1 Timothy

Intro

Author: Paul

The last we heard from Paul, he was in Corinth and wrote a letter to the church in Rome. (57 AD)

He is in Jerusalem and is arrested and imprisoned from 57-59 AD.

Paul sails to Rome for trial (59 AD)

Paul is under house arrest in Rome (60-62 AD)

The next 3 epistles (1&2 Timothy and Titus) were written between 62 and 64 AD.

There is strong evidence that These 3 were written after his release when he went on to Spain.

He may have stayed in Rome and ministered to the church there.

Like crucified in 64-65 AD. At the start of the Christian persecution in Rome.

Audience: Timothy

c. AD 17: Timothy is born in Lystra or Derbe in Asia Minor to a Jewish mother, Eunice, and a Greek father.

c. AD 50: (age 33) Timothy meets the Apostle Paul during Paul's second missionary journey and becomes his companion. Paul has him circumcised because his mother was Jewish which would allow Timothy to teach in the synagogues.

AD 52: Paul and Silas take Timothy on their journey to Macedonia.

AD 54–57: Timothy travels with Paul during his third missionary journey, including a stay in Ephesus.

AD 57: Timothy is with Paul in Corinth when Paul writes his Letter to the Romans.

c. AD 57: (age 40) Paul leaves Timothy in Ephesus to govern the local church as its first bishop (episkopos, overseer, elder).

AD 97: According to Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus in the second century,, Timothy is martyred in Ephesus this year at the age of 80 (establishing is approximate birth year) after attempting to halt a pagan procession.

1 Timothy 4:12 Paul says, “let no one despise you for your youth,” which could indicate he was under 40 when this letter was written placing his birth around 24-30 AD. This would mean his eldership began when he was 27-33 and received this letter around 34-40 years old.

Timothy was an elder in Ephesus and throughout Paul’s ministry, served in apostolic function with Paul. Never directly called an apostle.

This is the first of the 3 pastoral letters.

Teaches roles in church government and how to live a life for others to emulate.

Chapter 1

V. 1-2 Greetings

Evidence this is from Paul both by his direct statement and the following “grace, mercy, and peace” statement.

Timothy is called his true son in the faith.

Paul likely led Timothy to Christ and we know that Timothy was arguably his most trusted companion. He could send him ahead to prepare the way or leave him behind to manage Paul’s work.

v. 3-20 Reminder of what Paul’s charge to Timothy

V. 3 Paul leaves Timothy in Ephesus

When Paul was released from prison in Ephesus, he left Timothy to continue teaching the true gospel and oppose those that were teaching a false gospel.

The remainder of the chapter shows not just what Paul was leaving Timothy with, but the high amount of trust Paul had in Timothy to be able to stay strong in his faith and teaching.

V. 4-11 - The false teaching

Myths

Greeks believing in paganism and weaving that teaching into the teaching of Christ.

Jews believing in teachings and traditions that were not part of the law and weaving those traditions into the teaching of Christ.

Genealogies - Jews believing bloodline was guaranteed salvation and weaving that teaching into the teaching of Christ.

V. 5 - True salvation comes faith that leads to loving others and living a pure life obedient to Christ.

V. 6 - Vain discussions

Modern version of this is on social media. People get into discussions and arguments and think they know everything about God or the gospel, but fail to practice what Jesus taught. These people love to teach others what they think they know, but really don’t know because they never do.

If you say you know, but do not do, you don’t know.

If you knew the truth you would do the truth,

So to not do the truth is proof that you don’t know the truth.

V. 8-11 - the purpose of the law

The Law is for the sinner.

Who is the sinner?

The unholy

The profane

Those that speak poorly about their parents

Murderers

Sexually immoral

Homosexuals

Enslavers

Liars

Perjurers

…and anyone else who lives contrary to the gospel of Jesus.

Important point. If you believe you are good, but you are not living according to the gospel (loving God with all you are and giving your life to him because of the sacrifice of the Son, and loving your neighbor as yourself), you are a sinner. Therefore the law is for you, and you will be judged by it.

In other words, anyone teaching a different doctrine is false and needs to be stopped.

V. 12-17 - Paul is proof there is hope

Paul is able to call these people out because he says he was the chief sinner as one who persecuted Christians.

However, he was forgiven which means these false teachers can be too.

This means you can be too.

It doesn’t matter what you have done, Jesus died for that sin.

That doesn’t mean there are not consequences for that sin, but if you give your life to him, those consequences are limited to this life.

Am a sinner or was a sinner?

Many protestants fall in one of 2 camps:

I am a sinner saved by grace

Calvinist/reformist theology says we sin in every word thought and deed everyday. Therefore we are sinners

Arminian/methodist theology says that spiritual perfection is achievable on earth through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and therefore we were sinners, saved by grace, and now can choose to fall into sin but can get to a point where we no longer do. Therefore we were sinners.

Romans 5:8–9 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Romans 7 Paul explains the struggle of the Christian to still avoid sin.

Philippians 3:12–14 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:12–14 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

What is the answer???

It is in the middle.

We are no longer sinners. We are the righteousness of God. We have been saved by grace.

We still battle sin.

We should not become so arrogant to believe that we cannot sin.

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

John 16:8 “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:”

Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. That is a gift.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Ephesians 5:13–14 “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.””

As we are made aware of our sin, we are made aware of the temptation to sin and therefore have the freedom to avoid the sin.

We were sinners, and have been saved by grace. I can sin, but can also choose not to.

V. 18-20 - Paul’s charge to Timothy

Stand up against the false teachings.

Prophecies were made about Timothy that gave Paul this confidence in him.

Two of the false teachers are mentioned by name:

Alexander

Acts 19:33–34 “Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!””

2 Timothy 4:14–15 “Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.”

Hymenaeus

2 Timothy 2:16–18 “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.”

Paul says they “shipwrecked” their faith

A shipwreck is destruction and most times cannot be recovered and affects all who were in the boat.

Their false beliefs led to false teachings which led to a following of people that were all affected by their choice to not follow the gospel.

This sort of practice must be stopped because it is not just a personal decision that impacts their eternity, it is a decision that impacts the eternity of others.

Chapter 2

v. 1-8 - Pray for all

It is critical that we pray for others. Praying for others should be the majority of our prayers.

What does the bible teach more of? Rank them…

Praying in worship

Praying for others

Praying for yourself

Praying for others is significantly number 1

Praying for yourself is second

Praying in worship is 3rd.

However… The Bible consistently demonstrates praying in worship to begin and end your prayers.

So, if you don’t know what to pray, just stick to this…

Start with thanks and reverence to God

Pray for others

If you have time, pray for yourself

End with Thanks and reverence to God

V. 2 - Paul specifically states you should pray for leaders in your life

Government leaders

Elders

Bosses

Parents

V. 5-6 - You have access to pray to the Creator of all things because Jesus paid the price for you.

Matthew 20:28 “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

V. 8 - Prayer requires us to set aside anger and quarreling. When we pray for other we have to love them.

Try praying earnestly in anger for someone. It doesn’t last long. You can’t. If you have the love of Christ in you, you are forced to set aside your anger or you cannot even pray.

Lifting Holy Hands refers to a common prayer stance.

Exodus 9:29 “Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the Lord. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s.”

1 Kings 8:22 “Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven,”

Psalm 28:2 “Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.”

This must be done from a position of purity.

When God’s people are at odds with one another, we block heaven’s involvement. Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1281.

9-10 - Women in prayer

Paul continues his prayer teaching by addressing women separately.

He is stating that women are to dress appropriately. They should not have an aim to draw attention to their appearance, but rather attention to their hearts by who they are inside.

He is not forbidding women from wearing nice clothes, he is saying your appearance should not be what you are known for.

Women should be known for decency, faith, and good works.

v. 11-15 - Women in the body

Romans 16:1–7 “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.”

Acts 18:26 “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Philippians 4:2–3 “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”

Acts 21:9 “He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.”

Acts 16:14–15 “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”

Colossians 4:15 “Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”

2 Timothy 1:5 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”

Hosting a church

Evangelizing

Prophesying

Junia (Apostolic function with husband)

Teaching (alongside husband, teaching women, teaching children)

This is not a matter of ability, but a matter of authority.

Women are the helpmates of their husbands.

They should not be put in a position where they are leading their husbands.

A woman teaching or overseeing could be in a position where their husbands must submit to them. This is contrary to what the bible says.

When we have women teach, it is under the authority of their husbands and the elders of the church.

Men wouldn’t teach all women

Women wouldn’t teach all men

When they’re together, the teachers, based on authority, should mostly be men with the exception of a husband requesting his wife to share her revelation under his authority.

Single women teaching

We don’t see this in the Bible.

We have done this in our church with the woman sharing something specific that the elder asked her to share. This would be under the authority of the elder.

That is our current stance.

Chapter 3

Elders

episkopos Means overseer, elder, or pastor. Overseer and elders and charged with the pastoral duty of “shepherding” the church.

Eldership is sought after (Unlike gifts)

It is a noble task

Must be above reproach

Faithful in marriage

exceptions for widowers

Not cheating

Some argue, never divorced and remarried

Situational

Sober minded

Able to remain calm in escalated situations

Able to withstand temptation

Self controlled

Respectable

Put together well

Respected

Hospitable

Able to teach

Know the word

Convey the word to others

not a drunkard

This includes drugs

Gentle

Not Quarrelsome

Not a lover of money

Leader in the home

Leads wife spiritually

Leads children spiritually

Disciplines children

Must be saved for some time

Time on the water is required to know how to handle the torrents

Have a good reputation among the community

Deacons

The word diakonos means “servant”

Respected

Integrous

Not a drunkard

Not greedy

Pure

Married to a respected and respectful wife

Women can be deacons (Phoebe)

Not gossips

Faithful in marriage.

Good parents, leading their house