1 Timothy 1:3

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Timothy's superintendence of the church at Ephesus was as temporary overseer, locum tenens, for the apostle. Thus the office at Ephesus and () Crete, in the absence of the presiding apostle, subsequently became a permanent institution on the removal, by death, of the apostles who heretofore superintended the churches. The first title of these overseers was "angels" (). AS I BESOUGHT THEE TO ABIDE. He meant to add, 'so I still beseech thee;' but does not complete the sentence until virtually, not formally, at . AT EPHESUS. Paul, in...

3._As I besought thee _Either the syntax is elliptical, or the particle ἵνα is redundant; and in both cases the meaning will be obvious. (3) First, he reminds Timothy why he was besought to remain at Ephesus. It was with great reluctance, and through hard necessity, that he parted with a companion so dearly beloved and so faithful, in order that he might laboriously hold the part of his deputy, which no other man would have been competent to fill; and, therefore, Timothy must have been powerfully excited by this consideration, not only not to throw away his time, but to conduct himself in an excellent and distinguished manner. _I wish that thou shouldst forbid any. _Thus, by way of inference, he exhorts him to oppose the false teachers who corrupted pure doctrine. In the injunction given to Timothy, to occupy his place at Ephesus, we ought to observe the holy anxi

1-4 Jesus Christ is a Christian's hope; all our hopes of eternal life are built upon him; and Christ is in us the hope of glory. The apostle seems to have been the means of Timothy's conversion; who served with him in his ministry, as a dutiful son with a loving father. That which raises questions, is not for edifying; that which gives occasion for doubtful disputes, pulls down the church rather than builds it up. Godliness of heart and life can only be kept up and increased, by the exercise of faith in the truths and promises of God, through Jesus Christ....

Verse 1 Timothy 1:3. _I BESOUGHT THEE_] The apostle had seen that a bad seed had been sown in the Church; and, as he was obliged to go then into Macedonia, he wished Timothy, on whose prudence, piety, and soundness in the faith he could depend, to stay behind and prevent the spreading of a doctrine that would have been pernicious to the people's souls. I have already supposed that this epistle was written _after_ Paul had been delivered from his first imprisonment at Rome, about the end of the year 64, or the beginning of 65. See the _preface_. When, therefore, the apostle came from Rome into Asia, he no doubt visited Ephesus, where, ten years before, he had planted a Christian Church, and, as he had not time to tarry then, he left Timothy to correct abuses. _THAT THOU MIGHTEST CHARGE SOME_] He does not name any persons; the Judaizing teach

AS I BESOUGHT THEE TO ABIDE STILL AT EPHESUS - It is clear from this, that Paul and Timothy had been laboring together at Ephesus, and the language accords with the supposition that Paul had been compelled to leave before he had completed what he had designed to do there. See the Intro. Section 2. WHEN I WENT INTO MACEDONIA - Having been driven away by the excitement caused by Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen; Acts 20:1. See the Intro. Section 2, 3. THAT THOU MIGHTEST CHARGE SOME - The word charge here - παραγγειλης parangeilēs - seems to mean more than is commonly implied by the word as used by us. If it had been a single direction or command, it might have been given by Paul himself before he left, but it seems rather to r

EXPOSITION 1 TIMOTHY 1:1 _Christ Jesus _for _Jesus Christ_,_ _A.V. and T.R.; _according to _for _by_,_ _A.V.; _Christ Jesus our hope _for _Lord Jesus Christ_,_ which is our hope_,_ _A.V. and T.R. For the inscription, comp. Romans 1:1, Romans 1:5; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1;...

AS I BESOUGHT THEE TO ABIDE, STILL AT EPHESUS,.... Where it seems he now was, being left here by the apostle, and where he was desired by him to continue: WHEN I WENT INTO MACEDONIA; not when he went his first journey there, for Timothy was then along with him, Acts 16:3 and so he seems to be in his journey through it, in Acts 20:3. It may be this may refer to a journey which Luke has given no account of: THAT THOU MIGHTEST CHARGE SOME, THAT THEY TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE; than the doctrine of Christ and his apostles; than what had been preached by the apostle at Ephesus, and the saints there had received; than what was agreeably to the Scriptures of truth, and was according to godliness; for all other doctrines must be divers and strange ones: nor would he have them teach in another

1 Timothy 1:1. _Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;_ Christ is our hope; we have not a shadow of a hope apart from him. I remember, when on the Continent, seeing on a cross the words «Spes unica,» the unique, the only hope of man; and that is true of the cross of Christ, and of Christ who suffered on it, he is our hope. 1 Timothy 1:2. _Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord._ Notice the apostle's triple salutation, «Grace, mercy, and peace.» Whenever Paul writes to a church, he wishes «grace and peace»; but to a minister he wishes «grace, mercy, and peace.» Ah! we want mercy more than the average of Christians; we have

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. CONCERNING DOCTRINE CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The salutation (1 Timothy 1:1)_ 2. The charge concerning false doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3) 3. The law, its use, and in contrast with grace (1 Timothy 1:5) 4. Exceeding abundant grace (1 Timothy 1:12) 5. The charge to Timothy, and the danger of shipwreck (1 Timothy 1:18) 1 Timothy 1:1 Paul writes as an apostle and mentions the fact t

(_b_) 1 Timothy 1:3. REMINDER OF PAUL'S VERBAL CHARGE. 1 Timothy 1:3. The False Teaching, and a Digression on the Law. Some years before, Paul had foretold that error would assail the Church in Asia (Acts 20:29 f.). His fear had now been realised. On his recent visit to Macedonia (Intro. § 5) he had already given Timothy instruction concerning it, and this he here renews. The authority of the errorists to teach is not disputed. Perhaps all Christian men could engage in teaching; Zahn, INT, ii. 96: it is the content of their doctrine that is challenged. This seems to have taken the forra of a speculative Judaism its exponents posed as teachers of the law dealing with legendary matter (_e.g._ the Haggadah)