Read with Me
1 Timothy 1:1-2 (HCSB)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope:
To Timothy, my true son in the faith.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Listen with Me
Paul had met Timothy in Lystra on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-3). Lystra was significant because on Paul’s first journey, even though he had been able to win some people for the kingdom, including Timothy’s mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5), a group of Jews had come into town from Antioch and Iconium, and had turned the people against Paul to the point that they took him outside the city and stoned him (Acts 14:19-20).
But when Paul returned a couple years later, Timothy caught his attention. Even though he was young in years, he had a spiritual depth which Paul recognized, and Paul believed that he would be helpful in the work.
Even though Timothy had been born to a Jewish mother and was therefore Jewish in the eyes of the people, his father was Greek and would not allow his body to be “mutilated” through circumcision. But even though Paul opposed circumcision for Gentile believers, he saw it as a covenant requirement for Jewish people. Therefore, he had Timothy circumcised before taking him along (Act 16:3).
Paul was a bachelor who had devoted his whole life to the cause of Christ. Though he had at least one nephew (Act 23:16), he had no children of his own. But Timothy had become to him a surrogate son, someone he could pour his life into and raise up in the “family business” of the Lord’s work.
When Paul wrote this letter, Timothy was already ministering on his own in Ephesus, while Paul went on to Macedonia (verse 3). But Paul knew that Timothy was going to face issues that were not easy to sort out, so he wanted to encourage him and give him some additional pointers.
In verse 1, Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus. The word comes from the Greek apostello, “to send out”. Jesus had not just called Paul, he had commanded him to go into places where the gospel had not yet been heard. Paul had obeyed that command with all his heart.
As in most of his letters, Paul begins with greetings to Timothy, and he blesses him with God’s grace, His unmerited and unlimited favor; His mercy, His favor actively working in Timothy’s life and heart; and His peace, His Shalom, or wholeness in every part of Timothy’s life and ministry.
Pray with Me
Father, I have often heard that it is important for each Christian to have a “Timothy” in their lives, someone that they are mentoring and bringing along in the faith. But this relationship was much more than just a mentor/mentee relationship. It was more like a father/son relationship, with a very real emotional connection. And it wasn’t based on any kind of evaluation or choice on Paul’s part or Timothy’s. Instead, the relationship itself seems to have been initiated by You from the start. That explains its depth as well as its effectiveness. Lord, help me to keep my eyes, my ears, and my heart all open to Your leading, so that I can see the people You have chosen for me to partner with in life and ministry, so that I can be more powerful and effective in both. Amen.