2 Timothy 1:1-7

It may seem strange that I would be starting in 2 Timothy. This being my first actual post, one might think that I would start with the Gospel of Matthew or Genesis or something like that. Perhaps even 1 Timothy would seem to make more sense. The main reason for starting in 2 Timothy is that, in my own reading plan that I'm following, this just happened to be the next book I was starting and so it just worked out this way.

With that, let's go ahead and jump in to 2 Timothy:

This letter to Timothy was the last letter Paul wrote. They were, essentially, his final words to his disciple and friend, Timothy. As such, there is a certain gravity to what Paul says. It is tender and encouraging and from this point, I'll just let Paul speak for himself.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, 

To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
- 1 Timothy 1:1-7

Here, Paul is asserting himself as an apostle. So, what is an apostle? The word "apostle" means something on the order of "sent out one" or emissary. He mentions that this is "by the will of God" because it was Christ who appeared to him on the road to Damascus that led to Paul becoming a Christian. This was a direct intervention of God, Himself.

He greets Timothy as "my beloved son," presumably because it was Paul who was involved in Timothy's acceptance of Christ as we see in a couple of verses when he references his own "laying on of my hands." In this way, Paul takes on a fatherly role for Timothy. This is also interesting to me as Paul mentions Timothy's mother and grandmother, but does not mention his biological father. We could speculate as to why this might be, but the passage does not seem to indicate why this is, so all we can do is speculate. Maybe his father had died? Maybe he refused to follow Jesus? Who knows?

So, Paul thanks God for Timothy and mentions that he serves God with a clear conscience "the way my forefathers did." We recall from other writings of Paul that he was from the tribe of Benjamin. This could be a reference to this fact since Benjamin was the only tribe that remained faithful, along with Judah, to the original nation of Israel under the line of King David. The northern kingdom had split off after Solomon died but they put a king on the throne who was not from the line of David. We also can note that the northern kingdom fell into apostasy earlier, faster and more thoroughly than the nation of Judah.

Paul then mentions how he prays for Timothy all the time and recalls for him that the seeds of his faith were from his grandmother, passed down to his mother and then finally to him. Paul does not merely assume, however, that this is enough. He wants Timothy to "kindle afresh" his own faith, to take ownership of it and live it out fervently.

At that time, Christians were heavily persecuted by both Romans and Jews. They really did not have any allies apart from each other. But, Paul reminds Timothy that, with the Holy Spirit living in him, there is no need to be fearful or timid. The Spirit gives us the strength to endure persecution, to be loving and to live out our faith in a disciplined manner. We are not to cower or give in. We are to stand strong, proclaim Christ, love our neighbors (including our enemies) and stay focused on who Jesus is and what He has done so that we can become like Him.

All in all, it's a great way to start a letter and encourage his protege in the faith. Paul had given Timothy quite a bit of responsibility, and at a fairly young age. And Paul wanted to Timothy to understand how to continue forward after Paul was gone.

Next time, we'll pick up right where we left off and go from there. Until then...

Grace, love and peace.