1If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, 2make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 4each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14Do all things without complaining and arguing, 15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, 16holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain. 17Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
19But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing. 20For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you. 21For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that he has proved himself. As a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News. 23Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me. 24But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.
25But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need, 26since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick. 27For indeed he was sick nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow. 28I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor, 30because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.
First Timothy was Paul’s first letter written to the young Pastor in the city of Ephesus. Paul’s concern and love for Timothy is evident from his fatherly tone. He calls Timothy “a true son” and encourages him to hold fast to all the things he had been taught concerning the Faith. Paul also reminds Timothy to “guard” what had been committed to him in trust.
1 Timothy was probably written from Macedonia, after Paul’s release from his first imprisonment, around A.D. 62. Critics argue that 1 Timothy was actually written by someone other than Paul, using his name to give the letter authority. Some also argue that there are fragments of Paul used in the letter. These say that an admirer of Paul took the fragments and filled them in to compose a complete letter. These critics all point to differences in vocabulary from Paul’s “known” works. They also say the theology of 1 Timothy differs from Paul. However, it is illogical to think that Paul would have spoken the exact same way to different audiences, especially in this case where he is writing to a close personal friend. Moreover, the theological arguments Paul uses are found elsewhere, including Colossians.
Following Paul’s release from his first imprisonment, this letter is most likely dated around A.D. 62. Some critical scholars have proposed that this epistle is a pseudepigraphal letter and thus not of Pauline origin. It has been speculated that the forger of this epistle employed Pauline verbiage while using Paul’s name to make it appear authentic. This is sheer speculation, with no literary evidence whatsoever to back it up.
Despite modern critics, church fathers unanimously accepted this letter as Pauline. However, some of the charges of forgery include an alleged historical problem involving apparent chronological differences observed in the Book of Acts. Thus, it is argued that 1 Tim was written much later. On the contrary, it is more likely that various events in 1 Tim were written shortly following Acts.
Moreover, it is claimed by the critics that the writing style observed in Timothy is different from a Pauline style and instead appears to be verbiage common in the 2nd century. Yet, the truth is that we simply do not have enough evidence from the first and second centuries to argue such a case. Hence, it’s at best an argument from silence.
Third, it’s argued that church leadership and roles in Timothy appear too advanced for an early date. However, this argument is specious because the early church employed much of the same structure as those of the Jewish synagogues. Furthermore, in Phil 1:1 we also observe the roles of elders and deacons. We observe, for example, Paul giving instructions for relationships in the church and proper dress for women (2:8-15). He also gave instructions for masters and servants (6:1-2), and the rich (6:9-10; 17-19). This, in addition to church structure and leadership, adds to our knowledge of the early church’s social structure and thus an early date for this letter is warranted.
Paul also stressed Church qualifications. He gave Timothy (and the whole church) instructions for who was qualified to be elders (or bishops) and deacons, saying that such was the purpose of his letter (3:15). These were no mere suggestions, but commands. He advised those in the church to take care of their own widows so that the church could take care of widows without families (5:16). He also told believers to honor elders who “rule well” with just compensation (5:17-19), and not to entertain accusations against them unless there are “two or three witnesses” (5:19).
Finally, the fact that Paul also addresses some form of a heresy in this letter, some maintain that this kind of Gnosticism flourished later in the second century. But here we must remember that Paul is referring to the nascent form of Gnosticism, having its roots in the first century. Many of the heresies, in particular the highly developed systematic, theological and philosophical works, while having come to fruition in the second century and onward, had their origins in the first century.
Once more, the early church fathers authenticated this letter as Pauline. The truth is this: those closer to the time of these events are less biased and in a better position to judge the matter correctly. It is a fact that all New Testament biblical critics either ignore the church fathers entirely, or else underestimate their influence on the study of the Bible.
While 1 Timothy is as much a letter of encouragement to Timothy to live out his faith, and to teach others to do the same, it is also Paul’s exhortation to him to stand against false teachers and their heretical views. Timothy had stayed in Ephesus to help combat false teachers when Paul left the city for Macedonia. Perhaps Paul heard Timothy was having trouble, which prompted this first letter.
Moreover, Paul urged Timothy to exhort those in Ephesus to “teach no other doctrine” than the Gospel (1:3). This theme is applicable to all pastors, young and old. Paul also repeats the basic message of the Gospel several times, perhaps quoting an ancient hymn in 3:16 saying that “God was manifested in the flesh,” “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” and that there is only one Mediator between men and God: Christ Jesus (2:5). Hence, we see a high Christology maintained in the early 60’s, which is just as evident in Paul’s other letters.