argument, but it reads (to this reviewer, at least) in a much improved way.

Small additions of phrases like "in classical times" (p. 3) and "centuries before Paul" (p. 12) recognise that the sources being cited were composed long before Paul. These texts allow readers of 1 Timothy to gain a better appreciation for the ancient world, while the additional markers enable them to do so without being tempted to equate classical Athens with Roman-era Ephesus. The deletion of the references to Jacob, David, and Solomon accomplishes a similar purpose. Given the historical focus of the article, these alterations are important and helpful.

The author has incorporated Korinna Zamfir's article into the discussion and has given particular attention to her use of ancient sources in establishing the environment in which 1 Timothy was composed. The same can be said for the incorporation of  nuanced understandings of authorship in n. 92, such as those found in the works of Paul Foster and Charles Talbert.

In short, the earlier strengths of the article persist. Indeed, from this reviewer's perspective, the strengths shine through more brightly as a result of the further work. The article provides a detailed analysis of the household language in 1 Timothy, while the similarities between the household language of 1 Timothy, the so-called undisputed Pauline letters, and other Graeco-Roman rhetoric may give scholars pause before utilising domestic terminology in authorship arguments about 1 Timothy.