(1) This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus,
appointed by the *command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives
us **hope.
- *command:
- Acts 9:15: But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
- Acts 13:2: One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”
- Titus 1:3: And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him...
- **hope: Titus 2:13: while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
(2) I am writing to *Timothy, my true son in the faith.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and
peace.
- *Timothy:
- "Timothy" means "honor to God".
- Paul first
met Timothy at Lystra, probably while on his first missionary journey. - Paul invited Timothy to join him on his second missionary journey:
- Acts 16:1-3: Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.
- Acts 20:4: Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
- 2 Corinthians 1:1: This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
- Colossians 1:1: This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
- Philippians 1:1: This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus...
- 2 Timothy 1:2: I am writing to Timothy, my dear son...
- 2 Timothy 1:5: I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.
- Hebrews 13:23: I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you.
(3) When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in
Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth.
- Paul first visited Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19-21) and then, on his third missionary journey, spent three years in Ephesus (Acts 19-20). Ephesus was the location of the temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis (Diana).
- False teaching was coming from people within the church. Since some of these were leaders (see Acts 20:20), Paul could not write to the church at Ephesus directly, but instead went through Timothy whom he had confidence in.
- Acts 20:29-30: I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.
- 2 Timothy 4:3: For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
(4) Don't let them waste their time in endless discussion of *myths and **spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless
speculations, which don't help people live a life of faith in God.
- *myths - some of which were rabbinical traditions, leading eventually to Kaballah (Jewish mysticism):
- Greek in myths
and endless genealogies, which cause speculation. - Titus 1:14: They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth.
- Titus 3:9: Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.
- 1 Timothy 4:7: Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
- 1 Timothy 6:4: Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.
- 2 Timothy 4:4: They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
- Greek in myths
- **spiritual pedigrees - refers to the list of emanations of aeons according to the gnostics.
(5) The *purpose of my instruction is that all believers would
be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience,
and genuine faith.
- *purpose: The purpose of teaching and study of the word should be that people live a life of faith in God (verse 4), that they be filled with love and that they exhibit genuine faith. Teaching that does not have this as its central point is not only a waste of time and meaningless (verse 6), but is destructive.
- 1 Timothy 6:3: Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life.
(6) But some people have missed this whole point. They have
turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless
discussions.
(7) They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but
they don't know what they are talking about, even though they speak so
confidently.
(8) We know that the law is good when used correctly.
- Romans 7:6: But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 9:21: When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
- Galatians 2:16: Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
- Galatians 3:19-25: Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.
- Galatians 5:14: For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Galatians 6:2: Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
(9) For the law was not intended for people who do what is
right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly
and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who
kill their father or mother or commit other murders.
(10) The law is for people who are *sexually immoral, or who
practice **homosexuality, or are ***slave traders, liars, promise breakers,
or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching
- *sexually immoral: Greek - pornos.
- **homosexuality:
- Leviticus 18:22: “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
- Romans 1:26-27: That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
- Leviticus 18:22: “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
- ***slave traders: Or kidnappers.
(11) that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by
our blessed God.
(12) I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to
do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,
(13) even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my
insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I
did it in *ignorance and unbelief.
- *ignorance: But, these false teachers know exactly what they are doing when they spew their false doctrines.
(14) Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me
with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
(15) This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.
- John 3:16-17: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
- Luke 5:32: I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
(16) But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me
as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.
Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive
eternal life.
- Sound or wholesome doctrine (teaching) leads sinners to Christ; false doctrine leads them away.
- Galatians 1:13: You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
(17) All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the
eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
(18) Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based
on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you
fight well in the Lord's battles.
- 1 Timothy 4:14: Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.
(19) Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience
clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as
a result, their faith has been *shipwrecked.
- *shipwrecked: 1 John 2:19: These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
(20) *Hymenaeus and **Alexander are two examples. I threw them out
and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.
- *Hymenaeus: 2 Timothy 2:16-17: Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.
- **Alexander: 2 Timothy 4:14-15: Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Be careful of him, for he fought against everything we said.
- Evidently, Hymenaeus and Alexander had not repented of their false teaching and were still creating trouble in the church at the end of Paul's life.
- 1 Corinthians 5:5: Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.
NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is
the New Living Translation.
NOTE: Sources and References are on line at: http://1timothy-study.blogspot.com/2010/12/1-timothy-references-and-sources.html
