This week we
will finish the study of the Book of 1 Timothy and begin with the study of 2
Timothy in the New Testament.
(1) After the strong words in imperatives about being a good minister of Christ Jesus, Paul continues with another imperative that is about relationship within the body of Christ (vv. 1-2):
a. The respectful treatment of the elderly is part of the Law of Moses. See Leviticus 19:32. But what if an older person needs correction? What should a younger minister like Timothy to do? Should he not seek to correct him? What is the key attitude in such a correction?
b. In fact, when applied to younger ones and women, what is the attitude urged by Paul? How will such an attitude be shown?
c. What does Paul caution Timothy about the treatment of younger women and why?
(2) Read vv. 3-10 carefully a few times and see what the problems are that Paul seeks to address or correct? (See note below.)
(3) Paul wants to make sure that the church only helps those widows who are “really in need”:
a. Why are widows with children or grandchildren not really in need?
b. If the children or grandchildren do not provide for their widowed mother or grandmother, what wrong have they committed? What should the church do?
c. According to v. 5, who are the ones truly in need and what should they do?
d. In order to prevent abuse, what criteria does Paul instruct Timothy to use in putting widows on the “approved” list?
- What is the reasoning behind the age requirement?
- What is the reasoning behind the other requirements? What is the message behind these other requirements?
(4) Paul seems to be rather harsh on the young widows. However, we know that not all young widows “live for pleasures” (v. 6), therefore Paul is addressing only a special group of young widows who “have broken their first pledge" (the original Greek is faith, and the same word is used in v. 8):
a. What might these young widows have done that would amount to the breaking of faith in Christ according to v. 6 and v. 11?
b. Apart from sensual pleasures, what other sins did they get into according to v. 13? How potentially damaging were they?
c. How serious had some of their errors become according to v. 15?
d. What is Paul’s advice to Timothy in v. 14?
(5) How may we apply the principle of v. 16 to our church life today?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
It appears that the early church followed the example of the Jewish Temple and Synagogue in looking after widows in their midst. Acts 6 describes such work of charity and the problem that arose from it. In the church of Ephesus, it was obvious that such a ministry of charity had been abused and Paul saw the need to write about it, thereby giving young Timothy the clout to deal with the abusers authoritatively.
Now Paul again turns his attention on the church leaders, and in this case, the focus is on how the congregation should treat them, especially those elders (which could well include overseers and deacons) who have responsibilities in preaching and teaching (and are likely full-time):
(1) What does “double honor” mean?
(2) How might you express “double honor” to those whose responsibilities are to direct the affairs of the church full-time, and especially the pastors (like the Apostle Peter who calls himself an elder in 1 Pet. 5:1)?
(3) There is one aspect that the Apostle Paul has in mind in particular:
a. What is that aspect, according to v. 18?
b. What purpose does the quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4 serve?
c. In admonishing the church to pay double honor, why does Paul single out this particular aspect? How then should the church treat the pastors as a result?
(4) From time to time, there are accusations against church leaders. What does Paul advise the church to do in v. 19? Why is it so important to adopt such a careful approach?
(5) Another careful approach toward church leaders is also mentioned in v. 22. What is it? Why is it so important as well?
(6) In dealing with church leaders, Paul emphasizes the need to do so without partiality and favoritism.
a. Why does Paul use such a strong word as "to charge” with Timothy?
b. In so charging, why does Paul invoke the setting of the heavenly court in which judgment is made before God, Christ Jesus and the angels (presumably chosen for such an occasion)?
(7) In view of the truth of vv. 24-25, how should we approach the selection of church leaders?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Vv. 1-2
Paul has dealt with the abuse of the charitable ministry of the church by some widows, so he now turns to another area of abuse — that of the master and slave relation:
(1) As slaves who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they have found real freedom and equality before Christ (Gal. 3:27-28):
a. Should they, as result, seek to free themselves from their masters?
b. What does Paul admonish them to do and what reason does he give for his admonition?
c. What if their masters are also believers. Should they demand equality with them? Why or why not?
d. We know that eventually, through the tireless effort and sacrifice of Evangelical Christians in both Great Britain and America, slavery was brought to an end in the 1800’s. Why didn’t Paul advocate its abolition at all?
Vv. 3-5
Now Paul returns to the attack on false teachers:
(2) What are the external, visible marks of false teachers?
(3) Apart from their conceit and ignorance, what is their motive in being involved in church ministry?
Vv. 6-10
While Paul points out financial gain as the motive of false teachers, Paul explores the potential evil of money further.
(4) Paul defines “godliness with contentment” as the greatest gain or profit that one can get.
a. How does Paul define contentment?
b. How will you define contentment?
c. What has it to do with godliness?
d. Would you say you are a contented person? Why or why not?
(5) Why does Paul call the desire to get rich a trap?
(6) According to Paul, what will such a desire to get rich lead to?
(7) Do you agree with Paul’s famous saying that “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil”? Why or why not?
(8) Can you cite examples of how believers “wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs”?
(9) Were you one of them? Have you been tempted in this respect?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
As Paul is about to end his letter, his admonition, directed to Timothy as the minister of the church in Ephesus, becomes more personal.
(1) Paul now urges Timothy to differ greatly from the false teachers and to “flee from all this”.
a. What might “all this” include?
b. Why does Paul urge him “to flee”?
(2) Instead, Paul urges Timothy to pursue the following:
a. What is meant by to “pursue”?
b. How important is it for a church leader to pursue the following things?
- Righteousness —What does it mean?
- Godliness — How is it manifested?
- Faith — What does it mean?
- Love — How should one pursue love?
- Endurance — Against what?
- Gentleness — How important is it?
(3) Paul then urges Timothy to fight the good fight of faith:
a. Why does he describe it as a fight?
b. Why does he also call it a “good” fight?
c. While Paul has not explained how to fight this good fight, what might be the key to victory?
(4) Next, Paul urges Timothy to take hold of eternal life:
a. What is meant by to take hold of?
b. Howard Marshall opines that it means eternal life is not just something achieved at the end of the contest (i.e. in heaven), but rather something that can be achieved or experienced in this life. What is the significance of such an understanding to you?
(5) What is meant by being called to eternal life?
(6) Have you ever thought about eternal life as something you are being called to?
(7) What is eternal life to you?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Now Paul forcefully charges Timothy to “keep this command”, and commentators have various interpretation of what this command is. Since the charge to keep such a command is “until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”, it appears that it might not have to do with the temporary crisis faced by the church in Ephesus, but the immediate preceding context:
(1) V. 12 refers to the calling of Timothy by God to eternal life which was accompanied by his public confession in the presence of many witnesses:
a. Commentators in general see Romans 10:9-10 as a common profession made during baptism in the early church. If Timothy made a similar profession at his baptism, what does the charge to lay hold of eternal life mean to him?
b. Why does Paul have to invoke the presence of God in this charge, specially mentioning that God is the one who gives life to everything?
c. Why does Paul have to invoke the presence of Christ Jesus as well, emphasizing His testimony before Pilate? (Read Jn. 18:33-38 to see what confession Jesus made before Pilate.)
d. Paul qualifies the keeping of such a command when he says “without spot or blame". What does he mean?
(2) According to v. 15, when will our eternal life find its fullness?
(3) Now
Paul bursts into another doxology. Try
to consider the immediate context of the giving of eternal life and see the
implication of each of the following. Why Paul would refer to God in the following ways?
a. The blessed and only Ruler
b. The King of kings and Lord of lords
c. One who alone is immortal
d. One who lives in unapproachable light
e. One whom no one has seen or can see
(4) In this final segment of the letter, Paul again admonishes the rich, but this time the rich believers:
a. What does he ask the rich to guard against?
b. What is the basis of his command?
c. What kind of riches does Paul urge them to seek instead?
d. What should the reminder that “eternal life” is truly life mean to us, and especially the rich?
(5) If someone claims to have “special knowledge” about God and the Scriptures, what will be the likely outcome of that person?
(6) Can you name one cult that has resulted from someone’s claim of special knowledge or revelation from God?
(7) As this epistle draws to an end, spend time to do the following:
a. Reflect on how important this epistle must have been to Timothy and the church in Ephesus.
b. Summarize what might we be lacking, in terms of teachings, had Paul not written this epistle?
(8) What is the main message to you in this epistle and how may you apply it to your life?