Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Paul continues his line of thought from chapter 1, where he has charged Timothy to be a good steward of the gospel and to protect the church by charging people not to teach false doctrine. 

1) To Paul, prayer is the best safeguard against false teaching. 

• Prayer is the overarching command of 2:1–7. He says 'first of all' or 'above all' because of the priority for prayer in the church. A prayer dedicated to sound doctrine should above all pray. 
• Paul wants Timothy to reflect on every aspect of prayer -- supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving. And the prayers are for 1) all people, 2) kings, and 3) people in high positions. 
• The result of praying in verse 2 is a peaceful, quiet, godly, and dignified life in every way. 
• Contrary to the practice of the false teachers, who likely do not pray at all, or who do not pray for all people, Paul commands Timothy to include a broad scope of people who influence daily life. Praying in this way presents a direct correlation to the way Christians live. 

2) To Paul, prayer is good and pleasing to God.

• Prayer connects Christians to God's desires. 
• As our Savior, God desires all people to be saved -- prayer saves people. 
• As our Savior, God desires all to come to the knowledge of the truth -- prayer enlightens people. 
• Prayer corrects false doctrine
• Christian prayer is focused solely on one God. 
• Christian prayer is offered through one mediator. 
• In prayer, Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man. 
• The reason why Jesus Christ is the sole mediator is because he 1) gave himself as a 2) ransom for all. 
• So, Christian prayer should be made to connect Christians with God's desire and to correct false doctrine.
• Paul's whole ministry centers on the testimony that God is one and that there is one mediator between God and men. In particular, at the proper time, he proclaimed Christ Jesus as the ransom for all, meaning that Christ could be universally accepted. 
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul desired to see all people saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul declared there was one mediator between God and men. 
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul believed that Christ gave himself as a ransom for all. 
• Unlike the false teachers, God appointed Paul as a preacher, an apostle, and and a teacher to the Gentiles. 
• Unlike the false teachers, Paul sought to be truthful about his role in God's plan. 

This passage implies many differences between Paul and the false teachers. A key difference to the false teachers appears to be the primacy of prayer in Paul's ministry. Prayer made for all people, that aligns with God's desires, and that corrects theology is the type of prayer Paul envisions for Timothy and the church. 

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1 (Entire Chapter)

Chapter 1 of Paul's first letter to Timothy is a remarkable example of a spiritual leader's plea to his apprentice.

1) First, Paul's main plea is reiterated throughout the chapter, namely, the plea for Timothy to charge certain persons from making a shipwreck of their faith by teaching or devoting themselves to errant doctrines.

2) Twice Paul calls Timothy his child, a sign of great affection, but also of authority. Paul not only loves Timothy but also expects him to obey the plea to charge.

3) The confrontation Paul has in mind is not a loveless charge. The thesis of 1 Timothy 1 is in verse 5, which gives the ultimate motivation underlying the charge: love. Paul wants Timothy to exhibit a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.

4) Without the middle of these expressions--a good conscience--people have made a shipwreck of their faith (verse 19).

5) Another theme is opposition. Prior to his conversion, Paul was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. After he came to Christ by faith, he declares that he is the foremost of sinners. This is quite the opposite of Hymaneus and Alexander, who are allegedly professing to be Christians, but who are guilty of blasphemy (verse 20).

6) Finally, the gospel (verse 15) is the center of Paul's ministry. He entrusts the gospel to Timothy, whom he is training, molding, and shaping to become a faithful steward and ardent defender.

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:18–20

Verse 18 takes up the charge to Timothy from early on in verse 3. Timothy is charged to protect the church at Ephesus from false teachers. But Paul gives other reasons why Timothy should persist in defending the church from aberrant teaching.

1) First, Paul reminds Timothy that the work of protecting the church is in line with "prophecies previously made" about him.

• The purpose of the prophecies is to propel Timothy to wage the good warfare. 
• By defending the church from false teaching, Timothy is fulfilling the prophies made of him. 

2) Second, Paul reminds Timothy that the work of protecting the church relies on faith and a good conscience. In other words, faith and conscience form of unity of the genuine Christian experience. 

• The manner in which Timothy is to wage the good warfare is by 1) holding faith and 2) holding a good conscience. 
• Without these two indispensable tools, the waging of 'the good warfare' will likely not succeed. 
• Faith and conscience are inseparable realities that allow a Christian to be faithful. 
• Without faith, the conscience cannot function properly. 
• With the conscience, how can faith be authenticated? 

3) Third, Paul reminds Timothy of what might happen when people reject one aspect of the genuine Christian experience.

• Paul makes a general observation that when people reject 'this' (the antecedent is 'a good conscience'), some have made a shipwreck of their faith. 
• Without the conscience, faith is shipwrecked. 
• Paul informs Timothy of how Hymenaeus and Alexander rejected the work of the conscience in their lives. 
• Paul handled their rejection of the good conscience by handing them over to Satan. 
• When Paul speaks of 'handing over to Satan' he likely has in mind a formal process of church discipline. cf. 1 Corinthians 5:5. 
• Presumably, Paul views Satan as an agent for disciplinary correction in the case of Alexander and Hymenaeus. 
• Paul may also be highlighting an important reality: when people reject the genuine Christian experience, they desire to be outside of God's authority. So, in accordance with their desire, Paul 'hands them over to Satan' for the purpose of showing them their foolishness. Given the purpose clause at the end of 1:20, this seems highly likely. 
• The purpose of this handing over to Satan is that 'they may learn not to blaspheme.' 
• Hymenaeus and Alexander committed the sin of blasphemy,
• As earlier in 1 Timothy 1, Paul identifies with their sin of blasphemy, which resulted from his ignorance and unbelief. 
• What is different in regards to H and A is that they were presumably Christians who were blaspheming -- something that Paul did in his ignorance and unbelief, not while he was a Christian. 
• Paul believes the remedy to their blasphemy is 'handing them over to Satan'

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:15–17

1 Timothy 1:15–17 continues Paul's thanksgiving that began in verse 12. In verse 14, Paul is thankful for having received Christ's abundant grace which overflowed in faith and love. 

Now, Paul addresses his personal relationship to the gospel message. 

1) First, Paul introduces the good news that Christ came into the world to save sinners with a formula ("the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance") that appears only in the pastoral epistles ( 1 Timothy 3:1; 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8). 

The saying reveals three important truths:  

 A) Christ Jesus came into the world 

        -Jesus is the Christ. 
        -And he came into the world, meaning that Jesus is in the flesh. 
        -And finally, Jesus came into the world -- the arena where we would display his purpose.  

 B) to save -- The verb shows Christ's purpose for coming into the world

C) sinners -- Jesus came to save sinners who are in the world, meaning all of humanity. 

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance because it reveals the true identity of Christ, his purpose, and the true identity of humanity. 

2) Second, Paul addresses his relationship to the true saying: he is the foremost of sinners. 

• It's unlikely Paul is referring to himself as a foremost sinner prior to his coming to faith in Jesus. Paul would have been ignorant of his sinfulness (1 Timothy 1:13). 
• It is more likely he became aware of his sinfulness after encountering Jesus Christ. As he reflects on his conversion years later, Paul has become even more keenly aware of his sin, which leads him to declare his status as a foremost sinner. 

3) Third, Paul gives a reason for the mercy he received. 

• As the foremost of sinners, Paul's life is a suitable place for Christ to display his perfect patience. The fact that Christ saves sinners is indeed a mark of Christ's perfect patience. 
• As the foremost of sinners, Paul's life is an example to those who were to believe in Christ. The fact that Paul is an example is owing to the mercy of Christ in using Paul's life to display his perfect patience. Indeed, Paul can only be considered an example insofar as his life displays Christ's mercy and patience. 

4) Finally, Paul's reflection on Christ's saving work in him leads to worship. The doxology in verse 17 is simple and straightforward.  

• Paul acknowledges God as the King of the ages, who is 
• Immortal -- never dying, but alive forever
• Invisible -- never seen, but present everywhere
• the only God -- never divided, always united
• Paul declares his praise of honor and glory, forever and ever. 

 

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:12–14

 

Paul has two reasons to thank Christ. 

1) First, Christ has "judged [Paul] faithful." How did God judge Paul to be faithful? By "appointing [Paul] to his service. Despite Paul's reputation of being a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent, God somehow managed to use him. A closer look at the second reason why Paul thanks Christ sheds more light on how God could use Paul for his service.

2) Second, Christ showed Paul mercy. Christ shows Paul mercy because although he was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent, he acted ignorantly in unbelief. So, the cure to Paul's atrocious actions is 1) knowledge of Christ, and 2) trust in what Christ did on the cross for sinners. When Paul encountered Christ, he came to know him personally. After he learned about the work of Christ, his life, death, and resurrection, he came to believe in Christ. It was at that particular moment that the grace of Christ overflowed for Paul. The grace overflowed with faith and love, both of which flowed from Christ Jesus. 

So, Paul is thankful because he was judged to be faithful and because he received mercy. Christ's judgment and the gift of mercy not only fuels Paul's service, but also the service of all who share in the grace that Paul received. 

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:8–11

Two points underly Paul's observation that the law is good. 

1) First, the law is good if one uses it lawfully. 

2) Second, the law is not primarily for those who use the law lawfully; rather, it is for the lawless. A whole litany of descriptors follows "lawless." 

• Suffice it to say, the law confronts each of the identifiers Paul notes, including "whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine."
• The purpose of the law is "in accordance with the gospel." As Paul does here, sharing the good news of what God has done through Jesus's life, death, and resurrection should be paired with the law's standard for justice, goodness, and lawfulness. 
• When lawless people are confronted by the law, the gospel's standard is upheld. But the gospel is able to transform the lawless, revealing the glory of the blessed God, as it did to Paul (1 Timothy 1:12–14). 

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:3–7

In 1 Timothy 1:3–7 Paul wants Timothy to remain at Ephesus to charge certain persons against false teachings.

1) The point of the charge against false teachers is love. The Christian qualities that bolster the charge are a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 

2) The "wandering away" of certain persons can be traced in verse 6–7. 

• First, certain persons wander away by swerving from the Christian qualities found in verse 5. 
• Next, certain persons become fixated by aberrant topics: different doctrines, myths, genealogies, speculations, and vain discussion. These things are contrary to the stewardship from God that is by faith. 
• Finally, these certain persons go on teaching different doctrines with confidence even though they're largely ignorant of their teaching errors. 

3) The tension for Timothy is twofold:

• He has to charge these people not to teach or devote themselves to aberrant doctrines.
• He has to make sure his charge is ultimately loving -- he does so by perserving Christian qualities and guarding the stewardship entrusted to him by God. 

Bible Phrasing: 1 Timothy 1:1–2

I've been using Biblearc.com for nearly 10 years to study the Bible. It's highly interactive and allows me to see logical relationships in the biblical text more clearly. 

Phrasing is a technique that allows Bible readers to see relationships in a biblical text. It's particularly suited to help identify the grammatical features of a passage. 

Here is a phrasing diagram of 1 Timothy 1:1–2:

The clearest point of these two verses is how central God is to Paul's ministry. He is an apostle by command of God and Christ Jesus. Paul is Jesus Christ's apostle. Even the blessing of grace, mercy, and peace comes from God and Christ Jesus.  Paul identifies God as the Father and Savior. Christ Jesus is our hope and our Lord.  

My 2023 Reading List

A new year usually means new initiatives. For the past several years, I've compiled a list of books to read for the year. Hardly a new initiative. But most of the books are new. My goal is to read at least one book a week for 52 weeks. I read the Bible every day using this Bible study plan.

I have a broad range of interests, so choosing books is usually very easy. There are some books I reread every year because they're classics to me. I rarely read fiction, unless I'm reading it to my children. And I read books that I know I'll disagree with because they help strengthen my convictions.

I practice three types of reading.

(~50%) Reading for the forest -- very broad reading to get a big picture of the book. I familiarize myself with the table of contents, the introduction, the conclusion, headings, subheadings, and perhaps the conclusion of each chapter. 

(~30%) Reading for the trees -- this type of reading is more nuanced and would require rereading book chapters, intros, conclusions, and references. This would also include very light highlights, annotations, and some comments. 

(~20%) Reading for the bark -- the most detailed reading possible, with detailed and heavy notes, annotations, comments, and analysis. I reserve this reading for highly technical and challenging works, commentaries on the Bible, and the Bible itself. 

*books I reread every year, or every other year

GENERAL THEOLOGY

Desiring God by John Piper*

The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur*

Knowing God by J.I. Packer*

A Quest for Godliness by J.I. Packer

The Doctrine of God by John Frame

Redeeming Mathematics by Vern Poythress

Redeeming Science by Vern Poythress

The Lordship of Christ by Vern Poythress

Logic by Vern Poythress

STUDIES IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES (FOR ThM Studies)

The Goal of our Instruction: the structure of theology and ethics in the Pastoral Epistles by Philip Towner

Paul the Pastoral Epistles, and the Early Church by James Ageson

Pseudepigraphy and Ethical Arguments in the Pastorals by L.R. Donelson

Wealth and Beneficence in the Pastoral Epistles by R.M. Kidd

The Faithful Sayings in the Pastoral Epistles by George Knight

Women in the Church: An Analysis and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 by Kostenberger/ Schreiner

The Theology of the Pastoral Letters by Young

Cohesion and Structure in the Pastoral Epistles by Van Neste

The Ecclesiological Grounding of Pauline Language of Leadership in 1 and 2 Timothy by Stanford

Was Paul Prooftexting? Paul's Use of the Old Testament as Illustrated through Three Debated Texts by Richard Lucas

Elements of a Doctrine of Godliness: A study of 'eusebeia' and its cognates in the Pastoral Epistles by Thompson

Manifest in flesh: the epiphany Christology of the pastoral epistles by Lau

The Function of Personal Example in the Socratic and Pastoral Epistles by Fiore

Be the Example: Christ-Centered Followership in the Pastoral Epistles by Sarver

BIBLE COMMENTARIES

The Pastoral Epistles, Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament by Larry J. Perkins

Entrusted with the Gospel: Paul’s Theology in the Pastoral Epistles by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Terry L. Wilder

The Elder and Overseer: One Office in the Early Church by Benjamin L. Merkle

A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles by I. Howard Marshall

PARENTING AND FAMILY

Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn

Siblings without Rivalry by Adele Faber

13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do by Amy Morin

How to Talk So Kids Can Learn by Adele Faber

How to be the Parent You Always Wanted by Adele Faber

Make Your Kid a Money Genius by Beth Kobliner

Teach them to work by Mary Beeke

How Children Succeed by Paul Tough

How to Talk When Kids Won't Listen by Joanna Faber

How to Raise Successful People by Esther Wojcicki

Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner

PRODUCTIVITY/MISCELLANEOUS

Becoming a Neurosurgeon by John Colapinto

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen

YES! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah Goldstein

Someday is Today by Matt Dicks

Influence by Robert Cialdini*

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Generations by Jean Twenge

PERSONAL FINANCE

The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

Die With Zero by Bill Perkins

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Stand and Deliver: How to Become a Masterful Communication by Dale Carnegie Training

Make Yourself Unforgettable by Dale Carnegie Training

The New One Minute Manager

It Doesn't Have to be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie*

Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni

Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni*

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The Motive by Patrick Lencioni

4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter Drucker

The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker

Traction by Geno Wickman

GENERAL BUSINESS

Business Adventures by John Brooks

Become a Venture Capitalist by Gary Rivlin

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Entrepreneur Revolution by Daniel Priestly

Where Are the Customers' Yachts? by Fred Schwed

The Real-Life MBA by Jack Welch

More Than a Hobby by David Green

What it takes by Stephen Schwarzman 

INVESTING

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch

Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements by Mary Buffett

Poor Charlie's Almanack by Charles Munger

University of Berkshire Hathaway by Daniel Pecaut

Learn to Earn by Peter Lynch

Beating the Street by Peter Lynch

The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape

The Little Book on Common Sense Investing by John Bogle

Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits by Philip Fisher

Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham

RELATIONSHIPS

How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury

Boundaries by Henry Cloud*

Plays Well with Others by Eric Barker