Pastor-Teacher Series: 1 Timothy 4:11-16-Teaching is the One of the Responsibilities of the Pastor-Teacher

The Scriptures teach that the pastor-teacher, i.e. the overseer has four responsibilities that are the means by which he tends and shepherds the flock of God: (1) Study (2 Tim. 2:15) (2) Teach (1 Tim. 4:13) (3) Pray (Acts 6:1-4). (4) Exemplify the Christian way of life (1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:10).

1 Timothy 4:11 Continue making it your habit of commanding as well as teaching these things. (Lecturer’s translation)

“These things” is the immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos, which refers to Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 4:6-10.

“Continue making it your habit of commanding” is the verb parangello (παραγγέλλω), which is used with reference to Paul’s commands in 1 Timothy 4:6-10.

Paul is commanding Timothy to pass along the commands that appear in 1 Timothy 4:6-10 and two are found in 1 Timothy 4:7.

It implies here as it did in 1 Timothy 1:3 that Paul has delegated authority to Timothy to teach these things since his young delegate was to communicate his teaching in this epistle to pastors who were not under Timothy’s authority but Paul’s since he was an apostle.

The verb is a command to exercise the authority of his spiritual gift of pastor-teacher and expresses the idea that Timothy is to stand before the Ephesian Christian community and officially and authoritatively communicate to them all that Paul taught in 1 Timothy 4:6-10.

It is used elsewhere by the apostle with respect to authoritative commands (1 Corinthians 7:10; cf. 11:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; cf. 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 3:4, 6, 10, 12; 1 Timothy 1:3).

The customary present imperative form of the verb implies that Timothy was already about performing this task when this letter arrived from Paul, which is indicated by what Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:3.

“Continue making it your habit of teaching” is the verb didasko (διδάσκω), which speaks of Timothy providing authoritative instruction in the Word of God in a formal setting, namely the public worship service and denotes the preservation and communication of the gospel concerning Jesus Christ.

Thus, Paul is commanding Timothy to authoritatively teach the Ephesian Christian community the Word of God in the public worship service and specifically, Paul’s young delegate is to authoritatively teach all that he taught in 1 Timothy 4:6-10.

As was the case with the customary present imperative form of parangello (παραγγέλλω), the customary present imperative form of the verb didasko (διδάσκω) implies that Timothy was already about performing this task when this letter arrived from Paul, which is indicated by what Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:3.

1 Timothy 4:12 Absolutely no one must look down upon your youth but rather continue making it your habit of causing yourself to be an example with respect to believers by means of speech, by means of conduct, by means of divine-love, by means of faithfulness, by means of purity. 13 Until I do arrive, continue making it your habit of being occupied with the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (Lecturer’s translation)

“Exhortation” is the noun paraklēsis (παράκλησις), which expresses the concepts of exhortation, which is built on the intent of encouraging and blessing another person and is not intended to be a rebuke or critical commentary.

“Teaching” is the noun didaskalia (διδασκαλία), “the act or occupation of teaching, information, instruction, precept, doctrine.”

1 Timothy 4:14 Continue making it your habit of not neglecting that spiritual gift which is in you, which was given for your benefit by means of prophecy accompanied by the laying on of hands by the council of elders. (Lecturer’s translation)

The prohibition “continue making it your habit of not neglecting that spiritual gift which is in you” serves to deny any idea of Timothy neglecting using or exercising his spiritual gift of pastor-teacher.

It denies any idea of Timothy failing to exercise the spiritual authority delegated to him by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit that is expressed through the function of his spiritual gift of pastor-teacher and denies any idea of Timothy not fulfilling his responsibility of exercising his spiritual gift of pastor-teacher.

It does not indict Timothy for neglecting the exercise of his spiritual gift but rather, it indicates that he was being faithful in doing so and simply prohibits Timothy from neglecting the exercise of his gift in the future.

Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 1:3 supports this since it implies that Timothy was carrying out everything he wrote in this epistle and thus, the prohibition here in 1 Timothy 4:14 is simply a reminder to Timothy to continue doing what they talked about before Paul left for Macedonia.

Also, Paul acknowledges in 1 Timothy 4:6 that Timothy was following his accurate teaching.

Furthermore, Paul would not have delegated Timothy such a difficult task as the one in Ephesus unless he felt confident that his young delegate could carry out everything he required of him.

Therefore, the present imperative is simply a reminder to Timothy to continue doing what Paul told him to do before he left for Macedonia.

“Spiritual gift” is the noun charisma (χάρισμα), which refers to Timothy’s spiritual gift, which was pastor-teacher, which is indicated by the commands and prohibitions that Paul issues Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:11-16 that are directed to him personally.

Each of them speak of Timothy fulfilling his four-fold responsibility of studying, teaching, praying and exemplifying the Christian way of life for the Ephesian Christians.

That Timothy has the gift of pastor-teacher is indicated by Paul’s statements to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:13-14, 2:15, 2:24-26, and 3:14-4:5.

The prepositional phrase “by means of prophecy” indicates that when God the Holy Spirit gave Timothy the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, He identified this gift given to Timothy “by means of” a prophecy.

This prepositional phrase refers to the exercise of the temporary or discontinued gift of prophet, however, this time it refers to the prophecy that confirmed and identified Timothy as being given the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher by the Holy Spirit at the moment of his conversion.

The prepositional phrase “accompanied by the laying on of hands by the council of elders” refers to the ordination ceremony of pastors by other pastors through the laying on of hands.

This act indicated that the congregation and the leadership of the church, through the Holy Spirit, were confirming through these pastors that men possessed the gift of pastor-teacher.

Furthermore, it meant that these men were authorized to serve as overseers as a result of consistently manifesting the qualifications for the overseer over an indefinite period of years (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9).

“The council of elders” refers to those pastors who were ordained by other ordained pastors as a result of consistently manifesting over an indefinite period of years the qualifications for the overseer (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9).

1 Timothy 4:15 “Continue making it your habit of meditating upon these things. Continue making it your habit of living according to these things in order that your progress would be evident to everyone. (Lecturer’s translation)

“Continue making it your habit of meditating upon these things” indicates that Paul wants Timothy to continue making it his habit of meditating on the commands and prohibitions that appear in 1 Timothy 4:12-14.

1 Timothy 4:16 Continue making it your habit of paying attention to yourself as well as your teaching. Continue making it your habit of persevering in them because by continuing to make it your habit of doing this, you will deliver both yourself and those who obey you. (Lecturer’s translation)

The first command “continue making it your habit of paying attention to yourself as well as your teaching” refers to Timothy manifesting Christ-like character and exemplifying godliness or the way of godly living.

This would be accomplished by Timothy exercising faith in Paul’s apostolic teaching, which results in obedience to the commands and prohibitions that are found in this teaching.

In other words, it would be accomplished by Timothy continuing to make it his habit of remaining in fellowship with God by obeying the gospel, which is the direct result of faith in the gospel.

Timothy is also to pay attention to himself by keeping short accounts with God by confessing his sins immediately so as to be restored to fellowship, and which fellowship is maintained by obedience to the Word of God, i.e. the gospel, which is the direct result of exercising faith in the Word of God, i.e. the gospel.

This first command implies that Timothy was already executing it, which is indicated by Paul’s statements in 1 Timothy 1:3 and thus, the first command here in 1 Timothy 4:16 is simply a reminder to Timothy to continue doing what they talked about before Paul left for Macedonia.

Also, Paul acknowledges in 1 Timothy 4:6 that Timothy was following his accurate teaching and furthermore, Paul would not have delegated Timothy such a difficult task as the one in Ephesus unless he felt confident that his young delegate could carry out everything he required of him.

Therefore, the present imperative is simply a reminder to Timothy to continue doing what Paul told him to do before he left for Macedonia.

“Your teaching” refers to the content of what the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles taught (1 Timothy 4:1, 6, 13, 16; 5:17; 6:1, 3; 2 Timothy 3:10, 16; 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1, 7, 10).

The second command “continue making it your habit of persevering in them” indicates that Paul is commanding him to persevere exemplifying godliness, i.e. Christ-like character by paying attention to himself, i.e. his conduct and character.

It also indicates that he is commanding his young delegate to persevere in teaching sound doctrine by paying attention to the content of his teaching.