1 Timothy 3.14-Paul Did Not Delay In Giving Timothy Instructions Even Though He Was Confident He Would Visit Him Soon
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday May 12, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 3:14-Paul Did Not Delay In Giving Timothy Instructions Even Though He Was Confident He Would Visit Him Soon
Lesson # 67
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 3:14.
We begin the final paragraph of chapter three by noting verse 14 and in this verse the apostle Paul informs Timothy that he gave him instructions that are contained in chapters two and three even though he was confident he would soon visit him.
1 Timothy 3:14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. (NASU)
“I am writing these things to you” is composed of the accusative neuter plural form of the immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos (οὗτος) (oo-toce), “these things” which is followed by the dative second person masculine singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) (see), “you” and the first person singular present active indicative form of the verb grapho (γράφω) (graf-o), “I am writing.”
In 1 Timothy 3:14, the apostle Paul is once again employing the figure of “asyndeton,” which means that he is not using a connective word between his thought expressed in verse 13 and his thought here in verse 14.
He uses this figure in order to mark a transition from the discussion of the qualifications for a deacon to a new topic, which deals with the purpose of Paul’s instructions in chapters two and three.
He also uses this figure in order to emphasize the importance of these instructions.
The importance of these instructions is communicated in verse 14 where Paul informs Timothy that he gave him these instructions even though he was confident that he would soon visit him in Ephesus.
This implies that he did not want to delay with these instructions because of their importance in relation to the proper conduct of the church in that city.
The immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos, which refers to Paul’s instructions that appear in 1 Timothy 2:1-3:13 that address the proper conduct of Christian men and women in the public worship setting.
This is indicated by the fact that the instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1-3:13 address the proper conduct of Christian men and women in Ephesus in the public worship setting.
Also, in 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul tells Timothy that in case he is delayed he wrote these instructions now in order that Christians in Ephesus would know how to conduct themselves in the household of God.
Therefore, in 1 Timothy 3:14, the immediate demonstrative pronoun houtos refers to Paul’s instructions in chapters two and three as indicated by the purpose for which he gave them, which was to insure proper conduct in the church in Ephesus with regards to the public worship setting.
Mounce believes that houtos in 1 Timothy 3:14 refers not only to 1 Timothy 2:1-3:13 but also to 1 Timothy 1 as well as looking forward to 1 Timothy 4:1-5.
However, Paul’s statements in chapter one addressed how Timothy was to deal with those pastors in Ephesus who were teaching false doctrine and never address the conduct of the church in Ephesus.
This chapter concerned itself with Paul’s commanding Timothy to rebuke these pastors.
He discussed the conduct of those pastors teaching false doctrine but never addressed the conduct of the church as a whole.
Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul uses houtos to refer to his urgent request in 1 Timothy 1:3-5 that Timothy order certain unidentified pastors in Ephesus to stop teaching false doctrine to the church in that city as well as to stop being occupied with Jewish myths and useless genealogies.
The charge not only involves prohibitions for these pastors but also it involves a call for these pastors to be faithful in administrating the household of God by adhering to Paul’s gospel or apostolic teaching, which can be summarized as loving God with one’s entire being and one’s fellow Christian and human being.
Mounce’s contention that houtos in 1 Timothy 3:14 is looking forward to 1 Timothy 4:1-5 can be rejected because of Paul’s statement in verse 15 where he states that the purpose of his instructions were given so that the church in Ephesus will know how to conduct itself in a godly fashion.
1 Timothy 4:1-5 does not address the conduct of the church but rather is a warning of men teaching false doctrine in the church prior to the rapture.
The personal pronoun su refers of course to Timothy and functions as a dative indirect object meaning that it is receiving the direct object indicating that Timothy is the recipient of these instructions in chapters two and three.
However, as we noted in our introduction and in our study of 1 Timothy 1:2, not only is Timothy the recipient of this epistle but also the Ephesian church as well.
This is indicated by the second person plural form of the personal pronoun humeis, which means “all of you” that appears in the benediction in 1 Timothy 6:21.
As we also noted, William Mounce observes that 1 Timothy and Titus “while private in form, are public in intention, speaking through Paul’s delegates to the churches.” (Word Biblical Commentary, volume 46, Pastoral Epistles; page xcvi; Thomas Nelson)
This fits with the literary genre of 1 Timothy and Titus, which are mandate letters in the sense that they are intended from the beginning to be read in public, both to support Paul’s delegates, Timothy and Titus in their work and to hold them accountable to a standard of personal behavior that is exemplary.
In 1 Timothy 3:14, the verb grapho is used with Paul as its subject and Timothy as its object and refers to the act of Paul communicating in writing the instructions that appear in chapters two and three that were not only for Timothy’s benefit but also for the benefit of the church at Ephesus as a corporate unit.
The present tense of the verb is a descriptive progressive present tense referring to the moment when Paul communicated in writing these instructions in chapters two and three to Timothy and the Ephesian church.
It speaks of a particular historical moment when Paul communicated these instructions to Timothy and the Ephesian church.
1 Timothy 3:14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long. (NASU)
“Hoping to come to you before long” is composed of the nominative masculine singular present active participle form of the verb elpizo (ἐλπίζω) (el-pee-zoe), “hoping” and the aorist active infinitive form of the verb erchomai (ἒρχομαι) (air-koe-meh), “to come” and the accusative second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) (see), “you” which is the object of the preposition pros (πρός) (proce), “to” and this is followed by the preposition en (ἐν) and its object is the dative neuter singular form of the noun tachos (τάχος) (ta-hoce), which together are translated “before long.”
The verb elpizo means “to confidently expect” something to take place.
It indicates that Paul “confidently expects” to see Timothy and the Ephesian church soon.
The present tense of the verb is a futuristic present used to describe a future event and connotes certainty.
It is used here to describe an event that is wholly subsequent to the time of speaking although as if it were present.
Therefore, the futuristic present tense of the verb elpizo is used to describe Paul’s certainty that he will soon see Timothy and the Ephesian church face to face.
The participle form of the verb is a concessive participle, which implies that Paul’s action of communicating in writing the instructions that appear in chapters two and three are true in spite of the fact that Paul confidently expects to visit Timothy and the Ephesian church shortly.
It indicates that even though Paul was confident that he would shortly visit Timothy and the Ephesians, he felt it necessary to communicate in writing at that time the instructions that appear in chapters two and three.
In 1 Timothy 3:14, the verb erchomai means “to enter” since it is used with the prepositional phrase pros humas, which speaks of Paul being “in the company of” Timothy.
Thus, Paul is saying that he wrote the instructions that appear in chapters two and three even though he confidently expects “to enter” the presence of Timothy shortly.
“To you” is composed of the preposition (πρός) (proce), “to” and its object is the accusative second person singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ) (see), “you.”
The personal pronoun su refers of course Timothy and it functions as the object of the preposition pros, which denotes Paul coming “into the company of” or “into the presence of” Timothy.
It speaks of a personal intimate fellowship between Paul and Timothy.
The noun tachos means “a very brief period of time” and is the object of the preposition en, which means “in” and functions as a marker of a period of time indicating an action within which, at a certain point something occurs.
This prepositional phrase can be translated adverbially as “soon” or as “in a very short while.”
Thus, Paul is saying with this prepositional phrase that he confidently expects to visit Timothy “in a very short while” or “soon.”