A Charge To Timothy
A CHARGE TO TIMOTHY
1 TIMOTHY 1:18–2:7
How important do you view prayer—and why should you pray for everyone, especially those in authority?
Paul’s testimony to God’s grace at work in him is not an idle tale. He wants Timothy to be inspired by what God has done in him, so that he too may go on to fulfill all God’s purposes in his own life. God has important work for Timothy to do and it is important that he should not fail to accomplish it. There is dispute about the meaning of “the prophetic utterances which pointed to you” (1:18), and some see a reference to Timothy’s ordination, calling attention to 4:14. But perhaps more relevant is Acts 13:1-3, which speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in initiating the travels of Barnabas and Paul which were to lead the apostles to Timothy. (See NIV, “the prophecies once made about you”.)
Either way, Paul is stressing the divine initiative in calling people to any work of ministry. Timothy should obey the charge not because on the purely human level he has started a work and ought to finish it (true though that might be), but because God has designated him for an act of service which he dare not fail to accomplish. Paul is able to point to a certain Hymenaeus and Alexander who have rejected the leading of their conscience and who accordingly have “made shipwreck of their faith” (1:19).
After this buildup, it is perhaps surprising that the very first duty Paul lays upon Timothy is that of prayer, especially prayer for rulers and all in positions of authority. But prayer is not the tepid, insipid thing that modern Christians have so often made it. It is an adventure with God. It is a powerful weapon for the waging of our warfare in the world. It is the believer’s one effective means of bringing about powerful results. And this is not to be confined to what we would call “spiritual” things. The issues of community life concern Christians as much as they concern any member of the community. But whereas our unbelieving friends usually do no more than complain about those set over us, as Christians we can, and must, pray for them. In our prayers we are partners with them and set forward right purposes.
Notes 1:20: The meaning of “delivered to Satan” (see also 1 Corinthians 5:5) is not clear, but it involves disciplinary action and probably supernatural punishment. 2:4: God’s will is for salvation, not that people be lost. 2:6: “ransom” points to the substitutionary nature of Christ’s offering of himself.
Meditation Three key doctrines of the Christian faith are found in 2:5-6—the unity of the Godhead, the mediatorship of Christ and the atoning sacrifice of the cross.