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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1 TIMOTHY, 2 TIMOTHY, AND TITUS
LESSON #1
INTRODUCTION TO THESE BOOKS

• ABOUT 57 AD PAUL WAS ARRESTED IN JERUSALEM AND PUT IN PRISON FOR 2 YEARS. IN 59 AD PAUL WAS SENT TO ROME FOR TRIAL. HOWEVER, HE WAS SHIP WRECKED ON THE WAY. HE ARRIVED IN ROME ABOUT 60 AD. THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT FOUND HIM INNOCENT OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. HE WAS RELEASED. DURING THE NEXT TWO YEARS HE WROTE 1 TIMOTHY, AND TITUS.
• ABOUT 65 AD PAUL AGAIN WAS ARRESTED AND PUT INTO A DUNGEON. IN THAT LOCATION, HE WROTE 2 TIMOTHY.

• TIMOTHY WAS A YOUNG MAN WHOSE MOTHER, EUNICE, WAS A JEW AND WHOSE FATHER WAS A GREEK. THEREFORE, TIMOTHY WAS A MIXTURE OF JEW AND GENTILE. HE WAS TAUGHT THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES BY HIS MOTHER AND HIS GRANDMOTHER, LOIS. WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY HOW OR WHEN HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE HE WAS CONVERTED BY PAUL ON THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY THROUGH LYSTRA. TIMOTHY WAS BORN IN LYSTRA. BY THE TIME OF PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, TIMOTHY’S MOTHER WAS CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY. AS TIMOTHY GREW IN THE FAITH, HE BEGAN TO WORK WITH PAUL AND SILAS TEACHING AND SPREADING THE GOSPEL. HE REPLACED JOHN MARK. (ACTS 15:36-39) ON THE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS. PAUL PERSONALLY TOOK THIS YOUNG MAN AND TRAINED HIM IN THE MINISTRY.
• BECAUSE TIMOTHY WAS BOTH GENTILE AND JEW, HE HAD A UNIQUE ACCEPTANCE TO BOTH PEOPLES. HOWEVER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JEWS WOULD RECEIVE HIM, PAUL HAD HIM CIRCUMCISED BEFORE HE WOULD INCLUDE HIM AS A MEMBER OF THE MISSIONARY TEAM.

• TIMOTHY WAS EVIDENTLY A QUIET, SHY MAN, EASILY INTIMIDATED, EASILY DISCOURAGED, BUT VERY LOYAL. HE HAD A GREAT LOVE FOR THE LORD AND FOR PAUL. TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO CORINTH TO MINISTER, BUT HIS MISSION WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. PERHAPS THE PEOPLE EXPECTED ANOTHER PAUL. AT ANY RATE, TIMOTHY DID NOT QUIT. HE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL WITH PAUL AND BECAME HIS MOST CONSTANT COMPANION. PAUL MENTIONS TIMOTHY IN 6 OF PAUL’S LETTERS (BOOKS OF THE BIBLE) TO THE DIFFERENT CHURCHES.
• READ PHI 2:19-23
• FINALLY, TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO EPHESUS TO PASTOR THE CHURCH THERE. AGAIN TIMOTHY STRUGGLED WITH PROBLEMS IN THE EPHESIAN CHURCH. THAT IS WHY PAUL WROTE THESE LETTERS TO TIMOTHY.

• DATES:

• 1 TIMOTHY = 60 – 65 AD
• 2 TIMOTHY = 65 – 68 AD
• TITUS = 60 – 65 AD

• LOCATIONS:

• 1 TIMOTHY AND 2 TIMOTHY
• TIMOTHY WAS MINISTERING IN EPHESUS WHEN HE RECEIVED PAUL’S
• LETTERS. THE CITY OF EPHESUS WAS NOT AN EASY PLACE TO BE A PASTOR. IDOLATRY TO THE GODDESS DIANA WAS LOCATED HERE.
• EPHESUS WAS THE CENTER FOR MAKING IDOLS TO DIANA, WHICH HAD BECOME A BIG BUSINESS.
• EPHESIAN CHURCH PROBLEMS:
• CONFLICTING DOCTRINES INCLUDING A THEOLOGY BASED ON MYTHS AND GENEALOGIES.
• LEGALISM
• TITUS
• THE ISLAND OF CRETE WAS NOT AN EASY PLACE TO BE A PASTOR. THERE WAS A LOT OF GREEK TRADITION AND GREEK MYTHOLOGY TO FIGHT AGAINST.

• PAUL’S PURPOSE:
• PAUL WAS NEARING THE END OF HIS MINISTRY. HE HAS BEEN TRAINING OTHERS, ESPECIALLY TIMOTHY, TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL AND PLANTING CHURCHES WHEN PAUL IS GONE. TIMOTHY PROBABLY TURNED OFTEN TO PAUL’S GUIDANCE WHEN HE HAD MINISTERIAL PROBLEMS. HIS PROBLEMS IN CORINTH CAUSED HIM TO RELY ON PAUL. NOW HIS PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS CAUSED HIM TO TURN TO PAUL ONCE AGAIN. 1 TIMOTHY AND 2 TIMOTHY ARE PAUL’S COUNSEL TO TIMOTHY CONCERNING THESE CHURCH PROBLEMS.
• TITUS WAS HAVING HIS OWN MINISTRY PROBLEMS ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE. HE, TOO, LOOKED TO PAUL FOR ANSWERS.
• FREQUENT WORDS OR PHRASES:
• TO ENCOURAGE TIMOTHY, PAUL USES A LOT OF MILITARY IDIOMS IN THESE TWO LETTERS TO TIMOTHY.
• “FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT” (1TIM 6:12)
• “CHARGE” (1TIM 1:3)
• “WAR A GOOD WARFARE” (1TIM 1:18)
• PAUL ALSO USES THE PHRASE “SOUND DOCTRINE” TWICE IN 1 TIMOTHY AND 2 TIMOTHY.
• IN THE LETTER TO TITUS, PAUL USES THE PHRASE “SOUND DOCTRINE” FREQUENTLY (3 TIMES).
• PAUL’S THEME AND OUR PURPOSE:
• PAUL DEALS WITH 2 THINGS IN 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY AND TITUS:
• CREED (DOCTRINE) IN THE CHURCH
• CONDUCT IN THE CHURCH:
• AMONG BELIEVERS INSIDE THE CHURCH
• TOWARD NON-BELIEVERS OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
• OUR STUDY OF THESE THREE BOOKS WILL TELL US HOW TO RUN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. WE WILL, THEREFORE, USE THE WORD OF GOD AS AN INSTRUCTION BOOK CONCERNING HOW A CHURCH SHOULD OPERATE TO CONFORM ITSELF TO THE WORD OF GOD.
• FOR EXAMPLE: IF YOU BUY A NEW COMPUTER. YOU WILL READ THE INSTRUCTION BOOK BEFORE YOU OPERATE THE COMPUTER.
• 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY AND TITUS ARE LIKE THE INSTRUCTION BOOK FOR OPERATING THE CHURCH.
• OUR PUPOSE FOR STUDYING THESE BOOKS IS TO OBTAIN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES FOR GOVERNING THE CHURCH SO THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE “IN ORDER”. GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER! WE WILL ALSO APPLY THESE PRINCIPLES SPECIFICALLY AND IN DETAIL TO OUR OWN LOCAL CHURCH.
• SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
• IF PAUL CAME FOR A VISIT TO OUR CHURCH, WHAT WOULD HE THINK? DOES OUR CHURCH OPERATE ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD? DO THOSE IN LEADERSHIP DO WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE CHURCH? DO THE MEMBERS PROPERLY SUPPORT THOSE IN LEADERSHIP? IS THE WORK OF GOD GOING FORWARD OR IS IT BEING HINDERED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE AND PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH?

• KEY VERSE FOR OUR STUDY:
• 1TIMOTHY 3:15
• “…THAT THOU MAYEST KNOW HOW THOU OUGHTEST TO BEHAVE THYSELF IN THE HOUSE OF GOD…”
• HISTORIC BACKGROUND

AND DIRECTION OF OUR STUDY:

• BASED ON MATERIAL FROM THESE THREE EPISTLES, CHURCHES OVER TIME HAVE OBTAINED 3 DIFFERENT FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT. ALL THREE FORMS, AND VARIATIONS OF THEM, ARE IN EXISTENCE IN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES TODAY. HOW COULD 3 DIFFERENT FORMS OF GOVERNMENT COME FROM THE SAME SCRIPTURAL PASSAGES? IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU INTERPRET THE WORDS IN THESE 3 BOOKS.
• THE 3 FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT:
• THE “EPISCOPAL FORM” OF GOVERNMENT
• THIS FORM OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT HAS ONE MAN OR SMALL GROUP OF MEN GOVERNING THE CHURCH AT THE TOP.
• THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ORTHODOX CHURCH ARE EXAMPLES.
• THE “PRESBYTERIAN FORM” OF GOVERNMENT
• IN THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT THE LOCAL CHURCH ELECTS CERTAIN MEN FROM ITS MEMBERSHIP, CALLED ELDERS AND DEACONS, TO BE OFFICERS WHO GOVERN THE CHURCH.
• THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS AN EXAMPLE.
• THE “CONGREGATIONAL FORM” OF GOVERNMENT
• ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT RUN THE CHURCH.
• THE CONGREGATIONAL AND BAPTIST CHURCHES ARE THE EXAMPLES.
• IF THESE LETTERS CONCERNING CHURCH ORDER WERE WRITTEN LATE IN PAUL’S LIFE, WERE THERE NO CHURCH PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS?
• OF COURSE THERE WERE, HOWEVER, THE APOSTLES WERE AROUND TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS AND CORRECT THEM. HOWEVER, PAUL BEGINS TO SEE AN INCREASE IN CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AND THE DEATH OF APOSTLES. THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME GUIDELINES FOR THE FUTURE WHEN ALL THE APOSTLES WERE DEAD.
• IN THE BEGINNING, CHURCHES DID NOT DIFFER SO MUCH IN DOCTRINE BUT THEY BEGAN TO DIFFER GREATLY IN CHURCH GOVERNMENT. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY DENOMINATIONS TODAY.
• IN THE BEGINNING, ALL THREE FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT WORKED WELL. HOWEVER, OVER TIME THEY BEGAN TO EXHIBIT MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS. WHY?
• IT WAS NOT THE FAULT OF THE SYSTEMS, BUT THE FAULT OF THE KINDS OF MEN CHOSEN TO FILL THE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
• THEREFORE, THE THREE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS, OR THE VARIATIONS OF THEM, IS NOT THE IMPORTANT CONCERN. THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO STUDY THESE 3 LITTLE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE, TO DISCOVER HOW TO CHOOSE QUALIFIED PEOPLE FOR LEADERSHIP…AND WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THESE LEADERS.
• SOURCES FOR OUR STUDY:
• FIRST AND SECOND TIMOTHY, TITUS, AND PHILEMON: COMMENTARY SERIES

BY J. VERNON MC GEE

• FIRST AND SECOND TIMOTHY AND TITUS

BY CHUCK MISSLER

• THE PASTORAL LETTERS AND PHILEMON

BY DR. GEORGE WOOD

• MISC. NOTES BY PASTOR JIM LARSON
• MISC. NOTES BY PASTOR BUD STANLEY
• MISC. NOTES ON 2 TIMOTHY, “NEW STANDARD FOR LIVING” BY CHARLES SWINDOLL
• OTHER MISC. NOTES
• OUTLINE OF 1 TIMOTHY:
• I FAITH OF THE CHURCH (CHAPTER 1)
• INTRODUCTION (1:1-2)
• WARNING (1:3-10)
• PAUL’S PERSONAL TESTIMONY (1:11-17)
• EXHORTATION TO TIMOTHY (1:18-20)
• II PUBLIC PRAYER AND WOMEN’S ROLE IN THE CHURCH (CHAPTER 2)
• PUBLIC PRAYER (2:1-7)
• HOW MEN ARE TO PRAY (2:8)
• ROLE OF WOMEN (2:9-15)
• III OFFICERS OR LEADERS IN THE CHURCH (CHAPTER 3)
• REQUIREMENTS FOR ELDERS (3:1-7)
• REQUIREMENTS FOR DEACONS (3:8-13)
• REPORT OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY (3:14-16)
• IV APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH (CHAPTER 4)
• HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE APOSTLES (4:1-5)
• WHAT TO DO IN TIMES OF APOSTASY (4:6-16)
• V DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND LEADERS OF THE CHURCH (CHAPTERS 5 AND 6)
• RELATIONSHIP OF THE PASTOR TO DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE CHURCH (CHAPTER 5)
• RELATIONSHIP OF BELIEVERS TO OTHER PEOPLE (CHAPTER 6)
• HOMEWORK
• 1TIMOTHY 1:1-3
• THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

• PREPARATION FOR 1TIM 1:1-3
• READ ALL OF 1TIM CHAPTER 1
• MAKE A LIST OF THE COMMANDS THAT PAUL GIVES TO TIMOTHY IN VERSES 1-3.
• IN VERSES 1-3 WHAT PROBLEM IS PAUL ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT IN THIS CHURCH?
• IN WHAT WAY DID THIS PROBLEM MANIFEST ITSELF IN THE CHURCH?
• WHO DO YOU THINK IS RESPONSIBLE TO SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR IN OUR CHURCH?
• HOW CAN YOU HELP THE RESPONSIBLE PERSON TO CARRY OUT THIS DUTY IN OUR CHURCH? (BE SPECIFIC)
• MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 16:17