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The Letter of 1st Timothy

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain persons not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing Gods workwhich is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:3-5 Intro. to Pastoral Epistles: The letters to Timothy and Titus have long been called the Pastoral Epistles, under the assumption that they are intended to give instructions to young pastors on church order. These letters do indeed cover such matters; but do not allow this categorical lumping together of the three letters to prevent you from seeing their individual qualities and disctions. Timothy Who? 1 Timothy was a much younger colleague of Pauls who had become his frequent traveling companion and close friend. According to Acts 16:1-3, Timothy was from Lystra, a Lycaonian town in the Roman province of Galatia in south-central Asia Minor. Paul probably met him for the first time during his first missionary endeavor in this area (cf. Acts 13:49-14:25 and 2 Tim. 3:11). It is altogether likely that he and his mother and grandmother became converts at this time. During Pauls second visit in this area (ca. A.D. 49-50), on the recommendation of the local believers (Acts 16:2), he decided to take Timothy along on his travels. But because Timothy was of mixed lineage (Jewish mother and pagan father), and so as not to undermine his mission among Diaspora Jews, he had Timothy circumcised. Paul variously calls Timothy his beloved and faithful son in the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17 NAB; cf.Phil. 2:22; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2) and his fellow worker in the gospel (Romans 16:21; cf. 1 Thess.3:2; 1 Cor. 16:10; Phil. 2:22). As his son, he became Pauls most intimate and enduring companion, who followed him closely (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 3:10-11; cf. 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:2), shared his point of view (Phil. 2:20) and could articulate his ways to the churches (1 Thess. 3:2-3; 1 Cor. 4:17). As Pauls fellow worker, Timothy had been entrusted with three previous assignments to churches: to Thessalonica, ca. A.D. 50 (1 Thess. 3:1-10); to Corinth, ca. A.D. 5354 (1 Cor. 4:16-17; 16:10-11); and to Philippi, ca. A.D. 60-62 (Phil. 2:19-24). He also collaborated in at least six of Pauls letters (1 and 2 Thessalonians, 2 Corinthians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians; cf. Rom. 16:21). In the present letters he is on yet another assignment, this time a most difficult one. He has been left in Ephesus to stop some false teachers who were in the process of undoing the church as a viable Christian alternative for the city. Pauls Prediction As He Left Ephesus: Pauls two-year-plus ministry in Ephesus is described in Acts 19:1-41, 20:17-38. As he bid farewell to the Ephesian leaders, he made the following prediction: 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number some will arise and distort the truth in order to

Gordon D. Fee, (2002) New International Biblical Commentary, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus

draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Acts 20:28-31 1st Timothy General Overview: This letter is the first of the three, written soon after Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus. Having disfellowshipped the ringleaders of the false teaching (1:1920), he left Timothy there while he went on to Macedonia, charging him to stop certain persons [from teaching] false doctrines any longer (1:3). The false teachers are the primary occasion for the letter. The letter as a whole is bracketed by discussion of the false teaching (1:3-20; 6:2-21), and the positive instruction is crafted in direct contrast to the false teachers. The exact nature of the false teaching is unclear. It apparently involved speculation about the law (1:711) and asceticism (4:15). Pauls real concern is with the results of the false teaching for example, promoting speculations (1:4; 6:4), arrogance (6:4), and greed (6:510). Paul addresses the content of the false teaching only in passing but focuses on the fact that true Christianity is evidenced by lifestyles shaped by the gospel. Those whose lives are not shaped by the gospel show that they have turned away from the faith (1:6, 1920; 4:1; 5:6, 8, 1112, 15; 6:910).2 The theme of 1 Timothy is that the gospel leads to practical, visible change in the lives of those who believe it. It is often thought that the theme is church order, but the discussion of church offices is simply a piece of the larger argument that the true gospel, in contrast to false teaching, will always lead to godliness in its adherents.3 In essence, right thinking leads to right living. 1st Timothy is a clear call for the church to live out in tangible ways the ethical implications of the gospel. 1st Timothy Outline:
I. II. Salutation (1:12) Confronting the False Teaching (1:320) A. The charge to deal with false teachers (1:37) B. Proper use of the law (1:811) C. Paul: an example of the effect of the true gospel (1:1217) D. Restatement of the charge to deal with false teachers (1:1820) Descriptions of Gospel-Shaped Living (2:13:13) A. Corporate prayer and issues arising from it (2:115) B. Qualifications for overseers (3:17) C. Qualifications for deacons (3:813) Purpose of Writing: Behavior in the Church (3:1416) Identifying the False Teaching (4:15) How Timothy Should Be Shaped by the Gospel (4:616) How Specific Groups in the Church Should Be Shaped by the Gospel (5:16:2a) A. Respectful dealing with church members by age and gender (5:12) B. Honoring widows (5:316) C. Honoring elders (5:1725) D. Honoring masters (6:12a) Confronting the False Teaching Again (6:2b21) A. False teachers and greed (6:2b10) B. Timothys behavior in contrast (6:1116) C. Charge to the rich (6:1719) D. Closing exhortation to Timothy (6:2021)

Content: an indictment of some false teacherstheir character and teachingswith instructions on various community matters these teachers have brought to crisis, interspersed with words of encouragement to Timothy Author: the apostle Paul (although doubted by many) Date: A.D. 6263, from Macedonia (probably Philippi or Thessalonica), apparently after his (expected) release from the imprisonment noted in Philippians 1:13 and 2:2324 Recipient(s): Timothy, a longtime, younger companion of Paul; and (ultimately) the church in Ephesus (the grace-benediction in 6:21 is plural) Occasion: Paul has left Timothy in charge of a very difficult situation in the church in Ephesus, where false teachers (probably local elders) are leading some house churches astray; Paul writes to the whole church through Timothy in order to strengthen Timothys hand in stopping these straying elders and some younger widows who have followed them Emphases: the truth of the gospel as Gods mercy shown toward all people; character qualifications for church leadership; speculative teachings, asceticism, and love of controversy and money disqualify one from church leadership; Timothy, by holding fast to the gospel, should model genuine Christian character and leadership
Fee, G. D., & Stuart, D. K. (2002). How to read the Bible book by book : A guided tour

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Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible