(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. 9:1-21Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 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 6:13-1613And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; 14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelotes, 16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. (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. 11:13-2713For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Romans 11:13‑27); Rev. 3:1515I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (Revelation 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 2020But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (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 20:29-3129For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. (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. 1:1515This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2 Timothy 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. 16:2525Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, (Romans 16:25); Col. 2:77Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Colossians 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 33Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (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 3:22For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (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. 2:1616But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 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.