Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus …
Summary: Sometimes it is helpful to “connect the dots” when we read Scripture, as long as we remember that the lines connecting the dots are just guesses and not facts.
What is going on?
When did Paul leave Timothy in Ephesus while he went on to Macedonia? This timing is not a critically important point to understand, but it does provide some context for Paul’s letter.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:3a – Connecting Dots”
… from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Summary: Warning: This meditation delves into dangerous waters.
Have you ever wondered why Paul didn’t write, “Grace, mercy and peace from God,” and leave it at that?
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:2e – The Curious Cat”
… peace …
Summary: Peace is something everyone seems to want, but very few people have. God’s peace is something everyone can have if only we will accept it.
The third gift from God that Paul offers in his salutation to Timothy is peace. Like the other two gifts, the peace that Paul is talking about is from God.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:2d – The Daily Gift”
Grace, mercy and peace …
Summary: Finding the word “mercy” in Paul’s salutation to Timothy sets this letter apart from those written to the churches.
Our word for the day in our last meditation was “grace.” In this meditation, we will focus on the second word in Paul’s triad of blessings, “mercy.”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:2c – God’s Mercy “
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Summary: Paul is only on verse two, and already he is using words that we need to think about before we move on.
As mentioned earlier,* it is always helpful to define terms, especially when we are discussing something important like legal matters or things such as our relationship with the Creator of All Things.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:2b – The Itch”
To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Summary: Luke’s historical account in the Book of Acts provides important clues that help us understand what Paul means by calling Timothy his “true son in the faith.”
To say that Paul and Timothy had a special relationship is an understatement. In today’s passage, Paul calls Timothy, “my true son in the faith…”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:2a – Two for One”
…and of Christ Jesus our hope,
Summary: Paul’s words are carefully chosen, and as we look at them, we are able to catch a glimpse of how Paul sees his Lord and Savior.
Let’s begin our meditation with a review of Paul’s entire opening words so far:
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope …”
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:1d – Our Hope”
…by the command of God our Savior …
Summary: Being an apostle is not all it’s cracked up to be. The work is hard, and the pay is lousy — at least from a worldly perspective.
Why would anyone become an apostle of Jesus Christ?
Does being an apostle give you status? Are people impressed by you being an apostle?
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:1c – God’s Command”
…an apostle of Christ Jesus …
Summary: As we begin our study of Paul’s letter to Timothy, we are immediately confronted by a word that people argue over, even today. Clarifying what we mean by the word we choose helps resolve conflict and restore unity.
It is always helpful, when embarking on a discussion of any serious nature, to define terms.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:1b – Apostle”
Paul …
Summary: As we begin to explore Paul’s first letter to Timothy, it is interesting to note the relationship between Paul and Timothy. Paul’s adoption of Timothy as a son colors everything we will read here.
Paul begins his letter to Timothy in the formal style of his day. If you squint your eyes when you look at his letter, it really isn’t much different from our letters today.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 1:1a – Father Paul”