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I Timothy

Author

Some scholars believe Paul did not write I Timothy and some scholars believe Paul did write the letter.
I will present the information about I Timothy from the viewpoint that Paul did write the letter (and I think he did).

Place & Time of Writing

Place: Unknown place.
Time: After he was released from house arrest from Rome, so around 63.

Note: the New Testament does not state that Paul was released from house arrest. Several early church leaders (not Apostles) do state that Paul left Rome after being under house arrest for two years, with some indicating that he traveled as far as Spain. Nevertheless, the place of writing of this letter is unknown.

Unique Characteristic

One of the Pastoral Epistles. The next two letters are also Pastoral Epistles.
These are letters written from a more experienced pastor to a less experienced pastor.

Audience

Paul was writing Timothy.
Paul was grooming Timothy to be a Christian leader.
Before Paul wrote this letter, he had already sent Timothy to Ephesus to be a pastor for the first time. Therefore Paul writes this letter to a young new pastor.

Theme

This letter is a church leadership manual.

More details about I Timothy

Why did Paul write I Timothy?

Timothy traveled much with Paul, and Paul thought of Timothy almost as the son that he never had. He also discipled or mentored Timothy. Later he sent Timothy to Ephesus to be a pastor for the first time. While Timothy was there, Paul decided to write him a letter in order to encourage him and to give him basic instructions on being a pastor. Therefore, this letter has advice for handling different situations as a pastor of a church.

Instructions for choosing leaders

Paul describes two offices frequently found in churches: elders (some churches use the term "presbyters" or "bishops") and deacons.
Nevertheless, churches today use one of four different leadership styles. (Some churches will use a combination of one or more.) Go here to learn about these four.

Outline

1:1-2: Greeting
1:3-11: Warns Timothy against false teachers
1:12-20: Paul describes his earlier life and comments on Timothy’s establishment as a pastor
2: Instructions on worship
3: Instructions on choosing elders and deacons, and a description of the responsibilities of both
4: General instructions on how to be a leader
5-6:2: Advice about widows, older men, slaves, etc.
6:3-10: Beware of the love of money
6:11-21: Paul’s charge or commissioning of Timothy

Quiz with hover answers (Hover doesn't work for some smart phones and pads, so questions and answers here)

1. I Timothy is one of the Prison Epistles.

2. Paul trained Timothy to be a church leader

3. This letter is a church leadership manual.

4. The big picture: Which church leadership structure is the right one?

Timeline up to the book of I Timothy

Dates are approximate.

Year	Event
63 B.C.	Romans conquer Israel.
27 B.C.	Pax Romana began and lasted until A.D. 180.
4 B.C.	Jesus born.
	All dates after this are A.D.
27	Jesus baptized.
30	Jesus was crucified, buried, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven. Apostles travel to Jerusalem and choose Matthias to replace Judas as an Apostle. Day of Pentecost: Peter assumes leadership of Christianity.
30-50	Peter was leader of Christianity.
33	Jesus appeared to Paul and Paul became a Christian.
48-50	Paul's First Missionary Trip.
50	Council of Jerusalem; Paul became main Christian leader.
50-55	Paul's Second Missionary Trip.
51-53	Galatians, I & II Thessalonians, and I & II Corinthians written.
55-60	Paul's Third Missionary Trip.
55	Romans written.
60-62	Paul arrested in Jerusalem and taken to Rome. Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians written while Paul was under house arrest in Rome.
62-63	(Not in Acts) Paul probably released from prison during this time.
63-65	(Not in Acts) Paul probably traveled. He may have gone to Spain.
63	I Timothy written.
64	Fire in Rome and Christians persecuted by Emperor Nero.
65	(Not in Acts)Paul back in Rome; he and Peter arrested and martyred: Peter crucified upside down and Paul beheaded.
67	Gospel of Mark written.
70	Temple in Jerusalem destroyed by Romans (it has not been rebuilt).
80	Gospels of Matthew and Luke written.
90	Gospel of John and book of Acts written.
95	Christians persecuted by Emperor Domitian; Apostle John exiled on island of Patmos where he wrote Revelation.
96	Emperor Domitian died; Apostle John probably moved to Ephesus.
100	Apostle John died; he was the last Apostle to die.
390's	New Testament canon "closed" at Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397).
1200's	Chapters added to the New Testament.
1500's	Verses added to the New Testament.

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