Timothy. Outline. I. Birthplace II. Parents III. Paul IV. Christian Soldier. I. Birthplace

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1 Timothy Outline I. Birthplace II. Parents III. Paul IV. Christian Soldier I. Birthplace A. In Acts 16:1 the adverb of place ekei (e&kei) meaning in that place refers to its antecedent noun Lustran (Luvstran), Lystra indicates that Timothy came from the town of Lystra. 1. Adverbs define or state a matter with exactness. 2. In Acts 16:1 ekei defines or states the place of Timothy s place of residence with exactness. B. The deliberate omission of designating Timothy to the city of Derbe along with Gaius in Acts 20:4 clearly indicates that Timothy was from Lystra. 1. Luke does not assign Timothy to the city of Derbe even though he does so with Gaius in the same sentence thus clearly implying that he has already told his readers where Timothy is from. 2. In fact, Luke does not even assign Timothy to a city even though does so with the other men listed in the passage. C. The city of Lystra belonged to the district of Lycaonia in the Roman province of Galatia. D. Little is known of the early history of Lystra. E. The name is apparently from the Lycaonian language. F. J.R.S. Sterrett in 1885 established its location beyond doubt as the large mound just north of the Turkish village of Hatun Sarai ( Lady s Mansion ), thus 29 km (18 miles) south-southwest of Iconium in the region of Lacaonia rising ft. above the surrounding plain located on the east of the mountain ranges which form the Pisidian triangle. G. The site is exceptionally attractive, in a secluded valley at the junction of 2 broad streams. H. No systematic archeological excavation has been undertaken. I. But since Lystra did not lie along the course of the main roads, it was not destined to become a great city. J. In fact, it is located 8 to 10 miles from the great trade route. K. It was able, therefore, to preserve local character more than cities such as Iconium. L. Hellenism during the 100-year rule of the Seleucids, for example, apparently made little impact on Lystra. M. Despite these drawbacks, Augustus designated Lystra with Antioch of Pisidia, a Roman colony in A.D. 6, thereby necessitating a Roman road called the Imperial Road to be built between the 2 cities. N. When Lystra had become a colony she acquired some Roman settlers, most of whom were veterans. O. Also under the Roman influence roads were built during Augustus rule, whereby a road went from Iconium through Lystra and then on to Derbe and Laranda and finally into Cilicia. P. The Romans had ruled Lystra for some time previously, following the reigns of the Seleucids and Attalids. Q. Amnyntas of Galatia had willed the city to the Romans at his death in 25 B.C. R. Augustus generals regarded Lystra as a suitable place for the Roman garrison to defend the province of Galatia, primarily from the mountain tribes to the west and south. S. This decision was obviously important to the development of Lystra although the threat of the mountain tribes soon diminished remarkably. T. The official Roman presence, which must have contrasted strongly with the native Lycaonian populace and culture, brought the city prestige. U. Inhabitants 2004 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

2 1. Regarding Lystra s inhabitants, first, the Roman element was a small group of the local aristocracy of soldiers who were the ruling class. 2. Secondly, there were the Greek educated residents who were called the Hellenes who were not a racial group but an educated and generally well-to-do segment of the population. 3. The majority of the population was made up of the uneducated Lycaonians who were a small Anatolian tribe. 4. The Roman aristocracy spoke Latin and the educated were able to speak Greek and the Lycaonians spoke in their own vernacular (cf. Acts 14:11), which was still spoken in the 6th century A.D. and were not well acquainted with Greek. V. Colonial coins of Lystra and a statue of Concord sent by Lystra toward the end of the 2nd century to its sister colony Antioch have been recovered. W. The later history of Lystra is not well known. X. The foundations of a Byzantine church have been found at the eastern slope of the hill. Y. Paul s Missionary Journeys 1. On his 2nd missionary journey Paul met Timothy at Lystra (Acts 16:1-5). 2. Timothy, who may have been converted as the result of Paul s 1st visit to Lystra, was highly regarded by the royal family at Lystra and Iconium. 3. His Jewish mother had become a believer with his grandmother (2 Tm. 1:5) but yet his father is described as a Greek (Acts 16:1) and thus would have belonged to the small elite class of Lystra who had been educated in the Greek language and culture. II. Parents A. Acts 16 indicates that Timothy s mother was a Jewish woman who was a believer. B. She had married a Greek whose name is unknown. C. There is no reference to his father being a believer hence he would have been considered a heathen by both Jews and Christians. D. This mixed marriage would have been viewed by Jewish law as illegal and would have been opposed by the Christian church (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14). E. The marriage thus took place while his mother was not strictly observing Judaism and before she became a Christian. F. This mixed marriage between a Jew and a Gentile would place their offspring (Timothy) on all but the lowest step in the Jewish scale of precedence, yet this was not uncommon in the later periods of Jewish history. G. Even though Timothy s mother married a Gentile he was considered a Jew by the Jews and was therefore liable to be circumcised. H. In Jewish law, a child takes the religion of its mother; so Timothy should have been circumcised and raised a Jew. I. But in Greek law the father dominates the home. J. Apparently the Jewish community at Lystra was too weak or lax to interfere with Greek custom. K. The absence of any personal allusion to the father in Acts or the Epistles suggests the inference that he must have died or disappeared during his son s infancy. L. The care of the boy thus devolved upon his mother Eunice and her mother Lois (2 Tm. 1:5). M. The fact that he had not been circumcised implies either that his mother was not a practicing Jew or that his Gentile father had refused to allow the sign of the covenant to be performed on his son. N. The imperfect tense of the verb huparchen (u&phrcen) in Acts 16:3 indicates that Timothy s father was dead at the time of writing. 1. Huparchon is from the verb huparcho (ujpavrcw), and denotes to be, to be in existence, involving an existence or condition both previous to the circumstances mentioned and continuing after it. 2. Thus the meaning of the verb emphasizes that Timothy s father existed previous to the circumstances mentioned in Acts 16: William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

3 3. While the present tense indicates progressive or continuous or durative action at the present time, the imperfect expresses continuous action occurring in the past. 4. The progressive imperfect indicates past action that is continuing up to a given point of time. 5. It vividly describes what took place at some time in the past. 6. The imperfect tense thus emphasizes a past of event rather than a current event. 7. Thus, the imperfect tense is emphasizing that Timothy had a Greek father and implies that he no longer is. 8. If the writer wanted to emphasize that his father was still alive he would have put the verb in the present tense but he doesn t and puts the verb in the imperfect instead. O. Under their training his education was emphatically Jewish. P. 2 Timothy 1:5 speaks of the sincere Jewish faith of Timothy s grandmother Lois and of his mother Eunice, and 2 Timothy 3:15 speaks of Timothy s early instruction in the Hebrew Scriptures. Q. His mother Eunice is identified as a Jewess as well as a Christian believer in Acts 16:1 who had probably believed on the Lord Jesus Christ during Paul and Barnabas 1st visit to Lystra (Acts 14:20-23). R. Likewise, from Paul s reference to Timothy in 1 Corinthians 4:17 as his son, we may assume that Timothy s conversion to Christ also dates from the proclamation of the gospel on that 1st missionary journey. III. Paul A. Timothy became an associate and traveling companion of the apostle Paul. B. 1 Timothy 1:18 strongly suggests that some prophetic utterances about Timothy had 1st pointed him out to Paul and had encouraged Paul to enlist him as a fellow-soldier of Christ. C. He is called a disciple or student (mathetes) in Acts 16:1. D. Paul was at least indirectly responsible for Timothy s conversion and since he had such a close working relationship with him, he could justly call him his gnesio tekno en pistei (gnhsivw/ tevknw/ ejn pivstei), true child in the faith (1 Tm. 1:2; Phlp. 2:22). E. Paul calls him his mou teknon agapeton kai piston en kurio (mou tevknon ajgaphtovn kaiv pistovn ejn kurivw/), my beloved and faithful student in the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17). F. These 2 statements indicate that Paul was indeed Timothy s spiritual father and mentor. G. Paul had Timothy circumcised after he asked him to become his co-worker (Acts 16:3). H. According to the text Paul did this not out of deference to Timothy s mother but on account of local unregenerate Jews who knew Timothy had not been circumcised. I. Timothy s thoughts about the matter are not mentioned but evidently he willingly complied with Paul s request. J. Paul s refusal to have Titus, a Gentile by birth, circumcised (Gal. 2:1-5) is not inconsistent with his decision to have Timothy, a Jew by birth, circumcised; both decisions accord with his theology and missionary strategy. K. Paul considered circumcision per se as nothing, and the same was true of uncircumcision (Gal. 5:6; 6:15). L. If someone insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation, Paul fought against this as false doctrine and refused to permit the uncircumcised person to be circumcised. M. But in Timothy s case circumcision was simply a matter of expediency; and since Paul himself was prepared to become all things to all people so as to win some (1 Cor. 9:19-23), he did not hesitate to ask the same of Timothy. N. Paul would not risk impeding the gospel s progress among the Jews by having an uncircumcised Jewish-Christian as his associate. O. Had he obstinately done so, he would have alienated his audience immediately and forever. P. Therefore, Paul regarded Timothy s circumcision not as a means of salvation but as a legal act to remove a serious obstacle to the presentation of the gospel to unregenerate Jews William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

4 Q. Some time after Timothy had been ordained with the laying on of hands by the pastor-teachers at Lystra (1 Tm. 4:14), he became a nearly constant companion of Paul. R. This long association began some time during Paul s 2nd missionary journey. S. Timothy is probably the best known of all of Paul s co-workers, although Acts mentions his name infrequently and does not record all of his movements. T. But presumably Timothy traveled with Paul from the time of his calling at Lystra onward, until his 2nd and final Roman imprisonment. U. Paul links Timothy s name with his own in saluting the churches in: 1. Corinth (2 Cor. 1:1). 2. Philippi (Phlp. 1:1). 3. Colossae (Col. 1:1). 4. Thessalonica (1 Th. 1:1; 2 Th. 1:1). V. This indicates either that Timothy served with Paul in each of these churches, or that he had been sent there by the apostle, or that he had come to be known by them because of his close association with Paul (cf. Rm. 16:21). W. As Silas took Barnabas s place as Paul s senior associate on his 2nd missionary journey (Acts 15:36-41), so Timothy replaced Mark as Paul s junior associate. X. Timothy was diligent student of Paul s as well as becoming a trusted and invaluable colleague. Y. Paul describes him as: 1. My fellow-worker (Rm. 16:21). 2. God s fellow-worker (1 Th. 3:2). 3. My beloved and faithful student in the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17). 4. True child in the faith (1 Tm. 1:2; Phlp. 2:22). 5. A Christian gentleman of proven worth (Phlp. 2:22). 6. Brother (2 Cor. 1:1; Col. 1:1). 7. My son (1 Tm. 1:18; cf. v. 1; 1 Cor. 4:14). 8. I have no one like-minded (Phlp. 2:20). 9. Slave of Christ Jesus (Phlp. 1:1). 10. Seeks the things of Jesus Christ (Phlp. 2:21). 11. Loyal (2 Tm. 3:10). 12. Doing the Lord s work (1 Cor. 16:10). Z. Apparently the apostle Paul derived special comfort from Timothy s presence (Phlp. 2:20-22). AA.Paul s request for Timothy to leave Ephesus and come to him at Rome during his 2nd and last Roman imprisonment demonstrates once again Paul s deep and lasting affection for Timothy and his need for Timothy s sympathy and care, especially at the end of his life (2 Tm. 4:9). IV. Christian Soldier A. Evidently, Timothy was a young man with exceptional leadership qualities since Paul authorized him to appoint pastor-teachers and to establish order in the churches throughout the Roman Empire. B. On occasion Paul left Timothy behind while he went on ahead, in order that Timothy might accomplish some unnamed task (Acts 17:14) or, perhaps, act as a decoy, allowing Paul to escape danger (vv. 13f.). C. On other occasions Paul enlisted Timothy as an emissary to do what he himself could not do such as when the Macedonian Christians were suffering persecution Paul sent him to Thessalonica to encourage them and teach them doctrine (1 Th. 3:1-3). D. Later Paul sent him from Ephesus to other Macedonian churches with perhaps the same mission (Acts 19:22). E. Paul sent him to Corinth (1 Cor. 4:17-21) and Philippi (Phlp. 2:19). F. On at least one return journey Timothy brought with him a monetary gift, which seems to have freed Paul from the need to work with his hands (cf. Acts 18:5; Phlp. 4:15) William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

5 G. Timothy accompanied Paul on his last recorded journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4) and was at his side during his 1st Roman imprisonment (Phlp. 1:1; Phlp. 2:19). H. The Scriptures indicate that Timothy was the pastor-teacher at Ephesus (1 Tm. 1:3). I. He was frequently ill (1 Tm. 5:23), timid (2 Tm. 1:7), and even despised because of his youthfulness (1 Tm. 4:12; 1 Cor. 16:10), yet he was loyal (1 Cor. 16:10; Phlp. 2:19ff. 2 Tm. 3:10ff.). J. Paul had to command him to be diligent in his studies as a pastor-teacher (2 Tm. 3:16) as well as to persevere in his own spiritual life (1 Tm. 4:12-16; 2 Tm. 1:6; 3:14 f.). K. He needed instruction on how to: 1. Behave toward various groups of people (1 Tm. 5) 2. Control his own inclinations (2 Tm. 2:22 f.) 3. Respond to persons in error (3:1-8). L. Paul also reminded him to set an example for his congregation by his conduct (1 Tm. 4:12) through the execution of his own spiritual life. M. He was commanded by Paul to fight the noble fight of doctrine (1 Tm. 1:18), to guard the doctrine in his soul (1:19), and to protect his soul from the cosmic system and non-essentials (1:4; 4:7). N. The last reference of Timothy in the Scriptures is Hebrews 13:23 which indicates that Timothy was well-known to the readers of the last Pauline epistle, his 14th! O. If he continued, according to the received tradition, to be bishop of Ephesus, then he, and no other, must have been the angelo, messenger (i.e., pastor-teacher) of that church to whom the message of Revelation 2:1-7 was addressed. P. It may be urged, as in some degree confirming this view, that both praise and the blame of that message are such as harmonize with the impressions as to the character of Timotheus derived from the Acts and the Epistles. Q. The refusal to acknowledge the self-styled apostles, the abhorrence of the actions of the Nicolaitians, the unwearied labor, all this belongs to the man of God of the Pastoral Epistles and the fault is no less characteristic. R. The strong language of Paul s entreaty would lead us to expect that the temptation of such a man would be to fall away from the his first love. S. The promise of the Lord of the Churches is in substance the same as that implied in the language of the Apostle (2 Tm. 2:4-6). T. Timothy was still young when Paul was put to death in A.D. 68 and was probably not more than 35 years old. U. Church history dates Timothy s martyrdom as after the date of Revelation in A.D William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5