1 Timothy
Nov 30, 2006 Uncategorized | Print This Post
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1 Timothy
Author
Paul
Intended Audience
His protege Timothy
Theme
Timothy was a young pastor that Paul had mentored. He travelled a lot with Paul and was quite often Paul’s messenger, delivering letters for him and bringing news back.
After a visit to Ephesus, Paul left Timothy behind to give some extremely needed guidance to the church. This letter is Paul encouraging Timothy in this work.
Timothy was likely a kinda shy guy who was constantly looked down on because of his age. Paul, therefore, encourages him to step up to the plate and make stuff happen in the church. One of the key passages is this one:
1 Timothy 4:11-13
Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
Specifically, Paul addresses false teachers (are we catching that theme yet), how the church should behave on a whole and as different groups (olders, youngers, slaves, masters, men, women, etc), what a pastor/elder looks like in the church, and what deacons look like in the church.
Random Thoughts
This is a cool letter because it is a turn for Paul from church-wide letters. Here, he writes a personal letter to a young man he had mentored. Obviously, there is instruction here for the whole church, but he expects Timothy to teach the church these things.
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