FROM the writers of the New Testament, eight in number, we now turn to the addressees, or receivers of whom there are three men whose names have been taken as titles of epistles. John did write to two individuals also, but his epistles bear the name of the writer, and not of the addressee as do Paul’s.
Timothy, or Timotheus, the receiver of two epistles from Paul — the first written perhaps from Macedonia, about A.D. 65, the second, from his Roman prison—was the son of a Greek father (whose name is not given) and a Jewess called Eunice. Evidently the father died while Timothy was young, and Eunice and her mother, Lois, brought up the boy Timothy to know the Scriptures. Prophecy had already pointed him out as the receiver of a gift from on high (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6); and the elders and Paul confirmed this (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6).
Derbe and Lystra were (Acts 16) cities of Lycaonia, a province of Asia Minor. It was probably at the first-named that Paul found Timothy for the Revised Version reads (Acts 20:4) “Gaius of Derbe and Timothy"; or it may be read “Timothy of Derbe.” The brethren of the whole neighborhood knew him, and commended him to Paul as a companion in his travels, but, bore starting, Paul circumcised him according to the law of Moses, the reason given being “because of the Jews.” Perhaps he was acting on the principle of 1 Cor. 9:20, as he did on several occasions.
From Acts 16 to 20 Timothy frequently appears. He was with Paul at Berea, Athens (1 Thess. 3), and Corinth, and accompanied him to Asia. It is easy to see how Paul loved and valued him: “My work-fellow,” “my beloved son and faithful in the Lord,” “our brother and minister of God, and our fellow-laborer,” he calls him, besides all that he says to him in his leers. From them we learn that he was Paul’s son in the faith; that, in spite of his youth, he was left in charge of the church at Ephesus, that he was weak in health, and usually only a waterdrinker (would that all young Christians were as careful about strong drink as he was!), and that he was probably of a shy and retiring disposition. When so many had turned away from the aged Paul—all in Asia, Demas, Alexander, etc. — how glad Timothy must have been that God had enabled him to continue in the things he had learned, and that he could thus be a comfort to one to whom he owed so much!
In the first epistle Paul hoped to go to him “shortly” (3:14), but in the second he was in prison at Rome, and begs Timothy to come “shortly” to him, and to bring Mark and his cloak and books and parchments before winter. Timothy himself is said to have been martyred at Ephesus, in the reign of Domitian.
There is much that might be dwelt on in the lowly life, and certain personal details in the second epistle not to be found anywhere else, besides the interesting journeys of Timothy and Paul—all this must be left to our young readers to search into. But let us each ask ourselves, Am I seeking to walk in the steps of this young man? Could any servant of Christ find me of use to him in his service to the Lord? Young Christians ought to remember Paul’s words, “give attendance to reading;” See 1 Tim. 4:12-16.
ML-04/24/1960