our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.
St. Paul describes God as "Our Savior" and "hope" because, as an apostle, the main goal of his ministry is to preach the good news of salvation, because it is God's desire that all men are saved, as St. Paul highlighted in this letter: "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" [1Tim 2:4]; "... God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe" [1Tim 4:10]. St. Paul calls God "Our Savior" because that is the goal of his ministry: to preach the salvation of God to all. He refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as "our hope" because this salvation became possible only when the Logos (Christ, the Word - see [John 1]) became man and died on the cross and granted us salvation, making the anticipated salvation a reality. When studying this letter, we have to keep in mind St. Paul's primary goal, which is the salvation of all men. When he instructs St. Timothy to refute false teachings, it is because false teachings can become obstacles in our salvation; and when he guides St. Timothy in his supervision of the affairs of the church, it is because, as St. John Chrysostom said, "We know that salvation belongs to the Church alone, and that no one can partake of Christ nor be saved outside the Universal Church and the Universal Faith" (De Capto Eutropia); that is why we need a strong church, in order to be saved.
 | Author: Youssef Rank: Bishop Posted on: 2024-10-03 Source: Title: Orthodox Christian Bible Commentary: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Year (original): 2013 Number of pages: 195 Copyright: Copyright 2013 Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern United States. Cover design: Katherine Nawar, and icon from Bedour Latif and Youssef Nassief. |
by the commandment of God.
St. Paul says, "I became an apostle by the commandment of God." No one can take this honor to himself, but only he who is appointed by God: "And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was" [Heb 5:4]. St. Paul became an apostle because God chose him for this service (see [Acts 9]).
| Author: Youssef Rank: Bishop Posted on: 2024-10-03 Source: Title: Orthodox Christian Bible Commentary: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Year (original): 2013 Number of pages: 195 Copyright: Copyright 2013 Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern United States. Cover design: Katherine Nawar, and icon from Bedour Latif and Youssef Nassief. |
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Paul emphasizes his position as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that now his word has authority, speaking with the authority of apostleship. Recall that the Lord said to the apostles, "He who hears you hears Me" [Luke 10:16]. As an apostle, it is his responsibility to instruct the bishop of Ephesus about the affairs of the church.
| Author: Youssef Rank: Bishop Posted on: 2024-10-03 Source: Title: Orthodox Christian Bible Commentary: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Year (original): 2013 Number of pages: 195 Copyright: Copyright 2013 Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern United States. Cover design: Katherine Nawar, and icon from Bedour Latif and Youssef Nassief. |
Mark well his reference to “my true child.” Timothy is not the biological son of Paul. So what kind of son was he? Does it even make sense to call him a “son”? Someone might say that if he was not the son of Paul, then he must be someone else’s son. What then? Was he of some other substance? Not so, for after saying “my own son,” he adds: “in the faith.” This shows that he was really his own son, and truly from him, there being no essential difference between father and son in the faith. The likeness he bore to him was in respect to his faith, just as in human births there is a substantive likeness. The son is like the father in human beings, but the analogy is even closer in the relation of human beings to God in faith. Though the father and the son may be of the same genetic strain, they may differ in many particulars, as in color, figure, understanding, age, bent of mind, endowments of soul and body, and in many other things they may be like or unlike. But in the relation of the divine Father and Son there is no such dissimilarity.
 | Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
1. Timothy too was one of the disciples of the Apostle Paul. To the extraordinary qualities of this youth testimony is borne by Luke, who informs us, that he was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Acts 16:2 He became at once a disciple and a teacher, and gave this singular instance of his prudence, that hearing Paul preach without insisting upon circumcision, and understanding that he had formerly withstood Peter upon that point, he chose not only not to preach against it, but to submit to that rite. For Paul, it is said, took and circumcised him Acts 16:3, though he was of adult age, and so trusted him with his whole economy.
The affection of Paul for him is a sufficient evidence of his character. For he elsewhere says of him, You know the proof of him, that as a son with a father, he has served with me in the Gospel. Philippians 2:22 And to the Corinthians again he writes: I have sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:17 And again: Let no man despise him, for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do. 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 And to the Hebrews he writes, Know that our brother Timothy is set at liberty. Hebrews 13:23 Indeed his love for him is everywhere apparent, and the miracles that are now wrought still attest his claims.
2. If it should be asked why he addresses Epistles to Titus and Timothy alone, though Silas was approved, as also was Luke, for he writes, Only Luke is with me 2 Timothy 4:11, and Clement was one of his associates, of whom he says, with Clement and other my fellow-laborers Philippians 4:3, for what reason then does he write only to Titus and Timothy? It is because he had already committed the care of churches to these, and certain marked places had been assigned to them, but the others were in attendance upon him. For so preëminent in virtue was Timothy, that his youth was no impediment to his promotion; therefore he writes, Let no man despise your youth 1 Timothy 4:12, and 5:2; and again, The younger women as sisters. For where there is virtue, all other things are superfluous, and there can be no impediment. Therefore when the Apostle discourses of Bishops, among the many things he requires of them, he makes no particular mention of age. And if he speaks of a Bishop being the husband of one wife, and having his children in subjection 1 Timothy 3:2-4, this is not said, as if it were necessary he should have a wife and children; but that if any should happen from a secular life to be advanced to that office, they might be such as knew how to preside over their household and children, and all others committed to them. For if a man were both secular and deficient in these points, how should he be entrusted with the care of the Church? 3. But why, you will say, does he address an Epistle to a disciple already appointed to the office of a Teacher? Ought he not to have been made perfect for his office, before he was sent? Yes; but the instruction which he needed was not that which was suited to a disciple, but that which was proper for a Teacher. You will perceive him therefore through the whole Epistle adapting his instructions to a Teacher. Thus at the very beginning he does not say, Do not attend to those who teach otherwise, but, Charge them that they teach no other doctrine. 1 Timothy 1:3
| Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
1. Great and admirable is the dignity of an Apostle, and we find Paul constantly setting forth the causes of it, not as if he took the honor to himself, but as entrusted with it, and being under the necessity of so doing. For when he speaks of himself as called, and that by the will of God, and again elsewhere, a necessity is laid upon me 1 Corinthians 9:16, and when he says, for this I was separated, by these expressions all idea of arrogance and ambition is removed. For as he deserves the severest blame, who intrudes into an office which is not given him of God, so he who refuses, and shrinks from it when offered to him, incurs blame of another kind, that of rebellion and disobedience. Therefore Paul, in the beginning of this Epistle, thus expresses himself, Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God. He does not say here, Paul called, but by commandment. He begins in this manner, that Timothy may not feel any human infirmity from supposing that Paul addresses him on the same terms as his disciples. But where is this commandment given? We read in the Acts of the Apostles: The Spirit said, Separate me Paul and Barnabas. Acts 13:2 And everywhere in his writings Paul adds the name of Apostle, to instruct his hearers not to consider the doctrines he delivered as proceeding from man. For an Apostle can say nothing of his own, and by calling himself an Apostle, he at once refers his hearers to Him that sent him. In all his Epistles therefore he begins by assuming this title, thus giving authority to his words, as here he says, Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Saviour. Now it does not appear that the Father anywhere commanded him. It is everywhere Christ who addresses him. Thus, He said unto me, Depart, for I will send you far hence unto the Gentiles Acts 22:21; and again, You must be brought before Cæsar. Acts 27:24 But whatever the Son commands, this he considers to be the commandment of the Father, as those of the Spirit are the commandments of the Son. For he was sent by the Spirit, he was separated by the Spirit, and this he says was the commandment of God. What then? Does it derogate from the power of the Son, that His Apostle was sent forth by the commandment of the Father? By no means. For observe, how he represents the power as common to both. For having said, according to the commandment of God our Saviour; he adds, and Lord Jesus Christ, our hope. And observe, with what propriety he applies the titles. And indeed, the Psalmist applies this to the Father, saying, The hope of all the ends of the earth. Psalm 64:5 And again, the blessed Paul in another place writes, For therefore we both labor, and suffer reproach, because we have hope in the living God. The teacher must suffer dangers even more than the disciple. For I will smite the shepherd, (he says,) and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. Zechariah 13:7 Therefore the devil rages with greater violence against teachers, because by their destruction the flock also is scattered. For by slaying the sheep, he has lessened the flock, but when he has made away with the shepherd, he has ruined the whole flock, so that he the rather assaults him, as working greater mischief by a less effort; and in one soul effecting the ruin of all. For this reason Paul, at the beginning, elevates and encourages the soul of Timothy, by saying, We have God for our Saviour and Christ for our hope. We suffer much, but our hopes are great; we are exposed to snares and perils, but to save us we have not man but God. Our Saviour is not weak, for He is God, and whatever be our dangers they will not overcome us; nor is our hope made ashamed, for it is Christ. For in two ways we are enabled to bear up against dangers, when we are either speedily delivered from them, or supposed by good hopes under them. But Paul never calls himself the Apostle of the Father, but always of Christ. Because he makes everything common to both. The Gospel itself he calls the Gospel of God. And whatever we suffer here, he implies, things present are as nothing.
| Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
None of these things is hid from you, if ye perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ Jesus.
Wherefore none of the devices of the devil shall be hidden from you, if, like Paul, ye perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ.
But, as less than any of you, I desire to guard you beforehand, that ye fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that ye attain to full assurance in regard to the birth, and passion, and resurrection which took place in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate, being truly and certainly accomplished by Jesus Christ, who is our hope,
 | Author: Ignatius of Antioch Rank: Bishop AD: 108 |
Timothy is a true son in faith, for his generation is one that will not know death or sickness or pestilence or hunger or thirst, because it is based on God and the future is glorious immortality in the gift of God in the kingdom of God and Christ. .
 | Author: Ambrosiaster Rank: Author AD: 400 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
