1 Timothy chapter 1

Paul greets his friend and disciple Timothy. He warns against false teachers. He shares his testimony. He calls Timothy to fight the good fight.

 


 

GREETING

 

VERSE 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope;

an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus. He calls himself that in all his Letters, except four: Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon.

according to the commandment of God. God commanded Paul to be an apostle. Paul’s apostleship was not something he had sought. Rather, he was called by a heavenly command. It was a gift.

 

VERSE 2. to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

my true child in faith. Literally, “my lawful child.”

The relationship between a discipler and disciple can be very close.

 

WARNING AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS

 

VERSE 3. As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine,

stay at Ephesus. Timothy was ministering as a pastor. To be a pastor is to be tied to a specific location.

not to teach a different doctrine. A pastor is a teacher. The ministry of a pastor is to teach doctrine. The doctrine is faith in Jesus Christ.

a different doctrine. That is, heterodoxy.

 

VERSE 4. and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith—

which is in faith. The plan of God is to be received in faith.

 

VERSE 5. but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,

the goal of this command is love. What does it mean to seek the LORD. It does not mean attending liturgies. Amos says God hates our liturgies! Micah delivers a splendid answer. Read more »

 

VERSE 6. from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking,

 

VERSE 7. desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

desiring to be teachers. These people are power-hungry. They lust to be in charge. They are incapable of being under somebody else’s leadership. They feel that the role of leadership is righfully theirs.

they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm. They have a compulsion to be in charge.

Yet they are not good leaders. They are not even familiar with what it is that they are leading. There are lots of people like this in the Christian community.

 

VERSE 8. But we know that the law is good, if a person uses it lawfully,

the law is good. The law is good when used correctly.

However, it is very easy to use it incorrectly. Many Christians use the New Testament incorrectly.

For example, some Christians turn the New Testament into a weapon to control people.

Or other Christians use the New Testament as an excuse for inexcusable behavior.

 

VERSE 9. as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

 

VERSE 10. for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine,

homosexuals. The Greek word is ἀρσενοκοίταις (“arsenokoitais”).

In this verse, that Greek word is often translated as “homosexual.” However, it is never used with that meaning in any ancient Greek manuscript available today.

Instead, it almost certainly refers to sacred prostitution. That was a practice within some ancient religions. It consisted of paid intercourse performed in the context of religious worship, probably as a form of fertility rite or divine marriage.

This Greek word only occurs in one other place in the Bible. It is 1 Corinthians 6:9.

 

VERSE 11. according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

 

PAUL SHARES HIS TESTIMONY

 

VERSE 12. I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;

I thank him. To be thankful is itself a sacrifice that pleases God. It is God’s will that we give thanks in all circumstances. Read more »

 

VERSE 13. although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

insolent. That is, arrogant. Paul had been profoundly arrogant.

 

VERSE 14. The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

 

VERSE 15. The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

faithful. Some translations use the word “trustworthy.”

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. People wonder why Jesus Christ came into the world. They say it was to be a good teacher or set a good example or teach us about love. However, the mission of Jesus Christ was to save sinners!

of whom I am chief. Paul was an eminent leader in the Christian community. Yet he was not puffed up with pride. In his own background, he saw the worst of sinners.

 

VERSE 16. However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

 

VERSE 17. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

The LORD is one. He is God alone. He is the one God and Father of all. Beside him there is no other God. There is none like him. Read more »

 

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

 

VERSE 18. I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

the prophecies which were given to you. We do not know when, or by whom these prophecies were made.

 

VERSE 19. holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith,

faith. For the Christian, everything begins with faith in Jesus Christ.

and a good conscience. Some people profess faith in Jesus Christ. Yet their lives are overrun with hypocrisy and corruption. So faith must be combined with a clean conscience.

a shipwreck concerning the faith. This is a powerful image.

Reject your conscience and you will shipwreck your faith

 

VERSE 20. of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

 


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1 TIMOTHY

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.