1 Timothy 1:1-11

This letter is believed to have been written after Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome. The letter is written to Timothy as letter of instruction for the church leaders in Ephesus. 1 & 2 Timothy as well as Titus are what is known as the Pastoral Epistles because Paul writes these letters to Timothy and Titus as Pastors but also for them to share with other Pastors in the regions they are in.

Paul had discovered either by word of mouth or as some scholars believe through a visit back to Ephesus after being released from prison in Rome that the churches in Ephesus had been corrupted by false teachers which is what the bulk of 1 Timothy deals with. The Holy Spirit had already spoken to and through Paul about this happening, and he warned the Ephesian elders about this when he told them that he was going to Jerusalem knowing he would be arrested there before he was sent to Rome...

Acts 20:26–31 ESV

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

Don’t forget that Ephesus was a rough place for God fearing people to be. It was in Ephesus that a riot broke out over Paul preaching the gospel because Demetrius a silversmith was worried that there would be less business for him as a maker of idols in the image of Artemis back in Acts 19.

Timothy was a faithful Christian young man that was recommended to Paul by his local church family...

Acts 16:1–5 ESV

1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

As Paul spent time discipling Timothy, he must have displayed some very good characteristics because Paul not only continued to bring Timothy along with him on his missionary journeys, but entrusted serious leadership to him by putting him in a position of authority in the church of Ephesus as this letter addresses Timothy in that role.

But the thing that is so likable if you will about Timothy is that he was such a regular guy with regular problems like us.

Timothy seemed to struggle with insecurities as we will see as well as having some health issues and all of that makes him much more approachable by us. He wasn’t some super hero type of character. He was just a man who loved Jesus and desired to serve Him with his life even in his weaknesses.

Paul wrote this letter not just to Timothy the person, but really to Timothy the servant of God, Timothy the church leader, Timothy the Pastor to instruct Timothy and the church on how the church is to conduct itself, be managed, and how the role of the leadership of the church should behave. In a sense these Pastoral Epistles are the instruction manual for church operations.

Verse 1

Apostle - One sent out on a mission under the authority of another as an ambassador of the one who sent them.

Christ - The anointed One of God who is King eternal

Jesus - Jehovah saves

God saved the world through Jesus who is God come in the flesh as we will soon celebrate as we look at how the Holy Spirit came upon the virgin named Mary and she conceived and in her womb would be the One promised that would live a perfect sinless holy life, die the most excruciating death in the place of lost sinners to restore them to a relationship and right standing before God our Father who created us for fellowship with Himself, and then rose again on the 3rd day after His crucifixion, and now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven until He comes back again for us His church also known as His bride.

Command - the word speaks of a royal commission.

The Expositor’s Commentary has an interesting and helpful note on this...

Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter One

“It is to be noted that the command proceeds equally from God and from Christ Jesus. This language could hardly have been used if St. Paul conceived of Christ Jesus as a creature.”

God our Saviour - Look back

Christ Jesus our hope - looks ahead

Keep that in mind as we will partake of Communion together at the end of service.

Verse 2

Timothy = he who honors God

My true child in the faith - Some think this means that Timothy was merely disciple in the sense of a learner of the Old Testament since his mom and grandma were Jews and that Paul preached the gospel to Timothy and he then became saved through Christ, while others believe that Paul discipled Timothy and he became a true likeminded disciple of Christ under Paul’s teaching.

Either scenario is fine for you to believe and won’t change your salvation nor the message of this Epistle.

Now onto the greeting. You will notice that this greeting is different in the sense that Paul adds the word mercy to his normal grace and peace. In fact the only time he does this is in the Pastoral Epistles 1&2 Timothy and Titus. Although there is some dispute as to whether or not the original manuscript for the book of Titus included it.

I can only imagine that Paul knew full well that Timothy needed that grace of God in his day to day ministry to the people as well as needed God’s grace in his own life personally.

Verses 3-4

Apparently Timothy wanted to leave Ephesus and so Paul in writing to Timothy reminds him that he previously urged (beg entreat) him to stay in Ephesus and not to leave because the work there was important and necessary.

The idea seems to be that Paul had this conversation while they were together in Ephesus before Paul went on to Macedonia.

The very important work that the Apostle Paul left Pastor Timothy to do in Ephesus was to straighten up the doctrine or teaching that was going on in Ephesus.

As we saw earlier in Acts 20 Paul already warned the Ephesian elders that the time would come when

Acts 20:29–30 ESV

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

The issue was far greater than the false doctrines (teachings) of the pagans around them. The bigger issue in Ephesus was that teachers has come in teaching things that sounded like they were Christina doctrines, but were in fact opposed to true Christian doctrines.

It was Timothy’s responsibility to charge (give a command with authority) that the teachers in Ephesus taught nothing other than what Paul had already taught them. No “new” (Read false) teachings were to be allowed in the church that was paid for by teh precious blood of Christ.

Speculations - an exhaustive inquiry

Stewardship - A compound word meaning household economy

The context here of stewardship is in relation to God’s salvation and how that is effective in the life of the one who believes upon Christ Jesus.

That salvation is of course is received and lived out by faith.

Verses 5-7

What is the result of solid truthful Biblical doctrine (Teaching) and the salvation that is received by faith in Christ Jesus?

Love (Agape) from a pure heart

a good (perfection producing well being) conscience - on the contrary a guilty conscience produces uncomfortable lives that leave a person completely dissatisfied and longing for perfection. A good conscience is had by the one who obeys the word of God, while the disobedient and rebellious person always has a guilty conscience.

and a sincere (not fake or hypocritical) faith.

Swerving - missing the mark, swerving away from

wandered away - In the Greek it is a medical term that spoke of a bone out of joint or dislocation.

vain discussion - useless talk

The issue with these false teachers (literally Law teachers)was that they confidently taught false things not even understanding that they were way off from the truth as they did so.

Verses 8-11

The law is good when used properly, but these false teachers were not doing so. They were falsely teaching that a person could be made righteous by the law, but that is not true!

We just went through this in Romans...

Romans 3:19–20 ESV

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:27–28 ESV

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Galatians 3:11 ESV

11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

The law is there to show us that we are wrong and in need of saving.

The message of salvation by faith in Christ Jesus is the message of the gospel that Paul and we too have been entrusted with to free people with.

Communion

Verses 12-14

Please take careful note that Christ gave Paul the strength to be faithful to serve Him and others.

I say take careful note, because this is the same for us. There are far too many Christians today who are either waiting to one day be faithful to Christ’s call on their lives or are weak in their attempts because they are trying to be faithful in their own strength, power, or ability.

Hey church, be faithful today as you receive strength in Christ to serve Him and to serve others in His name. No excuses, no attempting to do it in your own strength, just a simple reliance upon Him to do what He has called you to do.

With the call that He has placed on your life is the ability to fulfill it. Trust Him for that and begin walking that out today! Make it your New Years resolution and start practicing because 2020 is only 17 days away.

Faithfulness starts in the small and practical things. be faithful there and see what God will entrust you with next.

1 Timothy 1:1-11

1 Timothy 1:1-

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verses 3-4

Verses 5-7

Verses 8-11

Communion

Verses 12-14

Verse 15

Verse 16

Verse 17

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20