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First Letter to Timothy - Chapter 1
- The 2 Letters to Timothy and the letter to Titus called Pastoral because they give advice on how to run
the church communities. Addressed very personally to close working colleagues, but expected to be read
by their communities. Paul is giving them his authority to continue his work. Unsure of order the 3 were
written in, or even if by Paul himself. Some suggested that Paul was freed from prison in Rome AD 63
and continued his missionary work, including writing the pastoral letters, until his execution AD 67. 1
Tim & Titus also concerned with false teachings. Like every good sermon Paul's letter has a clear
purpose: no good asking "will it do?" - will it do what? Paul is concerned that woolly, circuitous teaching
be avoided, and he keeps returning to his main point: being a Christian is a whole way of life - "genuine
love, good conscience and sincere faith" (v 5). The Christian's whole life must be transformed by the
Gospel, but he must also know how to build up the community in mutual love and support. This includes,
in these letters, living in peace within the culture one is living in. Timothy born in Lystra (Acts 16:1-4).
- 1 Usual intro: Paul, apostle - his authority, and it comes from God, who is our saviour. He works under
the lordship of Jesus Christ, who is our hope - ie his resurrection confirms that we have been saved.
"Hope" focuses on a main theme of this letter.
- 2 Timothy is addressed personally in the closest possible terms: Paul is his father in faith, in the new
Christian family being built up. The new Christian communities can safely place their trust in Timothy
(and Titus). We are not alone in our struggles: not only God's grace to help us, bringing us his peace, but
also the assurance of his mercy, forgiving us our sins. These come from God the Father and from Jesus
Christ. Jesus is our true saviour, not Caesar, and is our true king and lord - essential basis for teaching the
faith. Grace is God's freely given action on our behalf. Mercy means almost the same - added here to
emphasise God's forgiveness, a theme of the letter.
- 3 Appears Paul is having to go to Macedonia (Phillipians) in spite of the problems where Timothy is in
Ephesus. And Paul repeats his authority to charge "certain persons" not to give misleading teaching. No
point in giving them more publicity by giving their names, and certainly not repeating their teaching,
which is referred to in the vaguest terms. No doubt everyone hearing the letter knew exactly who & what
is being referred to! All the early churches suffered hostility from non-Christians, but also from insiders,
with false teachings. And so today. Paul "urged" Timothy to stay behind - perhaps he wanted to continue
working alongside Paul.
- 4 So just vague references to making up complex speculative stories and family trees, perhaps like the
Greek, Babylonian or Indian myths. Cf "Jewish myths & regulations" in Titus 1:14. Or perhaps lineage of
the patriarchs. "Divine training" is God's plan, which we should stick to. The test and danger of these -
and any - false speculations is that they divide rather than unite communities. That must be our test
today: true, honest bible study should not divide believers. The centre of God's revelation is not a myth,
like the many creation myths, but an event: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not complicated or
speculative, but simple truths, even if not easy to live by, but to which we respond in faith.
- 5 Paul states the issue clearly: our aim must be love, based on a pure heart, which has a good conscience,
which needs sincere faith. Not only must Timothy counter the false teachings, but he must show his love
by living a morally upright life. The test of any interpretation of the gospel is therefore: does it lead
hearers to love God and each other? NB This love is an act of will, serving people whatever their
personal merit. If we have a pure heart transformed by God at the centre of our being, we are committed
to serving God. If we have a good conscience we are not weighed down by memories of our past failings.
With a pure heart we must have a sincere faith, trusting God completely. The false speculators were
wrapped up in their own ideas, and not trusting in God's grace.
- 6 Don't lose your way away from these basics into detailed pointless discussions (eg angels on a pin?).
- 7 Attempting to teach the law without understanding what the law is about.
- 8 Yes, the law is good - ie the Jewish Law, including the 10 commandments. But it must be used
properly, otherwise the law condemns you.
- 9 The law is needed to tell us what not to do - and Paul lists acts which break the Commandments. But it
would be a very depressing life if the only guidelines were those which said "danger" or "don't". The law
tells you what not to do, but you need the gospel to say what you should do - a more positive, outgoing
life of service. Christians shouldn't need frequent reminding of the Commandments. Which is why the
Beatitudes effectively replace the Commandments.
- 10 Continues an almost throwaway list of vices - as a teacher you don't need to constantly refer to these.
Although Paul has extended the Commandments somewhat, as Christ did: the 6th is against all non-marital sex behaviour; the 7th prohibits kidnapping, etc. So his earlier list can be seen to be against the
earlier Commandments: putting God first (1st), idols (2nd), taking God's name in vain (3rd).
- 11 Paul is saying yes there are dangers out there, but as a teacher you should concentrate on the gospel,
which is a positive road map. It is the gospel which reveals God's glory. All teaching must be judged by
the glorious gospel, ie that God has acted in Christ to save men, irrespective of the Jewish Law. Perverted
interpretations should be rejected.
- 12 Paul felt responsible for the content of the gospel he was preaching and was concerned to help the
churches he had set up to understand and remain true to it. But he was overwhelmed at how much God
had trusted him with this task, and how undeserving he was. Not a felt sacrifice by Paul, but a great
blessing given to him. So he expresses his deep gratitude to God. Paul illustrates God's willingness to
forgive by himself: from the worse kind of sinner - "chief" sinner - to an apostle. If God can forgive me,
he can forgive anyone, and transform their lives. And Paul knows that the strength he has for spreading
the gospel comes from God and is itself a sign that God considers him trustworthy. Appears very risky
for God to trust his kingdom to fragile, untrustworthy men. Cf Church! God's ways are not our ways - see
genealogy of Jesus! Because of this trust of God in Paul, Paul can in turn entrust his work to others -
including Timothy. This "thanksgiving" section comes later than usual, and - on the surface - gives
thanks for what God has done for Paul, rather than the letter's addressee.
- 13 But like the Jews (Rom 10:2-3), Paul was acting out of ignorance. Paul illustrated the meaning of
grace by how undeserving he was to receive this great gift from God. Ignorance was an excuse for an
unbeliever, but it is not for believers who act against the Lord.
- 14 But God's grace was poured over me, transforming me from the arrogant persecutor to an apostle for
the faith.
- 15 Initial words = "important saying coming". That "Christ came into the world to save sinners" is the
basis of Christian faith, the very heart of the gospel. Faith which assures us that our hope in the future
eternal kingdom of God will not be in vain (Heb 11:1). Even Paul! God reaches out to save all sinners -
including Paul. So Paul knew this truth to be "sure", reliable. He even saved Paul, a "chief" sinner - so he
can save anyone.
- 16 God loves to show how patient and forbearing he is, bringing the most unlikely people to faith. Which
leads to eternal life.
- 17 This passage appears to have been about Paul, but really it is about God, so Paul, thinking about the
tremendous gift God has given him, ends with an outburst of praise for God, a doxology that includes all
4 elements normally found in NT doxologies: "God, King of all ages"; "honor & glory"; "forever &
forever"; and "Amen". Cf hymn: "Immortal, invisible, God only wise". When your thoughts bring you
back to praise and worship, you can be sure God is trusting and equipping you for his service. Hence
worship is important. Emphasis on the "only God" - neither Christians nor Jews believed in more than
one God, even though the Christians saw Christ as God, as well as God the Father, and also the Spirit.
Development of a Trinity theology would take several centuries, but they knew there was only one God.
- 18 "Prophetic utterances" presumably means comments made about Timothy before Paul chose him to
join in his work. Paul repeats his fondness for Timothy as his "child" or "son" in faith, unusually
repeating the addressee's name, and charges Timothy to do the needed work for he faith. And to do so he
must be personally committed to the gospel and keep his conscience clear. God advice for all Christian
pastors, when there are so many pressures threatening to lead one astray.
- 19 Most cultures seem to have an idea of conscience which tells people what is right and wrong. Paul
seems to be developing an idea of a Christian view of conscience. He would have stressed that it was
implanted by God, but also that in our weakness we cannot live by our conscience without faith,
accepting grace from God. And so become truly human, in the image of God. The pagan view of
conscience was ok so far as it went, but could not help you to follow its directions. Some people have
apparently stopped following their conscience and so are in danger of wrecking their lives.
- 20 Reminding Timothy of the dangers of not keeping his conscience clear, Paul singles out 2 people in
particular who have failed to do so by blaspheming: they have "been consigned to Satan" - an expression
we have met in 1 Cor 5 meaning to be excommunicated, put outside the Christian community, until they
have learned to behave acceptably, ie educative, not punitive. Without the benefit of the graces available
in the Christian community they would be susceptible to the influence of "the accuser", Satan. Hopefully
after a short time like this they would realise the error of their ways and return to the fold (as in 2 Cor 2).
Paul charges Timothy to hold tight to faith and his conscience - faith which reaches out to God and
conscience to steer you through difficult waters. Both mentioned in 2 Tim: Hymenaeus said that the
(final) Resurrection had already taken place (2 Tim 2:17-18), and Alexander (2 Tim 4:14).References
