Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Paul continues his line of thought from chapter 1, where he has charged Timothy to be a good steward of the gospel and to protect the church by charging people not to teach false doctrine. 

1) To Paul, prayer is the best safeguard against false teaching. 

• Prayer is the overarching command of 2:1–7. He says 'first of all' or 'above all' because of the priority for prayer in the church. A prayer dedicated to sound doctrine should above all pray. 
• Paul wants Timothy to reflect on every aspect of prayer -- supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving. And the prayers are for 1) all people, 2) kings, and 3) people in high positions. 
• The result of praying in verse 2 is a peaceful, quiet, godly, and dignified life in every way. 
• Contrary to the practice of the false teachers, who likely do not pray at all, or who do not pray for all people, Paul commands Timothy to include a broad scope of people who influence daily life. Praying in this way presents a direct correlation to the way Christians live. 

2) To Paul, prayer is good and pleasing to God.

• Prayer connects Christians to God's desires. 
• As our Savior, God desires all people to be saved -- prayer saves people. 
• As our Savior, God desires all to come to the knowledge of the truth -- prayer enlightens people. 
• Prayer corrects false doctrine
• Christian prayer is focused solely on one God. 
• Christian prayer is offered through one mediator. 
• In prayer, Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man. 
• The reason why Jesus Christ is the sole mediator is because he 1) gave himself as a 2) ransom for all. 
• So, Christian prayer should be made to connect Christians with God's desire and to correct false doctrine.
• Paul's whole ministry centers on the testimony that God is one and that there is one mediator between God and men. In particular, at the proper time, he proclaimed Christ Jesus as the ransom for all, meaning that Christ could be universally accepted. 
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul desired to see all people saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul declared there was one mediator between God and men. 
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul believed that Christ gave himself as a ransom for all. 
• Unlike the false teachers, God appointed Paul as a preacher, an apostle, and and a teacher to the Gentiles. 
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul sought to be truthful about his role in God's plan. 

This passage implies many differences between Paul and the false teachers. A key difference to the false teachers appears to be the primacy of prayer in Paul's ministry. Prayer made for all people, that aligns with God's desires, and that corrects theology is the type of prayer Paul envisions for Timothy and the church. 

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1 (Entire Chapter)

Chapter 1 of Paul's first letter to Timothy is a remarkable example of a spiritual leader's plea to his apprentice.

1) First, Paul's main plea is reiterated throughout the chapter, namely, the plea for Timothy to charge certain persons from making a shipwreck of their faith by teaching or devoting themselves to errant doctrines.

2) Twice Paul calls Timothy his child, a sign of great affection, but also of authority. Paul not only loves Timothy but also expects him to obey the plea to charge.

3) The confrontation Paul has in mind is not a loveless charge. The thesis of 1 Timothy 1 is in verse 5, which gives the ultimate motivation underlying the charge: love. Paul wants Timothy to exhibit a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.

4) Without the middle of these expressions--a good conscience--people have made a shipwreck of their faith (verse 19).

5) Another theme is opposition. Prior to his conversion, Paul was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. After he came to Christ by faith, he declares that he is the foremost of sinners. This is quite the opposite of Hymaneus and Alexander, who are allegedly professing to be Christians, but who are guilty of blasphemy (verse 20).

6) Finally, the gospel (verse 15) is the center of Paul's ministry. He entrusts the gospel to Timothy, whom he is training, molding, and shaping to become a faithful steward and ardent defender.

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:18–20

Verse 18 takes up the charge to Timothy from early on in verse 3. Timothy is charged to protect the church at Ephesus from false teachers. But Paul gives other reasons why Timothy should persist in defending the church from aberrant teaching.

1) First, Paul reminds Timothy that the work of protecting the church is in line with "prophecies previously made" about him.

• The purpose of the prophecies is to propel Timothy to wage the good warfare. 
• By defending the church from false teaching, Timothy is fulfilling the prophies made of him. 

2) Second, Paul reminds Timothy that the work of protecting the church relies on faith and a good conscience. In other words, faith and conscience form of unity of the genuine Christian experience. 

• The manner in which Timothy is to wage the good warfare is by 1) holding faith and 2) holding a good conscience. 
• Without these two indispensable tools, the waging of 'the good warfare' will likely not succeed. 
• Faith and conscience are inseparable realities that allow a Christian to be faithful. 
• Without faith, the conscience cannot function properly. 
• With the conscience, how can faith be authenticated? 

3) Third, Paul reminds Timothy of what might happen when people reject one aspect of the genuine Christian experience.

• Paul makes a general observation that when people reject 'this' (the antecedent is 'a good conscience'), some have made a shipwreck of their faith. 
• Without the conscience, faith is shipwrecked. 
• Paul informs Timothy of how Hymenaeus and Alexander rejected the work of the conscience in their lives. 
• Paul handled their rejection of the good conscience by handing them over to Satan. 
• When Paul speaks of 'handing over to Satan' he likely has in mind a formal process of church discipline. cf. 1 Corinthians 5:5. 
• Presumably, Paul views Satan as an agent for disciplinary correction in the case of Alexander and Hymenaeus. 
• Paul may also be highlighting an important reality: when people reject the genuine Christian experience, they desire to be outside of God's authority. So, in accordance with their desire, Paul 'hands them over to Satan' for the purpose of showing them their foolishness. Given the purpose clause at the end of 1:20, this seems highly likely. 
• The purpose of this handing over to Satan is that 'they may learn not to blaspheme.' 
• Hymenaeus and Alexander committed the sin of blasphemy,
• As earlier in 1 Timothy 1, Paul identifies with their sin of blasphemy, which resulted from his ignorance and unbelief. 
• What is different in regards to H and A is that they were presumably Christians who were blaspheming -- something that Paul did in his ignorance and unbelief, not while he was a Christian. 
• Paul believes the remedy to their blasphemy is 'handing them over to Satan'

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:15–17

1 Timothy 1:15–17 continues Paul's thanksgiving that began in verse 12. In verse 14, Paul is thankful for having received Christ's abundant grace which overflowed in faith and love. 

Now, Paul addresses his personal relationship to the gospel message. 

1) First, Paul introduces the good news that Christ came into the world to save sinners with a formula ("the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance") that appears only in the pastoral epistles ( 1 Timothy 3:1; 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8). 

The saying reveals three important truths:  

 A) Christ Jesus came into the world 

        -Jesus is the Christ. 
        -And he came into the world, meaning that Jesus is in the flesh. 
        -And finally, Jesus came into the world -- the arena where we would display his purpose.  

 B) to save -- The verb shows Christ's purpose for coming into the world

C) sinners -- Jesus came to save sinners who are in the world, meaning all of humanity. 

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance because it reveals the true identity of Christ, his purpose, and the true identity of humanity. 

2) Second, Paul addresses his relationship to the true saying: he is the foremost of sinners. 

• It's unlikely Paul is referring to himself as a foremost sinner prior to his coming to faith in Jesus. Paul would have been ignorant of his sinfulness (1 Timothy 1:13). 
• It is more likely he became aware of his sinfulness after encountering Jesus Christ. As he reflects on his conversion years later, Paul has become even more keenly aware of his sin, which leads him to declare his status as a foremost sinner. 

3) Third, Paul gives a reason for the mercy he received. 

• As the foremost of sinners, Paul's life is a suitable place for Christ to display his perfect patience. The fact that Christ saves sinners is indeed a mark of Christ's perfect patience. 
• As the foremost of sinners, Paul's life is an example to those who were to believe in Christ. The fact that Paul is an example is owing to the mercy of Christ in using Paul's life to display his perfect patience. Indeed, Paul can only be considered an example insofar as his life displays Christ's mercy and patience. 

4) Finally, Paul's reflection on Christ's saving work in him leads to worship. The doxology in verse 17 is simple and straightforward.  

• Paul acknowledges God as the King of the ages, who is 
• Immortal -- never dying, but alive forever
• Invisible -- never seen, but present everywhere
• the only God -- never divided, always united
• Paul declares his praise of honor and glory, forever and ever.