First Timothy

Outline

Churches increased in number. Order – soundness of faith – discipline – the apostles had regulated this as the end of apostolic approach. It was necessary to write instructions. We must know how to behave or conduct ourselves in the house of God.

This Epistle was written that Timothy would know what was expected of the local church, also, see Chapter 3 verse15.

What is the local church?

“A local church or assembly is a group of believers of the Lord Jesus Christ who assemble themselves regularly in His name for the purpose of fellowship, breaking of bread, worship, praise, prayer, testimony, ministry of the word, discipline, and preaching of the Gospel. Such a church exists where two or three gather together. Every such local church has Christ in its midst, is a temple of God, and controlled by the Holy Spirit. When mature in Christ every local church consists of Saints – bishops or elders – and deacons.” Phil 1:1

Chapters 2-3 The Assembly and its conduct

1. Concerning order – the men in public prayer 2:1-8; the women in public demeaner 2:9-15

2. Concerning office – qualifications of elders; qualifications of deacons.

The servant and his conduct

1. To the assembly in general Chapter 4 – a “good minister” in faithful teaching (1-11); a “good minister” in exemplary living (12-16)

2. Toward particular classes Chapters 5-6 – older and younger (verses 1-2), widows (3-16), elders (17-25), servants (6:1-8), Rich (9-19)

The charge verse 20 – O Timothy, guard the deposit which is committed to your trust.

Chapter 1 The imperative need for Sound Doctrine – legalism – unsound doctrine

Chapter 2 The nature and order of Public Prayer

Chapter 3 The necessary qualifications for Spiritual Oversight

Chapters 4-5 The Christian Workers Spiritual Duties

Key Verse Chapter 3 verse 15

Chapter 1

General exhortations

verse 5. 1) Love out of a pure heart, John 13:34; 2) and of a good conscience; 3) and of faith unfeigned.

verse 15 The great Gospel affirmation

verse 17 The worship of a redeemed heart. Amen.

verse 18 The Charge: Hold faith – hold a good conscience

Chapter 6 verse 20 O Timothy, guard the deposit which is committed to your trust.

Chapter 2

The place of prayer in Assembly activities.

verse 2 The content of our prayers. Kings = all in authority

verse 4 The extent of our prayers. All men

verse 8 Men praying – lifting up holy hands – without anger or quarreling

verses 9-12 The conduct of spiritual sisters. Consider 1 Cor 11 – head covering

Chapter 3

Qualifications of elders (1-7) Acts 20-28

Family life – Personal life (Titus 1) – Public life

Spiritual belief

Qualifications of deacons (8-13)

Note v. 13 in this respect. Compare with Acts 6:3

Chapter 4

verse 12 Let no man despise thy youth.

verse 13 Give attendance to reading – exhortation – doctrine

verse 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee. Stir up the gift that is in thee. 2 Tim 1:6

Stir up the gift that is in thee 2 Tim 1:6

Chapter 5

Rebuke not an elder

verse 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

verse 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others may also fear.

verse 22 Lay hands suddenly on no man. See Acts 13:1-4

Chapter 3 verse 6 Not a novice, etc.

Chapter 6

verse 6 Godliness with contentment

verse 10 The sin of “love of money”

verses 11-12 Instructions for the “Man of God”. Flee – Follow – Fight

verses 15-16 The expressions of worship of an adoring soul.

Survey of 1 Timothy

During his imprisonment Paul wrote what we know as “The Prison Epistles”: Ephesians-Philippians-Colossians-Philemon.

1 Timothy is one epistle of a set of three known as the “Pastoral Epistles.” The other two being 2 Timothy and Titus.

These were letters written to men in charge of the flock, and have become the inspired textbook of the church through the centuries of church history.

Timothy

Was probably converted under Paul’s ministry at Lystra Acts 14. He had been taught well in the Old Testament scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:15.

He was a young man who made rapid spiritual progress and was “well reported” of by the brethren. Acts 16

A father and son relationship sprung up between them.

Timothy accompanied Paul on many of his mission journeys. Finally being entrusted with the difficult tasks of correcting error at Thessalonica-Corinth-Ephesus.

All this despite his comparative youth.

Purpose of writing

To guide and encourage Timothy in his Pastoral duties. Timothy was at Ephesus, verse 3, left by Paul to correct certain wrongs.

Paul had warned the church of this. Acts 20:28-32.

Jewish teachers were busy trying to subvert the faith of the believers.

The Gnostics were confusing the issue more by their “endless genealogies”.

The Theme

Chapter 3 verse 15.

That thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth.” R.V.

The epistle is divided into three parts:

Chapter 1 Errors exposed

Chapters 2-3 Conduct in the assembly

Chapters 4-6 Conduct of the shepherd or pastors.

Errors: Judaizing teachers. See foot of Biblo page

Gnostics … endless genealogies … vain jangling.

Resurrection was past. See 2 Timothy 2:17-18

Gnosticism – Intellectual – mystical – knowledge was salvation, so Christ and his work was unnecessary.

They believed in an innumerable succession of intermediaries.

Why Paul wrote in Chapters 2-5 One mediator.

Gnostic theory in Colosse… they made Christ the end of a long chain of intermediatories.

To correct this Paul wrote an unparalleled, description of him in Chapter 4

In Chapters 2-3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4-9 For in him dwelleth all the holiness of the God-head bodily.

Introduction to 1 Timothy

1st and 2 Timothy and Titus are known as the Pastoral Epistles.

In 1 Timothy Paul gives Timothy instructions regarding Church order.

In 2 Timothy the emphasis is on the pastoral care of the churches.

These letters deal with the care and functioning of the flock of God.

They tell us how we ought to behave ourselves within the church.

They give instructions how the church should be administered.

They tell what kind of people the leaders should be.

They also instruct us as t how we should meet the threats which endanger the purity of our Christian faith.

In these letters we get a picture of the infant church.

In those days it was an island on the sea of paganism.

The 1st Epistle was written during the last days of Paul’s life.

As the local churches increased numerically, there were questions which arose regarding church order, soundness of faith and discipline.

When available, the apostles could deal with them, but Paul could foresee the end of the apostolic age and how necessary it was to leave authoritative teaching in writing.

Paul, by the Spirit, was convinced that Timothy would undertake the work after his death and wrote him this personal letter, giving him clear teaching as to matters of faith and order in the local church.

Timothy was a young man saved under Paul’s teaching.

He had a very devout mother and grandmother 2 Timothy 1:1-5.

He joined Paul on his second missionary journey and was his consistent companion until he became more mature, then he was entrusted to represent Paul on many occasions.

verse 5 False teaching always brings division, strife and contention

Sound doctrine builds up the believers.

The results of good teaching is 1) pure hearts see God 2) Good conscience heart prickled 3) unfeigned faith

verse 6 Some had turned away from this and were engaged in verbal battles.

verse 7 In this verse Paul indicates their natures:

They desired to be known as teachers of the laws. Judaizers.

They did not clearly apprehend the significance of the Law in its relationship to the Gospel. They were the enemies of the Cross.

verse 8 The Law is good when used properly – as God wants it used.

verses 9-10 The Law is not for the good people but for the bad

Note the types of people that the Law is against.

Paul’s black list here is open ended. If there be any other thing that is contrary to “sound doctrine”. Mentioned 15 times in Pastoral (4 times elsewhere).

verse 11 Linked with the thought of “sound doctrine’ there is the Gospel of the blessed God.

Anything contrary to this Gospel should be rejected.

verse 12 Paul was eternally grateful to God for:

1. Committing the Gospel to him. See Galatians 1

2. And for counting him worthy to be put into the ministry.

verse 13 The reason why Paul was thankful to God was that in his unconverted days he had been: 1) a blasphemer, 2) a persecutor, 3) an injurious person. He did these things in ignorance (describe)

verse 14 The position which he now occupied in Christ was due to the “exceedingly abundant race of God.” Describe his conversion.

verse 15 Paul now expounds a truth which he says is worthy of universal acceptation.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

This is the essence of the Gospel.

Christ came into this world – His Deity

To save sinners as shown in verses 9-10

Paul describes himself as “the chief of sinners” (foremost of sinners)

verse 16 None need despair – all may be saved. His conversion is an exemplification of this glorious truth.

verse 17 Because of who Christ is – the grace bestowed – the blessings obtained

Paul worships God (explain and give other examples)

verse 18-20

Studies in 1st Timothy

verse 1 First Paul calls himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ”.

Never a man magnified his office as Paul did.

He magnified it in wonder that God had chosen him for this office.

An “apostle” is “one who is sent faith”.

It means an “envoy”, or an “ambassador”, one who is sent to represent his country.

It is the duty of every ambassador to establish relationship between the country to which he is sent and the county from which he has come.

He is the connecting link.

Paul always regarded himself as Christ’s envoy or ambassador.

This is the privilege of every Christian.

It is the first duty of every believer to be a connecting link between his fellow-man and Jesus Christ.

The best translation render Jesus Christ … Christ Jesus.

In this epistle Paul uses Christ Jesus 12 times and Jesus Christ only twice.

The theological reason for this is that “Christ Jesus” is the One who was with the Father in eternal glory and who became incarnate in human form.

Perhaps Paul had a good reason for using this unique term throughout his epistles.

He never accompanied the human Jesus while he was here on earth.

He first experienced the knowledge of the Christ of glory.

Paul’s apostleship was bestowed upon him by divine command.

It was something which must be obeyed.

Acts 16-19 “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision”.

If any one of us can arrive at this consciousness of being commissioned by God a near splendor will enter into our life.

This commission and command proceeded equally from God and Christ Jesus.

verse 2 Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, his true child in the faith.

Timothy had been saved under the preaching of Paul. Acts 14 and 16.

verse 3 This epistle was written about 5 years after Paul and warned the elders of Ephesus that grievous wolves would enter among them.

Read and express thoughts on Acts 20:-28-30.

Issue a warning here.

Paul gave Timothy his apostolic authority and commissioned him to order some of their own teachers to stop preaching falsehoods.

Fables or idle tales and endless genealogies, these were the offshoots of Gnosticism.

verse 18 “This charge I commit onto thee”

The charge committed to Timothy was 1) The whole body of divine revelation and 2) He was commissioned to guard this … to war a good war fare … earnestly contend for the faith.

Timothy knew what his function was in the early Christian Church.

This role for Timothy was revealed by God to the prophets in the Church.

“According to the prophecies which pointed to thee”

At an assembly meeting as they waited upon God for guidance, the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets, and commissioned Timothy to this service.

This commission was confirmed to Timothy and to the assembly, as the prophets and elders layed their hands on him.

In doing so they authenticated God’s call to Timothy and gave him their blessing, and affirmed their support.

Compare the call and commission of Barnabas and Paul Acts 13

In his campaigning Timothy must 1) hold faith and 2) a good conscience.

The conflict is outwardly but the conditions for victory are within

His faith must never falter in God and in His message he brings,

He must live what he asks of others.

If his conscience is violated then the power goes out of the message.

verse 19 This first section ends with a stern rebuke to two former members of the church of Ephesus Hyprenaeus and Alexander

They from the context had hurt the testimony of the Church, and grieved Paul, and made shipwreck of their own lives.

1. These men had rejected the guidance of conscience

2. Had embarked on a course of divisive ministry

3. In fact were teaching false doctrine 2 Tim 2-7

These men Paul had delivered unto Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme

“Delivered to Satan.” This is a difficult phrase.

It is generally understood as an act of “excommunication”.

They were put out of the local church which is in the kingdom of God and assigned to the kingdom of Satan.

In the light of 1 Corinthians 5 if included bodily affliction or calamity by apostolic authority

The end result in view is that they may learn not to blaspheme

They were actually blaspheming the truth of God to make way for their own fables and endless genealogies.