Sermon Tone Analysis

“To Timothy, my beloved child:

“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

[1]

We tend to rush past the introductions and greetings of the letters included in the canon of Scripture.

Perhaps we modern believers imagine that we know all there is to know about those who were to receive the missive.

Perhaps we imagine we need no further information to assist in understanding what was going on when the letters were written.

I believe it is a serious error when we are in such a great hurry that we fail to think through these matters.

Knowing to whom a letter was penned, knowing the situation they faced and knowing the impact the letter may have had will give us greater confidence in God’s work then and now.

*MEETING TIMOTHY* — Let’s refresh our memories of Timothy so that we can focus on his time with the Apostle.

When we embarked on this extended excursus through the Pastoral Letters, I presented a study of Timothy.

[2] That message was delivered almost two years ago.

At the very least, a refresher study will be beneficial; it will help to ensure that we remain on track for our continuing studies through these letters.

Some five years have passed since Paul wrote the first letter to his erstwhile companion.

When he wrote that first letter, Paul had been freed from prison; and he was anticipating going to Ephesus to visit Timothy [see 1 TIMOTHY 3:14, 15; 4:13].

As he writes this letter we are now studying, the aged saint is imprisoned and facing imminent execution.

Moreover, the weight of the churches presses more heavily than ever on his heart.

Perhaps his relationship with Timothy has changed as well.

We would hope that the love these men shared for one another has been strengthened; but Paul’s concern for the battles Timothy faces is growing more apparent.

You will remember that previously we learned that Timothy was the son of a Gentile father and a Jewish mother [see ACTS 16:1].

Apparently, the young man’s mother and grandmother were sufficiently concerned about his religious training that they invested time in him so he would at least be familiar with the Scriptures.

We can guess that either his Gentile father did not object to his wife and mother-in-law training the boy in the ancient texts, or his father was for some reason removed from the life of the lad.

Actually, nothing other than the fact that he was a Gentile is known of Timothy’s father.

It is probable that Paul met Timothy on his first missionary journey, but it was during the second missionary journey that Paul took Timothy with him.

We read in the account of that second missionary tour, “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra.

A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer but his father was a Greek.

He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” [ACTS 16:1-3].

Since the brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy, it is probable that he lived in Lystra rather than Derbe.

This information supports the idea that Timothy came to faith in the Son of God at some point during Paul’s first preaching venture in Lycaonia and grew in faith prior to Paul’s return to Lystra and Iconium.

I draw this conclusion in great measure because the Apostle identifies Timothy as “my beloved child” here in our text and speaks of him as his “true child in the Faith” in 1 TIMOTHY 1:2.

When he wrote the First Corinthian Letter, Paul said he was sending “Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord” [1 CORINTHIANS 4:17].

Focus on the fact that Timothy was sufficiently well-known to the saints to be recommended to Paul as dependable.

This would indicate that the young man had been in the congregation and likely engaged in observable service for a period of time that permitted the assembly to recognise his commitment to the Faith.

Paul circumcised Timothy because the Jews knew his father was a Greek.

This has occasioned controversy for centuries.

[3] What it does say is that his mother and grandmother, committed to the Scriptures though they were, did not have sufficient influence to bring Timothy for circumcision at any point prior to meeting up with the missionaries.

It is interesting because Titus was not compelled to be circumcised [see GALATIANS 2:3].

His mother and grandmother did, however, unite to instruct Timothy from childhood in the Scriptures.

[4]

What appears to be a contradiction to some scholars is resolved by appeal to the Apostle’s affirmation delivered to the Corinthians Christians.

“To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.

To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.

To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” [1 CORINTHIANS 9:20-23].

Timothy was quite obviously young when he first accompanied the missionaries.

Fifteen years after he accompanied Paul and Silas on the second missionary journey Paul cautions, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” [1 TIMOTHY 4:12].

Moreover, he was spared imprisonment with the missionaries in Philippi, probably because of his youth!

The divine text seems to indicate that Timothy was a teenager when he first travelled with Paul.

If so, it speaks well of his maturity (especially when contrasted with John Mark, see ACTS 15:36-38).

Paul did invest considerable trust in Timothy despite his youth.

Though Timothy is not named as being with the missionaries in Thessalonica [see ACTS 17:1-9], he was with them in Berea, indicating that he had been present in Thessalonica.

After the Thessalonian Jews came to Berea to stir up the people there against the missionaries, Timothy remained with Silas in Berea while Paul journeyed on to Athens [ACTS 17:14].

From Athens, Paul sent to Berea, requesting Silas and Timothy to come to him in Athens [ACTS 17:15].

As they were travelling, Paul moved on to Corinth, and Timothy and Silas met him there [ACTS 18:5; see also 1 THESSALONIANS 3:6].

When Paul wrote both the First Thessalonian and the Second Thessalonian letters, Timothy was with him in Corinth [see 1 THESSALONIANS 1:1; 2 THESSALONIANS 1:1].

During the third missionary tour, Paul remained in Ephesus while Timothy was sent to address problems in Corinth.

This is mentioned in the First Corinthians.

“That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church” [1 CORINTHIANS 4:17; see also 1 CORINTHIANS 16:10].

Before he left Ephesus, the Apostle sent Timothy, together with Erastus, to Macedonia [ACTS 19:22].

Paul would later join him there.

While in Macedonia, Paul wrote the Second Letter to the Church of God in Corinth.

In that letter, he names Timothy as present with him and sharing in the service before the Lord [2 CORINTHIANS 1:1; see also 2 CORINTHIANS 1:19].

The following winter, while he was in Corinth, Paul wrote the Letter to the Saints in Rome.

In that letter, Timothy is named as the Apostle’s “fellow worker” [ROMANS 16:21].

Timothy accompanied Paul to Jerusalem.

We read, “After the uproar [in Ephesus] ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.

There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus” [ACTS 20:1-4].

Timothy appears to have shared Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome and may have accompanied the Apostle as he travelled via ship to Rome.

The basis for this statement is as follows.

We consider the Letters to the Philippians, the Colossians and Philemon to have been written from Rome during Paul’s first incarceration in that city.

Timothy is specifically named in each of these missives.

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons” [PHILIPPIANS 1:1].

Later in this letter, Paul speaks of his desire to send Timothy to Philippi to minister to the saints in that city.

“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare” [PHILIPPIANS 2:19, 20].

The testimony concerning Timothy in these verses is high praise indeed.

In similar fashion, the Letter to the church in Colossae is a shared missive from “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother” [COLOSSIANS 1:1], as is the more personal letter to Philemon [see PHILEMON 1:1].

Thus, we can be certain that Timothy was with Paul throughout this first imprisonment.

What we learn of Timothy from the Pastoral Letters is that he was relatively young, assuming oversight of the congregation at about twenty-five years of age.

Timothy appears to have been somewhat shy, and even at times somewhat hesitant to be forceful in his ministry.

Though he appears to be sincere and devoted to the Faith, he often seems intimidated by his opponents.

At times, the young man could even be said to be frightened by the teachings of those opposed to the Faith.

This trait was perhaps manifested in his inability to resolve problems in the Corinthians congregation, necessitating Paul sending Titus to complete the work.

The last time we hear of Timothy is in the Letter to Hebrew Christians.

An obscure reference is found when the writer says, “You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon” [HEBREWS 13:23].

This letter, likely written sometime after Paul had written Second Timothy, informs us that Timothy had been imprisoned and then released.

He was known to the saints, which would be consistent with the knowledge that he had served so many of the congregations in the Apostle’s stead.

The writer, not likely to have been the Apostle Paul as he was executed during his second imprisonment, speaks of his intent to bring Timothy with him for a visit with the persecuted believers.

This knowledge leads to the suggestion that Timothy was imprisoned with Paul when he came to Rome to minister to the aged saint.

It seems likely that the young servant did go to Rome in response to the Apostle’s plea.

There, though it can only be conjecture, I assume Timothy was himself incarcerated and released at some point prior to the writing of Hebrews.

We hear no more of Timothy in the New Testament.

His name does not occur elsewhere in early Christian literature.

Though he seems to have been unknown for his service after Paul’s death, it seems right to say that his name is known in the precincts of Heaven.

He served under difficult circumstances and for an extended time.

He merits our commendation and admiration.

*RELATIONSHIPS* — As you read the verse that is today’s text, it becomes immediately obvious that Paul esteems Timothy highly.

To be sure, the Apostle is capable of speaking quite pointedly in either of the Letters to Timothy that has been included in the canon of Scripture; however, forthrightness obviates neither his love nor his respect for the younger preacher.