Command and teach these things.
Summary: Understanding Paul’s words in this passage involves humble self-reflection and an honest assessment of what our role is in the Body of Christ.
This verse has to be one of the shortest and most direct sentences that Paul has ever written!
Wow!
“Command and teach these things.” Direct, concise, and easy to understand. The problem is that if we don’t understand the context of this sentence, it could be easy to misunderstand and misapply Paul’s words.
So, before we go off commanding and teaching “these things” to everyone we meet, let’s examine Paul’s words within the larger context of his whole letter and the rest of God’s Word.
First, let’s look at the context of God’s command structure.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18, John 3:35). Jesus, in turn, gave certain authority to those he designated as Apostles.
It is important to understand what kind of authority was given to the Apostles and what was not. Jesus gave his disciples authority over demons and the authority to cure diseases (Luke 9:1). Later, he gave them authority to “bind” and “loose” (Matthew 18:18).*
What is important to remember is that Jesus is not issuing authority in a worldly sense (John 14:27). This is not God’s permission to boss people around. The authority God gives is more like a responsibility to serve than anything else (John 13:12-17).
While God provides all believers with authority to become children of God, victory over the power of the enemy, and to do the work Jesus did,† he also structured authority so that the church was guided by the Holy Spirit through those designated as overseers.
Paul’s letter to Timothy is written specifically to someone who is an “overseer” of God’s people. In a sense, Timothy is actually an “overseer” of “overseers.” Part of his work for the Lord is identifying and training overseers (1 Timothy 3).
As we read Paul’s instruction to “command and teach these things,” it is important to be mindful of our place in the Body of Christ.
Application: Humility is a key requirement for serving God’s people.
Food for Thought: What “things” would you expect an overseer to “command” others to do?
*The terms “bind” and “loose” are likely Jewish rabbinical terms related to community discipline. Understandings of these terms vary within the church body.
†John 1:12, Luke 10:19, Mark 16:17, John 14:12–14, John 16:23–24, Matthew 28:18–20, 2 Corinthians 5:20, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:10–18, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 4:10–11, Romans 8:16–17, Revelation 1:5–6
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