Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
T4601R - 1 & 2 TIMOTHY - OVERVIEW
“LETTERS TO YOUNG APOSTOLIC PASTORS”
1. 1 TIM 1:18-19a (1) COUNSELS AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. “This :charge I commit to you, Timothy child, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you war the good warfare; 19ahaving faith and a good conscience;” Here You give us a kingdom principle Father, that should specially bless each minister at the time of his ordination. May we guard the ministry of “presbytery” for this high calling (Acts 13:1-3). Hallowed be your :name.
2. 2:5-6a (2-3) COUNSELS TO MEN, WOMEN AND LEADERS. “For one isGod, one is also mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, 6a who gave himself a ransom for all.” I amthe true and living way, said Jesus, and no man comes unto the Father but through Me. This is a narrow and straitened way, but we rejoice in it Father, for Your Son is indeed the way. Your :kingdom come.
3. 4:12 (4) COUNSELS AND PREDICTIONS. “Let no one despise your :youth; but be an example to the faithful, in word, in behavior, in love, in faith, in purity.” In Your Sovereignty Father, You often choose youth for leadership. William Pitt the younger was Prime Minister of Great Britain at 24! Help us who are older to receive Your choice of those who are younger! Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.
4. 5:21 (5-6) COUNSELS RE MINISTERIAL ADMINISTRATION. “I charge before :God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that you observe these thingswithout prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.” No respect of persons! This is the way of Your Kingdom! No favoritism to the rich or those we like. Allin Your body are important, Father! Our :daily :bread Give us this day.
5. 2 TIM 1:12 (1) FAITHFULNESS TO THE GOSPEL. “For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to guard my :deposit against that day.” To know You deeply Father, is to talk like :Paul. Yes, we would move fully in the same direction. Yet please do not suffer us to be tested above what we are able to bear! And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.
6. 2:2 (2:1-4:8) FAITHFULNESS TO THE MINISTRY. “And what thingsyou have heard from me among many witnesses, the samecommit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Here is the key! Here is Your mind concerning the multiplication of leadership, Father, may we understand thoroughly this Kingdom principle, and heed it! And bring us not into temptation.
7. 4:18 (4:9-22) FAITHFULNESS IN PRIVATIONS. “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save meunto his heavenly :kingdom: to whom bethe glory unto the ages of the ages. Amen.” We bless You Father, for Your omnipotent ability; You can do whatever You plan or say. Our trust is not misplaced, but complete in You! We declare this with fullheart assurance! But deliver us from the evil one.
NOTE: See the solicitousness that Paul had for Timothy! He remembered his tears! He was as a spiritual son to this great apostle. But what Paul shares with Timothy is equally applicable to all young leaders of the 5-fold ministry, especially those who have been placed as an apostolic pastor over a city church such as Ephesus, composed of manylocal churches. All of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) heard the word through this city church. And Ephesus, along with the other 6 city churches of this area, were all addressed by our Lord Jesus in Revelation 2 and 3!
In a very real sense 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus are like a post-graduate spiritual university course! These 3 epistles are indeed high caliber teaching for a more limited circle of leaders. As Timothy was placed by Paul to oversee the great city church of Ephesus; Titus was placed by him to oversee the church of Crete, with its various local churches in the home.
But Paul did not intend these two young men to be content with mastering these 3 epistles! No sir, indeed! They were to be imbued with the 4 Gospels, the equivalent to spiritual elementary school! Acts is like Junior High, and James through Jude like High School. The 9 epistles of Paul to the 7 churches addressed by him - like university. Romans, Ephesus and 1 & 2 Thessalonians represent Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.
For me, perhaps the key Paul shares with Timothy is found in 1 Timothy 4:14-15 (11-16) - “Neglect not the gift in you, which was given you through prophecy, with laying on of handsof the presbytery. 15Be diligent in these; -with vocal meditation in praying back as a prayer- these words to God; give yourself whollyto these; that your progress may be evident to all.”
This is a weighty portion of Scripture. Link it with God's word in Joshua 1:8 (1-9) - “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditateon it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to allthat is written in it: for thenyou shall make your way prosperous, and thenyou shall have good success.” Note that these words are a double exhortation to orally proclaim God's word. It is notintended in our worship that we do so silently in our heart! No, indeed. These words are to be in our mouth. And the word meditate, Hebrew “hah-GAH” has the sense of the cooing of doves - rephrasing God's word, reasoning from it, and praying it back to God in the spirit of Daniel in chapter 9, and Ezra in chapter 9.
See also Psalm 19:14, where David the Psalmist says, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, (a vocal prayer), be acceptable in your sight, O Jehovah, my Strength, and my Redeemer!” Add to this Psalm one, which is remarkably parallel to these 3 passages. Here the Psalmist says his delightis in the Torah, law, Teaching” of Jehovah, and in His teaching does he meditate (orally praying back to God in his own words) day and night. Then see the fruitfulnesshe achieves as a Tree of Jehovah!
I realize that the “City Church” application to Timothy and Titus is not a present day concept. But consider the Word Study usage of Church, ek-kleSIa. and how it tends to support this interpretation. Once it refers to Israel as the churchin the wilderness, Acts 7; 3 x the secular ek-kleSIa of Ephesus, Acts 19:23-44; 14 x a local church in the home in a city; 15 x the Universal church; but- 81 x the church of a city. Timothy and Titus thoroughly understood this concept. - J.A.W.
2