Today in our journey along Route 66 we come to Paul’s First Letter to Timothy...
Author
1 Timothy is the first of what are called the Pastoral Epistles which include 2 Timothy and Titus. These letters are so called because Paul gives instruction to his disciples, Timothy and Titus, regarding how to care for a local church.
Both early tradition and the greetings in each of the Pastoral Epistles confirm that Paul is the author of these letters. However, in modern times many questions have been raised concerning Pauline authorship. Modern scholars who deny Pauline
authorship point to the different vocabulary of these letters and the leadership structure of the church recommended in these letters which seems to suggest a time later in the history of the first century church.
However, as we have seen in our study of the rest of Paul’s letters, these differences in vocabulary may be explained by the fact that Paul always dictated his letters to various secretaries. Another explanation may be that a later editor has collected bits and pieces of Paul’s genuine writing and put them together in the form we now have in the Pastoral Epistles.
Personally, I have a hard time doubting Pauline authorship when I read these letters. There are just too many personal references. Yes, there are some things in these letters that don’t seem to fit with what we know of Paul from his other letters. But the personal references win me back to a belief in Pauline authorship every time.
Date
Those scholars who believe that Paul was the author of the Pastoral Epistles tend also to believe that after Paul’s first house arrest in Rome, recorded in Acts 28, he was, perhaps, freed for a time during which he wrote the Pastoral Epistles, probably around 62 CE. After this, in 64 CE the great fire in Rome took place which Nero blamed on the Christians. Paul and Peter were later executed under Nero around 64 CE. Those who believe that Paul did not write the Pastoral Epistles tend to date these letters toward the end of the first century.
Themes
Paul writes this letter to Timothy, a native of Lystra (in modern-day Turkey). We learn from Acts 16:1 that Timothy’s father was Greek, while his mother was a Jewish believer in Jesus as her Messiah. Timothy learned about the Hebrew Scriptures from infancy, thanks to his mother and his grandmother. (See 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15.)
Paul calls Timothy his “true son in the faith” perhaps because Paul had led Timothy to faith in Jesus as his Messiah during Paul’s first missionary journey to Lystra. (See Acts 14 & 16.) Paul later invited Timothy to join him in his missionary travels. (See Acts 16.) Timothy took part in Paul’s mission throughout Asia Minor and Greece. (See Acts 17 and 18.) Timothy may also have accompanied Paul to Jerusalem and was with the apostle during his first imprisonment. (See Philippians 1, Colossians 1, and Philemon 1.) Later, Paul assigned Timothy to deal with certain problems at the Church in Ephesus.
Timothy is named with Paul as the co-sender of six of his letters. (See 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon.) At the end of his life, Paul asked Timothy to join him in Rome. (See 2 Timothy 4:9,21.) According to Hebrews 13:23, Timothy was imprisoned and subsequently released.
Timothy is never designated as an apostle, nor is he an overseer, though he is given instruction about overseers. (See 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 5:17-22.) It may be best to regard Timothy as an apostolic representative.
Paul wrote this first letter to Timothy to expand upon the charge he had given to his young assistant (1:3,18), to refute false teaching (1:3-7; 4:1-8; 6:3-5,20-21), and to instruct Timothy in church matters like worship (2:1-15) and the appointment of church leaders (3:1-13; 5:17-25).
Structure
- Greetings (1:1-2)
- Warning against False Teachers (1:3-11)
- The Lord’s Grace to Paul (1:12-17)
- The Purpose of Paul’s Instructions to Timothy (1:18-20)
- Instructions concerning Church Administration (2-3)
- Methods of Dealing with False Teaching (4)
- Methods of Dealing with Different Groups in the Church (5:1-6:2)
- Miscellaneous Matters (6:3-19)
- Concluding Appeal (6:20-21)
Key Concept—The Church’s Top Priority
I think we all struggle with priorities. The Church does too. What do you think should be the church’s number one priority? Thankfully we do not have to wonder. Paul has told us what the church’s number one priority should be in 1 Timothy 2:1-7. Listen for God’s word to you…
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Therefore, I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.
So, Paul makes it clear in this passage that prayer should be the church’s number one priority. Paul says, “I urge, then, first of all…”
Furthermore, this text answers several important questions about prayer. First, how should we pray?
People have many different ideas about prayer. There was a young child who once prayed, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some e-mail.” On another occasion I saw a cartoon of a pastoral prayer in a leading journal. It showed a pastor standing before his congregation and praying: “Lord, I lay before you the prayer concerns voiced this morning, even though most of them sound like whining to me.”
Contrary to these two perspectives, I am not sure that Christian prayer is meant to be as casual as e-mail, nor is it meant to be a platform for whining. In this passage, Paul mentions four things we are to do in prayer. First, we need to present our needs before the Lord. That’s what the Greek word for requests means.
John Newton, author of the great hymn, Amazing Grace, was someone who received from the Lord some amazing answers to his petitions, so he often engaged in what he called “large asking”. In support of this practice, he would frequently tell the story of the man who asked Alexander the Great to give him a huge sum of money in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Alexander consented and told the man to request of his treasurer whatever he wanted. The man went to the treasurer and requested an enormous sum. The keeper of the funds was startled and said he couldn’t give that much without a direct order. Going to Alexander, the treasurer argued even a small fraction of the money requested would more than serve the purpose. “No,” Alexander replied, “let him have it all. I like that fellow. He does me honor. He treats me like a king and proves by what he asks that he believes me to be both rich and generous.” Newton concluded the story by saying, “In the same way, we should go to the throne of God’s grace and present petitions that express honorable views of the love, riches, and bounty of our King!” Newton summed up his belief about prayer in a line of poetry…
Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring.
I wonder, do we come boldly before God’s throne of grace to ask the Lord for big things as well as small? Remember, there is no problem too big for God’s power, and no person too small for his love.
The second thing Paul says we should do in prayer is to pour out our hearts before the Lord. That’s what the Greek word for prayers means. Sometimes it is not enough just to quietly voice our need before the Lord. We need to let the Lord know how we feel about it. Prayer is ultimately a relationship with God, and you can’t have a close relationship with someone unless you unburden your heart before that person.
Oswald Chambers once wrote, “Prayer is not getting things from God… prayer is getting into perfect communion with God. I tell him what I know he knows in order that I may get to know it as he does.”
The third thing Paul says we should do in prayer is to intercede. Literally, let the Lord bind your heart to himself and to those for whom you pray. That’s what an intercessor is—someone who lets the Lord bind their heart to himself and to those for whom they pray.
This is especially true of those who pray for the salvation of others. Charles Spurgeon once wrote…
The soul-winner must be the master of the art of prayer. You cannot bring souls to God if you do not go to God yourself… If you are much alone with Jesus, you will catch His Spirit. You will be fired with the flame that burned in His breast and consumed His life. You will weep with the tears that fell upon Jerusalem when He saw it perishing; and if you cannot speak so eloquently as He did yet shall there be about what you say somewhat of the same power which in Him thrilled the hearts and awoke the consciences of men.
A fourth thing that Paul says we need to do in prayer is to continually thank God. The Greek word for thanksgiving is in the plural form and should be translated thanksgivings.
In Ephesians 5:19-20 Paul says,
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice, Paul says we should not simply give thanks in all situations, but for all things. That’s tough!
Corrie ten Boom writes of her sister Betsy thanking God for the fleas in their barracks at Ravensbruck concentration camp. Corrie could not understand why they should thank God for the horrible fleas. But she followed her sister’s lead and Paul’s instruction to thank God for all things.
Not long after, Corrie and Betsy realized the guards never came into their barracks anymore. So, the women were never assaulted, and they were free to have Bible studies where many of the women came to know Christ. It was only later that they found out why the guards left them alone; it was because of the fleas. You never know when the Lord may be using some unpleasant thing in your life to protect you or to prepare you for his blessing.
In 1 Timothy 2, Paul not only tells us how to pray he tells us for whom to pray. Paul tells Timothy and the Church at Ephesus to pray for kings and for all those in authority.
This is truly remarkable because it was the kings and those in authority who were persecuting the first Christians. Of all the people that the first Christians would not want to pray for, kings and those in authority would be at the top of the list. But Paul tells them specifically to pray for these people.
In our nation today there are many different perspectives on politics and the duty of the Christian citizen. How interesting that Paul tells us our first duty as Christian citizens is not to protest, nor to form some political action committee, but rather to pray for our government leaders.
Dr. Richard Halverson, former Chaplain of the United States Senate once wrote…
Intercession is the truly universal work for the Christian.
No place is closed to intercessory prayer: no continent, no nation, no city, no organization, no office. No power on earth can keep intercession out.
You may be anywhere you wish, praying for anyone you wish, any time you wish. You may be in the Oval Office of the White House as you pray for the President. You may be in the chambers of Congress, or in the offices or homes of the senators and representatives. You may be in your state legislature or the governor’s office, or in the office of your city’s mayor.
You may even be in the Kremlin! No iron curtain can shut you out when you pray.
You can be wherever your loved ones are. You can be with missionaries, pastors, national and international Christian leaders.
What incredible opportunity intercession affords the one who takes prayer seriously!
By his words, Paul makes it clear that we should really pray for all types of people. If we should pray for kings and all those in authority then there is no one who is exempt from the need for our prayers, no one who is unworthy.
Are there people in your life for whom you find it difficult to pray? Pray for them anyway!
Who are the evilest people you know? Pray for them anyway!
Who are the people who might make a great impact for the kingdom of God if they came to faith in Christ? Pray for them.
Paul also answers the question: why should we pray for all people? Paul gives us six reasons. Because...
- It is morally right and contributes to salvation.
- It is pleasing to God.
- God wants all people to be saved.
- There is only one way to be saved—through Jesus Christ.
- It cost Jesus everything to die for us.
- Intercession will lead to involvement.
I’m glad someone prayed for my father to be saved. If he hadn’t come to faith in Christ when he did, I never would have been born.
Who is there that you need to pray for? Perhaps it is a person you think is beyond hope. There were people who thought that way about my father. I’m glad that thought didn’t stop others from praying for him.
Finally, Paul answers the question: what are the essentials of effective prayer? Paul says, “Therefore, I want men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”
Paul spells out three essentials to effective prayer. The first one is holiness. Korean pastor Billy Kim once wrote,
Busyness for God or activity for God is a good thing, but not the best thing. The holiness or purity of our lives is so important for revival. Activity never brought a soul-searching revival, but holiness and right living brought great awakening down through the ages.
The second essential is love. Paul says he wants men everywhere to lift up holy hands without anger. That implies that we should pray with love).
John Wesley once prayed, “Lord, give me a hundred men who hate nothing but sin and who love no one more than Jesus, and I will change the world.” The Lord answered Wesley’s prayer in the affirmative and those hundred men did change the world.
The third essential to effective prayer is unity. Paul says he wants men everywhere to lift up holy hands without anger or disputing. That last part implies we need to be unified as Christians if our prayers and our mission are going to be effective.
I love the motto: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things love.” We need more of that spirit in the Church today.
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