What Is First Timothy About?

First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus are known as the pastoral Pauline Epistles. The pastoral epistles were written to individuals and addressed church leadership, organization, and governance in early Christian communities. In First Timothy, Paul instructs Timothy on how to oppose false teaching in Ephesus and address issues with leadership and church organization.

From early on, the Church Fathers accepted First Timothy as an authentic Pauline letter and added it to the Biblical canon. In recent decades, scholars have debated whether Paul was really the author, citing concerns about the style, language, and theology used in the letter.

They theorize that the letter was a later work because its teaching on leadership aligns with 2nd-century thought on the subject, and it uses language and addresses issues associated with that period. Supporters of the Pauline origin of First Timothy date the letter to 63-64 CE.

Historical Context

Timothy came to believe this due to the guidance of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, who was Jewish. His father was a Greek. Though he was young, his faith was strong, and Paul saw much potential in Timothy’s ability to assist him and educate believers in churches when Paul could not be there.

Paul was aware of some false teachings that spread among the church members in Ephesus. He wanted Timothy to address these issues and correct the erroneous teachings. It is evident from what Paul instructed Timothy to convey to others, that the church experienced specific problems with structure and leadership. Some members challenged Timothy’s authority due to his young age, but Paul trusted the young man’s ability to face these challenges until Paul could return to address matters himself.

Salutation (First Timothy 1:1-2)

The first letter Paul addressed to Timothy follows the formula of most Pauline Epistles. Paul self-identifies as the author and bids Timothy grace and peace.

Opposing False Teachers (First Timothy 1:3-20)

Paul starts by identifying different forms of false teaching that the church of Ephesus faces and instructs Timothy on how to deal with these challenges.

Instructions on Leadership (First Timothy 3:1-16)

Paul details the qualifications of overseers (elders) and deacons. He lists the typical character traits of each and helps to lay down some criteria for who would qualify for these positions.

Warning Against and Dealing With False Teaching (First Timothy 4:1-5:2)

Paul warns that the last days will see many false teachings on various topics. He instructs Timothy on how to deal with people who spread doctrine in the church. He also encourages his young assistant not to be intimidated because of his age but to uphold the teaching of scripture.

Church Order and Organization (First Timothy 5:3-6:1)

Timothy receives instruction on the order and organization of the church. He mentions the challenges and pitfalls of different groups Timothy may encounter in the church and how to deal with them.

True and False Teaching (First Timothy 6:2-20)

Paul juxtaposes those who spread false teaching, seemingly for self-promotion, and those who fight the good fight for the sake of the gospel. He hints at riches as a motivator for falsehoods.

Greetings (First Timothy 6:21)

Paul’s greeting is a summary warning of many of the issues detailed in the letter and a brief blessing of grace.

True and False Teaching

Several false teachings plagued the church in Ephesus, and Paul addressed the various problems in different sections of the letter. Some people focused on myths and genealogies, promoting speculative ideas among the Ephesians (First Timothy 1:4-5). Some taught asceticism, opposed marriage, and forbade the eating of certain foods (First Timothy 4:3).

Paul advises Timothy to avoid false teachers that promote gnostic ideas rather than engaging with them (First Timothy 6:20). Paul points to social and material gain as motivations behind many false teachers. He points out how it contradicts the gospel of Jesus and highlights how the true believer will be content with necessities.

Order in the Church

First Timothy contains the most detailed discussion on church offices in the New Testament. Terms like “elder” do not appear in other Pauline letters, and overseers and deacons only appear in First Philippians 1:1 outside of the pastoral letters. The exact functions of these offices are unclear. It is also not stated if a woman can serve as a deacon, though some of the roles women were supposed to perform align with activities associated with deacons.

The teaching on the role of women versus men in First Timothy, which Paul mentions in other letters, is part of the reason many people in contemporary society view the Bible as a source that props up the patriarchal system. Some theologians believe these statements were motivated by the culture of the time of authorship rather than divine revelation. It remains a contentious issue.

First Timothy 1:17

“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul expresses praise after mentioning his conversion and the privilege he received to serve as a conduit for spreading the gospel to all people. It is a powerful proclamation of the majesty, sovereignty, and uniqueness of God.

First Timothy 2:5-6

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

The uniqueness of Christ as the only one who can stand before God on behalf of man is core to what Paul wants to convey in these verses. By referring to “the man Christ Jesus” he points to God having become man to work for the salvation of believers. It is due to the incarnation of Christ and how he paid the ransom for sinners that Jesus can bridge the gap between man and God.

First Timothy 4:1-2

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared … ”

Paul warns Timothy about falsehoods that will enter the church “in later times.” If it served the young evangelist to heed this warning in the first century CE, then it applies even more today. Between then and now many false teachings have caused divisions in Christianity.

First Timothy 4:12

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

Age is not the determining factor when it comes to faith. Paul knew Timothy may be challenged by opponents who would undermine his authority because of his young age. This powerful verse serves as a motivation to young persons to stand their ground on spiritual matters where their conduct, rather than their age, will be evidence of their authority.

First Timothy 6:9-10

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

This passage is an often-misquoted passage of scripture. Many claim that “money is the root of all evil,” while money itself is amoral. Many men of faith in the Bible were very wealthy, while others were poor. What is in view here is the love of money and how many people will depart from Biblical principles in pursuit of money. Such lovers of money are more likely to fall prey to doing what is immoral while pursuing riches.

The teaching in First Timothy is as relevant today as it was when Timothy ministered to the Ephesians. Christ will always be the only mediator between God and man. It is an eternal truth for Christians that sets their faith apart from all other religions.

The challenge of false teaching is as pervasive and pernicious as it was in the first century CE. Though it may take different forms from what Paul describes in this pastoral letter, the effects of and motivations behind their erroneous doctrines remain the same. The instructions Paul provides are on point today.

Most churches use First Timothy as the core source of their structure for leadership. Though churches may assign different titles to the functions described, the structure and hierarchy remain the same.