Read or listen First Epistle to Timothy online (ESV, Bible Gateway)

Introduction and 1 Tim 1 - Warning against false doctrines
1 Tim 2 - Instructions for life for the Church of Christ
1 Tim 3 - The office of a pastor of the congregation and the requirements for performing it
1 Tim 4 - Do not be deceived!
1 Tim 5 - Instructions for widows and a few others
1 Tim 6 - An exhortation to faithfully perform duties

Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles and 1 Timothy

Pastoral Epistles

Paul's two letters to Timothy and his letter to Titus are called the "Pastoral Epistles." They provide guidance on how to lead the church. Pastor comes from the Latin word for shepherd. The letters have been called this name since the 18th century.

The letters are therefore not originally intended for any church, but for two church leaders: Timothy and Titus. However, they are not ordinary private letters - such as Paul's letter to Philemon - but something in between.

Timothy and Titus were not apostles, but rather Paul's co-workers and continuators of his work, who often acted as Paul's "representatives" during his lifetime.

They have been included in the New Testament canon because it is believed that the Holy Spirit gives significant instructions about the life of Christians together through them.

The “key verse” or theme of the Pastoral Letters can be considered 1 Tim 3:15:

“... 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.”

The letters contain instructions on organizing church life on a solid foundation, based on the Word of God.

The letters are a defense of true doctrine against heresies (1 Tim 6:3). Another common term is “godliness” (eusebeia, Tit 1:1), which could also be translated “religion” or “piety”.

Why has the authenticity of the letters been questioned?

1. The letters cannot be placed in the Acts of the Apostles’ accounts of Paul’s travels.
2. The ecclesiastical situation described in the letters is too advanced: it corresponds to the situation around 100 AD.
3. The style of the letters differs from the style of Paul’s other letters.
4. The letters fight against the Gnostic heresy. Gnosticism only developed into a significant threat to the church after 100 AD.
5. The letters contain a large number of words (306) that are not found in Paul’s letters. The letters contain 175 words that occur only once in the entire New Testament, while the letters contain only 848 different words in total.
6. It was perfectly acceptable in antiquity for a student of a great teacher to write a letter in the name of his teacher, as long as the content of the letter corresponded to the teacher’s teachings.

How has the authenticity of the letters been defended?

1. In antiquity, the authenticity of the letters was not doubted - except for the heretic Marcion. The Church Fathers quoted the letters very early, Clement of Rome in his letter to Corinth around 95 AD, Ignatius around 110 AD, and Polycarp around 115 AD.

2. The letters were written only after the Acts of the Apostles ends its description. Early Christian tradition tells us that Paul was released at the end of his imprisonment, which began in the early 60s.

3. The "early maturity" of the ecclesiastical situation has been exaggerated. Already on the first missionary journey (Acts 14:23) Paul appointed elders in each congregation. Ecclesiastical offices have existed from the beginning, they did not arise until decades later. After 100 AD, the emphasis on monarchical episcopacy began: there is only one bishop in each city. There is no sign of this in the Pastoral Letters.

4. The different style of the letters may be due to several reasons:

a. Because they were written to church leaders, not "lay people." Both Timothy and Titus were close friends and associates of Paul. The doctrine does not need to be substantiated; it can be assumed to be known.

b. The use of scribes may also have played a role. Second Timothy was written from prison (2 Tim 1:8), so Paul may have simply given instructions for the letter and checked and corrected it before sending it.

c. The letters contain many quotations and references to “doctrines” and the liturgy of the church, etc. One estimate is that the percentage of quoted material in the letters is: 1 Tim 43%, 2 Tim 16% and Titus 46%.

5. Gnostic movements existed during Paul's lifetime. Paul already fights against them in the Epistle to the Colossians (Col 2:16-23).

6. The importance of differences in vocabulary, as well as style, is no longer considered a very strong argument. Different words are used in different situations. There are 261 words in Romans that are not found in other Pauline letters. The fact that many of Paul's key terms are missing from the letters is explained by the fact that Paul is writing to his good colleagues. Much of this is already familiar.

7. Yes, in ancient times, texts were sometimes written in the name of a teacher, including Plato. But would it have been appropriate for Christian morality to give the impression that the letter really came from the pen of Paul? Why talk about things that would no longer have any meaning after Paul's death: the cloak and parchments left in Troas (2 Tim 4:13) or the promise to come to Timothy (1 Tim 3:14, 4:13). "To assure the authenticity of the letter," the supporters of inauthenticity respond. Would that have been acceptable in ancient times too? Compare also 1 Thess 2:2! An attempt was made to distinguish between genuine and spurious letters. Why would the writer - if he is not Paul - raise doubts about the authenticity of his letter?

8. In Second Timothy, 17 Christians are mentioned by name, most of whom have remained unidentified. Would the names have been mentioned if the letter had been written decades after Paul’s death?

Ultimately, the solution depends on what matters are emphasized in the evidence. Each theory has its evidence - and its counter-evidence.

The choice must be made between three theories:

1. The letters are authentic letters of Paul, written around the mid-60s. This is the traditional position - none of the church fathers doubted the authenticity of the letters.

2. The letters were written by some unknown disciple of Paul in Asia Minor around the year 100.

3. The intermediate form of the previous ones, or fragment theory: Among the fragments of Paul's authentic letters, more has been written and perhaps also oral tradition about Paul has been taken.

The fact that the letters have come into the New Testament under the guidance of the Holy Spirit means that their teachings are valid and belong to all Christians, no matter who the writer is.

I personally hold the view - like, for example, the Swedish bishop Bo Giertz - that Paul himself speaks in the letters.

The scribe of all three letters is the same. If Paul used a scribe to whom he gave many “liberties” - that is, the trace of the scribe’s pen would be visible in the letters - the question would be either Luke (2 Tim 4:11: “Only Luke is here with me...”) or Tychicus (2 Tim 4:12, Titus 3:12, see also 1 Pet 5:12).

Paul also mentions a second sender in some of his letters, for example Timothy is the second sender in six letters: 2 Cor 1:1, Phil 1:1, Col 1:1, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1, Philem 1. Sosthenes is mentioned as the second sender in 1 Cor 1:1 and Silas in 1 Thess 1:1 and 2 Thess 1:1 (along with Timothy). However, all the letters are specifically Paul's letters.

Fourth missionary journey

The Church Father Eusebius tells us in his Church History that Paul was released and visited Hispania (cf. Rom 15:24-28).

The Pastoral Epistles imply that Paul visited the East again, but no mention of this has been found anywhere else.

After all, we know very little about the events of the early church. Luke does not say in Acts that Paul visited Crete - the only possibilities would be brief visits from Corinth on the second missionary journey or from Ephesus on the third missionary journey. Yet there was a church on Crete that Paul had founded. Even if the letter to Titus was written by a disciple of Paul, it would still require a church founded by Paul on Crete. We do not know everything, so we cannot say that something of which only one mention has survived did not actually happen.

What is the picture of Paul’s fourth visit to Greece and Asia Minor given in the Pastoral Epistles?

1. Paul was released from Roman captivity around 62 AD.
2. He went to Hispania (Rom 15:24-28).
3. From there – perhaps via Rome – to Crete (Titus 1:5), where Titus stayed.
4. From there to Miletus (2 Tim 4:20).
5. From there to Colossae (Philem 22).
6. From there to Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3), where Timothy stayed.
7. From there to Philippi (1 Tim 1:3)
8. From there to Nicopolis (Titus 3:2)
9. Finally to Rome, where Paul suffered a martyr’s death by being beheaded with the sword in 67 or 68 AD. Whether Paul was already imprisoned in the East or only in Rome is open to speculation.

The tour could have been another: Ephesus - Macedonia - Crete - Ephesus - Miletus - Troas - Nikopolis.

The First Epistle to Timothy and the Epistle to Titus were written in the mid-60s (63-66 AD), the Second Epistle to Timothy was written during the second Roman captivity, in 67-68 AD.

Paul wrote the First Epistle to Timothy perhaps from Macedonia. The Epistle to Titus was written from Ephesus or Corinth. The Second Epistle to Timothy was written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome.

Heresies

All three letters warn against heresies. As we have already noted, this was a Gnostic movement that emphasized secret knowledge (Greek: gnosis). Our information is very fragmentary:

• the majority of heretics must have been of Jewish background (Titus 1:10)
• the Mosaic Law has played a major role (1 Tim 1:7, Tit 3:9)
• myths and genealogies have been central (1 Tim 1:4, Tit 1:14)
• asceticism has been demanded (1 Tim 4:3, Tit 1:14-15), even marriage was forbidden (1 Tim 4:3)
• it was claimed that the resurrection has already happened (2 Tim 2:18)
• it involved seeking one's own interests instead of the interests of the kingdom of God (1 Tim 6:5)

Timothy and Titus are to respond to these "with sound words and doctrine according to our faith" (1 Tim 6:3)

Timothy

Timothy is mentioned 24 times in the New Testament, 6 of which are in the Book of Acts.

He was from Lystra in Galatia. His father was Greek and his mother was a Jewish Christian. He apparently became a Christian through Paul’s ministry when he visited Lystra on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:8-23, cf. 1 Tim 1:2). Paul came to Lystra again on his second missionary journey. This time he took Timothy with him, where Timothy seems to have remained until his first imprisonment in Rome (Phil 2:20, Phil 1:1, Col 1:1, Philem 1). Paul and Barnabas had parted ways a little earlier (Acts 15:36-41). Timothy became Paul’s closest associate (Phil 2:19-22). Paul circumcised Timothy, apparently so that the Jews would not be unnecessarily irritated, for Timothy was considered a Jew because of his mother (Acts 16:1-4). However, Paul did not circumcise Titus, who was entirely Greek (Gal 2:1-4).

Timothy means “God-fearing” or “God-honoring.”

Timothy is mentioned in six of Paul’s letters as a second messenger: 2 Cor 1:1, Phil 1:1, Col 1:1, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1, and Philem 1.

Paul sent Timothy as his “representative”
- to Thessalonica, 1 Thess 3:1-2 6
- to Corinth, 1 Cor 4:17, 16:10
- to Philippians, Phil 2:19,23

When Timothy joined Paul, he was young, perhaps about 20 years old. At the time of the letters to Timothy, he was about 35 years old (compare 1 Tim 4:12, 2 Tim 2:22). He must have been sickly (1 Tim 5:23) and timid, at least Paul encourages him and rebukes him for being too timid (2 Tim 1:7-8, 2:3, 4:5).

Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois were also Christians (2 Tim 1:5).

The Epistle to the Hebrews (13:23) tells us that Timothy was released from prison. Where and when he was imprisoned remains a mystery.

According to tradition, he was the first bishop of Ephesus and died a martyr’s death in 97 AD.