A note from our Pastor:

“Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 Timothy 1:2

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

In our study verse this week we continue with the Apostle’s opening salutation in his first epistle to Timothy. As stated before, the Apostle is in his later years at this point and this letter is written as both an encouragement and instruction to Timothy as he pastors and mentors the pastors of the church at Ephesus.

In this verse, the Apostle addresses Timothy as “my own son” which is a peculiar phrase and one which deserves some consideration. From all records, even those of scripture, Paul was never married and never had children. In 1 Corinthians Paul even says it is good for him and others to remain single. Thus, given this evidence it is clear Timothy was not Paul’s natural son.

Acknowledging the lack of a blood connection between the Apostle and Timothy, many explain this verse by saying Paul was responsible for Timothy’s conversion and thus he was his son spiritually. However, in Acts 16:1 it is clear Timothy was already a disciple of Jesus Christ before he met Paul. Paul was clearly not responsible for his conversion.

So what conclusions can we draw? The clearest one is, the Apostle was a father in the ministry to Timothy. Their father-son relationship was not just based in Christ, it was based in the difficult work of ministering to God’s people. This is important to remember when we consider the next phrase and the word the Apostle adds.

In many of the epistles written by the Apostle his opening salutation includes a prayer for grace and peace granted by Jesus Christ from God the Father. However, in writing to Timothy he inserts a word in the middle. For Timothy he prays for grace, mercy, and peace. Why the addition? Because Paul and Timothy shared a bond in the ministry. Paul knew the difficulties that come with being in the ministry. He knew the burden which was upon Timothy and the torment he would suffer. His prayer is that Jesus might grant him the mercy he would need to deal with the work he had set in front of him.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah