(Chapter 1)
Chapter 1 is introductory. This can be seen by Paul’s words in chapter 2:1—“I exhort, therefore, that first of all ... ” This shows that the exhortations concerning the order of the house of God begin at that point; all that precedes it, therefore, is introductory. The first chapter is Paul's apostolic charge to Timothy.
The Salutation
Vss. 1-2—Paul writes to Timothy as an "apostle." He mentions his apostleship because he was about to enjoin Timothy with an apostolic charge. He refers to himself as an apostle of “Christ Jesus” (W. Kelly Trans.). In each of his epistles (except Titus), when mentioning his apostleship, Paul speaks of having received it from “Christ Jesus.” (The KJV does not make this distinction, but the more critical translations and interlinears do.) When the Lord’s title (“Christ”) is put before His Manhood name (“Jesus”), it denotes Christ as having completed redemption and gone back into heaven as a glorified Man. Thus, He has taken His Manhood into glory. It was from Christ on high, as a glorified Man, that Paul received his apostleship (1 Cor. 9:1-2). Peter, on the other hand, calls himself an apostle of “Jesus Christ.” When the Lord’s Manhood name of “Jesus” is put before His title as “Christ,” it denotes the One who came from heaven to accomplish the will of God by dying on the cross. It is significant that Peter would call himself such because it was here on earth where Peter received his apostleship (Luke 6:13-16).
Paul’s apostleship was by the commandment of “God our Saviour.” Paul mentions this because it is the particular character of God in grace towards all men that he will emphasize throughout the epistle. “Christ Jesus” is presented as “our hope.” It is not exactly the event of His coming that is our hope here, but He Himself who is the center of the purpose and counsel of God. Hence, the gospel is not merely something that extricates us from the just penalty of our sins; it is also that which brings us into line with the whole system of glory where Christ is the Object and our Hope.
Timothy is spoken of as Paul’s “own son in the faith,” which means that he evidently was saved through Paul’s labours, though it is not mentioned in the account given in the book of the Acts. Three things are mentioned in the greeting as being from “God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord”—“grace, mercy, and peace.” These three things were the supply that Timothy could draw upon in carrying out his special charge from the Apostle. There would be “grace” to meet every situation, “mercy” with regard to failure in the path, and “peace” for the various trying situations he would encounter.
It has often been noted that when the Apostle addresses assemblies, he mentions grace and peace, but not mercy. As mentioned, thereis mercy available for failing individuals who are repentant. Whereas the Church stands as a responsible corporate witness in this world, and if it fails, as the Christian testimony has done, there is no mercy granted in the sense of it being restored—only judgment. Hence, there will be no restoration of the public testimony of Christianity. It will end its course in this world by being rejected by the Lord and spewed out of His mouth (Rom. 11:13-27; Rev. 3:15).
The Charge and Its End
Vss. 3-5—Paul goes straight to the issue that gave rise to the writing of the epistle. There were “some” at Ephesus who were teaching extraneous and profitless things that would not build up the saints in the most holy faith (Jude 20), and it needed to be put to a stop. Paul had warned the elders at Ephesus at an earlier time of the defection that was coming in that region (Acts 20:29-31). It had now begun, and was gathering momentum with certain teachers among them. By the time of the writing of his second epistle to Timothy, Paul had to report that “all” in Asia (of which Ephesus was the capital) had “turned away” from him and his teaching (2 Tim. 1:15).
In view of the impending apostasy, Paul told Timothy to “enjoin” those who taught in the assembly to “teach no other doctrines” but that which was to “godly edifying.” Paul traced the strange doctrines that were coming in to two different sources:
He labels the first as being “fables.” These were vain imaginations that were being brought in by converted Gentiles from their former heathen beliefs. They were especially of Greek origin.
He calls the second, “interminable genealogies.” These were meaningless details of a historical bearing that were being brought in by converted Jews. (“Interminable” is something that is long, tedious, and tiring; it is a better word than the KJV’s “endless,” because genealogies do have an end, back to Adam.)
Timothy was not to “give heed” to these things because they would not help him or the saints at Ephesus spiritually; such things only “minister questions” rather than “godly edifying.” "Fables" are false ideas borne out of the human imagination running wild in spiritual things. Such are the product of an undisciplined mind at work in the things of God. "Interminable genealogies," in essence, are just meaningless historical facts and trivia that only tire the saints, rather than feed them with spiritual food.
We mustn’t think that these things were problems that troubled the early Church, but would have no relevance in our day. These two things are still a danger in Christian ministry. Have we not heard some, whose minds have not been subject to sound principles of Biblical exegesis, bring forth fanciful interpretations of Scripture that are mere imaginations? And, have we not been pained to listen to that which passes as ministry, but is merely natural, earthly, and historical in content, rather than that which is spiritual? These things may catch the fancy of some, but they do not lay a foundation of truth in souls whereby they are established in the faith (Rom. 16:25; Col. 2:7).
It is quite possible to occupy time in ministry with things that do not build up the saints in the truth. Timothy was to rebuke this kind of profitless ministry and “enjoin” those who would minister in the assembly to “teach no other doctrines” than that which would “further God’s dispensation” (vs. 4 – J. N. Darby Trans.).
Furthering “God’s dispensation” has to do with setting forth the Christian revelation of truth in a way that the saints understand their calling in Christ and their respective responsibilities in the house of God, both individually and collectively. The special revelation of truth in Christianity that has been delivered to the saints in connection with the present calling of the Church is heavenly in character rather than earthly (Jude 3). It is a new thing distinct from the legal system in the Mosaic economy, and it should be the focus of the ministry in God’s house in Christianity. Furthering the present dispensation is not accomplished by teaching doctrinal truth concerning the Church merely, but also includes that which regulates practical matters pertaining to the moral order of life in God’s house. (Teaching things that pertain to the place of men and women in the house of God, as Paul does in chapter 2, is an example of furthering God’s dispensation in this practical sense.) While the object of Christian ministry is to present Christ in His glory and beauty, the purpose of Christian ministry is to “further God’s dispensation” in the souls of believers.
Vs. 5—The “end” (the goal) in view of the Apostle’s “commandment” (charge) to Timothy was that a right spiritual state would be found in the saints so that they would walk according to the due order of God’s house, and thus, a proper testimony would be rendered by them to the world of God’s true character.
This right spiritual state that Paul desired in the saints, is summed up in three things—“love out of a pure heart,” “a good conscience,” and “faith unfeigned.” A person in this desirable state of soul will have:
Love out of a pure heart—which is a heart of love toward all with right motives. Impure and ulterior motives only hinder true Christian love.
A good conscience—is not obtained by making sure that we never fail in our Christian walk; no one would have a good conscience if that were the case, for "we all often offend" (James 3:2). Rather, it is to have an honest heart that judges self regularly.
Unfeigned faith—is unwavering confidence in the goodness of God.
We see from this that the aim of the charge was not merely to produce orthodoxy of doctrine among the saints, but to also produce moral suitability to God’s character in the saints. Paul’s point is clear; teaching sound doctrine that furthers God’s dispensation produces practical results in the saints. This supports the old adage that "our doctrine forms our walk." Good doctrine leads to a good walk; false and profitless teaching will not accomplish this. In fact, such erroneous teaching leads to ungodliness (2 Tim. 2:16). For this very reason, "sound doctrine" is insisted on 7 times in this epistle (chap. 1:10; 4:1, 6, 13, 16; 5:17; 6:1).
Hence, in summary, the charge to Timothy was to “further God’s dispensation” by teaching the doctrines of grace, to the “end” that the saints would be found in a suited state to be led in a line of conduct that was befitting to the order of God’s house.