Introduction to 1 Timothy-Date, Place Of Origin and Destination of 1 Timothy
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday January 6, 2011
1 Timothy: Introduction to 1 Timothy-Date, Place of Origin and Destination of 1 Timothy
Lesson # 3
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 15:22.
Tonight we will continue our introduction of 1 Timothy by noting the date, place of origin and destination of this letter.
If Paul was released from his first Roman imprisonment as we contend and wrote 1 Timothy during the course of his subsequent missionary activities, then we must date this epistle during the 60’s and probably the early 60’s.
Church tradition holds that Paul was decapitated under Nero in 68 A.D.
He arrived in Rome the first time as narrated in Acts in approximately 60 A.D.
His first Roman imprisonment occurred between 60-62 A.D.
Romans 15 makes clear that according to the Holy Spirit, Paul was certain that he would arrive in Spain but first after visiting the Romans.
Thus, he must have gone immediately to Spain after being released from his first imprisonment in Rome.
Romans 15:22, For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you. 23 But now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you. 24 Whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while. (NASU)
“I hope” is the verb elpizo (ἐλπίζω) (el-pee-zoe), which means, “to confidently expect” something to take place.
It indicates that Paul “confidently expects” to see the Roman believers while passing through whenever he is permitted by the Spirit and the will of the Father to go to Spain.
Romans 15:25, But now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. 30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. (NASU)
Then, he went to visit the Philippians since Philippians 1:25-26 makes certain that the apostle would visit them after being released.
Philippians 1:21, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. (NASU)
Philippians 2:24 makes certain that the apostle would visit them after being released.
Philippians 2:19, But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. (NASU)
Eusebius says that Paul died in 67 A.D. under the Neronian persecution.
If this is the case then 1 Timothy would have been written in approximately 65 or 66 A.D.
Date of Paul’s Epistles
Book Place Date
Galatians Antioch of Syria 40-49 after Paul’s 1st Missionary journey
1 Thessalonians Corinth 50-54 in Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey
1 Thessalonians Corinth 50-54 in Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey
1 Corinthians Ephesus 56, in Paul’s 3rd Missionary journey
2 Corinthians Macedonia 56, in Paul’s 3rd Missionary journey
Romans Corinth 57, in Paul’s 3rd Missionary journey
Ephesians Rome 60, Paul’s 1st Roman imprisonment
Philippians Rome 62, Paul’s 1st Roman imprisonment
Colossians Rome 62, Paul’s 1st Roman imprisonment
Philemon Rome 62, Paul’s 1st Roman imprisonment
1 Timothy Macedonia 63-66
Titus Macedonia 63-66
2 Timothy Rome 67, Paul’s 2nd Roman imprisonment
Hebrews Rome 68-69, Paul’s 2nd Roman imprisonment
We don’t have enough information from the Scriptures to state with certainty the place of origin of 1 Timothy.
The best suggestion has been Macedonia.
The apostle does not explicitly say that he was in that Roman province.
However, he does say in 1 Timothy 1:3, “I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus.”
1 Timothy 1:1, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope, 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines. (NASU)
So this indicates that Paul had been with Timothy in Ephesus and from that location he traveled on to Macedonia and thus left Timothy behind.
Now, when he arrived in Macedonia, the apostle instructed Timothy to stay on in Ephesus, thus reiterating the instruction he had given his young delegate when they departed from each other.
Macedonia in the days of the apostle in the first century was a Roman province located in the region of the Balkan peninsula north of the Roman province of Achaia.
Ephesus was located on the western part of Turkey and was situated at the mouth of the Cayster River and opposite the island of Samos.
It was the entrance for shipping from the West and the point of departure for the caravans between the Ionian coast and the East.
The highway led from Ephesus across central Asia Minor through the Cilician Gates to Antioch, and from there across Syria to the Euphrates valley, Persia and India.
The history of Christianity at Ephesus began probably about A.D. 50, perhaps as a result of the efforts of Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18).
Paul came to Ephesus in about A.D. 52, establishing a resident ministry for the better part of three years (Acts 20:31).
During his Ephesian ministry, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians (1 Cor 16:8).
The Book of Acts reports that “all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10), while Paul taught during the hot midday hours in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9).
Influence from his ministry undoubtedly resulted in the founding of churches in the Lycus River valley at Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse.
So influential, in fact, was Paul's ministry at Ephesus that the silversmith's league, which fashioned souvenirs of the temple, feared that the preaching of the gospel would undermine the great temple of Artemis (Acts 19:27).
As a result, one of the silversmiths, a man named Demetrius, stirred up a riot against Paul.
During his stay in Ephesus, Paul encountered both great opportunities and great dangers.
He baptized believers who apparently came to know the gospel through disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1-5), and he countered the strong influence of magic in Ephesus (Acts 19:11-20).
After Paul departed from Ephesus, Timothy remained to combat false teaching (1 Tim 1:3; 2 Tim 4:3; Acts 20:29).