New words
Paul made Ephesus his base of operations for much of the Third Missionary Journey. When he traveled from Ephesus during that time, he left Timothy behind. He wrote 1st Timothy to advise and encourage Timothy while he was away.
A characteristic of 1st Timothy is Paul’s use of Greek words that appear nowhere else in Greek writings up to that point. It is possible that Paul coined the words himself under inspiration. Three apparently New Greek words appear in this passage:
“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, Perverse disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Tim 6:3-5).
The words are “other-teach,” which is rendered “teach otherwise” in vs 3, “word-battle,” which is translated “strifes of words” in vs 4, and “constant friction,” which is rendered “perverse disputing” in vs 5.
Paul’s use of new words in 1st Timothy is a reminder of the uniqueness of the message that he, Timothy, and the other missionaries were proclaiming. Many in the Gentile world had never heard such ideas before. The message was so different from the natural thinking of man, in fact, that it appears the first-century Christians had to coin new words to convey it.
The Greeks were certainly familiar with debates: debating ideas was a hallmark of their culture, and skilled debaters were highly esteemed in Greek society. But Paul and Timothy taught that showy debates among believers on meaningless matters were wrong. To help make that point, it appears they had to introduce new words, such as “word-battle,” that conveyed the negatives associated with such debates, which the Greek believers might otherwise have viewed positively, since that is the way their culture viewed them.
Paul’s use of new words in writing to Timothy is a further reminder of the wonderful privilege we have of knowing the Truth. The Bible teaches us a new way of thinking and living, which is so much more fulfilling than what the world around us offers.
Corinth
Paul returned to Ephesus following his trip to Macedonia, during which he wrote 1st Timothy. He and Timothy were together again in Ephesus. Then Paul started making plans to visit the ecclesia in Corinth, which was experiencing a myriad of problems that were causing him considerable anguish. The Corinthian ecclesia was beset by factions, serious lifestyle problems, and doctrinal concerns.
Paul decided to send Timothy from Ephesus to Macedonia and then on to Corinth in advance of his visit there. He wanted Timothy to help prepare the way for his arrival: “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season” (Acts 19:21-22).
Corinth was a hotbed of difficulties. After what he had endured in Ephesus during Paul’s absence, Timothy might have longed for a reprieve from the kind of challenges the Corinthian ecclesia presented. When Paul was in town, Timothy “ministered unto him” (Acts 19:22). Spending time in the Apostle’s company would have been spiritually refreshing. Timothy was probably more comfortable doing his work with Paul around. But at Paul’s request, Timothy left his side and set off for the rigors of Corinth.
While Timothy was on route, several delegations of Corinthians came to see Paul in Ephesus. They provided additional insight into the severity of the problems in Corinth. Paul wrote 1st Corinthians in response to the information they provided and the questions they asked, and he sent the Epistle by the hand of Titus. Paul anticipated that his Epistle would arrive in Corinth before Timothy did, and he mentioned Timothy’s upcoming visit to Corinth several times in 1st Corinthians. What Paul wrote about Timothy in 1st Corinthians provides valuable insight into the nature of his visit to Corinth and the quality of his character.
Timothy was a kind and gentle person, but the environment in the Corinthian ecclesia was very turbulent. Paul warned the Corinthians not to despise or intimidate Timothy. He wrote: “Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren” (1 Cor 16:10-11).
Some in the Corinthian ecclesia were judgmental of people’s external characteristics. For example, they thought Paul had defects in his style and physical appearance. Paul did not want the Corinthians to look down on Timothy, treat him poorly, and discourage him. Timothy was a great asset. Paul really valued Timothy, and he wanted the Corinthians to learn from him. Some of what the Corinthians may have viewed as Timothy’s weaknesses, such as caring nature, were, in fact, great spiritual strengths and worthy of emulation.
Paul wanted the Corinthians to be more like him. He told them: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). The Corinthians could learn to be more like Paul by watching Timothy and doing as he did. Paul wrote:
“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church” (1Cor 4:16-17).
Note the context of Paul’s words “For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus.” Paul sent Timothy to Corinth so the Corinthians could be more like him, Timothy. That would, in turn, make them more like Paul and, by extension, more like Christ.
Timothy was a living testimony to what Paul taught “everywhere in every church” (vs 17). He was Paul’s “beloved son, and faithful in the Lord.” Timothy would bring them into remembrance of Paul’s ways, “which be in Christ.” It is hard to imagine a greater compliment could be given to a person than what Paul wrote about Timothy in 1Cor 4:17.
“without were fightings, within were fears”
Giving a valiant effort for a good cause is not a guarantee of immediate success, however, even in spiritual matters. Timothy left Corinth before the situation in the Corinthian ecclesia had dramatically improved.
We know of Timothy’s departure and lack of complete success because Timothy’s next appearance in the Scriptural record is in the greeting of 2nd Corinthians: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia” (2 Cor 1:1). When Paul wrote 2nd Corinthians, he and Timothy were travelling in the direction of Corinth from Ephesus following Timothy’s return to Ephesus from Corinth. Paul recorded the anxiety he felt about the Corinthians’ spiritual state and the great joy he experienced at hearing of their change of heart following Titus’ visit to them:
“Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly, even God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort where with he was comforted in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more. For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it, though I did regret; for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season” (2Cor 7:6-8, RV).
When Timothy left Corinth, the Corinthians were still in need of repentance. Timothy’s appearance in the greeting of 2nd Corinthians (and the content of the Epistle) shows he maintained his interest and involvement in the Corinthians spiritual development, even though his efforts among them had not immediately born fruit. Timothy did not just give up on them.
Perseverance
Perseverance through difficult times was a hallmark of Timothy’s character, as other passages in 2nd Corinthians show. Paul wrote 2nd Corinthians in between Timothy’s visits to Corinth. They spent some of that time in Ephesus. While they were in Ephesus, the anti-Christian Silversmiths’ Riot occurred (Acts 19: 23-41).
Paul referred to the Silversmiths’ Riot in 2nd Corinthians. His use of the pronouns “we” and “us” indicate Timothy was with him when the Riot took place:
“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead” (2 Cor 1:8-9).
Paul and Timothy had to leave Ephesus after the Silversmiths’ Riot. It was a very challenging period for them because, in addition to having had their lives recently threatened, they were very worried during that time about the situation in the Corinthian ecclesia, as well as in ecclesias in Galatia and elsewhere. Paul told the Corinthians about the great distress he and Timothy experienced: “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fighting, within were fears” (2 Cor 7:5).
The way that Paul and Timothy responded to that adversity in their lives is wonderfully instructive for us. The Bible’s evidence is that Paul and Timothy dedicated themselves to helping people who were worse off than they were. In their case, it was the poor believers in Jerusalem. Several chapters in 2nd Corinthians are about their efforts to raise money to relieve the Jerusalem poor.
Timothy served as one of the Galatian ecclesias delegates who was charged with carrying the money that they raised to the poor believers in Jerusalem:
“And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus” (Acts 20:4).
The brethren listed in this verse traveled with Paul and bore their ecclesias’ donations.
Acts 20:4 is the final appearance of Timothy’s name in the Book of Acts. We will consider his continued service, during the period of time after the Acts record, in the next article in the series.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One