Bible Study on The First Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy - Bible Study

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Commentary on The First Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy

1:1 Paul: The sender of the letter, traditionally identified as the great apostle to the Gentiles (2:7; Rom 11:13). As an ambassador of Christ Jesus, Paul is divinely authorized to announce the gospel to Israel and all nations (Acts 9:15). His mission stems, not from his own initiative, but from a direct command of the risen Lord (Gal 1:1, 15-16). our Savior: Six times in the Pastoral Epistles this title is given to God the Father (2:3; 4:10; Tit 1:3; 2:10; 3:4), and four times to Jesus Christ (2 Tim 1:10; Tit 1:4; 2:13; 3:6). Back to text.

1:2 Timothy: One of Paul's associates and a member of his missionary team. He was a native of Asia Minor instructed in the Scriptures by his Jewish mother, Eunice (2 Tim 1:5; 3:15). After his conversion, Paul recruited Timothy as a traveling companion (Acts 16:1-3) and ordained him to the priestly ministry (1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6). Thereafter, Timothy spent most of his time at Paul's side, as suggested by the six NT letters that identify him as a co-sender with the apostle (2 Cor; Phil; Col; 1 and 2 Thess; Philem). Though Timothy's youth might sometimes have been a liability (1 Tim 4:12), his health unstable (5:23), and his disposition timid and unassertive (2 Tim 1:7), Paul always thought very highly of him and considered him a dear friend (Phil 2:19-23). According to tradition, Timothy was the first bishop of Ephesus and was martyred there in old age. my true child: Similar expressions occur in 1 Tim 1:18, Phil 2:22, and 2 Tim 1:2. They imply that Paul's apostleship is a ministry of spiritual fatherhood: through preaching and administering the sacraments, he begets the supernatural life of God in others and makes them his children. Timothy is a spiritual son who received the priesthood through Paul (2 Tim 1:6), and, as the apostle's successor, he is to communicate the gift of that ministry to others as well (1 Tim 5:22; 2 Tim 2:1-2). See note on 1 Cor 4:15. Back to text.

1:3-11 Timothy's first assignment is to halt the spread of false teaching in Ephesus (1:3). Proponents of these novelties are not missionary invaders but misguided individuals from within the Ephesian congregation. Aspiring to be teachers of the Torah (1:7), they occupy themselves with imaginative theories about the mysteries and genealogies of the books of Moses (1:4). Timothy is to silence them and preach sound doctrine that inspires love and faith (1:5). For Paul, it is unbecoming for teachers of the faith to neglect the certainties of revelation in order to revel in the uncertainties of speculation. Back to text.

1:3 Macedonia: A Roman province in northern Greece. Ephesus: Capital of the Roman province of Asia (Minor) in southwest Turkey. Paul established the Church there in the mid 50s on his third missionary tour (Acts 19:1-20:1). Although Ephesus is a flourishing center of Christianity in the first century, the apostle foresees doctrinal troubles heading their way (Acts 20:17, 28-29). Back to text.

1:4 myths: Probably legendary stories about OT figures that are found in Jewish apocryphal writings before the dawn of Christianity (Tit 1:14). divine training: The Greek oikonomia can also mean "arrangement of God" or "household management of God". The latter sense would connect with a theme developed later in the letter, namely, that the Church is the "household of God" (3:15). Back to text.

1:7 teachers of the law: Elsewhere in the NT this title is used of scribal (Lk 5:17) and rabbinic teachers (Acts 5:34). Back to text.

1:8 the law: The Torah or Law of Moses is "good" because it promotes virtue and prohibits vice (Rom 7:12, 16). Since many of the sins in the following verses are direct violations of the Decalogue (Ex 20:1-17), it is clear that the moral precepts of the Old Covenant are carried over into the New and, in Paul's mind, are part of what constitutes "sound doctrine" (1 Tim 1:10). This is consistent with his teaching elsewhere in Rom 13:8-10, 1 Cor 7:19, and Gal 5:14. lawfully: I.e., according to its true intent. Improper use of the Law was made by false teachers, whose useless conjectures spread confusion instead of religious conviction among believers. The purpose of the Torah is not to satisfy our curiosity but to encourage justice, mercy, and faith (Mt 23:23) (CCC 1962). • The person who thinks he understands the Scriptures but is unable to build up the double love of God and neighbor does not truly understand them (St. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine 1, 36). Back to text.

1:9 for the lawless: I.e., for those who need moral direction and restraint in order to become just. Back to text.

1:10 immoral persons: Literally, "fornicators". sodomites: The Greek refers to "male homosexuals", i.e., men who perform sexual acts with other men. For Paul's condemnation of this perversity, see Rom 1:26-27 and 1 Cor 6:9. Back to text.

1:12-17 An autobiographical aside. Paul stands as a living exemplar of Christ's redemptive work, i.e., an example of how the Lord can transform even rebellious sinners into remarkable saints. In the end, the tragic tale of Saul the Pharisee became the epic story of Paul the Apostle because of one fact: the grace and mercy of God was poured out upon him (1:13; 1 Cor 15:10) (CCC 545). Back to text.

1:15 foremost of sinners: The grace given to Paul at his conversion magnified his awareness of past faults. The comment is suggestive of the letter's authenticity, since it is unlikely that an admirer of Paul would describe him in more humiliating terms than the apostle himself did (1 Cor 15:9). See introduction: Author. Back to text.

1:17 To the King of ages: Possibly a Jewish doxology that passed into the liturgy of the ancient Church. Others like it punctuate the letters of Paul (6:15-16; Rom 16:27; Phil 4:20; Eph 3:21). Back to text.

1:18 prophetic utterances: This may indicate that Timothy's ordination was accompanied by a revelation of his precise mission to the Ephesian Church (4:14). A similar missionary calling is outlined in Acts 13:1-3. Back to text.

1:20 Hymenaeus and Alexander: Ringleaders of the erring teachers in Ephesus. So dangerous was their teaching that Paul surrendered them to Satan, i.e., he excommunicated them from the life and liturgy of the Church. This drastic measure is not an irreversible condemnation but a form of disciplinary correction designed to bring about their repentance. Nothing more is known of them unless Hymenaeus is the same person mentioned in 2 Tim 2:17 and unless this Alexander can be linked with the individual in Acts 19:33 or 2 Tim 4:14-15. See note on 1 Cor 5:5. Back to text.

2:1-15 The entire chapter is devoted to prayer, the first half concerning intercessory prayer for ecclesiastical and government leaders (2:1-7), and the second with liturgical prayers offered by men and women (2:8-15). Timothy's task is to reorder public worship in Ephesus according to Paul's directives. Back to text.

2:2 kings . . . high positions: Prayer for civic officials is a continuation of the Jewish custom to offer prayers and sacrifices for secular rulers (Ezra 6:10; 1 Mac 7:33; CCC 1900). Back to text.

2:4 desires all men to be saved: The Father wants all to repent and receive the salvation offered by Christ (4:10; 2 Pet 3:9). It is wrong, therefore, to contend that Jesus died to redeem only select individuals and not the human family as a whole (1 Jn 2:2). Believers act on this conviction when they intercede for the temporal and spiritual needs of "all men" (1 Tim 2:1) (CCC 851, 1821). knowledge of the truth: A summary of this knowledge is formulated in the very next sentence (2:5-6), where saving truth is linked with the substance of the gospel (Gal 2:5; Col 1:5). Back to text.

2:5 one God: The monotheistic faith of Israel (Deut 6:4), which remains a standing truth of the gospel (Jn 17:3; 1 Cor 8:6) (CCC 200-202). one mediator: A middleman or negotiator who makes friends of enemies. Jesus Christ is the mediator who reconciles the world to the Father in the bonds of the New Covenant (2 Cor 5:18; Heb 9:15). The distance once separating man from God is now bridged by the Incarnation, in which divinity and humanity are forever united in God the Son. In this sense, the mediation of Christ is absolutely unique. Still, the mediation of angels and saints is not ruled out, since union with Christ enables others to share in the saving work of Christ in subordinate and participatory ways. Paul assumes as much in the immediate context, for he urges Timothy and company to pray for civil authorities, i.e., to intercede as mediators between God and their governors in the course of the liturgy (1 Tim 2:1-3) (CCC 618, 970, 1349, 2636). • A mediator brings together those who are separated, for extremes are united at a midpoint. Uniting men with God is the office of Christ, through whom men are reconciled to God. However, nothing forbids others from being called mediators inasmuch as they cooperate in uniting men with God by directing their way or by ministerial actions (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae III, 26, 1). Back to text.

Word Study

Conscience (1 Tim 1:19)

Syneidēsis (Gk): "moral consciousness". The term is used six times in the Pastoral Epistles and 24 times in the rest of the NT. It refers to a hidden law in the heart that obliges us to do good and avoid evil (Rom 2:15). As an interior judge, it either approves our actions as praiseworthy (2 Cor 1:12) or accuses us of sins committed (Wis 17:11). Habitual sin can cause the voice of conscience to be muffled over time, making sinners responsible for their own inability to distinguish right from wrong (Tit 1:15). Conversely, to serve God with a good or clear conscience is to listen to its guidance and act in accord with its directives (Acts 24:16; Heb 13:18). Baptism plays an important part in this, as it gives us a new start by cleansing our conscience of past failures (Heb 10:22; 1 Pet 3:21). For Paul, our concern for conscience must also extend to our neighbor. He warns that when Christians act irresponsibly, they can cause the consciences of weaker believers to be wounded (1 Cor 8:12; 10:27-29) (CCC 1776-89).

2:6 gave himself: The Crucifixion of Jesus was a voluntary act of sacrifice and thus a death he freely accepted (Eph 5:2). ransom: A price paid for the release of captives. See word study: Ransom at Mk 10. Back to text.

2:8 lifting holy hands: Raising the hands in prayer was a revered custom in ancient Israel (Ps 141:2; Is 1:15). Artwork discovered in the Roman catacombs indicates that this practice continued into the early centuries of the Church. By calling the hands "holy", Paul is saying that reverent posture must be coupled with an inward desire for personal holiness. without anger: Peace between believers makes worship acceptable to the Lord (Mt 5:23-24). Sin and strife can thwart the effectiveness of our prayers (Ps 66:18; 1 Pet 3:7). Back to text.

2:9 modestly and sensibly: Decorum guidelines for the liturgy. Female attire should be modest, not overrevealing or fitted to arouse the base passions of men in attendance. It should also be sensible, not a vain display of fashion, wealth, or social status, which are ultimately unimportant in God's eyes. Dressing for worship demands consideration for others as well as a humble reverence for the Lord. Similar instructions are given in 1 Pet 3:3-4 (CCC 2521-24). Back to text.

2:12-16 Paul's teaching on women and gender roles has its basis in Genesis 2-3. • The creation of Adam first appears in Gen 2:7, and then Eve is formed in Gen 2:21-22. Mention that Eve was deceived is a reference to her words in Gen 3:13. Also, the subordination of woman to the authority of man, along with her difficult task of bearing children, recalls the penitential curse laid upon Eve in Gen 3:16. Note that Paul is not attempting to downplay the sin of Adam by shifting attention to Eve; he is fully aware of the disaster caused by the rebellion of the first man (Rom 5:12-21; 1 Cor 15:22). Back to text.

2:12 I permit no woman to teach: Not an absolute prohibition that applies to all circumstances, but one that excludes women from the teaching ministry exercised by ordained clergymen (1 Cor 14:34-35). Paul is not denying the equal dignity of men and women in Christ (Gal 3:28) or the propriety of women in praying and prophesying within the context of worship (1 Cor 11:5). Women perform an invaluable service when they teach the faith in other contexts by their words and Christian example (Tit 2:3-4). • According to Church teaching, Paul forbids women to exercise the official function of teaching in the Christian assembly (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Inter insigniores [1976], 4). Back to text.

2:15 bearing children: Motherhood can be a means of sanc-tification and salvation, provided the woman exemplifies feminine virtues. Emphasis on the dignity of motherhood may be aimed at certain teachers who denied the goodness of marriage (4:3) or at women who found masculine roles more appealing (2:12). Notice that marriage and child rearing are not the only paths open to women, for Paul also extols the excellence of the single life (1 Cor 7:25-35) (CCC 1652-53). Back to text.

3:1-13 Paul turns to the topic of Christian leadership, considering bishops (3:1-7) as well as deacons and deaconesses (3:8-13). He outlines not their duties so much as the human virtues expected of them, such as integrity, sobriety, and respectability. Timothy must take this to heart as he selects and ordains worthy candidates for these positions (5:22). Back to text.

3:1 bishop: An overseer or spiritual shepherd who carries on the mission of the original apostles. Note that the titles "bishop" and "elder/presbyter" were somewhat fluid in the earliest years of the Church, and it seems that they could be used interchangeably (Acts 20:17, 28; Tit 1:5-7). Soon, however, the distinction between bishops (1 Tim 3:1), elders (5:17), and deacons (3:8) was clearly defined and their respective titles were standardized. • As if to say that the traditions of the apostles were taken from the Old Testament, bishops, presbyters, and deacons occupy in the Church the same positions that Aaron, his sons, and the Levites occupied in the Temple (St. Jerome, Letters 146). • The Church recognizes these offices as three degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders: the episcopate (bishops), the presbyterate (elders or priests), and the diaconate (deacons) (CCC 1554-71). Back to text.

3:2 one wife: Candidates for pastoral ministry should not be married more than once in their lifetime (3:12). Paul does not specify why, but his teaching elsewhere suggests (1) that widowers who remain unmarried will be better able to devote themselves to the Lord's work (1 Cor 7:8, 32-34) and (2) that widowers who pursue remarriage may be lacking the self-control expected of a minister of the gospel (1 Cor 7:9, 3638). On the question of clerical celibacy, see note on 1 Cor 9:5 (CCC 1579-80). Back to text.

3:5 his own household: The assumption is that bishops are spiritual fathers. Failure to supervise well the affairs of their own families and households suggests they will lack the necessary virtues to shepherd the household of God, which is the Church (3:15; Gal 6:10). Back to text.

3:8 Deacons: Ministers who assist the bishops (Phil 1:1) and serve the needs of the poor, sick, and widowed. They probably had limited liturgical responsibilities as well. The beginning of this office is sometimes traced to the seven men ordained for service in Acts 6:1-6. See note on Acts 6:6 (CCC 1569-70). Back to text.

3:9 mystery of the faith: The full range of revealed truths given through Christ. Paul regularly connects this with the Father's overarching plan to bring all nations into the kingdom of God (Rom 16:25-26; Eph 1:9-10). See word study: Mystery at Eph 3:3. Back to text.

3:11 women likewise: Either a reference to the wives of the deacons (3:8) or to deaconesses, who assisted with the catechetical instruction and Baptism of women (Rom 16:1). • The Church recognizes that deaconesses were appointed for special tasks but not ordained for sacramental ministry in the strict sense. The First Council of Nicaea decreed in A.D. 325 that women deacons are numbered among the laity and not among the ordained clergy (Canon 19) (CCC 1577). Back to text.

3:14 I am writing: Paul intends to rejoin Timothy in Ephesus at his earliest convenience (1:3). Back to text.

3:15 pillar and bulwark: The terms refer to structural supports that hold up a building. The Church is set in place to support the edifice of gospel truth. The Spirit makes this possible by enabling the successors of the apostles to preserve the apostolic faith from corruption and distortion as the centuries pass. Without this protective grace, the bishops of the Church would be no more than fallible human teachers unequipped to fulfill the mission granted to them by the Lord. Other passages suggest that Paul may envision the leaders of the Church as the pillars and foundation stones of God's living Temple (Gal 2:9; Eph 2:20; CCC 171, 768, 2032). See note on Jn 16:13. Back to text.

3:16 He was manifested: Several features in the Greek text suggest Paul is quoting from an ancient Christian hymn. It touches on key moments in the incarnate life of Christ: his coming as a man (manifested), his Resurrection (vindicated), his adoration in heaven (seen by angels), the spread of his message (preached), its acceptance in the world (believed on), and his Ascension into glory (taken up) (CCC 463, 2641). Back to text.

4:1 in later times: Applies not only to the closing days of history, but also to the present age of the New Covenant, which for Paul already stands at the "end of the ages" (1 Cor 10:11). The explosion of error and confusion expected in these days is likewise mentioned in 2 Pet 3:3 and Jude 18 (CCC 672). Back to text.

4:3 forbid marriage: Timothy is put on guard against teachers who deny the goodness of marriage. Even Paul, who actively promotes celibacy (1 Cor 7:25-26), firmly upholds the propriety and sanctity of married life (Eph 5:21-33). See note on 1 Cor 7:1. abstinence from foods: Possibly a reference to the dietary restrictions of the Old Covenant (Lev 11). The warning is issued because these laws are no longer binding upon believers in the New Covenant (Mk 7:18-19; Acts 10:9-16). Some suggest this twofold ban on marriage and certain foods reflects an incipient form of Gnosticism, a second-century heresy that saw the material world as evil and called adherents to rise above the demands of their physical life as far as possible. Timothy is cautioned, not against asceticism itself, but against deviant forms of it that develop when the goodness of creation is denied (4:4; Gen 1:31). Back to text.

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