1 Timothy 1:2–17

Original Meaning

God’s Gracious Commission to Paul (1:12–14)

PAUL’S GRATITUDE IS to the One who gave him strength. In Philippians 4:13, he had expansively declared, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength”; and later in the Pastoral Letters he writes of a specific instance in which the Lord gave him strength when he had to face his accusers alone (2 Tim. 4:16–17). The apostle also encouraged Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1). The idea in this exhortation to strength is not to brute force but to moral strength and confirmation for service. But while the strength comes from God, faithfulness is required of Paul. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). This faithfulness is not a virtue that earns Paul a commission, but is a requirement for God’s “service” (diakonia, 1 Tim. 1:12).

The word diakonia appears thirty-four times in the New Testament, and the verb diakoneo (“serve”) thirty-seven times. First Corinthians 12:5 informs us that “there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” Throughout the New Testament many different kinds of service are mentioned without confining service (or “ministry”) to some special order or office. In Acts 6:2, 4 waiting on tables (i.e., providing food for needy widows) and the apostolic teaching of the Word of God are both called “service.” In Paul’s case his service, as unique as his conversion, is to be the great apostle to the Gentiles.

Verses 13–14 form an interesting contrast to Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3:4–6, where he portrays himself as formerly being proud of his accomplishments. There he cited his persecution of the church as an evidence of zeal and described himself “as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.” He did immediately follow those words with the demurral, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (v. 7), but that is mild compared to his strong self-condemnation here in 1 Timothy 1:13: “once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man.”

Blasphemy is the defamation of God’s name, a horrendous act and attitude punishable by death in Old Testament times (Lev. 24:16). Its seriousness is also clear in 1 Timothy 1:20, where Paul says he has handed two individuals “over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.”1 Here in verse 13 Paul links blasphemy with persecution and violence, as he did in his “testimony” to King Agrippa (Acts 26:9–11), telling how he not only imprisoned many of the Christians and agreed to their death (see Acts 8:1), but also tried to force them to blaspheme.

Paul’s explanation to Timothy as to why God had mercy on him is because he acted “in ignorance and unbelief.” That does not mean that God automatically forgives anyone who acts without knowledge in their non-Christian days, but it does express the sovereign mercy of God in reaching out to Saul of Tarsus, who sought to honor him by trying to wipe out the Christians when he thought they were blaspheming.

Verse 14, where “grace” now joins the “mercy” mentioned in verse 13, echoes Ephesians 2:4–5, where, after describing the state of those dead in sins, Paul writes: “But…God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ…it is by grace you have been saved.” And like Ephesians, where Paul uses superlatives (e.g., hyperballo and hyperekperissou, Eph. 1:19; 2:7; 3:19–20), he says in 1 Timothy 1:14 that this grace was “poured out on me abundantly” (hyperpleonazo).

It is striking that faith and love, which in verse 5 formed the goal of Paul’s command to Timothy, reappear here in a somewhat different role, qualities that are “in Christ Jesus.” If “faith” is understood as “faithfulness” (as pistis may indeed mean), this may refer to qualities Christ possesses. If, as is more likely, it is belief in contrast to Paul’s former unbelief (v. 13), it refers to faith as accessible from its source, Christ Jesus. Faith and love, like grace, are abundantly bestowed by God. This also is reminiscent of Ephesians 2, especially the familiar “by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (2:8–9), where the salvation God gives seems to include the gift of faith itself, though the grammar is not clear in that regard.

Bridging Contexts

VERSES 3–11 HAVE vigorously established the importance of steadfastly maintaining the truth of the gospel, which in turn reaffirms the truth of the Old Testament law. False teachers at Ephesus have already both introduced error and dabbled in controversial speculations, and they need to be stopped. Paul has also declared his right to authorize Timothy to counter this encroachment on the church at Ephesus. But Paul is not just being militant. He is conscious of a divine commission. He has been given an assignment, a trust. Specifically he has been entrusted with the very gospel (v. 11) that transformed him from being its opponent to its exponent. He cannot go on further in setting out Timothy’s duties without expressing his overwhelming gratitude for God’s grace to himself.

Readers who are used to the linear writing of Paul in his earlier letters as he presented theological affirmations and their implications in two major blocks may be surprised at the frequent intrusions of personal comments in the Pastoral Letters. If the heresies at Ephesus are as serious as verses 1–11 seem to indicate, it seems strange that Paul interrupts his treatise to speak about his own past sins and present mission. When, however, these letters are seen as personal communications that were intended to show Timothy and Titus how to combine doctrinal rectitude with personal ministry and character, the reason for this becomes clear. Paul’s personal example is important to Timothy.

What is given to Timothy as a reminder is also, of course, to be passed on to the Ephesian church as a reintroduction of the one who had so powerfully preached the gospel there. Unlike other situations in which Paul felt compelled to affirm his calling (e.g., 2 Cor. 10:1–11:15; Gal. 1:11–2:10), his words here are not defensive or counteroffensive. They express gratitude and awe that God has saved him and entrusted him with the gospel. It may seem like a strange digression at this point, but it is both understandable from Paul’s point of view and beneficial to us.

There is, however, another reason for the insertion of this paragraph. Verse 11 concludes with reference to “the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.” It is the gospel itself that leads to Paul’s testimony, and he wants to explain why he has been entrusted with it. The Greek word order in verse 11 at the end of the preceding section reinforces this connection. That verse ends with the emphatic word “I” (ego). We might paraphrase it: “The gospel…with which I myself was entrusted.”

The idea of a trust7 recurs in 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:12, 14; Titus 1:3; it is important in the Pastoral Letters as a consequence of vested authority. In 1 Corinthians 9:16 Paul writes, “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” The context of that chapter is Paul’s assertion of his rights as an apostle and the surrender of advantages he may have gained from his apostleship. While he may choose not to accept the advantages, he cannot decline the responsibility.

Contemporary Significance

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER AS a witness. Throughout the Pastoral Letters, as we will continue to observe, Paul emphasizes the character of the servant of God. That applies to him as the writer, to Timothy, the immediate recipient, and to the church leaders, and it extends to us. Although a preacher cannot constantly speak of himself, his salvation, and his responsibility to preach the gospel, neither should we omit the personal side of our experience with God. Just as the blend of sound teaching and personal integrity is important in these letters, so is the blend of proclamation and testimony in our ministry. We will revisit and further explore this theme frequently.

Personal experience speaks loudly today. While it is unfortunate that exposition is not as welcome as it used to be and while it should not be surrendered on that account, it must be accompanied by testimony. Personally I have found it effective to weave the testimony of others into my sermons and, in fact, I wish I had done so more often. In addition to hearing outstanding testimonies of recent converts, congregations can benefit greatly from hearing the testimonies of the preacher’s spouse, of elders and deacons and their families, of the ministers of worship and music, of the youth leaders, of Sunday school teachers, and of others.

One powerful effect of testimonies was experienced in a series of men’s breakfasts in Lake County, Illinois, which a small group of us started several years ago. Modeled on a similar outreach in California, these are called “Straight Talk Breakfasts.” The main speaker is usually a business or sports figure—once it was an astronaut—who gives his personal testimony and applies it in an evangelistic appeal. Prior to that talk, another person, often a man from the immediate locality, gives his testimony. These have attracted as many as nine hundred or more attendees, with many after each breakfast indicating on a “score card” that they have placed their faith in Christ. In this way thousands of men who would never have come to listen to a sermon are able to hear stories of business failure, moral failure, or marital failure with which they can identify, admissions of inner guilt and unfilled aspirations, and then testimonies of peace and reconciliation with the Lord through the death and resurrection of Christ.

So it is that Paul does not merely stand on his credentials but shows that he himself is a sinner saved by God’s grace and has received this great trust humbly. The Lord Jesus once said that the person who has been forgiven much loves much (Luke 7:47). One way that Paul can assure the reader of God’s love is to show how much he personally has been forgiven.

The blessings of God’s grace are so extensive that we may tend to forget that we are saved not only for our own benefit but for the glory of God. This is made outstandingly clear in Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14; 2:6–10. Thus, Paul is conscious here in 1 Timothy 1:16 of the fact that he is to be a display of God’s mercy.

A doxology. Appropriately Paul concludes with a doxology in 1:17. It is not trite to remind ourselves that our lives should be one continuous doxology, a life lived in praise of God.

1. Further insight into what was considered to be blasphemy comes from the words of those who were about to stone Jesus to death: “because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). See also T. Rees, “Blaspheme; Blasphemy,” ISBE, 1:521–22.

2. The NLT’S “this is a true saying” undervalues the strength of the word. Something can be true without calling for dependence. The Message nicely expresses the phrase idiomatically in reverse order: “Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on.”

3. For a detailed study of the “faithful sayings” see Knight, The Faithful Sayings.

4. The word “worst” in verses 15 and 16 is literally “first” and can also be translated “foremost” (see NRSV). The NIV cleverly uses the negative word “worst” to express its meaning in the context of both verses. The Message has a felicitous paraphrase: “I’m proof-Public Sinner Number One-of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off-evidence of his endless patience-to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever.” The words “are right on the edge of” chooses one possible meaning of mellonton to describe an action that is about to happen, but that implies that in each case the example of Paul comes into play just before conversion. It is acceptably translated “would” in NIV and NRSV, but neither of these translations brings out the nuance of destiny, something impending, which is often an important part of its meaning. The point is that for those who in the future are going (mellonton) to believe, Paul serves as an encouraging example.

5. A doxology is a statement with creedal content, sometimes in hymnic form, celebrating the praiseworthy attributes of God. The Greek word for glory, used later in this verse, is doxa, from which “doxology” is derived. What one seems to be and what people think of that individual (both ideas are in the related Greek verb dokeo) become that person’s reputation. God’s reputation is his glory. We do not add to what God is by our praise, but we do “glorify” him; that is, we enhance his reputation.

6. For a discussion of the meaning of this terminology see Kittel in TDNT, 1:200–202. See also 1:469; 2:77.

7. Sometimes conveyed by a form of the verb pisteuo, sometimes by the noun paratheke.

Original Meaning

God’s Mercy to Paul (1:15–16)

VERSE 15 BEGINS with pistos, an adjective related to the noun pistis immediately above. Sometimes translated “faithful” (“This is a faithful saying,” KJV), it means here that which can be trusted; thus the NIV has “here is a trustworthy saying.”2 The phrase occurs several other times in the Pastoral Letters (3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8). Two of the passages in 1 Timothy add the words “that deserves full acceptance.”3

This trustworthy saying contains the essence of the Christian message: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Paul combines the title “Christ” (“Anointed One”), which by now had become a proper name, with the human name of Jesus. The order, as noted above, is common in the Pastoral Letters. The expression “came into the world” implies, but does not require, preexistence. (One can speak of a puppy coming into the world.) However, such passages as Philippians 2:5–8 and Colossians 1:15–17 certainly indicate that Paul held to the preexistence of the Son of God.

The purpose of Christ’s coming, “to save sinners,” has been welcomed by two millennia of human beings who, conscious of their guilt before God, have gratefully accepted the redeeming events of the incarnation and saving death of the Lord Jesus as accomplished for them as sinners. Moreover, in this passage two extremes are cited of those for whom Christ came. One is the group of sinners described in verses 9–10; the other is Paul himself, who, in spite of all his righteous deeds, calls himself “the worst” of sinners.

These two extremes illustrate the terminology of Romans 5. In 5:8 the apostle writes, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” and goes on to describe sinners as “powerless,” “ungodly,” and “enemies” (5:6, 10). He not only counts himself here among that group, but puts himself the lowest place because of his active persecution of not only Christians but also the Lord himself (as was made clear to Paul when, at his conversion, the voice from heaven said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” Acts 9:5).

It was not only as an act of kindness that God showed Paul mercy, true and wonderful as that is. Verse 16 explains that he was a showcase for God’s “unlimited patience.” In a sense all those who are forgiven sinners display God’s mercy and patience. What God did for us stands “to the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph. 1:6). The church itself, in its wonderful blending of Jew and Gentile as one, displays the “manifold wisdom of God…to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 3:10). But Paul sees himself (emphatic ego, “I myself,” at the end of 1 Tim. 1:15) as a prototype of all hostile, sinful rebels against God, whom God tolerates while patiently waiting for their conversion.4

The result of this faith is “eternal life.” We know from 6:12 that this is a future life we can “take hold” of now. John 5:24 tells us that the believer “has eternal life” and “has crossed over [Greek perfect tense] from death to life” (italics added). It is the life of God in which we participate, which is more than an endless extension of life.