Chapter 1
Greeting
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
Embedded in this opening greeting, Paul identifies himself as an apostle (one that was officially sent by someone in authority) of Christ (the Anointed One, or the Messiah in the Hebrew language) Jesus. He further emphasizes his ‘apostleship’ by adding that this commission was commanded (Greek epitagēn, a command, compare to thelēmatos, an inclination, or will, as found in Ephesians 1:1) by God the Father our Savior and by Christ Jesus our hope. It is somewhat unusual for Paul to identify God the Father as “our Savior,” but it is not too unusual Scripturally (see Luke 1:47; 1 Timothy 2:3; Jude 1:25, remember that God the Father sent His Son, so through Jesus He is indeed our Savior, see also John 3:17; 6:29; 20:21; 1 John 4:9-14).
1:2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
This epistle is addressed to Timothy who Paul calls his true child in the faith. We first read about him in Acts 16:1 “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.” (ESV) He often traveled with Paul and was a trusted leader who could, and regularly did, continue to teach and lead after Paul moved on in his ministry, for example in Paul’s first epistle to the church in Corinth he wrote, “That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.” (1 Corinthians 4:17, ESV, see also Acts 17:10-15; 18:1-11; 19:1-22; 20:1-6; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 16:10; 2 Corinthians 1:1, 19; Philippians 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 3:2).
Paul offers Timothy grace (receiving favor that was not deserved), mercy (not receiving punishment that is deserved), and peace from God the Father and from Jesus. Slightly different than Paul’s typical epistle greeting by adding mercy, but it is truly appropriate as we certainly would not be able to experience God’s peace without first enjoying His grace and mercy.
Some may ask why Paul, who undoubtedly spent a lot of time with Timothy, who also participated to some degree in the writing of several of his epistles (see 2 Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; Philemon 1:1), and knew that Paul was a true apostle, felt it necessary to reiterate his official apostleship. We will soon see that the reason Paul is writing Timothy is due to believers in Ephesus where Timothy was located, were being misled by false teachers (see next verse). And knowing that Timothy would likely share this epistle with the leaders of that church, Paul tells them that his appointment as a teacher comes from the top.
Warning: False Teachers Have Arrived
1:3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
Paul immediately addresses the issue of misinformation that was being taught not only in opposition to the gospel message, but also that was being taught disguised as some form of embellishment or enhancement of God’s truth. Paul specifically mentions myths (Greek mythios, a tale, a fable, a fabricated story, the word from which the English word is derived) and endless genealogies, but does not elaborate, later he calls the teachings from these people as being “teachings of demons” (see 1 Timothy 4:1). Note that he left Timothy in Ephesus to charge (Greek parangeilēs, to announce, to command) those teaching a different doctrine to stop and to quit their devotion to those myths and genealogies. Knowing that encounter may result in a “just who are you to tell me what I can and cannot say?” conflict may be the reason Paul “laid out his credentials” as being commissioned by God in the opening verse. He then adds that when a different gospel message is taught, false tales are told, and those listening are encouraged to focus on genealogies, that which leads to speculations (Greek ekzētēseis, endless search, a never ending inquiry) rather than the stewardship (Greek oikonomian, the administration or management) from God. In other words instead of doing and teaching as directed by God they were promoting an alternate belief.
1:5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
Paul stops briefly to state that their (his and Timothy’s) command to stop these false teachers is out of love and a good conscience, not out of spite or authoritarianism. That they are motivated by sincere (Greek anypokritou, without hypocrisy, genuine, true) faith. Of course, sincerity believing in something does not necessarily mean that the belief is correct, Paul is simply stating that their beliefs dictate that they must try to stop and correct any and all erroneous teaching.
By calling them “certain persons,” Paul avoids making any direct accusations that may hinder their efforts. But notes that they have ‘swerved’ from these: 1) love, 2) a good conscience, and 3) the true faith), they have wandered away (Greek exetrapēsan, to turn away from or have changed course), meaning they once believed the true message of salvation, but no longer. Instead, they now engage in vain discussions (the Greek can even be translated as one who babbles) and desire to be teachers of the law, but have no clue as to what they are saying, but nonetheless assert that their words are absolutely true.
1:8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
Paul clarifies that he is not denouncing God’s law, but now that Jesus was victorious over death and sin, the law now only has one correct application, and that is to identify sinners. He lists the lawless, the disobedient, the ungodly, the sinners, the unholy, the profane, those that strike their parents, murderers, the sexually immoral, male homosexuals, those that practice human trafficking, those that lie, those that lie under oath, and any others who behave contrary to proper behavior, the law still accuses them in accordance with the gospel of the glory of God of which Paul was entrusted to proclaim. Was Paul trying to create an exhaustive list of sins? No, his point was to help Timothy and all future readers to see that for all believers (the ‘just’ mentioned in verse nine) the law is no longer binding, but it still applies to unbelievers. Does that mean if a believer commits one or more of these sins Paul listed that they lose their salvation? No, but if they persist in sin it may affect their fellowship with Jesus (see Romans 8:38-39).
Jesus Came Into the World to Save Sinners
1:12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Paul gives thanks to Jesus for his strength and acknowledges Him as their Lord because He judged him as being faithful and appointed him to God’s service (see 2 Corinthians 3:6). Especially since he once was not only an unbeliever, he went out of his way to persecute those that followed Jesus (see Acts 7:58; 8:1-3; 9:1-2, Saul’s name was changed to Paul in Acts 13:9). Here he calls himself a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent opponent, which he was all that and was possibly responsible for Stephen’s death (see Acts 7:54-60), he will shortly (in verse fifteen) identify himself as the greatest of all sinners. He notes that he received mercy (something undeserved) because he erroneously thought that Jesus was a false Messiah and so did not believe. But once he accepted Jesus as the true Messiah and Savior, the grace of Jesus overflowed and Paul accepted His love and had faith in Him.
Again, someone might ask why would Paul reiterate something that Timothy already knew well and probably heard Paul’s testimony several times. Paul went from one extreme (leading efforts to eradicate all followers of Jesus) to being an evangelist for the gospel, perhaps the greatest that ever lived. If Timothy was successful in stopping the false teachers and as a result sought repentance, hearing how Jesus forgave Paul would likely be both inspirational and potentially an incentive to seek the same forgiveness.
1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul stops to clarify Jesus’ role in his life, he notes that it is absolutely true, that Jesus came into the world to save people from condemnation, and that even though being the worse offender himself, he too received mercy. So that in Paul people could see Jesus’ perfect patience in him as evidence of the transformation from being the ‘foremost’ sinner to being a true believer and follower in Jesus, that those who do likewise will also have eternal life. Paul then offers a quick doxology of praise, “All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17, NLT)
A Charge for Timothy
1:18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Here Paul charges Timothy to prepare for war! Spiritual warfare is a real issue among Christians (as Paul warned us in Ephesians 6:10-18), but this appears to be more specific. Paul mentions prophecies that were previously made regarding some confrontation, since there is no Biblical record of these prophecies we can only assume that he will encounter the false teachers referenced above, while holding on to his faith and keeping his conscience clear. Paul notes that some have deliberately shipwrecked their faith, he then uncharacteristically names two, Hymenaeus and Alexander, which we know nothing about (Hymenaeus is mentioned again in 2 Timothy 2:17 and a person named Alexander can be found in 2 Timothy 4:14-15, but since Alexander was a common name it could be a reference to someone else), both of which Paul handed over to Satan.
Paul says that he has handed them to Satan so that they can learn to not blaspheme. There have been a number of people in the Bible that were at some point in their lives “handed over to Satan,” including Job (see Job 1:12; 2:6), Peter (see Luke 22:31-32), and an unnamed sexually immoral man (see 1 Corinthians 5:5). In some churches this process would be called excommunication, a form of discipline that should not be taken lightly, nor should it be immediately applied. Since Satan is the temporary ruler of this world (see John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 4:4, see also Luke 4:1-13), turning a believer over to him removes them from the care and support of Christian fellowship, forcing them them back into the world on their own. The words “handed over” (Greek paredōka) refers to a judicial act of sentencing, of being handed over for punishment. Even though Satan cannot change a believer’s salvation (see John 3:15-16; Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 5:13), he can, however, torture and ultimately kill the body, truly a hard lesson.