1 Timothy: Conduct in God's household

Where 1 Timothy sits

In the story

Act VI, Church · Rome, AD 60s and later

In the Bible

New Testament · Letters · book 54 of 66

Before it in the story

Philippians

After it in the story

Titus

One of three letters to Paul's delegates written after Acts ends, when Paul, released from Roman house arrest, revisited the churches; they hand the apostolic gospel and church order to the next generation.

1 Timothy summary

After his release from the imprisonment that ends Acts, Paul left Timothy at Ephesus to stop certain men teaching a different doctrine, full of myths, genealogies and misuse of the law, while he went on to Macedonia (1:3). He writes so that, if he is delayed, Timothy will know how people ought to behave in God's household, the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (3:14–15). The letter opens with the charge: the aim is love from a pure heart, the law is good when used as law, and the gospel saved even Paul, the foremost of sinners, as a pattern of Christ's patience (1). It then orders the household: prayer for all people, kings included, because there is one God and one Mediator, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom; men praying without anger, women adorned with good works, and the teaching and ruling office held by men on the ground of creation (2); overseers and deacons of proven character, and the great confession of the mystery of godliness, Christ revealed in the flesh and taken up in glory (3). Against teachers who forbid marriage and foods, Timothy must hold that all God made is good, train himself for godliness, devote himself to the reading of Scripture, exhortation and teaching, and watch his life and doctrine (4). The church is a family: older and younger members, true widows cared for by their families and the church, elders honored, paid and disciplined fairly, slaves serving with honor (5:1–6:2). The letter closes where it began: false teachers who treat godliness as gain, the contentment that is great gain, the man of God who flees greed and fights the good fight until Christ's appearing, the rich who must be rich in good works, and a last charge to guard the deposit (6:3–21). Two doxologies, to the King eternal (1:17) and the King of kings (6:15–16), frame it.

1 Timothy in context

Written by

Paul the apostle (1:1), writing to Timothy his true child in the faith; the early church received the letter as Paul's without dispute

Written to

Timothy, left at Ephesus to correct false teachers (1:3), and through him the congregation, which would hear the letter read (6:21, you plural)

Setting

Probably Macedonia, following the departure mentioned in 1:3. The chronology adopted here places the letter after release from Paul's first Roman imprisonment, on travels reconstructed from the Pastorals; Timothy is at Ephesus, where Paul had warned the elders that men would rise to distort the truth (Acts 20:29–30)

When

c. AD 62–64, after Paul's release from the house arrest of Acts 28 (c. AD 60–62) and before his second imprisonment and death under Nero (by AD 68). Others place it within the years of Acts.

Why

To charge Timothy to silence the teachers of a different doctrine; to set in order the church's prayer, worship and leadership so that all will know how to behave in God's household; to direct the care of widows, the honor and discipline of elders, and the conduct of slaves and the rich; and to strengthen Timothy himself to guard the deposit and fight the good fight of the faith until Christ's appearing.

Themes of 1 Timothy

• Sound doctrine
• Godliness
• The household of God
• Overseers, elders and deacons
• Christ Jesus came to save sinners
• Prayer and the gospel for all kinds of people
• Men and women in the church
• Money and contentment
• Guard the deposit

Key verses in 1 Timothy

• 1 Timothy 1:5

  The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.

• 1 Timothy 1:15

  This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.

• 1 Timothy 2:5–6

  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.

• 1 Timothy 3:15

  in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

• 1 Timothy 3:16

  By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.

• 1 Timothy 4:16

  Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

• 1 Timothy 6:6

  Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.

• 1 Timothy 6:12

  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.

1 Timothy chapter by chapter

Part 1 · The charge: guard the gospel 1:1–20

1. 1
   1 Timothy 1: Christ Jesus came to save sinners

   Stop the false teachers at Ephesus: the goal is love, the law is good, and the gospel saved even Paul.

Part 2 · Order in God's household 2:1–3:16

1. 2
   1 Timothy 2: One mediator between God and men

   Pray for all people, for there is one God and one Mediator; let men pray and women adorn themselves with good works.

2. 3
   1 Timothy 3: The pillar and foundation of the truth

   Overseers and deacons must be of proven character; the church is God's household, upholding the mystery of godliness.

Part 3 · A good servant of Christ Jesus 4:1–16

1. 4
   1 Timothy 4: Train yourself for godliness

   Some will fall for teachings that forbid God's good gifts; Timothy must train for godliness and keep to the word.

Part 4 · The church as a family 5:1–6:2

1. 5
   1 Timothy 5: Honor the widows; honor the elders

   Treat the church as family: care for true widows, honor and pay faithful elders, and deal justly with sin.

Part 5 · Godliness, not gain 6:3–21

1. 6
   1 Timothy 6: Godliness with contentment is great gain

   False teachers trade godliness for gain; the man of God pursues godliness, fights the good fight and guards the deposit.

See the outline of 1 Timothy