1 Timothy

First Timothy

Hitherto Paul's epistles were directed to churches; now follow some to particular persons: two to Timothy, one to Titus, and another to Philemon—all three ministers. Timothy and Titus were evangelists, an inferior order to the apostles, as appears by Eph. iv. 11, Some prophets, some apostles, some evangelists. Their commission and work was much the same with that of the apostles, to plant churches, and water the churches that were planted; and accordingly they were itinerants, as we find Timothy was. Timothy was first converted by Paul, and therefore he calls him his own son in the faith: we read of his conversion, Acts xvi. 3.

The scope of these two epistles is to direct Timothy how to discharge his duty as an evangelist at Ephesus, where he now was, and where Paul ordered him for some time to reside, to perfect the good work which he had begun there. As for the ordinary pastoral charge of that church, he had very solemnly committed it to the presbytery, as appears from Acts xx. 28, where he charges the presbyters to feed the flock of God, which he had purchased with his own blood.

After the inscription (ver. 1, 2) we have, I. The charge given to Timothy, ver. 3, 4. II. The true end of the law (ver. 5-11), where he shows that it is entirely agreeable to the gospel. III. He mentions his own call to be an apostle, for which he expresses his thankfulness, ver. 12-16. IV. His doxology, ver. 17. V. A renewal of the charge to Timothy, ver. 18. And of Hymenæus and Alexander, ver. 19, 20.