1 Timothy Chapter 1
- written by Paul to Timothy AD 64/65
- one of the three pastoral (to shepherd) epistles:
- 1 & 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Timothy was probably at Ephesus
… that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 1 Tim 1.18
- to warn of heresy and of perilous times
… that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 1 Tim 1.3
… flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Tim 2.22
… that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God. 1 Tim 3.15
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 1 Tim 3.16,17
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
- an apostle – sent one – messenger – for the foundation of the church
- wrote 14 of of the 27 NT books
- the command:
… For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. Acts 9.15
- God the Father and the Lord Jesus linked here – testimony to the deity of Christ
2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
- my own son – saved as a result of Paul’s 1st missionary journey
- maybe witnessed stoning of Paul.
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Acts 14.19
- he was a disciple by the time of 2nd visit to Lystra
… behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; Acts 16.1
3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
- he did not order Timothy – but besought – left it to his exercise
- Paul had already warned the elders at Ephesus
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Acts 20.29
- no other doctrine – than the apostle’s teaching!
4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
- fables - legends about the origin and propagation of angels, such as the false teachers taught at Colosse (Col 2:18-23)
- not merely civil genealogies common among the Jews - descent from the patriarchs - but Gnostic genealogies of spirits and aeons, as they called them, "Lists of Gnostic emanations"
- godly edifying – the end object
… seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 1Cor 14.12
(7 times in chap 14 refers to importance of edifying (building up the church)
5 ¶ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
- the importance of love
…Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: 1 Cor 13.4-8
- conditions of love:
1) pure heart – this is Godly love
2) good conscience – only possible through Christ Hebs 9.14
3) faith unfeigned – not hypocritical – not play acting
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom 13.10
6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
- swerved – missed the mark
- vain jangling – babbling about genealogies of angels – totally unimportant
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
- the true purpose of the law
… Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Gal. 3.24,25.
- these men were teaching that the in order to be saved one had to obey the law – law mixed with grace
8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
- in full agreement with God’s holiness and goodness.
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
- righteous man – one who stands in Christ
- it is to convict those who are outside of Christ
- profanity sin against 3 – 4th commandments
- murder sin against 6th commandment
10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
- whoremongers sin against 7th commandment
- menstealers sin against 8th commandment (slave dealers)
- liars sin against 9th commandment
- sound doctrine – healthy doctrine
11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Glorious gospel - the Gospel manifests God’s glory
… to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Eph 1.6
- it accounts "righteous" the believer, through the righteousness of Christ,
- committed to his trust – so ours.
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
- he was not different from those in verses 9-10 – but God’s grace reached him!
- enabled me – he owed everything to Christ
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- ignorance does not in itself deserve pardon;
- but it is a less culpable cause of unbelief than pride
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke 23.34
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
… where sin abounded, grace did much more abound Rom 5.20
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
- faithful is the saying.
- to save sinners—even notable sinners like Saul
… but God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Rom 5.8
- chief – first – foremost - well might he infer where there was mercy for him, there is mercy for all who will come to Christ
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
- howbeit – but to show the exceeding greatness of His grace God saves him
- longsuffering - bearing so long with him while he was a persecutor
- He was a pattern – an example of what could do with someone seemingly hopeless!
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- King of the (eternal) ages
- immortal - "incorruptible
- invisible
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. 1Ti 6:16
- the only wise God
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Rom 16.27
- for ever - eternity terrible for unbelievers - is delightful to those assured of grace
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
- this charge – v3?
- I commit—as a sacred deposit!
… O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 1 Tim 6.20
- the prophecies which went before on thee - the intimations given by prophets respecting thee at the beginning
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 1 Tim 4.14
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
- the loss of good conscience entails the shipwreck of faith.
- Consciousness of sin (unrepented of and forgiven) kills faith in a man
- put away - a wilful act - they thrust it from them as a troublesome monitor.
- made shipwreck - faith is the vessel in which they had professedly embarked, of which "good conscience" is the anchor.
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Hymenaeus—There is no difficulty in supposing him to be the Hymenaeus of :
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 2Ti 2:17
-… who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.2 Tim 2.18
- though "delivered over to Satan" (the lord of all outside the Church, #Ac 26:18, and the executor of wrath, when judicially allowed by God, on the disobedient, #1Co 5:5 2Co 12:7), he probably was restored to the Church subsequently, and again troubled it. Paul, as an apostle, though distant at Rome pronounced the sentence to be executed at Ephesus, involving, probably, the excommunication of the offenders (Mt 18:17,18).
- Alexander here is probably "the coppersmith" who did Paul "much evil" when the latter visited Ephesus?
2Ti 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Blaspheme - the name of God and Christ, by doings and teachings unworthy of their Christian profession
1) make sure we are faithful to the trust given to us
2) make sure we are active in learning – teaching true doctrine
– repudiating false doctrine
3)
make sure we personally walk with God and avoid shipwreck