1 Timothy
Paul's advice to a young leader in Ephesus: guard the teaching, pray for everyone, and order the household of God with care.
Who wrote it
The letter names Paul as its writer (1:1). The church has long received it as his. Many modern scholars doubt that, pointing to its vocabulary, its picture of church offices, and the difficulty of fitting it into the travels recorded in Acts; others answer that a personal letter to a trusted co-worker, written late in Paul's life, would naturally differ, or that a secretary helped. The same questions apply to 2 Timothy and Titus, which together with this letter are called the Pastoral Epistles.
Who it was for
Timothy had traveled with Paul for years (Acts 16:1-3). In this letter Paul tells him to stay in Ephesus (1:3) and to deal with teachers who were spreading myths and arguments about the law. The letter is addressed to Timothy personally, but it was meant to be read to the church too, and it ends "Grace be with you," using the plural "you" (6:21).
When it happens
Paul says he is on his way to Macedonia and has left Timothy in Ephesus (1:3), and he hopes to come soon (3:14; 4:13). Acts does not record this trip, so those who accept Paul as author usually place it after his release from the imprisonment at the end of Acts. Those who do not accept Paul as author date the letter later and treat the details as part of a way of passing on his authority.
How to read it
A personal letter with the practical purpose of a church handbook. It moves between warnings about false teaching, instructions for worship and for the people in the church (men and women, overseers and deacons, widows, elders, slaves, the rich), early hymn-like statements (3:16), and words aimed at Timothy himself.
Map: Ephesus and Macedonia
Open mapPaul has left Timothy in Ephesus and is going on to Macedonia (1:3).
Timeline
Open timelineIn order, not to scale.
God, our Savior, wants all people to be saved. So the church, as the household of the living God, must hold to sound teaching, pray for everyone, choose its leaders with care, care for those in need, and aim at godliness with contentment rather than money or arguments.
- Sound teaching versus myths and arguments
- Prayer for everyone and the one mediator
- Leaders in the church: overseers and deacons
- Widows, elders, and the household of God
- Godliness, contentment, and the love of money
- A young leader's example and endurance
Who’s who
Paul
The apostle (in the traditional view), writing to his younger co-worker and remembering his own past as a violent opponent shown mercy (1:12-16).
Timothy
Paul's "true child in faith" (1:2), left in Ephesus, young (4:12), with a gift received through prophecy and the laying on of hands (4:14).
Hymenaeus and Alexander
Two men who rejected faith and a good conscience and "made shipwreck"; Paul handed them over to Satan "that they might be taught not to blaspheme" (1:19-20).
The false teachers
Those teaching different doctrine, occupied with myths, endless genealogies, and arguments about the law (1:3-7; 4:1-3; 6:3-5).
Overseers and deacons
Leaders whose qualities are listed in 3:1-13.
Widows
Those the church should honor and support, with careful guidance about who is truly in need (5:3-16).
Elders
Leaders worthy of double honor, who are not to be accused lightly (5:17-25).
The rich in this age
Told not to be arrogant or trust in riches but to be rich in good works (6:17-19).