Introduction

Paul wanted to encourage Timothy to help with his work in Ephesus where he was to stay as an evangelist. Paul’s waiting for the result of his trial, 2 Timothy and makes some requests to Timothy to come and see him before he was put to death, 2 Timothy 4:6.

In 1 Timothy Paul gave him clear guidelines for choosing church leaders. In his letter to Titus, Paul appears to be dealing with the same issue and so, he encourages him to use similar guidelines for choosing church leaders in Crete. So, in both cases, Paul’s letters of encouragement would have helped them in their demanding tasks.

Author

The letter itself, along with other letters which Paul wrote, especially 2 Timothy and Titus have brought about some criticism as to whether Paul actually wrote them or not, mainly for four reasons.

1. The historical problem. 2. The ecclesiastical problem. 3. The doctrinal problem. 4. The linguistic problem.

It’s difficult to understand where the confusion comes from as Paul clearly tells us it was, he, himself who wrote the letter, 1 Timothy 1:1 / 2 Timothy 2:1 / Titus 1:1.

Date

Paul was arrested and placed in prison the first time around A.D. 61 to 63, and it was either immediately before or during this imprisonment that he wrote this letter to Timothy. From statements that he made in 1 and 2 Timothy and his letter to Titus, it’s clear that he was released from this first imprisonment.

Upon his release he travelled to Crete, Titus 1:5, Corinth, 2 Timothy 4:20, Dalmatia, 2 Timothy 4:10, Nicopolis, Titus 3:12, Troas, 2 Timothy 4:13, Miletus, 2 Timothy 4:20, possibly Ephesus, 1 Timothy 1:3, and possibly Spain, Romans 15:24 / Romans 15:28.

Paul was then arrested and placed in prison a second time by Roman authorities. Immediately before this
imprisonment, he wrote a letter to Titus, Titus 3 / Titus 1:2, and then whilst he was in prison he wrote 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy 4:6-8. It was during his final imprisonment around A.D. 66/67 that he suffered death at the hands of Nero after Nero had launched his personal battle against Christians.

Background

Paul warns the leaders at the church in Ephesus of the many dangers that they were facing, Acts 20:17-31. Problems had obviously happened at the church, some teachers were not following sound doctrine, 1 Timothy 6:3.

Paul loved Timothy dearly as a friend and as a companion, and he says of him, ‘I have no one else like him,’ Philippians 2:20, and calls Timothy his ‘son in the gospel,’ 1 Timothy 1:2. Paul wrote this letter to advise Timothy who was very young, 1 Timothy 4:12, on how to deal with these issues, and also encouraged him in his duties as an evangelist.

Timothy

His name means, ‘honouring God’, and his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are mentioned as eminent for their piety, 2 Timothy 1:5. We know nothing of his father but that he was a Greek, Acts 16:1. Timothy became a new convert of Paul the apostle on his first missionary journey, 1 Timothy 1:2 / 1 Timothy 1:18 / Acts 14:6-23, and Timothy became a devoted travelling companion of Pauls.

Timothy was a native of Lystra, and he was with Paul when he was imprisoned in Rome. Paul mentions that Timothy made the journey from Rome to Philippi, Philippians 2:19-23. Sometime later became the minister of the church at Ephesus, and Paul the apostle addresses his letter to Timothy as a minister at Ephesus.

He’s first brought into notice at the time of Paul’s second visit to Lystra, Acts 16:2, where he probably resided, and where it seems he was converted during Paul’s first visit to that place, 1 Timothy 1:2 / 2 Timothy 3:11. Paul, having formed a high opinion of his ‘own son in the faith,’ arranged that he should become his companion, Acts 16:3, and took and circumcised him, so that he might conciliate the Jews.

He was designated to the office of an evangelist, 1 Timothy 4:14, and went with Paul in his journey through Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia, also to Troas and Philippi and Berea, Acts 17:14. He followed Paul to Athens, and was sent by him with Silas on a mission to Thessalonica, Acts 17:15 / 1 Thessalonians 3:2.

We next find him at Corinth with Paul, 1 Thessalonians 1:1 / 2 Thessalonians 1:1. He passes now out of sight for a few years and is again noticed as with the apostle at Ephesus, Acts 19:22, and he is sent on a mission into Macedonia.

He accompanied Paul afterwards into Asia, Acts 20:4, where he was with him for some time. When the apostle was a prisoner in Rome, Timothy joined him, Philippians 1:1, where it appears he also suffered imprisonment, Hebrews 13:23.

During Paul’s second imprisonment he wrote to Timothy, asking him to rejoin him as soon as possible, and to bring with him certain things which he had left at Troas, his cloak and parchments, 2 Timothy 4:13. According to tradition, after Paul’s death, he settled in Ephesus as his sphere of labour and there found a martyr’s grave.

Outline

Instruction And Sound Doctrine. 1 Timothy 1
Instruction And Public Prayer And Worship. 1 Timothy 2
Instruction And The Local Church. 1 Timothy 3
Instruction And Pastoral Ministry. 1 Timothy 4

To Continue To Read This Study In Its entirety, Or To Download It To Your PC, Please Click On The  Icon Below