1 Timothy 1

Greeting

1 Paul, ¹an apostle of Christ Jesus ²by command of ³God our Savior and of Christ Jesus ⁴our hope,

2 To Timothy, ⁵my true child in the faith: ⁶Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Warning Against False Teachers

3 ⁷As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ⁸to teach any different doctrine,

4 nor ⁹to devote themselves to myths and endless ¹⁰genealogies, which promote ¹¹speculations rather than the stewardship^[a] from God that is by faith.

5 The aim of our charge is love ¹²that issues from a pure heart and ¹³a good conscience and ¹⁴a sincere faith.

6 Certain persons, by ¹⁵swerving from these, have wandered away into ¹⁶vain discussion,

7 desiring to be teachers of the law, ¹⁷without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

8 Now we know that ¹⁸the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,

9 understanding this, that the ¹⁹law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,^[b] liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ²⁰sound^[c] doctrine,

11 in accordance with ²¹the gospel of the glory of ²²the blessed God ²³with which I have been entrusted.

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners

12 I thank him ²⁴who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, ²⁵appointing me to his service,

13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, ²⁶persecutor, and insolent opponent. But ²⁷I received mercy ²⁸because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

14 and ²⁹the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ³⁰faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 The saying is ³¹trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ³²came into the world to save sinners, ³³of whom I am the foremost.

16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

17 To ³⁴the King of ages, ³⁵immortal, ³⁶invisible, ³⁷the only God, ³⁸be honor and glory forever and ever.^[d] Amen.

18 This charge ³⁹I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with ⁴⁰the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may ⁴¹wage the good warfare,

19 ⁴²holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ⁴³made shipwreck of their faith,

20 among whom are ⁴⁴Hymenaeus and ⁴⁵Alexander, whom I ⁴⁶have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ⁴⁷blaspheme.

1 Timothy 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

The design of the epistle appears to be, that Timothy having been left at Ephesus, St. Paul wrote to instruct him in the choice of proper officers in the church, as well as in the exercise of a regular ministry. Also, to caution against the influence of false teachers, who by subtle distinctions and endless disputes, corrupted the purity and simplicity of the gospel. He presses upon him constant regard to the greatest diligence, faithfulness, and zeal. These subjects occupy the first four chapters; the fifth chapter instructs respecting particular classes; in the latter part, controversies and disputes are condemned, the love of money blamed, and the rich exhorted to good works.

The apostle salutes Timothy. (1-4) The design of the law as given by Moses. (5-11) Of his own conversion and call to the apostleship. (12-17) The obligation to maintain faith and a good conscience. (18-20)

Verses 1-4 Jesus Christ is a Christian's hope; all our hopes of eternal life are built upon him; and Christ is in us the hope of glory. The apostle seems to have been the means of Timothy's conversion; who served with him in his ministry, as a dutiful son with a loving father. That which raises questions, is not for edifying; that which gives occasion for doubtful disputes, pulls down the church rather than builds it up. Godliness of heart and life can only be kept up and increased, by the exercise of faith in the truths and promises of God, through Jesus Christ.

Verses 5-11 Whatever tends to weaken love to God, or love to the brethren, tends to defeat the end of the commandment. The design of the gospel is answered, when sinners, through repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ, are brought to exercise Christian love. And as believers were righteous persons in God's appointed way, the law was not against them. But unless we are made righteous by faith in Christ, really repenting and forsaking sin, we are yet under the curse of the law, even according to the gospel of the blessed God, and are unfit to share the holy happiness of heaven.

Verses 12-17 The apostle knew that he would justly have perished, if the Lord had been extreme to mark what was amiss; and also if his grace and mercy had not been abundant to him when dead in sin, working faith and love to Christ in his heart. This is a faithful saying; these are true and faithful words, which may be depended on, That the Son of God came into the world, willingly and purposely to save sinners. No man, with Paul's example before him, can question the love and power of Christ to save him, if he really desires to trust in him as the Son of God, who once died on the cross, and now reigns upon the throne of glory, to save all that come to God through him. Let us then admire and praise the grace of God our Saviour; and ascribe to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons in the unity of the Godhead, the glory of all done in, by, and for us.

Verses 18-20 The ministry is a warfare against sin and Satan; carried on under the Lord Jesus, who is the Captain of our salvation. The good hopes others have had of us, should stir us up to duty. And let us be upright in our conduct in all things. The design of the highest censures in the primitive church, was, to prevent further sin, and to reclaim the sinner. May all who are tempted to put away a good conscience, and to abuse the gospel, remember that this is the way to make shipwreck of faith also.

Cross References

• 1. See 2 Corinthians 1:1
• 2. Titus 1:3; [Romans 16:26]
• 3. See Luke 1:47
• 4. Colossians 1:27
• 5. Titus 1:4
• 6. 2 Timothy 1:2; 2 John 3; [Jude 2]
• 7. [Titus 1:5]
• 8. 1 Timothy 6:3; [Galatians 1:6, 7]
• 9. 1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16
• 10. Titus 3:9
• 11. 1 Timothy 6:4
• 12. 2 Timothy 2:22
• 13. 1 Peter 3:16, 21
• 14. Romans 12:9; 2 Timothy 1:5
• 15. 1 Timothy 6:21
• 16. Titus 1:10
• 17. [1 Timothy 6:4; Colossians 2:18]
• 18. Romans 7:16
• 19. Galatians 5:23
• 20. 2 Timothy 4:3; [1 Timothy 6:3; 2 Timothy 1:13; Titus 1:13; Titus 2:2]
• 21. [2 Corinthians 4:4]
• 22. 1 Timothy 6:15
• 23. Titus 1:3; See Romans 2:16; Galatians 2:7
• 24. Acts 9:22; Philippians 4:13
• 25. See 2 Corinthians 3:6
• 26. See Acts 8:3
• 27. 1 Corinthians 7:25; 2 Corinthians 4:1
• 28. See Acts 3:17
• 29. Romans 5:20
• 30. [Luke 7:47, 50]; See 1 Thessalonians 1:3
• 31. 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8; [Revelation 22:6]
• 32. Matthew 9:13; See John 3:17; Romans 4:25
• 33. [1 Corinthians 15:9]
• 34. [Psalms 10:16; Revelation 4:9, 10]
• 35. 1 Timothy 6:15, 16; Romans 1:23
• 36. John 1:18; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 11:27; 1 John 4:12
• 37. Jude 25
• 38. 1 Chronicles 29:11
• 39. 2 Timothy 2:2
• 40. 1 Timothy 4:14
• 41. 1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Corinthians 10:4; 2 Timothy 2:3, 4; [1 Timothy 6:12]
• 42. [1 Timothy 3:9]
• 43. [1 Timothy 6:9]
• 44. 2 Timothy 2:17
• 45. 2 Timothy 4:14
• 46. See 1 Corinthians 5:5
• 47. Acts 13:45

Footnotes

• [a]. Or good order
• [b]. That is, those who take someone captive in order to sell him into slavery
• [c]. Or healthy
• [d]. Greek to the ages of ages

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY

Timothy, to whom this epistle is written, was eminent for his early piety and acquaintance with the sacred Scriptures; his mother was a Jewess, and his father a Greek, which was the reason why he was not circumcised in his infancy. Mention is made in the second epistle to him of his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois, as believers, and of his knowledge of the Scriptures from a child: this excellent person the apostle meeting with at Lystra, and having a good report of him from the brethren there, he chose him to be his companion in his travels, and to assist him in the spread of the Gospel; and knowing that it would be very disagreeable to the Jews to hear the word of God from the lips of an uncircumcised person, he took him and circumcised him, becoming all things to all, that he might gain some. This being done, he went along with him into several parts, and he made great use of him, in preaching the word, planting churches, and writing epistles; he sent him to various places with messages from him, to Corinth, Philippi, and Thessalonica; and now had left him at Ephesus, where he besought him to abide for a while; for that he was the bishop, pastor, or overseer of that church is not likely, since his residence here was not constant, and was afterwards called away from hence by the apostle, who desired his stay there, under whom, and by whose directions, he acted while there; and seeing that this church had elders, bishops, or overseers, whom the Holy Ghost had set over them, whom the apostle called to him at Miletus, and gave them some advice and instructions. The design of Timothy's continuance there was to check growing errors and heresies, and to take care of, and preserve the discipline of God's house; and to charge him with these things was the design of this epistle; in which he teaches him how to behave himself in the church of God, by taking heed to his doctrine and conversation; and gives rules relating to the qualifications of bishops and deacons, and to the care of widows, and with regard to church censures, and the becoming walk and conversation of all sorts of persons of every office, age, sex, rank, and order. This epistle is thought to be written about the year 55.

\\INTRODUCTION TO 1 TIMOTHY 1\\

In this chapter, after the inscription and salutation, the apostle having entreated Timothy to abide at Ephesus, observes, that his end was, that he might check the false teachers there, whom he describes; and then he gives an account of his apostleship, and also of his conversion, to the encouragement of sinners, and to the glory of the grace of God; and closes with an exhortation to Timothy to constancy and perseverance in his Christian warfare. The inscription and salutation are in 1Ti 1:1,2 and much in the common form; and whereas, when he went into Macedonia, he desired Timothy to continue at Ephesus, his end was, to restrain the false teachers from preaching the doctrine they did, which was contrary to the Gospel, fabulous, useless, and unedifying, 1Ti 1:3,4 for though these men set up for teachers of the law, they went off, and strayed from its general end, which was love with faith, through their ignorance of it, 1Ti 1:5-7 not but that the law itself was good, as Gospel ministers full well knew; which is said to prevent an objection against them, as laying it aside as useless; but the abuse of it is what is complained of, it being made for some persons, and not for others who are mentioned, between which, and the sound doctrine of the Gospel, there is an agreement, 1Ti 1:8-11 which leads on the apostle to observe his call to the office of a preacher of it by Christ, his qualification for it, and investiture with it, for which he gives thanks, 1Ti 1:12 And in order to illustrate the grace of God in converting him first, and then making him a minister of the word, he takes notice of his state and condition before conversion, what a vile sinner he had been, and of the abundant grace God bestowed on him in it, 1Ti 1:13,14 And that this case of his might not seem strange and incredible, he observes, that this is the sum of the Gospel, that Christ came into the world to save the chief of sinners, such an one as he was, 1Ti 1:15. And besides, the end of the Lord in his conversion was, by the pattern of longsuffering he showed in him, that others might be encouraged to believe in Christ also, 1Ti 1:16 and then for all this grace bestowed on him, he ascribes honour and glory to God, 1Ti 1:17 and renews his charge to Timothy to fight manfully against the false teachers, to which he should be the more induced by the consideration of the prophecies that went before of him, 1Ti 1:18 and to hold faith and good conscience, which had been dropped by some professors; of which instances are given in Hymenaeus and Philetus, 1Ti 1:19,20.