Pastor-Teacher Series: 1 Timothy 4:12-Exemplifying Godliness for the Congregation 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 4:12 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. (Lecturer’s translation)

This verse is composed of a prohibition and a command.

“Absolutely no one must look down upon your youth” emphatically prohibits anyone in the Ephesian Christian community looking down upon Timothy’s youthfulness.

Paul mentions Timothy’s age here in 1 Timothy 4:12 because he doesn’t want those older than him to not listen and obey him since he is his delegate who is to communicate to the Ephesian church how he wants them to conduct themselves.

Paul would have personally evangelized and taught many in the Ephesian Christian community including those pastors who were teaching false doctrine and those who were not.

Many of the pastors and deacons in the Ephesian Christian community would have been older than Timothy, not to mention those who were not pastors.

Thus, the apostle felt the need to warn those in the Ephesian church who were older than Timothy to not look down upon him because of his young age since he was Paul’s delegate to the Ephesians.

What was at sake, were the commands and prohibitions and teaching that Paul issued in this epistle.

Timothy was Paul’s delegate and was to communicate these commands, prohibitions and instructions to the Ephesian church.

If Timothy’s young age is an issue with some of the older members of the congregation, then, they would not listen to him and obey him consequently not listen to Paul and obey him.

“Absolutely no one must look down upon your youth” indicates that absolutely no one was to disrespect Timothy because of his youth.

This would seem impossible in light of the fact that Paul and Timothy and not even the Holy Spirit could control the attitudes of members of the Ephesian Christian community.

However, the adversative clause that follows instructs Timothy as to how he was to not let the older members of the congregation disrespect him because of his youth.

His godly conduct was to gain their respect.

Timothy was to demonstrate his maturity by living a godly life that would serve as an example for not only those Christians who were older than him but those who were younger as well of course.

Paul’s statements in 1 Timothy 1:3 imply that Timothy was carrying out this prohibition and the command to follow including everything he wrote in this epistle.

Thus, the prohibition and command in 1 Timothy 4:12 are 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.

“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” presents an emphatic contrast with the previous prohibition for Timothy to not allow anyone to look down upon him because of his youth.

Therefore, the contrast is between those older than Timothy looking down upon him because of his youth with that of Timothy providing them an example, and all believers by means of his speech, conduct, love, faithfulness and purity.

The prepositional phrases that follows the verb, namely, “by means of speech, by means of conduct, by means of divine-love, by means of faithfulness, by means of purity” identify how Timothy was to cause himself to be an example for other believers to imitate.

In other words, the apostle wants Timothy to exemplify the Christian way of life.

He is to exemplify what godliness or godly living is all about.

“An example” is the noun tupos, which is used of Christian conduct or behavior that is to be imitated by others.

The term speaks of a model of behavior as an example to be imitated and it speaks of Timothy as a model of behavior as an example to be imitated by the Ephesian Christian community.

It refers to Timothy exemplifying godliness, the way of godliness or in other words, the Christian way of life so that he becomes someone to imitate.

“By means of speech” indicates the means by which Timothy was to cause himself to be an example for the Ephesian Christian community to imitate with respect to godliness.

The godly manner in which Timothy communicates with individuals in the Christian community in Ephesus is to be the means by which he causes himself to be an example for others to imitate with respect to godliness.

It refers to the content of the conversations that Timothy has with the people in the Ephesian Christian community.

It denotes the manner in which he speaks to them.

It is related to the fact that with respect to the Ephesian believers, he does not sin with his words (Ephesians 4:25, 26, 29, 31; 5:4; Colossians 3:8-9).

It also is related to the fact that he speaks in a manner that expresses the love of God by the power of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:25, 29, 32; 5:4, 19, 20; Colossians 3:12, 13, 16, 17).

Timothy’s speech must be based upon the filling of the Spirit, i.e. being influenced by the Spirit, which is the result of accepting by faith the Spirit’s teaching in the gospel, which will result in godly words.

Thus, it refers to the fact that Paul wants Timothy’s speech to be godly, which would reflect the holy standards or godly standards of the gospel.

Paul wants Timothy’s speech, his conversations with people to be consistent with his position in Christ and reflect that which he professes and the holy standards of the gospel.

He is to exemplify godliness through his speech, his conversations.

“By means of speech” is related to Timothy’s public ministry in that it is referring to that which is observable by others in Timothy’s life.

“By means of conduct” indicates that Timothy is to be an example for the Ephesian Christian community by means of his conduct and specifically, his godly conduct.

It refers to conduct, or lifestyle, which Paul wants to be godly in order that it would gain the respect of those who are older in the Ephesian congregation.

This prepositional phrase denotes that Paul wants Timothy’s lifestyle to be godly, which would reflect the holy standards or godly standards of the gospel.

Paul wants Timothy’s conduct to be consistent with his position in Christ and reflect that which he professes and the holy standards of the gospel.

“By means of conduct” is related to Timothy’s public ministry in that it is referring to that which is observable by others in Timothy’s life.

“By means of divine-love” refers to Timothy obeying the Lord Jesus’ command to love one another as He loves, which is the direct result of exercising faith in the Word of God (John 13:34).

This prepositional phrase refers to God’s love practiced by Timothy toward the Lord, his fellow Christian and fellow human being since this is the direct result of him exercising faith in the Word of God and in particular the command in John 13:34.

It explains how Timothy is to be an example of godliness for other Christians to imitate in the sense that it defines that he is to operate according to the love of God when dealing with people.

Therefore, like the previous two prepositional phrases, this third one is referring to Timothy’s public ministry and denotes that divine-love should be observable in his life among the Ephesian Christian community.

“By means of faithfulness” indicates that Timothy is to be an example for believers by means of faithfulness.

It denotes that Timothy is “faithful” in fulfilling his responsibilities of being Paul’s delegate and carrying everything Paul wanted done as prescribed in First Timothy.

“By means of purity” indicates that Timothy is to be an example for believers by means of purity.

It refers to Timothy conforming his behavior to the holy standards of the gospel with regards to women in the Ephesian Christian community.

This prepositional phrase speaks of Timothy experiencing sanctification or in other words experiencing that which is true of him positionally, namely that he is crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ.

It too explains how Timothy is to be an example of godliness for other Christians to imitate in the sense that it defines that he is to be sexually pure.

Therefore, like the previous two prepositional phrases, this one is referring to Timothy’s public ministry and denotes that sexual purity should be observable in his life among the Ephesian Christian community.