1 & 2 TIMOTHY
FINDING JOY IN JULY
For the remainder of this month, we will read and study the books of 1 & 2 Timothy. If you haven’t already, we would love for you to join us.
As we do with each new book, let’s first explore the background info of these books.
1 and 2 Timothy are known as the Pastoral Epistles and were both written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy in the mid-60s AD, towards the end of Paul's life. Unlike most of Paul's letters, which addressed entire churches, these are personal letters written to Timothy.
So, who was Timothy? Timothy's mother was Jewish, and his father was a Gentile. His mother and grandmother were converted to Christianity during Paul’s first missionary journey. Paul took Timothy under his wing on his second missionary journey, and they also developed a close mentor relationship and friendship. Timothy was most likely in his early 30s when Paul wrote these letters and had worked alongside Paul for approximately 15 years. Paul considered Timothy a dear companion and friend, referring to him as his "true son in the faith."
In these letters, Paul highlights Timothy's sincere faith and character and encourages him to recognize the power of God within him and the purpose for which God had given it. Paul entrusted Timothy to address the false teachings infiltrating the Ephesian church. These false teachings, originating primarily from the church's leaders, were a significant concern that Paul needed Timothy to correct.
1 Timothy was most likely written from Macedonia, but 2 Timothy was written from a dark, cold dungeon in Rome during Paul’s second imprisonment, where he knew his imminent death was probably right around the corner. Despite his circumstances, Paul remained steadfast and focused on his mission by ensuring that Timothy and the church in Ephesus remained true to the Gospel message.
His words in these letters were meant to encourage and instruct Timothy to continue the mission Paul had begun by sharing, clarifying, and maintaining the accuracy of the Gospel.
I hope this will give you a clearer understanding as you read through these books. Please reach out if you have any questions, thoughts, or comments.
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Joyfully HIS,
Jennifer N. Pearson