LESSON 9

THE STORY OF 1 & 2 TIMOTHY & TITUS

Introduction:
  • Teacher: There is much to cover in these epistles so be careful not to get side tracked and to stay with the main story of each book. There are some important Scriptures to note and we will mention these at an appropriate point in the lesson.
  • Basically, these letters are instructions from Paul to two young ministers and associates of Paul:
  • 1 & 2 Timothy are to Timothy who Paul had sent to Ephesus to set in order some problems in the church (1 Tim 1:3-7; 2 Tim 2:2).
  • Titus was sent to Crete for the same purpose (Tit 1:5).
    •
  • The general view of church history is that:
  • 1 Timothy and Titus were written shortly after Paul was released from prison in Rome sometime around AD 63/64
  • 2 Timothy was written when Paul was again in prison in Rome and expecting his martyrdom and death sometime around AD 64.
    •
  • The epistles are referred to as the Pastoral Epistles which is a misnomer since Timothy and Titus were evangelists and not pastors (the term pastor in the New Testament is used of Elders and Bishops, not evangelists).
    Nevertheless, because they reflect congregational shepherding concern, we refer to them as pastoral or shepherding epistles.
     
    •

    1 Timothy:

    Paul’s reason for writing this letter to Timothy involved several concerns:

  • Timothy was a young evangelist who needed encouragement, correction, and direction (1 Tim 1:18; 4:6-16).
  • The church in Ephesus was plagued with false teaching (1 Tim 1:3-11)
  • Ephesus was a major cross-roads city, a seaport, and a cosmopolitan city.  It was also a multi-ethnic city.  Most of the major pagan religious and philosophies were present in Ephesus.  This gave cause or reason for the church in Ephesus having to contend with a constant stream of false teaching.
  • The major false teaching related to the full divinity of Jesus – there were some who denied that Jesus was the Christ who had come in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16) [Teacher, read this text].
  • Some false teachers, perhaps from their Jewish background or from a viewpoint which incorporated some Jewish concepts, were debating views of the law of Moses (1 Tim 1:8-11).
  • Some men in the congregation who were living unclean lives were being asked to lead in public prayer – Paul warns against this (1 Tim 2:8). [Teacher: do not take time to discuss this important text at this point – that can come under a Doctrinal study, not these lessons.]
  • Some women in the church were becoming dominant and outspoken (1 Tim 2:9-15) [Teacher: do not take time to discuss this important and challenging text at this point – that can come under a Doctrinal study, not these lessons.]
  • Men had been appointed as Bishops (Elders, Pastors, Shepherds, these terms all are synonymous) and Deacons who did not manifest the qualities necessary for such leadership so Paul outlined for Timothy some of the necessary qualities for Bishops (1 Tim 5:22; 3:1-7; 8-13). [Teacher: do not take time to discuss this important text at this point – that can come under a Leadership study, not these lessons.]
  • Paul included general instructions regarding godly and faithful living, treatment of widows, and the support of Elders (1 Tim 4:1-6:2).
  • Paul naturally included more instructions regarding false teachers (1 Tim 6:3-10)
  • He concluded with a final exhortation to Timothy to maintain faith and diligently carry out his ministry work (1 Tim 6:11-21).
     
    •

    • 2 Timothy:

    This is possibly the last letter Paul wrote before his martyrdom in approximately AD 64.

  • Paul again encouraged Timothy to be alert to false teachers and false doctrine (1 Tim 1:3-18).
  • Timothy was to pay attention to what hew has learned from Paul and to teach other men who will be able to teach other also (2 Tim 2:21-7).
  • He reminded Timothy that faithfulness to Jesus would incur opposition and suffering, but encouraged him to endure suffering as a soldier would (2 Tim 2:3-13).
  • He encouraged Timothy to do his best as an evangelist using God’s word wisely (2 Tim 2:15).
  • Paul warned of a coming apostasy which was in all probability a Gnostic apostasy which would challenge the full divinity of Jesus in the flesh [see 1 John 3: 8-27; 4 2] (2 Tim 3:1-17).
  • He encouraged Timothy to continue as he had from childhood with a firm foundation in Scripture, for all Scripture is profitable for teaching, correction, etc. [Since the New Testament had not yet been fully written and gathered into one collection Paul obviously had the Old Testament in mind, but the same principle would apply to the New Testament.] (2 Tim 3:14-17). [Teacher: do not go into a lengthy discussion of the role of Scripture and Inspiration, this will be covered in another study on doctrine.]
  • Paul encouraged Timothy to preach sound doctrine (2 Tim 4:1-8).
     
    •

    Titus:

    Titus was written to Titus in Crete at about the same time as 1 Timothy was written AD 63/64.

  • Titus was to be careful that only men with suitable qualities were appointed as Elders (Tit 1:5-9).
    The qualities listed here are very similar to those of 1 Tim 3:1-8, but there are a few minor differences.
  • Paul encouraged Titus to be alert to false teachers and false doctrine (Tit 1:10-16).
  • He included instruction regarding faithful Christian living, faith and works, and the saving activity of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Tit 3:1-11).
  • The teaching of Tit 3:4-7 is similar to that of Jesus in John 3:3-5, we are born again by water (baptism – the washing of regeneration) and the renewing work of the holy Spirit.
  • False teachers are not to be tolerated, and must be withdrawn from (Tit 3:8-11)
     
    •

    Summary of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus:

    1 Timothy:
  • Paul was concerned for the young evangelist, Timothy.
  • He charged Timothy to get on with the job of leading and preaching
  • Timothy needed to be alert to false teachers and false teachings.
  • He instructed Timothy to correct some men and women and their behavior. Some men who were not leading holy lives were leading in prayer, and some women were becoming dominant and outspoken. This needed to be corrected.
  • Paul gave Timothy general instructions on Christian living.
    •

    2 Timothy:
  • This is possibly the last letter written by Paul before his martyrdom.
  • Paul was again concerned over false teachers and false doctrine.
  • He warned Timothy to keep faithful to Scripture and to reaching the word.
    •

    Titus:
  • As in 1 & 2 Timothy Paul was concerned over false teachers and false doctrine.
  • He instructed Titus regarding Elder’s qualities.
  • He concluded with general teaching on Christian living, salvation, and regeneration.
  • False teachers were not to be tolerated, and must be withdrawn from.
    •