I Am Writing These Things to You So That

1 Timothy Julian Zugg

1Timothy

I am writing these things to you so that,

if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth (3:14,15).

A study guide on 1Timothy for MINTS students

Rev. Dr. Julian Michael Zugg

Covenant PCA, Houston, Texas

Email: ,

Web:

MINTS International Seminary,

14401 Old Cutler Road Miami,Florida 33158 USATel. 786-573-7000,

OUTLINE

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

LESSON ONE: Paul’s Charge to Timothy (1:1-11)

LESSON TWO: Jesus Christ ~ The Savior of Sinners (1:12-20)

LESSON THREE: Men and Womenin Public Worship (2:1-15)

LESSON FOUR: Church Leaders ~Elders and Deacons (3:1-16)

LESSON FIVE: The Charge to Timothy~ the Church Pastor(4:1-16)

LESSON SIX: The Church Family (5:1-16)

LESSON SEVEN: The Church Elders (5:17-6:2)

LESSON EIGHT: Godliness with Contentment (6:3-20)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this course is for students to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures and in particular 1Timothy. In 1Timothy, Paul writes to show Timothy how he must conduct himself in the church, the house of God (3:14-16). 1Timothy is full of practical instruction for ministry, the proper running of the church, and interchurch relationships. It is commonly known as one of the “Pastoral Epistles.”

COURSE CONTENT

The course is divided into eight lessons, following 1Timothy from salvation to the benediction. It covers many aspects of practical church government, heresy, how the church should behave in worship, the choosing of elders, the need to persevere in ministry, the need to honor elders, and the principle of treating everyone in the church as you would treat your own family. It offers both warnings and positive instruction.

COURSE MATERIALS

The lecture notes are a full exposition for this course. The students are required to read them thoroughly along with the Scriptures. Students are also required to read a suitable commentary on 1 or 2 Timothy or Titus.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To study 1Timothy with other students;

To acquire a detailed knowledge of the history and lessons of 1Timothy;

To develop a deeper understanding of God’s work in this world;

To grow in knowledge of how God deals with His church;

To master 1Timothy in order to use it in preaching, teaching, and in pastoral counseling;

To master 1Timothyin order to gain an understanding of the historical background of Paul’s letters

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE

This course has been organized into eight consecutive lessons. The lessons follow the structure of 1Timothy, and so they should be studied in order.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Participate in fifteenhours of common teaching time.

2. Complete the Bible study exercises as contained in the eightlessons.

3.Read a commentary on 1 Timothy or Scott Baker’s courses on2Timothyand Titus

( and

4. Write a sermon or study lesson plan on a theme from 1Timothyof five to seven pages at the Bachelor’s level and ten to twelve pages at the Master’s level.

5. Complete theexam on 1Timothy thatis based upon the questions at the end of the lessons.

COURSE EVALUATION

1. Student attendance (15%): One point willbe given for each class hour attended.

2.Student homework (25%): Points will be given for completing the questions at the end of each lesson.

3. Student Readings (25%): Students will be given credit for completing the required reading.

4. Student Essay (25%): Students will prepare exegetical notes for a sermon/teaching.

5. Student Exam (10%): Students will completeanexam drawn from the questions at the end of each lesson.

BENEFITS OF THIS COURSE

In this letter,Paul gives practical advice for the management of God’s church. He writes to correct false teachingsthat seem to have arisen from amongst the elders, and he writes to protect the church from evilso to guardher in the future. He explains the role of men and women in corporate worship,he warns that prospective elders and deacons must be fully tested and have an excellentreputation before being put into office, and then he explains that the church must guard the great treasure of God, the mystery of godliness.He demonstrates to Timothy how to grow in knowledge and usefulness. In chapters 5 and 6,Pauldescribes the roles and obligations of the church to widows and elders. He begins and ends with a warning about error; his warnings frame the letter. It has been correctly said that none of us can be like the Apostle Paul, but we can aspire to be a Timothy.This letter has great practical value for all in ministry.

Lesson One: Paul’s Charge to Timothy: 1 Timothy 1:1-2

The two letters that Paul wrote to Timothy and the letter he wrote to Titus are commonly referred to the as the Pastoral Epistles (PE). The letters were written toward the end of his life, addressed to two of his closest associates, and are significantly different from his earlier letters to the churches.

1. Personal Greetings (1 Tim. 1:1,2)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, (2) To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

1.1. Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 1:1a)

Paul: The author is Paul, the apostle.[1] This is the accepted view ofthe early church.[2]

An apostle of Christ Jesus: Paul states thathe is an apostle (apostolos),a Greek noun form of the verbal root, apostellō,meaning to send. In its noun form it is translated as ‘ambassador,’‘delegate,’ or ‘messenger.’In the ancient world the Greek word simply referred to a messenger, an envoy,or an ambassador. An apostle was one commissioned and sent out with authority for a specific purpose.The concept is used in two ways in the New Testament.It is used in a specialized sense, in the case of the twelve apostles who laidthe foundation of the church, and in the more general sense of a messenger, one sent by the church to deliver a message.

(a) The TwelveApostles

The foundation of Israel was the twelvetribes,[3]and when Jesus laid the foundation of the New Testament church (Eph. 2:19-20; Rev.21:14),He chose twelveapostles who were to bearwitness to His life and work while he was on earth (Matt. 10:1-2; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-26), and they were to witness especially to His resurrection.The apostles,recognizingthe significance of there being twelve apostles, chose a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:12-26).[4] Only one who was such a witness could replace Judas.

…… who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, (22) beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection” (Acts 1:21,22).

As witnesses they laid the single foundation of the church (Eph.2:19,20). Becausethe foundation has already been laid,it cannot be re-laid. The church is called to build upon the foundation, but never to replace it(1 Cor. 3:6-10).

Paul became an apostle even though he was not one of the Twelve. He calls himself the last of the apostles, one born out of due time (1 Cor. 15:6,8). Paul was uniquely called and given a singularministry to the gentiles, while the other apostleswere called to the Jews (Gal. 2:7,8). It was also important that the other apostlesrecognize his ministry (Gal. 2,8,9).

(b) Apostles as General Messengers

The churches also commissioned apostles as general messengers.[5]In Acts these were temporary callings, a commission by the church to fulfill a specific function for a specific time (Acts 14:14). It was not a permanent office, and it did not have the authority of the Twelve. It only carried the authorityof the sending church, nothing more.

In some churches today there are those who claim to be apostles. They base their claim on Ephesians 4.[6] They are often self-appointedand therefore not under the authority of any church. This is a fundamental mistake in the understandingof the nature of the office of apostle. The twelve apostles were to be eyewitness witnesses to the life and resurrection of Jesus. Paul calls himself the last of the apostles (1 Cor. 15:6,8). These apostles have no successors. It was essential for them to have seen the risen Lord (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor. 9:1).One does not become an apostle merely by plantingchurches. Further,using the Greek word apostlos, to claim the status of a temporary messenger can only lead to confusion and undermine the unique work of the Twelvein laying the foundation. It would be better to call them by the English word, messengers. Anyone today who claims a direct revelation, a word from God,and therefore apostleship is denying the qualifications laid down in God’s own Word and the teaching of the true apostles.Even in Paul’stime there were those who called themselves apostles claiming that men should follow them. Paul was clear; these men must be rejected (2 Cor. 11:3,4). The church at Ephesus was commended for testing, exposing, and rejecting the claims of false apostles,thusprotecting the church (Rev. 2:2). All spiritual claims are to be tested by the Word (1 John 4:1-6).

As one of the foundational apostles, Paul wrotewith divine unrepeatable authority, andas Christ’s direct messenger, he spoke with the very authority of Christ (1 Tim. 6:3).

by command of God:Paul’s apostleship was by command of God, a phrase unique to the opening of 1 Timothy. The words in the opening sections of Paul’s letters indicate major themes. In 1Timothy 1:3,5,18; 4:11; 5:7; 6:13-14,17, Paul commandsthe church and exhorts Timothy to command the church. Paul also makes commands with regard to various matters concerning the false teachers.In Christianitythere is an authority structure, a distinct chain of command. Paulcommands, but all his orders come from God. “All the orders that come from Paul to Timothy, and through Timothy to the church, originate in God Himself.”[7]

The Deity of Christ:Paul is an apostle by the command of God and Christ. Because Paul’s authority flows from both God and Christ, Jesus is seen to be equal to God. Jesus is God. A command from the Father is also said to be a command from the Son, and vice versa.

1.2. God Our Savior and Christ Jesus Our Hope (1 Tim.1:1b)

God our Savior: The phrase only occurs in the opening section of1Timothy. Just like the word ‘command’ discussed earlier, it reflects a main theme.

The phrasesGod our Saviorand Christ our hope summarize all that God has done and is doing to save His people. ‘God our Savior’ looks back to the salvation God accomplished through Christ on the cross; ‘Christ Jesus our hope’ looksforward to the day when Christ will return in power and glory.The combination shows the equality of both God and Christ in salvation.

Generally, Paul calls Christ our ‘Savior’ (Eph. 5:23; Phil. 3:20), not God. Although God is the source of our salvation (Phil. 1:28),nowhere else is He expressly called ‘our Savior.’It is only in the PEthat we find Paul giving that name to God (six times,1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; 4:10; Tit.1:3; 2:10; 3:4). He refers to Christ as ‘Savior’ three times (2 Tim. 1:10; Tit.1:4; 2:13).This name, given to both God and Christ,indicates that God’s purposes and activities in the work of salvation are central to the whole letter. Paul continues: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1:15).God, as Savior, desires the salvation of ‘all men’ (2:3-4), and Paul exhortsChristians to pray for ‘all men’(2:1). Even the teaching sections on the organization and function of the church are written to facilitate God’s salvation into the whole world. A properly functioning church creates a stable base from which the gospel can go out into the entire world.

of Christ Jesus our hope:The gospel message is one of hope in Christ, for this world and for the next. Hope is sure and steadfast; it is the fully confident expectation of as yet anunrealized fulfillment.God’s peoplewait for His return to complete His work. This life is not all that there is. Sin and death are not victorious.

Hope and salvation are closely linked. In the Old Testament,God is the hope of His people precisely becauseHe is their salvation (Jer. 14:8; 17:12-14). In 4:10, Paul writes: For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. “In particular Christ Jesus is the object and source of our hope (cp. Tit.2:13). Ultimately, God has chosen to bring salvation through Jesus Christ, our hope. He is our hope, the only hope, as He is the only Savior of the world.”[8]

1.3.Timothy, the Recipient (1 Tim.1:2a)

The letter is addressed to Timothy. He is often called timid Timothy, because he may have been timid by nature and therefore needed the authoritative written instructions of the apostle in order to put those principlesinto practice. Paul also addresses the whole church.The ‘you’ in 6:21 is plural, not singular as it would be if it were just for Timothy. Paul demands that his apostolic ministry be respected and he claims the same for Timothy, his personal representative and apostolic delegate. Although the letter is intensely personal, it has relevance for all involved in pastoral ministry,along with being instructive to all church members.

my true child in faith: Paul describes Timothy as ‘my true son in the faith’ (1:2). Paul met Timothy in the city of Lystra while on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-2, circa AD 49). 1Timothy was written fourteenyears later (circa AD. 62-63). Timothy had been Paul’s travelling colleague (Acts 16:3-12; 17:10-15; 19:21-22; 20:4; Phil. 1:1; 2:19; Col. 1:1; Philem 1:1; 1 Thess. 3:1-2; 2 Tim. 4:13) and remained faithful to Paul until Paul’s death in AD 66 (2 Tim. 4:13).

son:Paul uses the Greek nounteknon, which is a very affectionate word for child. It includes the ideas of tenderness and endearment. There is an intimate relationship between Paul, a mentor,a guide, a father figure,and Timothy who shows love and faithfulness to him.

trueson: “The Greek word for true,gnēsios,includes the idea of ‘genuine’ or ‘legitimate’, and wasoften used to contrast legitimate from illegitimate children.Timothy may have been considered illegitimate by Jewish law, as his father was not Jewish,”[9]but Paul calls him his true son. Timothywas not illegitimate spiritually; he was true, born of the Spirit, mentored by Paul, and so Paul’s legitimate spiritual heir and his messenger to the church. It is not what one is by nature that defines a person;it is what God has made that person by grace that is important.

Timothy is Paul’schild in faith, his spiritual son. It may have been Paul whom God used to bring about Timothy’s conversion. Paul was Timothy’s mentor.It is in the realm of faith that Timothy bears a resemblance to Paul (1 Cor. 4:16-17). By calling Timothy his ‘son,’ Paul not only attempts to establish Timothy’s authority, but he presents Timothy as one who should serve as an example and a guide for the Ephesians’ faith. Timothy, the true son, was a faithful reflection of Paul’s life and teaching.[10]

Because he isa true son in the faith, Paul gives Timothy his official stamp of approval. The church in Ephesus must recognize this. Timothy is Paul’s legitimate representative. Paul believed in developing new leaders. This letter establishes God as the sovereign ruler who commands men(human agents), giving tasks to them. Paul,the apostle, has been endowed with special authority,and Timothy carries his authority in the church as an apostolic delegate, the apostle’s representative.

1.4. Salutation: Grace, Mercy, and Peace (1 Tim.1:2b)

Paul usually starts his letters with ‘Grace and peace’ (e.g., Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2). In both letters to Timothy, he adds mercy (1:2; 2Tim. 1:2).[11] Paul declares a triple blessingupon his dear disciple, reminding him and all Christians of their need and God’s gracious provision which includes: the grace Christ offers sinners, the mercy Christ gives to the needy, and the peace Christ has made with God through His death on the cross.

Grace:The normal introduction in a letter of the Greco-Roman world would have used the Greek word chairein,meaninggreeting.Paul modifies thisstandard greeting, using the similar sounding word charis.The gift of grace is a statement of fact; Timothy has God’s grace. As one who has grace,Paul is declaring, invoking, asking, and reminding Timothy of what he already possesses,the free, unmerited favor of Godrevealed in Christ. Charisrefers to God’s saving grace (Eph. 2:8) and to God’s continued grace for living until Christ, our hope, returns.

Peace:Paul includes peace with grace in his salutation. In Jewish thinking peace,shalom, carries the sense of wholeness and completeness. God is working in that person for his complete wellbeing. This is an objective truth, a statement of fact. He is declaring and reminding Timothyof hispeace purchased in Christ. As Timothybattles sin the church, he is to recallthat God is working in and though him for his own good and for the good of the church.

Mercy: In his salutations, Paul usuallymentions grace and peace. In this case he adds mercy. The word most often usedtranslates the Hebrew word, hesed, which signifies God’sloving-kindness to Israel, especially by His entering and keeping a covenant relationship with her. Paul usesthe word in contexts that emphasize the election and salvation of God to the undeserving. God’s mercy even extendedto Paul, the chief of sinners, a point he makes about himself in 1Timothy 1:15,16. Paul is the great example of God’s mercy to sinners as His grace goes from the church throughout the world.