1 Timothy
Paul and Timothy
The humble apostle Paul, a transformed Jew, a former chief of sinners, wrote this letter to his authentic son in the faith, Timothy, one dear of God, a co-laborer in whom Paul trusted and entrusted much, who was willing to suffer much for the cause of the Kingdom. But what was the main context for this letter? What was the main purpose for this letter? The answers to these questions are revealed largely through the book of Acts.
The Context of 1 Timothy : War
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey : Evangelization in Ephesus
Acts 18:19-21
“And he (Paul) came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, ‘I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.’ And he sailed from Ephesus.”
This incident likely occurred in 52 A.D. [1]. What was Paul’s focus? He intentionally evangelized the Jews first in Ephesus. This reminds us of what Paul wrote in Romans 1:16:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
This verse has at least two related elements therein [2]:
First – As the Jewish people “brought forth” the Messiah (Rev 12:1-5), and Jesus’ focus was on proclaiming the Good News to the Jews (Matthew 10:5-6; Matthew 15:22-25), the gospel came first to the Jews.
Second – This was Paul’s missionary pattern, even though he was called by Jesus to be a preacher / teacher of the Gentiles. He would first engage the local Jewish community before engaging the local Gentile community.
Application Questions:
1. To what extent should this pattern characterize our witness?
Personally, I think that while all Christians should have a strong desire to see the Gospel spread amongst the Jewish people, I also think that our focus should be first “within the context of the community that God has placed us,” and secondly outside of that context. As Jesus Himself said to the apostles before His ascension (Acts 1:8b):
“and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
2. To what extent are we, individually and corporately, engaging Jewish acquaintances and/or the Jewish community with a discussion of the Gospel?
Please meditate on this and if prompted by the Holy Spirit: act! Now back to Acts …
Acts 18:24-28
“ Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”
Remember, before these events, Paul left Ephesus (Acts 18:21). So then, what was happening in Ephesus in Paul’s absence? Evangelism. Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla were actively engaged (perhaps directly and indirectly, respectively), in spreading the good news about Jesus. In particular, Aquila and Priscilla were focused on discipling Apollos (whose message was good but incomplete) in order that he would be able to more thoroughly explain the way of God.
Application Question:
3. To what extent are you directly or indirectly engaged in evangelism?
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey : Building the Church in Ephesus (War)
Paul returned to Ephesus and stayed for about three years, ca. 53-56 A.D. (see Acts 19:8, 19:10, and 20:31). Let’s dig into the details:
Acts 19:1-7
“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.”
What was the focus of Paul’s ministry in this circumstance? Perhaps Paul had received news from Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos that there were many in Ephesus who hadn’t heard the complete Gospel and thus the harvest was ripe. In this passage, Paul was clearly focused on bringing the complete Gospel, that all people, including those who merely thought they believed, or had a limited understanding of Jesus (e.g., based on the preparatory message of John the Baptist), would hear the totality of truth and be saved. This central theme of Paul’s ministry was eventually shared explicitly during his later farewell address to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:27):
“For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
Acts 19:8-10
“And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
As Paul continued to share the truth, what was beginning to foment? Expressed opposition to “the Way,” which was deemed by some to be evil! What happened next? Open spiritual warfare:
Acts 19:11-19
“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.”
This was truly amazing! There was demonic activity, God was performing miracles, and people were responding with repentance and the pursuit of holiness! The next verse well summarizes this spiritual warfare in Ephesus (Acts 19:20):
“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
Hallelujah! But this was spiritual warfare. And so, thereafter a confused, great commotion, erupted that was predicated on the worship of a false (non-existent) god:
Acts 19:21-27
“When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’ So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time. And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: ‘Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.’ Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’ So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.”
The local authority eventually quelled the riot. Thereafter, Paul left Ephesus to continue with his missionary activity (Acts 20:1-16). He eventually went to Miletus, from which “he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church (Acts 20:17).” He had a strong message:
• Paul reminded the Ephesian elders that he had willingly proclaimed the full Gospel, resulting in tribulation, and that he would willingly continue to do so elsewhere, even though he anticipated that it would result in additional persecution (Acts 20:18-27).
Application Question:
4. To what extent are you willing to serve Christ when you know that persecution or tribulation could or will result? Is there something that you are currently not doing out of fear of persecution or tribution?
• In addition, Paul exhorted the Ephesian elders to be watchful, for both savage wolves from without and men from within the local church community would rise up, teach perverse things, and lead people astray. That is, the spiritual war that they had been experiencing was about to enter a new phase: within the “church” itself (Acts 20:28-31).
The Purpose of 1 Timothy : Instructions for Waging the Good Warfare
Paul continued his ministry after leaving the area in ca. 56 A.D., and was imprisoned in Rome in ca. 61-62 A.D. [4]. Church tradition indicates that he was released, and wrote 1 Timothy between 62-67 A.D., perhaps in 63 A.D. [5]. It’s clear from several verses in 1 Timothy that by the time Paul wrote this letter, his prediction recorded in Acts 20:28-31 had started to come to pass.
Purpose : Waging the Good Warfare
• 1 Timothy 1:3 – What did Paul do and for what purpose? By inference, he installed Timothy as bishop over the church of Ephesus so that he could ensure the teaching of sound doctrine.
• 1 Timothy 1:4-6 – Why did Paul do this? Apparently some teachers in Ephesus had been focusing on fruitless nonsense resulting in disputes, rather than on sound doctrine which results in godliness (note the import placed on application of teaching resulting in godly lifestyle).
• 1 Timothy 3:14-15 – So then, what is Paul’s expressed purpose in writing this epistle? So that “you” (singular, likely referring to Timothy) would know how to conduct himself in the church of the living God. And thus, by extension, that all who received this letter would also know how to conduct themselves.
• 1 Timothy 1:18 – How does Paul encapsulate this purpose in this verse? By commanding Timothy to “wage the good warfare” or “fight the good fight.” But what does this mean?
Focus : Orthodoxy (correct teaching) & Orthopraxy (correct application of correct teaching)
There are numerous words used repeatedly by Paul throughout this epistle which reveal his focus: truth, teaching of truth, and correct application of truth.
• Truth / True / Knowledge (& Variants) is used at least 8 times. For example:
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4).”
• Preach / Teach / Instruct (& Variants) is used at least 10 times. For example:
“If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed (1 Timothy 4:6).”
• Doctrine is used at least 9 times. For example:
“If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed (1 Timothy 4:6).”
Note that the Greek word for “doctrine” is διδασκαλία (did-as-kal-ee’-ah), which means “properly applied teaching” or “teaching as it applies to lifestyle [6].”
Summary
The context for this letter to Timothy by Paul is spiritual warfare, both inside and outside of “the church” [7]. Paul is concerned with truth, the teaching of truth, and the correct application of truth, that is, orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Consequently, the next two classes in this series will focus on (1) orthopraxy, through a review of The Didache, and (2) orthodoxy, through a topical study of the Christology of 1 Timothy.
End Notes
[1] “New Geneva Study Bible,” Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1995, p.1744.
[2] For a more thorough view of this aspect of Romans 1:16, see John Piper, http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/to-the-jew-first-and-also-to-the-greek.
[4] A.Duane Litfin in J.F.Walvoord and R.B.Zuck (Editors), “The Bible Knowledge Commentary,” Chariot Victor Publishing, Colorado Springs, 1983, p.728.
[5] http://www.blueletterbible.org/study/pnt/pnt02.cfm
[6] http://biblesuite.com/greek/1319.htm
[7] To better understand the difference in usages between the “church” and the “Church” see Rex Tremendae Majestatis!, available at: https://michaelcjbradford.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/rex-tremendae-majestatis/
Bibliography
This is a list of additional resources used during the preparation of this lesson that undoubtedly had influence:
[8] J.R.W.Stott, “The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus,” Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester, 1996.
[9] J.MacArthur, “The New Testament Commentary : 1 Timothy,” Moody Press, Chicago, 1995.
[10] I.Howard Marshall, “Tyndale New Testament Commentaries : Acts,” Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester, 198
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