1 Timothy
The First Epistle of Paul to Timothy, usually referred to
simply as First Timothy and often written 1 Timothy, is one of
three letters in New Testament of the Bible often grouped
together as the Pastoral Epistles, the others being Second
Timothy and Titus. The letter, traditionally attributed to
Saint Paul, consists mainly of counsels to his younger
colleague and delegate Timothy regarding his ministry in
Ephesus (1:3). These include instructions on the forms of
worship and organization of the Church, the responsibilities
resting on its several members, including episcopoi (overseers
or bishops) and diaconoi ("deacons"); and secondly of
exhortation to faithfulness in maintaining the truth amid
surrounding errors (iv.iff), presented as a prophecy of erring
teachers to come...
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The Epistles to Timothy and Titus are called the Pastoral
Epistles, because they are principally devoted to directions
about the work of the pastor of a church. The First Epistle
was probably written from Macedonia, A.D. 65, in the
interval between St. Paul's first and second imprisonments
at Rome. The absence of any local reference but that in 1Ti
1:3 suggests Macedonia or some neighboring district. In some
MSS. and versions Laodicea is named in the inscription as
the place from which it was sent. The Second Epistle appears
to have been written A.D. 67 or 68, and in all probability
at Rome. The following are the characteristic features of
these epistles:-- (1) The ever-deepening sense in St. Paul's
heart of the divine mercy of which he was the object, as
shown in the insertion of the "mercy" in the salutations of
both epistles, and in the "obtained mercy" of 1Ti 1:13 (2)
The greater abruptness of the Second Epistle. From first to
last there is no plan, no treatment of subjects carefully
thought out. All speaks of strong overflowing emotion
memories of the past, anxieties about the future. (3) The
absence, as compared with St. Paul other epistles, of Old
Testament references. This may connect itself with the fact
just noticed, that these epistles are not argumentative,
possibly also with the request for the "books and
parchments" which had been left behind. 2Ti 4:13 (4) The
conspicuous position of the "faithful sayings" as taking the
place occupied in other epistles by the Old Testament
Scriptures. The way in which these are cited as
authoritative, the variety of subjects which they cover,
suggests the thought that in them we have specimens of the
prophecies of the apostolic Church which had most impressed
themselves on the mind of the apostle and of the disciples
generally. 1Co 14:1 ... shows how deep a reverence he was
likely to feel for spiritual utterances. In 1Ti 4:1 we have
a distinct reference to them. (5) The tendency of the
apostle's mind to dwell more on the universality of the
redemptive work of Christ, 1Ti 2:3-6; 4:10 and his strong
desire that all the teaching of his disciples should be
"sound." (6) The importance attached by him to the practical
details of administration. The gathered experience of a long
life had taught him that the life and well being of the
Church required these for its safeguards. (7) The recurrence
of doxologies, 1Ti 1:17; 6:15,16; 2Ti 4:18 as from one
living perpetually in the presence of God, to whom the
language of adoration was as his natural speech.
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Paul in this epistle speaks of himself as having left
Ephesus
for Macedonia (1:3), and hence not Laodicea, as
mentioned in the
subscription; but probably Philippi, or some other
city in that
region, was the place where this epistle was
written. During the
interval between his first and second imprisonments
he probably
visited the scenes of his former labours in Greece
and Asia, and
then found his way into Macedonia, whence he wrote
this letter
to Timothy, whom he had left behind in Ephesus.
It was probably written about A.D. 66 or 67.
The epistle consists mainly, (1) of counsels to
Timothy
regarding the worship and organization of the
Church, and the
responsibilities resting on its several members; and
(2) of
exhortation to faithfulness in maintaining the truth
amid
surrounding errors.
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FIRST EPISTLE. Its authenticity as Paul's writing, and its
canonical authority as inspired, were universally recognized
by the early church with the solitary exception of the
Gnostic Marcion. 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy are in the Peshito
Syriac of the second century. The Muratorian Fragment on the
canon in the same century acknowledges them. The Pastoral
Epistles, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, have a mutual
resemblance. Irenaeus (adv. Haeres. i. and iii. 3,. section
3-4; 4:16, section 3; 2:14, section 8; 3:11, section 1;
1:16, section 3) quotes 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 1:9; 1
Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 4:9-11-21; Titus 3:10. Clement of
Alex. (Strom. 2:383, 457; 3:534, 536; 1:350) quotes 1
Timothy 4:1-20; 1 Timothy 6:20-21; 1 Timothy 6:2 Timothy as
to deaconesses; Titus 1:12. Tertullian (de praescriptione
Haereticorum, 25 and 6) quotes 1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy
6:13; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14; 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus
3:10-11; and adv. Marcion, Scorp. 13, compare 2 Timothy 4:6.
Eusebius includes the two epistles to Timothy and
Titus in "the universally acknowledged Scriptures."
Theophilus of Antioch (ad Autolycum 3:14) quotes 1 Timothy
2:1-2; Titus 3:1. Caius (in Eusebius' Ecclesiastes Hist. vi.
20) recognizes their authenticity. Clement of Rome (First
Epistle to Cor. 29) quotes 1 Timothy 2:8. Ignatius in the
second century (epistle to Polycarp 6) alludes to 2 Timothy
2:4. Polycarp in the same century (Epistle to Philipp. 4-5)
alludes to 1 Timothy 6:7; 1 Timothy 6:10; 2 Timothy 2:4; 2
Timothy 2:11-12; and (in chapter 9) to 2 Timothy 4:10.
Hegesippus, in the end of second century (in Eusebius, Ecc.
Hist. iii. 32), alludes to 1 Timothy 6:3; 1 Timothy 6:20.
Athenagoras at the same period alludes to 1 Timothy 6:16.
Heresies opposed in the Pastoral Epistles. Ascetic
Judaism and legalism (1 Timothy 1:7; Titus 1:10; Titus 1:14;
Titus 3:9) on the one hand, and incipient gnosticism on the
other (1 Timothy 1:4), of which the theory that a twofold
principle existed from the beginning, evil as well as good,
appears in germ, 1 Timothy 4:3, etc. In 1 Timothy 6:20 the
term gnosis, "science," itself occurs. Another Gnostic
error, "that the resurrection is past," is noticed (2
Timothy 2:17-18; compare 1 Corinthians 15:12-32-33). The
Judaism herein refuted is not that controverted in the
earlier epistles, namely, that which joined the law with
faith in Christ, for justification. The intermediate phase
appears in epistle to Colossians (Colossians 2), namely,
that which superadded ascetical will worship and angel
worship to Judaism. In the epistle to Philippians (Philemon
3:2; Philemon 3:18-19) the further stage appears, immoral
practice accompanying false doctrine as to the resurrection.
The pastoral epistles - 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus -
exhibit the mattered godlessness which followed superstition
as superstition had followed legalism.
Not knowing the true use of "the law" (1 Timothy
1:7-8) the false teachers "put away good conscience," as
well as "the faith" (1 Timothy 1:19; 1 Timothy 4:2), "spoke
lies in hypocrisy...
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