Verse by Verse

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,

13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

and (12) — not in many manuscripts (Important because including it diminishes somewhat the fervency of Paul’s outburst of thankfulness.)

I thank (v.12) = I have thanks — The word “thanks” is charis = grace, favor — thanks for the received benefit. The tense indicates a habitual feeling.

enabled (v.12) = empowered, made strong — tense indicates a past event with continuing results

The word “enabled” is enduno. Paul uses this verb in Philippians 4:13, “I am strong in the sphere of all things in the One who is constantly infusing strength in me.” The verb itself means “to clothe with, to furnish with anything,” the context indicating that with which the person is furnished. Since Paul in this statement is talking about being strong, the thing with which God clothes him or with which He furnishes him is strength. In our First Timothy context, the apostle is speaking of being entrusted with the proclamation of the gospel. Paul was thus clothed with the ability to proclaim the good news of salvation. The Greek text reads: “I have constant gratitude to the One who endued me with the necessary strength, Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Wuest, page 33.

Christ Jesus (v.12) — the order emphasizes the authority of Christ as Lord

counted (v.12) = considered, thought (see its use in Philippians 3:7-8). God knew Paul would be faithful in his ministry.

The word “counted” is hegeomai, “to deem, account, consider, think.” It speaks of a belief or appraisal that does not rest upon one’s emotions, but upon the due consideration of external grounds, upon the weighing and comparing of facts. It refers to a deliberate and careful judgment. God saw that the fiery, zealous, intense Pharisee would be just as fiery, zealous, and intense in the proclamation of the gospel as he was in its persecution, when saving grace was operating in his being. — Wuest, page 33

putting (v.12) — tense indicates the finality of the act

ministry (v.12) = lit. “to pursue” — service

blasphemer (v.13) = to say injurious things — used as an adjective

persecutor (v.13) = to pursue — for an evil purpose, as a hunter pursues prey

insolent man (v.13) — a doer of outrage — to act with the motive of causing injury out of insolence and contempt

I obtained mercy (v.13) — passive voice — Paul did not ask God for mercy.

in unbelief (v.13) — “In unbelief” does not so much qualify “ignorantly,” as correct a possible notion that all ignorance must be excusable. Paul declares on the contrary, that his was a positive act of sinful disbelief; but “where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly.” — Wuest, page 34

grace (v.14) = charis — the same word translated “thank” in v.12

faith (v.14) — I think this is used in the sense of “faithfulness,” referring to Jesus Christ

Wuest’s translation — I am constantly grateful to the One who endued me with the necessary strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He deemed me trustworthy, having placed me in service, though I was the very one who heretofore was a reviler, and a persecutor, and an insolent, destructive person. But I was shown mercy because, being ignorant, I acted in unbelief. Moreover, the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly, together with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. — Wuest, page 34.

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In the Word of God the conversion of Saul of Tarsus is given a most prominent place. It is more fully described and more often referred to in the Scriptures than any other conversion, or indeed, than any one personal experience outside of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The major part of three separate chapters in Acts are taken up with this account, and it forms the main subject of two out of Paul’s five recorded discourses (Acts 22, 26). So conscious was the Apostle himself of the importance of his conversion in connection with the gospel of the grace of God, that he refers to it over and over again in his epistles.

There is no testimony to the riches of God’s grace, nor the power of the cross, for the reality of personal salvation which equals that of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.

Little wonder, for even a casual examination of the record of his bitter rebellion against Christ explains why. Consider the following examples from this record: (Acts 8:3; 9:1-2, 13-14, 21; Acts 22:4, 19; Acts 26:10-11; Galatians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10). — Stam, pages 44-45.

8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,

9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

we know (v.8) — oida, to know, suggests intelligent perception, in contrast to ginosko which indicates progressive knowledge. The contrast between the two verbs is illustrated in John 8:55, “Ye have not known Him [ginosko, “you have not entered upon the knowledge”]: but I know Him (oida, that is, I have perfect knowledge of Him). Again, in 13:7, “What I do thou knowest not now [oida; Peter did not perceive its significance] but thou shalt understand hereafter (ginosko, thou shalt get to know). — Vine, page 146.

good (v.8) = intrinsically good, good morally, excellent in itself (different from good in the sense of beneficial)

if one uses it lawfully (v.8) — lawfully = lit. “agreeable to the law” — if one uses it not for justification before God, but to be made aware of sin.

This argument should be clear enough to any thoughtful person. A loving mother needs no law to compel her to care for her child. an honest businessman needs no law to compel him to pay his bills. The very function of the law is to convict and condemn the criminal, the violator of the law. If everyone spontaneously did what was right, there would be no need for law.

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.

… for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:19-20).

The law was given to convict and condemn the sinner and to show him his need of a Savior, but those who are saved are not under the law, for God has declared them righteous in Christ who died for their sins. Indeed, in this same passage in Romans the Apostle goes on to say by divine inspiration:

BUT NOW the righteousness of God without the law is manifested …

Further, in verses 24 and 26 he declares that believes stand righteous before God.

Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

[We] declare I say, AT THIS TIME, His righteousness for the remission of sins, that He [God] might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

This was “the glorious gospel of the blessed God.” (Or “the gospel [good news] of the glory of the blessed God,” as seems the more natural reading.) — Stam, pages 42-43.

knowing this (v.9) — same sense of “know” as in v.8

law (v.9) — the Old Testament law, but the principle applies to any law

made (v.9) = laid down, enacted

righteous (v.9) — Several of my commentaries mention that Paul was referring to a morally good person and not a saved person here. But there is no morally good person in God’s eyes except for those who have trusted Christ, so I don’t see the point of the distinction.

lawless (v.9) — those who reject all law, those who refuse to acknowledge that there is law

insubordinate (v.9) — unruly, those who refuse to be subject to the law or authority

ungodly (v.9) — those without piety, irreverent

sinners (v.9) — those not free from sin, wicked — lit. “those who have missed the mark”

unholy (v.9) — the opposite of holy — one who does not walk with God or attempt to conform to His character

profane (v.9) = unhallowed, not set apart to God

The word “profane” is bebelos. The word is derived from belos, “a threshold,” and hence has the primary sense of  that which may be trodden. That which is permitted to be trodden by people at large is unhallowed, profane, Thus, a profane person is one who has made himself accessible to evil influence. He has not kept himself for God. He is common, unhallowed territory. — Wuest, pages 31-32.

murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers (v.9) — This is the literal meaning, but the idea may be those who break the commandment to love and honor parents (Exodus 20:12).

kidnappers (v.10) — The word comes from aner and pous, a person taken in war and sold into slavery. It refers to a slave-dealer, a kidnapper, a man-stealer, as well as to one who unjustly reduces free men to slavery, also to one who steals the slaves of others and sells them. The word includes all who exploit men and women for their own selfish ends. — Wuest, page 32.

sound doctrine (v.10) = healthful teaching — “sound” is the translation of the Greek word from which we get “hygiene.” — free from error. It describes the character of the doctrine and also its effect upon the believer.

according to the glorious gospel (v.11) — Paul’s gospel points to God’s glory

blessed God (v.11) — God is called blessed in the New Testament only here and in 1 Timothy 6:15. He is blessed in His perfection and grace.

Wuest’s translation — But we know that the law is good if a person uses it properly, knowing this, that law is not enacted for a law-abiding person, but for lawless ones, and for unruly ones, for those who are destitute of reverential awe towards God, and for sinners, for unholy ones and for those who are non-religious, for those who ill-treat fathers and ill-treat mothers, for man-slayers, for whoremongers, for those who defile themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for perjurers, and if as is the case, there is anything of a different nature which is opposed to sound teaching, according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I was entrusted. — Wuest, pages 32-33.

5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,

7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

purpose (v.5) = aim — referring back to the “godly dispensation” in verse 4

commandment (v.5) = command or charge given by a superior, to be passed on to others by the one to whom it was given — This is not referring to the Old Testament law (although v.7 is referring to the Old Testament law)

love (v.5) = agape — a conscious choice to prefer another

heart (v.5) — used to refer to the source of human will, thoughts, affections and emotions

good (v.5) = beneficial — produces pleasure, satisfaction and a feeling of well-being

Since that is good which, after its kind, is perfect, the sphere of good at once fundamentally limits itself to that which is as in general a thing should be, and thus the word becomes synonymous with dikaios (righteous), observing divine and human laws, upright, virtuous, keeping the commands of God.” One can see from the above that a good conscience, therefore, is one that produced a sense of well-being, satisfaction, and pleasure. The guilty conscience is uncomfortable, dissatisfied. A good conscience is one that leads its owner to obey the Word of God. — Wuest, page 29

sincere (v.5) = genuine, true

The simple verb means “to judge,” the prefixed preposition, “under.” It was used in ancient Greece of an actor on the stage, of one who assumes to be what he is not. Our word “hypocrite” comes from this word. The Alpha prefixed makes the noun form refer to one who is not hypocritical in his actions or speech, one who is unfeigned, undisguised. The faith spoken of here is a genuine, as contrasted to a spurious, assumed, pretended faith, a mere intellectual assent that poses for a heart acceptance. — Wuest, pages 29-30

The three phrases in v.5 are contrasted with the mindset of the false teachers.

strayed (v.6) = missed one’s aim, missed the mark — translated “having erred” in its other two uses in Scripture (1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 2:18)

idle talk (v.7) — one word in Greek = words that are useless, devoid of results

teachers of the law (v.7) — teaching Judaistic doctrine that demanded adherence to Old Testament law and opposed Paul’s doctrine of grace.

Concerning the expression “what they say, nor whereof they affirm,” [it means] “They know not what they say, nor what kind of things they are of which they speak so confidently . The false teachers announce their errors with assurance. The word “affirm” is diabebaiomai, “to affirm strongly, to assert confidently.” The words, “teachers of the law,” are one word in the Greek, nomodidaskalos, literally, “law teachers.” That is, these individuals wished to be, not teachers who taught the law among other things, but their exclusive stock in trade would be the Old Testament law. They aimed at being professional teachers of the law. — Wuest, page 30.

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Wuest’s translation — Now, the objective which is the aim of the aforementioned charge is love out of a heart which is pure, and a conscience which is good, and a faith which is not assumed but real, from which things certain having deviated, have turned off into talk which is futile, since they desire to be law teachers though they neither understand what things they are saying, nor what kind of things they are concerning which they speak so confidently. — Wuest, page 30-31.

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The Apostle’s prediction in Acts 20:29-30 had already come true. These legalizers, it seems, dogged Paul’s steps wherever he went. As soon as he departed from a given city they would move in and try to bring his followers back under the Law, and some would be taken up with their legalistic teachings.

Evidently Titus was encountering the same problem at Crete, for in Titus 1:9-11 the Apostle writes to him with regard to the responsibilities of the elders that, among other things, the elder should continue:

holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

But the idle talk of those who desired a reputation for profound learning had nothing in common with the sound, constructive teaching of grace by which the Apostle had helped so man. Certainly the law never produced the virtues referred to in verse 5. Only God’s grace can do this (Titus 2:11-12). — Stam, page 41.

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

urged (v.3) = exhorted, encouraged, begged. This occurred sometime before this letter was written.

remain (v.3) — apparently, Paul and Timothy had been at Ephesus together. Paul left for Macedonia, but encouraged Timothy to remain and then wrote this letter to give him in writing what had been verbal instructions.

other (v.3) — The verb heterodidaskaleo, to teach something different, is used only here and at 6:3, in the Greek Bible. Compare to the word “different” (heteros) in Galatians 1:6, followed by allow, “another of the same sort,” in verse 7. — Vine, page 143

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The words, “teach no other doctrine,” are the translation of a negative and the verb heterodidaskaleo, the latter word being made up of the verb, “to teach,” and the word heteros, which means, “another of a different kind.” The idea is not merely that those exhorted are not to teach any other doctrine, but they are not to teach a different doctrine, a doctrine which is contrary to the true doctrine. Our word, “heterodoxy,” namely, false doctrine, refers, not to doctrines of false religions, but to doctrine which poses as true Christian doctrine, but which is diametrically opposed to the true teachings of Christianity. This is what Paul is referring to. — Wuest, page 26.

charge some (v.3) — take a strong stand

give heed (v.4) = attach oneself to, apply oneself to, cleave to — not just listening, but attaching oneself to the teachers, hold to, give assent — In this case, Paul was telling Timothy NOT to do this

fables (v.4) = myths — possibly legendary Jewish or Gnostic stories of history

endless (v.4) = without limit, without resolution and, therefore, useless

genealogies (v.4) — fabricated or speculative

cause (v.4) = provide for, give occasion to

disputes (v.4) = questionings, investigation, laborious inquiry

edification (v.4) = dispensation — teaching about God’s stewardship, His dealing with the world and humanity

in faith (v.4) — taking God at His word rather than relying on those who claim to be wise

Paul predicted all this in Acts 20:29-30: For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

Wuest’s translation — Just as I begged you to continue on in Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, in order that you might charge certain ones not to be teaching things contrary to sound doctrine, nor to be giving assent to fables and useless genealogies  which are of such a character as to provide occasion for exhaustive investigations rather than a (knowledge of the) administration of the things by which God has provided for and prepared salvation, which salvation must be embraced by faith. — Wuest, page 28.

My take on these verses is that Paul was telling Timothy to stand firmly against those who professed to know more about doctrine than what God clearly states in His Word. Rather, by simple faith, take God at His Word and you will understand His stewardship. So, speak against those who claim that science can give us greater insight into creation than Genesis, and against those who ignore what the Bible actually says and give weight to fables about kids who go to heaven and return or about people in foreign countries who see apparitions of angels.

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,

2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul (v.1) = little — It is possible that Paul was small and weak-looking (2 Corinthians 10:1, 10) — It was standard practice for a writer to begin a letter with his name.

apostle (v.1) = one who is sent as a personal representative, ambassador — Paul was commissioned by Jesus Christ to be an apostle (1 Timothy 2:7; Acts 26:17; Romans 11:13; Galatians 2:7-8).

Jesus Christ (v.1) — the best texts have “Christ Jesus” both places in this verse. “Jesus Christ” describes Him in reference to His resurrection, as one who was rejected and then glorified. “Christ Jesus” emphasizes His preexistence. “Christ” is the Greek word for the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Both mean “the one who is anointed.”

In a Jewish setting such as the Gospel according to Matthew, the word [Christ] refers to the Messiah of Israel, the Anointed of God who is to become its King. In a Church setting, as here in First Timothy, it had the significance, not of the covenanted King of Israel, but of The Anointed One of God, to Paul and his Greek readers. The name “Jesus” is the English spelling of the Greek word Iesous, which in turn is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew word we know in its transliterated from as “Jehoshua,” the “h” disappearing, since the Greek language has no letter “h.” The Hebrew word means “Jehovah saves.” — Wuest, pages 22-23.

by the commandment (v.1) — Paul was under orders

God our Savior (v.1) — … That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:2-4. See also 4:10-11).

hope (v.1) — referring to that which is not yet seen — faith and assurance in the future

In the text there is an antithesis between the offices of God as our Savior and of Christ Jesus as our hope. The one points to the past, at least, chiefly, and the other to the future. In speaking of the saving action of God, Paul uses the aorist (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 2:11; 3:4-5). He saved us potentially … God is the efficient cause of our justification, while Jesus, “our righteousness” besides being the meritorious cause, may be said to be the formal cause; for “the righteousness of God by which He maketh righteous,” is embodied in Jesus, who “was made unto us … righteousness and sanctification” (1 Corinthians 1:30). We advance from salvation to sanctification; and accordingly we must not narrow down the conception of Christ Jesus our hope to mean “the hope of Israel” (Acts 23:6; 28:20), but rather, the historical manifestation of the Son of God as Christ Jesus is the ground of our “hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Our hope is that “the body of our humiliation will be conformed to the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:20-21). Our hope is that we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2). — Wuest, pages 23-24.

Timothy (v.2) = he who honors God

true (v.2) = genuine, true-born, legitimately born

son (v.2) — Paul probably led Timothy to the Lord on his first visit to Lystra (Acts 14). It was likely that Timothy had been a saved Jew, according to Old Testament truth. Paul led him into the Body of Christ.

grace (v.2) = unmerited favor despite sin and its effects

mercy (v.2) = expression of pity — implies need in the one it’s given to — Paul only includes mercy in his salutation to Timothy, perhaps because of Timothy’s timidness. (It appears in Titus, but isn’t in the best manuscripts there.)

Grace is for the guilty, mercy for the miserable.

peace (v.2) = to bind together that which has been separated.

God the Father (v.2) — “God the Son” and “God the Holy Spirit” are never used in Scripture. The Bible refers to Them as “Son of God” and “Spirit of God.”

Wuest’s translation — Paul, an ambassador of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my genuine child in the Faith. Grace, mercy, peace, from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. — Wuest, page 26.

Paul likely wrote the letter known as 1 Timothy around A.D. 64-66, during the period between his two imprisonments in Rome. He had traveled to Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3) and may have still been there.

Eusebius writes: “Paul is said, after having defended himself, to have set forth again upon the ministry of preaching and to have entered the same city a second time, and to have there ended his life by martyrdom. Whilst then a prisoner, he wrote the Second Epistle to Timothy, in which he both mentions his first defense, and his impending death.” There is no contrary tradition, and one cannot see what purpose anyone could have for foisting a lie upon the public in a case like this.

Passages in the Pauline Epistles confirm the view that Paul suffered two imprisonments.

— Paul, writing to the Philippians during his first imprisonment, tells them that since it was needful for them that he remain on earth in order that they might make a pioneer advance in their spiritual lives, he has come to the conviction that he will remain with them. Paul believed that the servant of the Lord is immortal until his work is done (Philippians 1:23-26).

— That he anticipated release from prison, is seen in the fact that he writes Philemon to have his guest room in readiness for him (Philemon 1:22). Contrast this with his attitude towards death in 2 Timothy, where he expected martyrdom.

— In writing to Titus (Titus 1:5), he speaks of having left him in Crete. Paul did not touch Crete on his first three missionary journeys, which argues for his release from prison.

— In 2 Timothy 4:13, Paul asks Timothy to bring his cloak and books which he had left at Troas. In 4:20 he says” “Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus left I in Miletus sick.” since Paul was in prison in Rome for two years, the last time he was a Troas and Miletus was six years before (Acts 20:6, 17). At that time, Timothy was with him, and he had repeatedly seen Timothy since. But what is even more conclusive, is that Trophimus did not remain at Miletus, for he was in Jerusalem with Paul a the time of the latter’s arrest.

— In Titus 3:12, Paul writes that he planned to spend the winter at Nicopolis. There were three cities of that name. But there is no record in the book of Acts, of Paul having visited any city of that name on his first three missionary journeys. — Wuest, pages 14-15).

The letter was written to Timothy, a young man from Lystra (Acts 16:1-3). His father was Greek and his mother, Eunice, Jewish (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy had been raised on the Jewish Scriptures by his mother and grandmother, Lois.

Paul probably first met Timothy during his first missionary journey. When he arrived in Lystra on his second journey, Timothy was already “well spoken of” as a believer. He was given the gift of the Holy Spirit by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). From then until the end of Paul’s life, Timothy ministered with, or for, the apostle.

From the two letters to Timothy it is evident that he was cultured and refined; a student of the Scriptures from his youth (2 Timothy 3:15). Evidently he was delicate in health (1 Timothy 5:23), and possessing, as was natural from his upbringing (2 Timothy 1:5), much compassion and tenderness. We get an insight into his personality and character as the Apostle writes to him about his childhood, his mother, his grandmother, his tears, and prescribes medicine for his “often infirmities.”

At times the Apostle seems concerned lest Timothy withdraw from the battle, for he urges him not to be ashamed or afraid, but to be a “partaker of the afflictions of the gospel,” enduring the “hardness” as “a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 1:8; 2:3).

But Timothy did not withdraw. He served with Paul for many years “as a son with the father” (Philippians 2:22). There was between them that warmth and openness that goes so far to produce growth in the “son” and the “father’s” confidence in him.

Timothy, Paul says, is “my workfellow” (Romans 16:21). “He worketh the work of the Lord as I also do” (1 Corinthians 16:10). He is “my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways, which be in Christ” (1 Corinthians 4:17). He will “establish you and … comfort you concerning your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:2). — Stam, pages xii, xiv-xv.

Timothy was in Ephesus when he received the letter. He was serving as Paul’s representative to the church there. The letter encouraged the young man in his ministry, exhorted him to withstand the teaching of the Gnostic Jews and, likely, added some clout to Timothy’s credentials.

The resources I am using for this study are:

Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles of Paul the Apostle, by Cornelius R. Stam (1983) Berean Bible Society, Germantown, Wisconsin

1 Timothy, by W.E. Vine, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee

Complete Bible Commentary, by George Williams

The Pastoral Epistles in the Greek New Testament for the English Reader, by Kenneth S. Wuest (1952) Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, Michigan.

King James Bible Commentary (1983) Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee