1 TIMOTHY INTRODUCTION
AUTHOR: The apostle Paul…St. Ignatius, Polycarp, Tertullian, and St. Clement of Alexandria are all among the early Church writers who speak of St. Paul’s authorship…
DATE: 1 Timothy was most likely written around AD 64-65: The Pastoral Epistles, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, with an appearance of be written after the events of (Acts 28): If this is the case, then 1 Timothy could indeed be written before Paul’s second imprisonment in Rome, perhaps from Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3):
MAJOR THEME: PASTORAL CARE OF THE FAITHFUL: The Church is to manifest the Kingdom of God on earth: therefore, how the Church is run relates to both apostolic doctrine (1 Timothy 1:1-20; and 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5) and worship (1 Timothy 2:1-5): Subthemes include:
(1): THE ROLE OF CLERGY
(2): COMBATING HERESY
(3): CARE FOR WOMEN, WIDOW, AND SLAVES
(4): MONEY AND MINISTRY
BACKGROUND: I READ IT FROM MY STUDY BIBLE DURING OUR LESSON TIME- SEE MY VIDEO…
1 TIMOTHY 1 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
GREETING (1 Timothy 1:1-2)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
NOTES
1:1-2: AS WITH ALL OF PAUL’S EPISTLES, 1 TIMOTHY begins with the traditional Greek-Roman format of greetings that is not addressed to a church, but to a TRUE SON IN THE FAITH, Timothy: (THE DISCIPLE of a rabbi was called his “SON”): This relationship obviously supports Paul’s title as “FATHER” (1 Corinthians 4:15) and, by application, the use of “Father” for priests…
1 Corinthians 4:15- 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, I have begotten you through the gospel.
GOD the Father is called SAVIOR (see 1 Timothy 2:3; and 1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 1:3; and Titus 2:10; and Titus 3:4), for every work of the Trinity is the work of all three Persons in which each Person participates…
1 Timothy 2:3: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1 Timothy 4:10: For to this end [a]we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
Titus 1:3: but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
Titus 2:10: not [a]pilfering, but showing all good [b]fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
Titus 3:4: But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
OPPOSING SPECULATIONS WITH FAITH (1 Timothy 1:3-5)
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may [a]charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from [b]sincere faith,
NOTES
1:4: Paul’s faithful are plagued by Jewish FABLES AND ENDLESS GENEALOGIES, energetic disputation over myth and human tradition for argument’s sake… “The Jews wasted their whole course on these unprofitable points (for) historical knowledge and research” (JohnChr)…
OPPOSING LEGALISM WITH GRACE (1 Timothy 1:6-11)
6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is [c]contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
NOTES
1:7: THE LAW is the Old Covenant Mosaic Law, not the commandments of Christ in the Gospels or the canons of the Church…
1:8: THE LAW IS GOOD because God gave it (Romans 7:16): It was a schoolmaster of God’s chosen people, to confront and control their sin until the Incarnation of His Son fulfills it; and a guide to lead all people to Christ…
Romans 7:16: If then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
PAUL’S EXAMPLES: SALVATION BY GRACE (1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17)
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an [d]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to [e]God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
NOTES
1:12-17: PAUL, as a former rebel toward God and persecutor of the Church (Acts 9:1-3), gives glory to God for choosing him and his calling as an apostle… Throughout the OT and NT and church history, the greatest sinners have often become the most notable saints: EXAMPLES: (MOSES, RAHAB, DAVID, PHOTINI-THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, MATTHEW, PAUL, ST. MARY OF EGYPT) …
Acts 9:1-3: Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
1:15: USED IN ORTHODOX liturgical prayer and said by all approaching the chalice for Holy Communion…
TIMOTHY CALLED TO FAITHFULNESS (1 Timothy 1:18-20)
18 This [f]charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme
NOTES
1:20: If Paul is a recipient of God’s grace, here are two rejected this grace and stand as a warning to all…
PSALM 48 (49) STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN – SEE MY VIDEO READING AND BREAKDOWN WILL COME FROM ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE…
PSALM 48 (49)- Is a prophecy that presents a contrast between the children of the body and the children of the kingdom (prayers at the reception of catechumens): Children of the body live under reign of death and the fear it instills in them; therefore, to overcome this fear, the become occupied with objects of the senses, especially wealth and the power it brings with it (v. 7): But their riches cannot redeem their souls and bodies from the grave and decay, and from death and Hades (vv. 8, 9, 11-15, 18-21): Therefore, all peoples should HEAR THIS AND GIVE EAR (vv. 2-5) TO THE END (v. 1), who is Christ our God: For He became Incarnate to ransom mankind from slavery to senseless objects and to the reign and fear of death (v. 16): The children of the kingdom are delivered by Him from this slavery (vv. 6, 10, 16):
JOHN 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
“I needed these two verse today for one I will always lay down my life for all those who I love, and I know my work in th Lord is never in vain…Sometimes our spiritual warfare becomes a battlefield leaving us stranded wondering what went wrong, but it’s the peace I receive from the Lord when I go to Him in prayer knowing He has taken my entire load so I can bear the fatigue of a new day!!!”
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL!!!