1 Timothy
First Timothy is a pastoral letter: it instructs a young pastor on sound doctrine, prayer, the Church's ministers and community life.
AuthorSaint Paul (or a disciple in his name)
DateAround AD 65 or later
AudienceTimothy, pastor at Ephesus
🎯 Learning objective
Understand the message of 1 Timothy, its historical setting and its place in the history of salvation.
🏛️ Historical context
Communities were growing and needed stable organization (bishops, presbyters and deacons) and protection from false teachings.
🔙 Background
Timothy, son of a Jewish mother and Greek father, was Paul's closest co-worker from his second journey on.
🧭 Structure of the book
Chapter 1: against false teachers
Chapters 2-3: prayer and the Church's ministers
Chapters 4-6: advice to the pastor and to various groups
⭐ Key events and teachings
- 1"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost" (1:15)
- 2God "desires all to be saved" (2:4)
- 3"One mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus" (2:5)
- 4Qualifications for bishops and deacons (ch. 3)
- 5"Let no one despise your youth" (4:12)
- 6"The love of money is the root of all evils" (6:10)
🏷️ Main themes
📖 Verses to memorize
- 1 Timothy 2:4Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- 1 Timothy 2:5For there is one God: and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus:
- 1 Timothy 4:12Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the faithful, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in chastity.
- 1 Timothy 6:10For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.
- 1 Timothy 6:12Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called and be it confessed a good confession before many witnesses.
💭 For reflection
- Do I pray for everyone, even rulers (2:1-2)?
- What place does money have in my heart?
Paul's pastoral letter to his disciple Timothy with instructions for guiding the community: prayer, the Church's ministers, sound doctrine and the danger of the love of money.