1 Timothy 1:1-20

Timothy Reminded of his Commission, and Exhorted to Earnestness

1, 2. Salutation. An apostle] St. Peter and St. John, with regard to whose position no question was raised, are content to call themselves presbyters (2 and 3 John, 1 Peter 5:1), but St. Paul usually designates himself as an Apostle owing to the peculiarity of his call to the apostleship which led his adversaries to deny him the title; and for the same reason he claims that he holds his apostleship by the commandment of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God our Saviour] The full force that the Apostle assigned to the expression is shown in 1 Timothy 2:3 : 'God our Saviour, who willeth that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.' Christ, which is our hope] so designated because it is through Christ that we have the hope of future salvation.