Key word: Church
Paul’s final 4 inspired letters are all written to individuals, rather than churches. The two letters to Timothy, and the one to Titus, are written toward the end of his life as he is contemplating handing over the work of the ministry to a younger generation. Timothy had apparently been converted under Paul’s ministry (1:2), and had traveled with Paul and served in many locations and in many ways. When Paul sends Timothy to the Philippians, he tells them that there was no one better than Timothy to come and aid them (Philippians 2:19-23). As Paul writes this letter to Timothy around 64-65 A.D. Timothy was pastoring the church at Ephesus. The apostle wanted to give to Timothy, in written form, instructions on how a local church is to function. As such, Paul is concerned about the teaching of sound doctrine, a subject he turns to time and again. But the goal was not just knowledge, but was intensely practical. In 1:5, he states clearly that the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” On the negative side, warnings about false teachers are found throughout the letter. As a matter of fact, this is the first thing on Paul’s agenda (1:3-4). In a detailed section (4:1-5) he calls these false teachings the “doctrines of demons” perpetrated by deceitful spirits (4:1).
A unique feature of the book, found only here and in Titus, is listing of the qualifications for elders (3:1-7), as well as deacons (3:8-13). His purpose in writing these things is so that Timothy, and all of us by extension, can “know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God” (3:15). We will make the latter half of this verse our key verse. The theme of the letter is the functioning of the local church, and it’s key task is to be the pillar and support of the truth.
Key verse: 1 Timothy 3:15b – which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
