Proper Names

The name of Jesus appears some 31 times in the pastoral letters.
Three Old Testament characters are mentioned - Adam, Eve (1 Tim 2:13, 14) and David (2 Tim 2:8).
In all three letters we begin with the name of Paul (1 Tim 1:1, 2 Tim 1:1 and Tit 1:1)
Timothy's name appears 4 times (1 Tim 1:2, 18, 6:20, 2 Tim 1:2)
Titus's name appears twice (2 Tim 4:10, Tit 1:4)
The historical character Pontius Pilate is mentioned in 1 Tim 6:13

A number of characters (24 or 25 altogether) are mentioned just once (or sometimes twice)
1. Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim 1:20, Alexander is called the metal worker in 2 Tim 4:14)
2. Lois and Eunice (2 Tim 1:5)
3. Phygelus and Hermogenes (2 Tim 1:15)
4. Onesiphorus (2 Tim 1:16, 4:19)
5. Demas and Crescens (2 Tim 4:10)
6. Luke and Mark (2 Tim 4:11)
7. Tychicus (2 Tim 4:12, Tit 3:12)
8. Carpus (2 Tim 4:13)
9. Priscilla and Aquila (2 Tim 4:19)
10. Erastus and Trophimus (2 Tim 4:20)
11. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia (2 Tim 4:21)
12. Artemas (Tit 3:12)
13. Zenas and Apollos (Tit 3:13)

1 Timothy 3:4, 5 Family Man

1 Timothy 3:4, 5 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

Prominent among the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3 is the statement that an elder must manage (or rule or preside over) his own family well and see that his children obey him. An explanation is given as to why this element is felt to be so important - (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) That line of argument suggests a number of things. First of all, there is some sort of analogy between church life and family life. They are clearly separate spheres and yet there are similarities. The sorts of attributes one would look for, therefore, in a father are the sorts of attributes one would also look for in a good elder. If a man's family life is a bit of a mess, if his children disobey him, if they show him no respect, then there should be warning lights flashing when someone suggests that he be considered as elder material. This does not mean to say that a single man cannot be an elder or that a married man who is childless cannot be one either. Rather a suggestion is made as to the sort of thing to be on the look out for when looking for an elder. If a married man is struggling to manage his family, best not give him another burden to carry. In the case of an unmarried man you will need to imagine what he would be like in a family setting. Just as a father manages his household so an elder presides over the church.

1 Timothy 2:11,12 Women Preachers

1 Timothy 2:11, 12 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

Traditionally evangelical Christians have taken the view that only men should be preachers. In more recent years the sight of women preachers has become more and more common. 1 Timothy 2:11, 12 is a classic verse on the subject. Paul makes two statements there, one more positive and one more negative. The first statement is that A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. Our eye today, in the west, immediately goes to the quietness and submission but for others the striking thing would be the A woman should learn. She must be a disciple. Some still deny the right of women to learn. Paul will have none of it. They are to learn. All are to be encouraged to learn the truth, men and women alike. The quietness and full submission leads into the more negative -  I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. The assuming of authority over a man is banned (in light of creation and the fall; see verses 13, 14) alongside the teaching. The word used suggests something like self-assertion. The ban presumably is not on all teaching but teaching where men would be under the woman's authority. It is conceivable, therefore, that a woman may pray or read Scripture or give a report when men are present but preaching by a woman to a mixed congregation is clearly outlawed by this statement. All the members of a church should be learners. As many as possible should be teachers but no woman must teach a man or assume authority over him. It is important for ministers to facilitate this.

1 Timothy 1:9,10 For Lawbreakers

1 Timothy 1:9, 10  We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practising homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers - and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

Paul says that the law is not for righteous people. At first blush this may sound a little odd but Paul's point is that God's law shows you where you have gone wrong before God not how to get right with him. It is more like a proprietary plaque revealer than like a toothpaste. There are products that will stain the plaque on your teeth so that you can see it more clearly. You then have to set about the cleaning process. The law is a little like that product in that one of its main uses is to reveal the sin in your life. It is ideal for lawbreakers and rebels then, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious as the first table would have in mind, and, as for the second table, those who kill their fathers or mothers, (number 5) for murderers, (number 6) for the sexually immoral, for those practising homosexuality, (number 7) for slave traders (number 8) and liars and perjurers (number 9) and indeed for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine, one of the great concerns of these letters (see 2 Timothy 4:3, Titus 1:9). The Law then can show us where we are going wrong, where we are unsound. That is the way to use it - not as a means of becoming righteous but in order to reveal sin in your life and in your heart. A faithful preacher will preach the law in such a way that he exposes to his hearers the fact of their sin.

2 Timothy 2:20, 21 Noble Purposes

2 Timothy 2:20, 21 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work

These verses are a little difficult but if we think of the church of God as being like a large house with a solid foundation (as stated in the previous verse) then those within it can be thought of as articles for various purposes in that house. Just as in a house articles are made of different materials (gold, silver, wood, clay) all depending on what exactly they are used for so in God's church different ones have different qualities and different purposes under God. Some are for noble use, some, sadly, for ignoble. Here Timothy is exhorted to avoid those who are clearly made for ignoble purposes - people who go in for godless chatter or who have begun to wander away from the truth. Timothy is to cleanse himself from such in order that he may be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. What is striking here is that Paul is saying that distinctions need to be made even within the church membership, otherwise if ignoble people get in they can soon pull down the whole edifice unless great care is taken. Wise pastors will learn to disentangle themselves and their churches from vessels of ignoble purpose.

1 Timothy 1:15 Christ Came

1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.

This is one of the greatest evangelistic texts in the New Testament. It is the first of the five trustworthy sayings of the pastoral letters (the others are in 1 Timothy 3:1 and 4:9, 2 Timothy 2:11 and Titus 3:8) and one of two where Paul says that it deserves full acceptance (1 Timothy 4:9 is the other). The heart of the verse simply says that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. In preaching the verse you would perhaps begin with the name Christ Jesus, explaining what this name points to - the God man, the Messiah who saves. Perhaps the next point should focus on his coming into the world (this is the part that makes the text an appropriate one for an Advent message). Finally, there is why he came - to save sinners. Alternatively, one could begin with sinners, showing that we are all such, and work back to the coming and the fact that he is Christ Jesus. The final phrase of whom I am the worst is a little difficult in that Paul says it of himself. It is understandable that he should and is the zenith or rather nadir of his self-description, being preceded by the admission that he is the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9) and the least of all the saints (Ephesians 3:8). How to apply that to others is problematic. If Paul is the worst sinner then I am not, but may be Paul was only the worst to that point. At the very least it teaches us not to have too high an opinion of ourselves. It certainly points us to the greatness of Christ and his salvation.

1 Timothy 1:5, 6 Good consciences

1 Timothy 1:5, 6 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
After the briefest introduction, Paul tells Timothy in this first letter that he must command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer, etc. He says that the goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Far from wanting to pull others down in a spirit of rivalry, Paul assures Timothy his command is motivated by love. To prove it he explains that this love is rooted in three things - a pure heart ... a good conscience and a sincere faith. The phrases are synonymous. The conscience is the heart and faith resides in the heart or conscience. The terms pure, good and sincere are very similar. The point then is that this is a love springing from a heart that wants only what is holy and true. If our hearts were purer, our consciences better, our faith more sincere we would love more and we would have a greater care for believers and a stronger resistance to false teachers. Paul observes (6) that the false teachers have departed from or fallen short of a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith and so lack love. The emptiness that follows they endeavour to fill with meaningless words. They have a lot to say about the Bible, especially the law, but it is has no real meaning. Preachers must preach with a good conscience out of love for those they address. The moment you abandon pursuing these you no longer have anything of substance to impart. "Such, indeed is all preaching where Jesus Christ is not held forth" (Adam Clarke). These false teachers probably dealt in pretended distinctions in the law, traditions and ceremonies, endless genealogies and far-fetched additions to the law. Such teaching is of no use to anyone to lead them to Christ. Good pastors avoid meaningless talk and oppose those who turn to it.