1 Timothy 4:11–16

4:11 “Command and teach” refers to the ordinary work of a pastor: preaching the Word of God to the people of God, whether in the gathered assembly or in private interaction. Paul orders Timothy to exhort and preach “these things,” i.e., everything highlighted in the previous paragraph. Thus Timothy is to point out the Word of God to God’s people and to warn against any teaching or practice contradicting God’s Word. Such is what a faithful servant does. In the previous section Paul also explained that bodily discipline is of little value, whereas godliness has profit for all things because it comes with the assurance of eternal life (vv. 8–10). And now Paul directs Timothy to “command and teach these things.” Preaching must be in the imperative mood. It is not abstract theologizing but involves concrete commands to believe and obey the Word of Christ.

4:12 Paul anticipates a problem in Timothy’s ministry—that people might look down on him because of his relative youth. This term for “youth” refers to adult married men in the LXX (Prov. 5:18); thus its usage here does not imply that Timothy is a child—he could be in his thirties at this point.¹ Nevertheless, some of the older believers might be tempted to look down on Timothy for being so young and might thus dismiss his teaching. They might say, “What right does he have to tell us what to do? What does he know about marriage? I have been at this for a lot longer than he has. What does he know?”

Paul says, in effect, “Do not let them treat you in this way.” If Timothy were operating from a carnal perspective, he might try to force the issue by asserting his rightful authority (Heb. 13:17). But this approach is unlikely to win anyone’s respect. Timothy will gain respect not by trying to force people to respect him but by being respectable. The antidote to a congregation’s looking down on a pastor is for the pastor to give them something to look up to instead. Thus Paul writes, “set the believers an example.” Timothy is not to put on a show for the sake of the congregation; he is to exhibit the type of character that people will want to imitate (cf. Phil. 3:17; Titus 2:7; 1 Pet. 5:2–3).

Paul spells out very clearly how Timothy is to model exemplary traits: “in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” The first two items on this list are realms of activity—what he says (speech) and what he does (conduct). Everything Timothy says and does must be exemplary. The last three items are qualities defining how Timothy is to speak and behave.

(1) “Speech.” Exemplary speech is marked by truth (Eph. 4:25), wholesome edification (Eph. 4:29), purity, and thankfulness (Eph. 5:4).

(2) “Conduct” refers to a person’s “way of life” (BDAG, s.v. ἀναστροφή). The same term appears in 1 Peter 1:14–15, which calls for holy conduct. Conduct in this sense is observable (1 Peter 2:12), so Paul tells Timothy that his conduct must be exemplary—something that others can see and imitate. In the next three items on the list, he states what this conduct should look like.

(3) “Love” is the first fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22—it is the defining Christian virtue. If someone does not have love, he is not a believer (1 John 4:8). Paul defines the essence of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7.

(4) “Faith” is another fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22, which means that it will be manifest in some measure in every person who has the Spirit. But Timothy is to be someone who exhibits exemplary trust in the Lord Jesus.

(5) “Purity” appears one other time in the NT, at 1 Timothy 5:2, where Paul tells Timothy to treat “younger women as sisters, in all purity.” Thus the idea behind this term is not moral purity in general but sexual purity in particular.² Indeed, we might even translate it “chastity” (BDAG, s.v. ἁγνεία). Timothy must be an exemplar of sexual purity.

4:13 Paul says to “devote yourself to the public reading.” To “devote” is to “turn your mind to” or “occupy yourself with.”³ Paul uses the same word in relation to the false teachers who fall away from the faith: they give attention to “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (4:1). But it must not be so with Timothy. He must occupy his mind with reading, explaining, and exhorting from Scripture.

“Public reading of Scripture” is actually one word in Greek, literally “the reading aloud.” It is a technical term in the NT for what happens in the Jewish synagogue service (cf. Acts 13:15; 2 Cor. 3:14): “reading aloud” of Scripture. This particular feature of the synagogue liturgy is now carried over into the life of the Christian church. There is to be “public reading of Scripture” whenever the church meets.

This term tells us that Paul is moving from Timothy’s personal character to his public ministry when the church gathers. In addition to “the public reading of Scripture,” there must also be “exhortation” and “teaching.” The “teaching” would involve telling the congregation what the text means, and how it lines up with what the rest of the Bible says and the apostle’s teaching. “Exhortation” calls on hearers to respond in obedience to the Scripture read and taught.

4:14 Timothy has been given the gift of exhorting and teaching as a sheer act of grace. The “prophecy” and the “council of elders [that] laid their hands on you” are the public attestations to Timothy’s pastoral ministry. Someone confirmed Timothy’s calling through prophecy, and the entire body of elders affirmed him when they laid their hands on him. A true calling to pastoral ministry will not be mere subjective feeling. It will also involve objective affirmation from the church. So Timothy has this gift—which has been affirmed objectively—and Paul is telling him not to neglect it. He must work to improve his God-given ability to shepherd and to teach.

4:15 The pastor should be working on growth. He must be absolutely absorbed with the Word of God, taking pains to learn and to obey the Bible. Timothy is to do so in a way that is evident: “so that all may see your progress”—so that he can be an example to everyone in the congregation.

4:16 The first phrase of this verse sums up everything Paul has said in chapter 4. Timothy must “keep a close watch” on himself (i.e., “train yourself for godliness”; v. 7) and his teaching (e.g., “practice these things, immerse yourself in them”; v. 15.). In other words, there must be integrity between Timothy’s behavior and his doctrine. Paul then adds the crucial element: Timothy must not only “Do these things” but must “persist” in them. To “persist” is to persevere in these duties, no matter the obstacle.

Paul seeks Timothy’s perseverance not only in personal holiness but also in public ministry. He must persevere in reading Scripture, explaining Scripture, and exhorting obedience to Scripture. Timothy must not give up on these things. The next phrase explains why this perseverance is important: “for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” It may sound strange to hear that a pastor can “save” the people to whom he preaches. Indeed, some commentators have even suggested that “save” is referring not to eternal salvation but to something else. There are other places in Scripture that speak of one human being’s “saving” another. In those contexts, the term refers to persons who are “mediators of divine salvation” (BDAG, s.v. σῴζω; cf. Rom. 11:13–14; 1 Cor. 7:16; 9:22; James 5:20; Jude 23). When Paul speaks in this way, he is not claiming that the person in question is the ultimate cause of anyone’s salvation. He is merely speaking of Timothy as the means by which God brings salvation to people. God’s sovereignty in this work does not negate the means he uses to bring salvation. God has chosen to use his people to bring his word to sinners, and a faithful preacher is a crucial part of God’s plan.