Introduction
Since the 18th century, 1 & 2 Timothy together with Titus form a distinct group of epistles called the “Pastoral Epistles” because they deal with matters pertaining to pastors. 1 Timothy is an ad-hoc letter written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy whom he left in Ephesus to deal with specific problems within the church while he felt a more urgent need to go to Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3). The problems within the Ephesian community included the embracing of serious doctrinal errors based on the preaching and acceptance of myths and speculative genealogies, Gnosticism, and ascetic ideals, propagated by false teachers, likely from within the church and who were in leadership positions. However, Paul knew that the crisis was perhaps too much for Timothy to deal with and thus wrote this letter as more of a stop-gap measure to Timothy and the church, hoping that he would be there soon to put things in order himself (3:14-15). You may wish to consult your Study Bible or other conservative commentaries for more information on the background of this epistle and about the relationship between Paul and Timothy.
Also, you may want to consult Donald Guthrie’s commentary on “The Pastoral Epistles” to read his sound refutation of the attacks on the authenticity of this epistle based on literary and grammatical criticisms (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries Series).
(1) Given the fact that this letter, though written to Timothy, would be read to the entire church, consider what he writes in his greetings:
a. What did Paul emphasize about himself and why?
b. Of all things, why did he call Christ Jesus “our hope”? What did hope have to do with the situation faced by Timothy?
(2) His greetings to Timothy appeared to be a bit more than the usual greetings:
a. Why was that?
b. How did he end this letter?
(3) What was the command or charge given by Paul to Timothy as he left for Macedonia?
a. What did these false teachers teach?
b. What do you understand by the teaching of “myths and endless genealogies”?
c. What did their teachings lead to?
(4) What attitude should Timothy adopt in stopping these false teachers? (v. 5)
(5) What had these false teachers turned away from as they turned to meaningless talk? (v. 6)
(6) If these teachers taught false doctrines, myths, endless genealogies and meaningless talk, why would they be believed upon? (v. 7 might give us some clues)
(7) Paul pointed out that these false teachers were “wannabes” when it came to being teachers of the (OT) Law:
a. For whom is the (OT) Law meant? (v. 9)
b. In what possible ways did these false teachers mishandle the Law?
c. Why did Paul choose to compile a list of offenders to the Law and end with including those “contrary to sound doctrine”?
d. Whom did Paul have in mind concerning this last category?
(8) What is the relationship between OT Law and the “glorious gospel”? (See Gal. 2:16, for example.)
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
提摩太前書: 引言
自十八世紀，提摩太前、後書加上提多書，被稱為《教牧書信》，因為其內容主要與牧者有關。提摩太前書是使徒保羅特意寫給在以弗所的提摩太。當保羅定意要到馬其頓時，他把提摩太留在以弗所，為要派他處理教會中的問題，包括他們當中有假師傅傳異教，荒誕的傳說和講論無窮的家譜，更有諾斯底和苦修的教義。這些假師傅相信是當地教會中作領袖的。使徒保羅似乎知道這個危險過於嚴重，是提摩太獨力難持的，故先寫此信，列出臨時的對策，然後待他回到以弗所才整頓一切(3:14-15) 。請參閱聖經啟導本的前言，或參考其他保守派的釋經書籍，對此書的背景和保羅與提摩太的關係作更深的了解。
(1) 像教會初期的一般書信一樣，這書信雖然是寫給提摩太，卻會在教會中公開的誦讀：
a. 保羅在信的開始，對自己身份有什麼特別的介紹？為何如此？
b. 為何特別提到基督耶穌是「我們的盼望」？與提摩太所面對的有何關係？
(2) 跟著的問候語比一般的書信較長：
a. 為什麼？
b. 他又以什麼祝福語作這書信的結束呢？
(3) 保羅離開以弗所到馬其頓時，給提摩太什麼特別囑咐？
a. 這些假師傅所傳的包括什麼？
b. 「荒渺無憑的話語(直譯是myths, 即神話故事)和無窮的家譜」是什麼意思？
(4) 在這樣的囑咐要防範假師傅時，提摩太需持什麼的態度？(註：第3節的「囑咐」和第5節的「命令」，原文是同一個字)
(5) 保羅說這些人「偏離這些」，去講虛浮的話；「這些」是指什麼？
(6) 這些假師傅既然傳這些難以置信的道理，為何會有人相信？(參第7節所言的「論定」、即非常肯定、有權威似的講論。)
(7) 保羅譏笑他們為「教法師」—即他們自以為是律法的專家：
a. (舊約)律法是為誰設的? (1:9)
b. 你認為這些假教師怎樣錯解律法呢？
c. 為何保羅要詳列各種的不義、不法之事，更以「敵正道」作結束？
d. 「敵正道」(contrary to sound doctrine/NIV) 是什麼意思？
(8) 律法與「榮耀福音」的關係是怎樣的？(可參加2:16)
(9) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Tim. 1:5)
The Church in Ephesus was a church in which the Apostle Paul had invested quite a bit of time to the point that it had become a base for the spread of the gospel to other parts of the province of Asia Minor (Acts 19: 8-10). The impact of the gospel could be seen by the protest launched by the silversmiths whose business in the making of silver idols was directly threatened, “And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and practically the whole province of Asia.” (Acts 19:26)
Ephesus was such a large and important church that Paul had left Timothy in charge as their pastor as he headed to Macedonia. He left him with the specific charge to deal with certain false teachers who presumably were leaders within the church. It is interesting to note that Paul accused them of teaching false doctrines and of devoting themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Paul also mocked them for their focus on the teaching of the (OT) Law. With the powerful teachings of Paul that they had for quite a number of years when he was among them, one wonders how some of the Ephesian believers could buy into such false teachings, especially “law-based” teachings that Paul so passionately opposed. Verse 7 might have provided one of the clues in that these false teachers were teaching “confidently”.
I have found that many believers are attracted to teachers simply because they preach confidently. It is what we see often in the preaching of many TV evangelists. While some are really biblical, many are preaching a prosperity gospel that is simply “contrary to the sound doctrine” of the gospel; some teachings are nothing more than streams of emotion that have nothing to do with the passage from which they are supposed to be expounding. But just the same, as long as they preach with confidence, people believe what they teach! How sad it is!
However, even more pitiful is the reason for their false teachings. Paul says that they have wandered away from “a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1:5). In other words, had they maintained these, the following would result:
- From a pure heart, they would be able to see God and know His words (Matthew 5:8).
- From a good conscience, they would not have used false teachings for their own selfish ends (1 Tim.6:5).
- From a sincere faith, instead of leading others astray, they would have led many to faith in Jesus Christ.
Indeed, all follies, including false teachings, do flow from one’s heart! (Prov. 4:23)
「但命令的總歸就是愛；這愛是從清潔的心和無虧的良心，無偽的信心生出來的。」(提前1:5)
保羅用了不少的心血和時間在以弗所教會的身上；這教會也很快的成為福音廣傳到亞西亞全地的基地(徒19:8-10) 。這福音的果效是藉著那些造神像的銀匠在暴亂中所說的話可以證明：「這保羅不但在以弗所，也幾乎在亞西亞全地引誘迷惑許多人」(徒19:26) 。
以弗所當時確是很重要的教會，故此保羅要動身前往馬其頓時，他要留下提摩太作這教會的牧者，特別是要處理教會中一些假師傅。這些假師傅看來是在教會作領袖的。保羅在書信的一開始就指出他們是傳異端、專注荒渺的神話(myths)、和無窮的家譜。保羅也諷刺他們「想要作教(律) 法師」(1:7) 。其實經保羅這樣有力的在以弗所教導多年，為何仍有以弗所的信徒會被誤導，相信這些怪誕的教訓，特別是保羅所力責的以律法為本的信仰呢？第7節就給了我們一點線索，知道他們錯謬的講解是他們「論定」式的講論—意思是他們是滿有權威，很肯定的去傳講。
我發現不少的信徒甚喜歡聽一些滿有權威、非常肯定的講論。這些是電視上的傳教者的特色！有些確是很合真理的，不過不少卻是像「福樂神學」一般，是不合真理的。也有不少是順口開河，所講論的全與所引用的經文無關。但是因他們的講論帶有極肯定的語調、極權威性的儀態，不少信徒就全數接收了。真是可憐！
不過，保羅說出了更可怕之處，就是這些假師傅會這樣謬傳真道，是因為他們：
- 沒有清潔的心：故此不能見神(馬太福音5:8) ，也不能認識真理；
- 沒有無虧的良心：以至「壞了心術……以敬虔為得利的門路」(6:5) ；
- 缺乏無偽的信心：故此未能引人歸主，反而引人離開真道。
這就如箴言所說的，他們的錯謬先由心生，因為「一生的果效，是由心發出」(箴4:23) 。
Once Paul talked about the glorious gospel, he could not help but praise God for the power of this gospel which he himself had experienced, even as he also lamented those who preached contrary to it:
(1) Who was the one who appointed him to the service (of being an Apostle)?
(2) Why was he appointed? Did he deserve such an appointment? Why or why not?
(3) Was it an exaggeration for him to say that he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, a violent man and thus the “worst” of sinners? Why or why not? (See Acts 7:60; 9:1-2)
(4) Paul attributed his unbelief to “ignorance” (v. 13).
a. What is meant by ignorance, in his case?
b. How was his ignorance taken away? (Acts 9:3-6)
c. How did he describe this experience in v. 14?
(5) Reflect on your own conversion from ignorance to belief:
a. How similar was your experience to Paul’s?
b. How would you describe your experience?
(6) In Paul’s opinion, what was the purpose of God in saving such a sinner like him? (v. 16)
(7) What is God’s purpose of saving you then?
(8) What caused Paul to explode into a doxology at this point?
(9) What caused him to say these things of Christ Jesus?
a. He is the King eternal
b. He is Immortal and Invisible
c. He is the Only God
(10) Though we do not know when and what the “prophecies once made about” Timothy were, consider the following:
a. What was the purpose of those prophecies?
b. Why did Paul choose to remind him of them at this point?
(11) Paul gave an example of how he dealt with those who wrecked their faith (presumably by their false teachings). It was the exact punishment or discipline he exercised against the adulterer in Church of Corinth (see 1 Cor. 5:5):
a. What does it mean that he handed them over to Satan?
b. What was the ultimate purpose of such a disciplinary action?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
一提到榮耀的福音，保羅就禁不住想到這福音在他身上所顯的大能，更以傳異端的為謗瀆了：
(1) 他指出是誰派他作(使徒) 服事的？
(2) 他被差派的原因是什麼？他是否配被差派？為什麼？
(3) 他說自己曾是褻瀆神的、逼迫人的、侮慢人的(violent) 、又自稱是罪魁，這些都是誇大的話嗎？為什麼？(可參徒9:1-2)
(4) 保羅說他的不信是與不明白(ignorance)有關的：
a. 在這未信之前，他不明白什麼？
b. 他的不明白怎樣得到改變？(參使徒行傳9:3-6)
c. 他怎樣看這改變？
(5) 試回想你自己由不明白到相信的過程：
a. 與保羅有什麼相似之處？
b. 你又怎樣看這改變的呢？
(6) 在保羅看來，神拯救像他這樣的罪魁，原因何在？(1:16)
(7) 神拯救你的原因又何在呢？
(8) 為何說到這裡，保羅突然發出讚美的頌歌？
(9) 為何在這歌頌中，特別提到基督耶穌是：
a. 永世的君？
b. 不能朽壞和不能看見？
c. 獨一的神？
(10) 我們雖然不大清楚這裡所說有關提摩太的預言：
a. 但這些預言的目的是什麼？
b. 為何保羅特別在此，以這些來提醒提摩太？
(11) 保羅在此提到他怎樣處理假師傅的先例，這也是他對哥林多教會犯亂倫者的處分(見林前5:5) ：
a. 「把他們交給撒但」是什麼意思？
b. 這樣的處分，最終的目的是什麼？
(12) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (1 Tim. 1:15)
Paul was a highly respected apostle who basically planted the church in Ephesus (Acts 19) and he wrote this letter to Timothy for the expressed purpose of dealing with the false teachers and to restore discipline and order within the church. However, even with a letter of such a nature that required the use of his apostolic authority, Paul never lost sight of who he was in Christ — the worst of sinners (1:15).
As much as he knew he was a new creation in Christ already (2 Cor. 5:17), he could not forget that he was once a blasphemer, persecutor and a violent man (1 Tim. 1:13). In his words, his conversion was purely the mercy of Christ which demonstrated the unlimited patience of Christ (1:16). To recount his sins and to give honor and glory to Christ in this letter, he was actually telling even the false teachers that he was not better than they were — everything was grace, including his own calling (1:12).
This understanding of grace was also demonstrated in his dealing with false teachers like Hymenaeus and Alexander in that the handing over to Satan was for teaching them not to blaspheme (1:20). While the exact meaning of handing them over to Satan was not clear, this was the same discipline he exercised against the adulterer in 1 Corinthians 5:5, “so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord”. In other words, the ultimate purpose for such a harsh discipline (which probably meant excommunication from the church) was for the sake of restoration.
「基督耶穌降世，為要拯救罪人。這話是可信的，是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是個罪魁。」(提前1:15)
保羅是以弗所教會甚敬重的使徒，因為這教會基本是他所建立的(徒19) 。現在，他要寫信給提摩太(和以弗所的信徒) ，為要處理這些假師傅和重新建立教會的秩序。雖然這樣的一封書信，是要動用他使徒的權柄(1:1) ，但是保羅從沒有忘記自己在基督面前是誰：是一個罪魁(1:15) 。
保羅當然知道自己在基督裡已是「新造的人」(林後5:17) ，但他總不能忘記他曾是褻瀆神的、逼迫人的、和侮慢人(或譯作殘暴) 的。(1:13) 。正如他所言，他的悔改信主全是基督的憐憫，為要「顯明祂一切的忍耐」(1:16) 。他這樣的重述往昔，和把尊貴、榮耀歸給基督耶穌，是叫甚至那些假師傅也知道，他並不比任何人好—所有全是恩典，包括他的蒙召(1:12) 。
這以恩典為本的認知，也在他處理像許米乃和亞力山大這兩個假師傅身上顯明出來。雖然我們不能肯定「交給撒但」的真正意思，但其目的是使他們不再謗瀆。這也是保羅對那犯姦淫的哥林多人同樣的處分，為的是「使他的靈魂在主耶穌的日子可以得救」(林前5:5) 。換句話說，如斯嚴厲的處分(一般相信是指開除會籍) ，其總意仍是希望挽回。
(1) Why did Paul say that praying for everyone was good and acceptable to God, according to v. 3?
(2) How was it related to the trustworthy saying in 1:15?
(3) What was the purpose for praying for those in authority? (v. 2)
(4) How seriously have you and your church taken this command by the Apostle Paul?
(5) How can the Intercession Chart (a 7 day schedule of prayer for specific persons and groups) at the end of this Devotional Guide help you in this respect?
(6) In refreshing our understanding of the gospel, what did Paul point out as the particular role of Christ Jesus and what He had accomplished?
(7) Since Christ Jesus is the only “mediator” between God and Man, consider the following.
a. How then shall we pray and intercede for the world?
b. For whom should you intercede in particular?
c. While Paul was clear about his role as a herald of the gospel, i.e. being the Apostle to the Gentiles (2:7), are you clear about your role? What might it be?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 為何保羅說為萬人祈求是蒙神悅納的？(2:3)
(2) 與1:15那可信、可佩服的話有什麼關連？
(3) 為在位的代求的目的是什麼？(2:2)
(4) 你和教會有否鄭重的遵照保羅這裡的吩咐而行呢？為什麼？
(5) 這《靈修指引》末了的代禱頁是否對此有助？
(6) 在提到這福音時，保羅在此特別論到基督耶穌的位份是什麼？祂成就了什麼？
(7) 基督耶穌既是神與人之間惟一的「中保」：
a. 我們當怎樣為這世界禱告？
b. 神今天特別放誰在你心中，要你代求的？
c. 保羅非常清楚自己的位份和崗位(即作外邦人的師傅) 。你的位份與崗位又是什麼？你清楚嗎？
(8) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authorities…” (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
I believe most Christians would pray for their loved ones and friends — for their wellbeing, and in particular, for their salvation. However, in view of the trustworthy saying in 1:15 that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”, Paul urges us not only to pray for our loved ones, but “everyone” because Christ came to save sinners of “the world”. In particular, he urges us to pray for kings and those in authority, because if they also come to believe in Christ, then it would contribute not only to a peaceful and quiet world, but also a world of godliness and holiness (2:2).
As it is, we know that the world that we live in is far from peaceful — wars and rumors of wars abound! Worse, the culture of the world is least conducive to the promotion of godliness and holiness, let alone the belief in Jesus Christ. Could it be because most believers have failed to heed the call of the Apostle Paul to pray for the world, especially the kings and those in authority?
While churches of Jesus Christ should fervently pray for the world and its leaders, I believe, it should begin with individual believers for their own cities and their leaders. I sincerely hope that you will make use of the Intercession Chart at the end of this Devotional Guide to help you heed the call of the Apostle Paul.
「我勸你，第一要為萬人懇求、禱告、代求、祝謝；為君王和一切在位的，也該如此……」(提前2:1-2)
我相信一般的信徒都有為未信親友的靈魂得救來代禱。但是因著那可信、可配服的話：「基督降世，為要拯救罪人」(1:15) ，保羅就勸勉我們不要單為自己的親友代禱，也要為萬人懇求，因為基督降「世」是為全世界的人的。保羅更特別的勸導我們要為君王和一切在位的懇求，因為如果他們都信主，就會帶來不只是平安無事的日子，更是敬虔端正的生活(2:2) 。
但是今日的社會，不但沒有平安—打仗和打仗的風聲甚盛；更糟糕的是這世界的潮流是與敬虔和端正相違的，也是與基督耶穌的信仰對立的。原因是否與教會與信徒沒有按保羅的勸喻，為世界，特別是為君王和在位的禱告有關呢？
當然，基督耶穌的教會應當為這世界和它的領袖懇求，但卻是以個別信徒為自己的城市和國家代求為始。我盼望這《靈修指引》末頁的代禱表，稍能幫助你作回應使徒保羅的呼籲的開始。