1 Timothy 1
CHAPTER 1
Paul encourages Timothy to resist false teaching
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Saviour, and Christ Jesus our hope. 2 To Timothy, my true child in faith. Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 Stay at Ephesus, just as I urged you to do when I was going into Macedonia, so that you might instruct certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than Godly edification which is in faith.
5 The intended result of this instruction is love out of a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith. 6 From which things some having strayed have turned aside to idle talking; 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they neither understand what they say, nor what they confidently affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully, 9 since we know that law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Paul’s conversion a pattern for us all
12 I thank him that enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Though I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor and abusive. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly, with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptance: That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as the chief sinner might Jesus Christ show all his patience as a pattern to those that would later believe in him to gain eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit to you, my child Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies which were made about you, that by them you may war the good warfare. 19 Holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust from them, made shipwreck of their faith. 20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
Commentary
1:5 The importance of correct teaching is that it leads to love and faith. This is why having correct doctrine and rejecting wrong teachings is practically important (vv. 3,4).
1:15 Paul, now nearing the end of his life, considers himself the world’s worst sinner. Previously he had thought of himself as the least apostle (1 Cor. 15:9), then as the least of all the believers (Eph. 3:8). As Paul grew spiritually, he became more aware of both the extent of his own sinfulness, and of the certainty of his salvation. We should be following this pattern.
1:16 Paul’s dramatic conversion is a pattern for each of us. Whether we were raised Christian or not, whether we committed what the world would consider major sins or not, the fact is that our conversion was and is as dramatic as Paul’s; and our response to God’s grace should be as zealous as his.
1:20 Delivered to Satan- Maybe a reference to the local Roman authorities, the Satan-adversary of the Christians.
