New Testament Survey: Book of 1 Timothy

Instructions to an

Evangelist

Background

• Paul wrote four letters to individuals.• Two written to Timothy• Some refer to 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus as

”pastoral letters.”• Denominational churches have the wrong concept.• Bible terms used for pastors (Acts 20:17-28)– Bishops– Elders– Shepherds

• Timothy and Titus were preachers—co-laborers with Paul.

• Letter written finishing recorded history in book of Acts.

• Paul’s second imprisonment ended in his death.

• Luke was Paul’s constant companion.

• Probably written around 66 A.D.

Background

Timothy’s Background

• Born of a Greek father and a Jewish mother.

• Taught the scriptures by his mother and grandmother.

(2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15)

• Found by Paul in Lystra. (Acts 16:1-3)

• For the rest of Paul’s life, Timothy shared in his labors.

• With Paul in Rome during his first imprisonment.

• Left at Ephesus to work with church there.

• At the end of Paul’s life, Timothy joined him in Rome.– 2 Timothy 4:11-21

The Letter

• Paul’s reasons for writing the letter:– “These things I write to you, though I hope to come

to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (3:14,15)

– Dangers of Gnosticism everywhere in Asia Minor– Standard of conduct in God’s house

Seven Points

• Qualifications of elders

• Qualifications of deacons

• Instructions to various church groups (older, younger, widows, virgins, etc.)

• Preach the word!

• Live as an example.

• Keep the church pure.

• Rebuke and refuse false teachers.

Main Points of Chapters

• Christ came to save sinners. (1:15)• God wants all to be saved. (2:4)• The church is the bulwark of the truth. (3:15)• Be concerned about saving others and self.

(4:15,16)• Keep thyself pure. (5:22)• Fight the good fight of faith. (6:12)

Keys to 1 Timothy

• Key Word– Minister, ministration

• Key Phrase– “This is a faithful saying.”

(1:15)

• Key Chapter– Chapter 4

• Key verses– 3:15,16

“But if I am delayed, I write so that

you may know how you ought to

conduct yourself in the house of

God, which is the church of the

living God, the pillar and ground of

the truth. And without controversy

great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,

justified in the Spirit, seen by

angels, preached among the

Gentiles, believed on in the world,

received up in glory.”

Contents and Character

• Warning against failing faith

• Teach no strange doctrine—1:3

• Warning against speculative doctrine—1:4

• “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia--remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine.”

• “Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.”

• Warning against failing faith

• Love from a pure heart—1:5

• Danger of unknowledgeable teachers—1:7

• “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.”

• “Desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”

Contents and Character

• Warning against failing faith

• Holding faith in good conscience—1:18,19

“This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.”

Contents and Character

• Warning against failing faith

• Some will depart from the faith—4:1

• Warning to young widows—5:11

• “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

• “But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry.”

Contents and Character

• Warning against failing faith

• Failure to perform family duties—5:8

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Contents and Character

• Warning against

failing faith

• Failure to teach

wholesome

words

—6:3-5

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does

not consent to wholesome words,

even the words of our Lord Jesus

Christ, and to the doctrine which

accords with godliness, he is proud,

knowing nothing, but is obsessed with

disputes and arguments over words,

from which come envy, strife, reviling,

evil suspicions, useless wranglings of

men of corrupt minds and destitute of

the truth, who suppose that godliness

is a means of gain. From such

withdraw yourself.”

Contents and Character

• Warning against failing faith

• Danger of loving money– 6:10

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Congregational worship and prayer—2:1,2

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Woman’s subjection to man—2:11,12

“Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Qualifications of elders—3:1,2

“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach...”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Qualifications of deacons—3:8,9

“Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Nourished in the words of faith—4:6

“If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• The approach of false teaching—4:2,3

“Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Caring for widows indeed—5:16

“If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Caring for the needs of elders worthy of double honor—5:17,18

“Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and, the laborer is worthy of his wages.’”

Contents and Character

• Conduct in the Lord’s house—the church.

• Instructions about receiving an accusation against an elder—5:19,20

“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct of those who preach.

• Exercise lives towards godliness—4:12,13

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct of those who preach.

• Meditate on God’s word—4:15,16

“Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct of those who preach.

• Keep pure and do not lay hands on othershastily—5:21,22

“I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.”

Contents and Character

• Conduct of those who preach.

• Keep that which has been committed to them—6:20

“O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith…”

Contents and Character