An Overview of 1 Timothy

1 Timothy

Aug 25

by David Gooding

The biblical authors used the literary conventions of their day to convey their message. These included structures and patterns less obvious to us in our modern age. David Gooding brought his expertise in ancient literature to the biblical text, and these study notes represent his thinking about the structure, patterns and thought-flow of 1 Timothy.

When speaking to groups of Bible students, he often said, ‘When it comes to Bible study, there is structure, pattern and thought-flow, and the greatest of these is thought-flow. Here are the thoughts of God expressed. Our job is to follow the thought-flow’. He taught that the most important thing to grasp in biblical interpretation is the way the author develops his message, and that discerning structure and patterns within the text should always be directed towards that end.

David Gooding developed these study notes over many years and distributed them at public and private talks. The study notes are not meant to be the last word on the book, and may not cover it entirely. The Myrtlefield Trust offers them to Bible students, preachers and teachers in order to stimulate further thinking about the book, so that its message may be better understood.

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The Structure of First Timothy

I.	II.	III.	IV.	V.	VI.
1 Timothy 1:1–20	1 Timothy 2:1–15	1 Timothy 3:1–16	1 Timothy 4:1–16	1 Timothy 5:1–6:2	1 Timothy 6:3–21
War the good warfare	The government of the nations	The government of the churches	Spiritual discipline and the body	Regulating family relationships	Fight the good fight of the faith
Not to teach a different doctrine.	That we may lead a quiet and peaceful life.	The lifestyles of the elders and deacons of the church.	The spirit’s warning–false and true discipline regarding created things.	True and false widowhood. ↑	If anyone teaches different doctrine.
The faithful saying: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’.	One God, our Saviour who wills that all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.	The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth—the mystery of godliness.	The living God the saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. ↑		The good confession: ‘for this cause . . . came I into the world that I may bear witness to the truth’ (John 18:37).
The exhibition: that in me . . . Jesus Christ might show forth all his longsuffering.	Christ’s death as the one mediator and ransom for all; a testimony for its own times.	Christ’s incarnation, life-principles, ascension, glorification and worldwide following.	↓ Our hope set on God.	↓ Her hope set on God.	The exhibition . . . the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which . . . the blessed and only Potentate shall show,
The king eternal incorruptible, invisible, the only God. Some have made shipwreck concerning the faith.	Eve’s beguilement and the fall but she shall be saved.	Seen by angels.	You shall save yourself and those who hear you.	I charge you in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels.	The king of kings, and Lord of Lords who only has immortality, dwells in light unapproachable; whom no man has seen, nor can see . . . Some have erred concerning the faith.

Word Studies

'Godliness': noun: Greek, eusebeia: meaning = 'reverence', i.e. reverence for God.
Verb: eusebeo: meaning = to show reverence, or respect for, and such respect to show itself in practical care (1 Tim 5:4).
The noun occurs once in the whole of the NT before 1 Timothy (Acts 3:12, KJV = 'holiness'). In 1 Timothy it occurs eight times (1 Tim 2:2; 3:16; 4:7, 8; 6:3, 5, 6, 11).
'For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way' (1 Tim 2:2).
'Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory' (1 Tim 3:16).
'Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness' (1 Tim 4:7).
'For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come' (1 Tim 4:8).
'If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness' (1 Tim 6:3).
'And constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain' (1 Tim 6:5).
'But godliness with contentment is great gain' (1 Tim 6:6).
'But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness' (1 Tim 6:11).

Titles and Descriptions of God

'Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope' (1 Tim 1:1).
'To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord' (1 Tim 1:2).
'In accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted' (1 Tim 1:11).
'To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen' (1 Tim 1:17).
'For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus' (1 Tim 2:5).
'If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth' (1 Tim 3:15).
'Who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth' (1 Tim 4:3).
'For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe' (1 Tim 4:10).
'In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality' (1 Tim 5:21).
'I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession' (1 Tim 6:13).
'Which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen' (1 Tim 6:15–16).
'As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy' (1 Tim 6:17).

Study of a Pattern

1 Timothy 1

Problem: how to govern the Church (1 Tim 1:4).

Character of God = King (1 Tim 1:17).

God's attitude interpreted by Christ (1 Tim 1:12–16).

Attitude to be adopted by Timothy (1 Tim 1:3–11).

1 Timothy 2

Problem: behaviour in a multi-racial city and church.

God's character and attitude (1 Tim 2:3–5).

God's attitude interpreted by Christ (1 Tim 2:5–6).

Attitude to be shown by believers:

By church (1 Tim 2:1–2).
By men (1 Tim 2:8).
By women (1 Tim 2:9–15).

1 Timothy 3

Problem: behaviour in the house of God (1 Tim 3:15).

Character of God = the Living God (1 Tim 3:15).

Behaviour of Christ: the secret of godliness (1 Tim 3:16).

The life-style of elders and deacons.

Study of a Poem or Hymn

Its Form

Its rhyme.
Its three couplets.

Its Subject

Obviously its main subject is Christ.
But is it a summary of the main events in the life of Christ? If so, why no reference to his cross and atonement for sin? And yet a reference to his being 'seen by angels'? Is the latter one of the fundamentals of the faith?
Or is it a summary of the principles of godliness as exhibited in the supremely godly life of Christ?

Old Testament Analogies and Illustrations

1 Timothy 3:16

House of God

Compare Solomon's solution for the problem of continuance (1 Kings 1; 8).

Compare Jacob's experience of the house of God (Gen 28:16–17).

Church of the Living God

Compare:

The decorative motif in the interior of Solomon's house of the Lord (1 Kings 6).
Elijah's experience of the Living God (1 Kings 17) in relation to:
- The transport of the means of life.
- The maintenance of the means of life.
- Life itself.
Elijah's demonstration of the Living God (1 Kings 18).

Pillar and Ground of the Truth