ACTS AND PAULINE

BOOK PRESENTATION: 1TIMOTHY

By: Tawanda Ndhlovu
Samaria Noodie
Justine Palata
Sheyavali Joseph
Clepha Ma Gloire Musema
Mukombo Paul

THE WRITING AND OCCASION

The apostle Paul sent to those who would continue his work. Timothy was, in every
way, Paul’s spiritual son. Young but gifted, Timothy had been assigned to lead the
church at Ephesus—a church needing order in worship as well as doctrinal correction,
plagued as it was by false teachers. Paul’s first letter to Timothy is likely written
around AD 62–66, or roughly the 60's when Paul was out of prison. Acts 28:30 shows
that he would have been released in 62 AD, his letter to the romans shows that he
wanted to go to Spain, he may have done this immediately after being released and
went to Macedonia. Since Paul was with Timothy and Titus, the letter was written by
the time believed that Paul left Titus in Crete to finish the task of organizing and
instructing the churches there. So Paul went ahead with Timothy to Ephesus and left
him there as he proceed to Macedonia and while in Macedonia he wrote to Timothy
(1 Timothy- 1 Ti 1:3).

PURPOSE
Having instructed Timothy before he left him in Ephesus, it is therefore believed that
there is a probability that Paul wrote to timothy to clarify and enforce earlier verbal
instructions he has given him.
Paul wrote to:
 Direct Timothy to give a strong personal opposition to the false doctrine that was
being developed in Ephesus, (1:3).
 To instruct Timothy to teach the church on how the members of the household of
God should conduct themselves, (3:15).
 To encourage Timothy to carry out his duties faithfully before the church and
stop the erring elders who became a dispute in the church.
 To encourage Timothy by providing counsel concerning his own spiritual
progress (1Ti 4:12-16)

For the scholar that believed in the Pseudonymity of this Pastoral letter, they
suggested that the letter was written for this purpose:
 To serve as a handbook or manual book for the church elders and to strengthen
the authority of ordained ministers.

THEME

The theme of first Timothy is debatable more especially among many scholars. Some
are arguing that the theme is about church order and fighting of false doctrines, but all
these will always lead to a godliness which we believed to be in the center of this
epistle. Therefore, the theme can be put in this way: SOUND DOCTRINE LEADS TO
A PRATICAL LIFE, DYNAMIC CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF BOTH THE
CONGREGATION AND ITS PREACHER

KEY VERSES: 1Timothy 3:14-15

"These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed,
I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God,
which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

Other verses see 1Timothy 1:5, 5:4-6, 6:3-5).

OUTLINE (FROM BLEU LETTER BIBLE)

 INTRODUCTION (1Ti 1:1-2)

 CHARGE CONCERNING SOUND DOCTRINE (1Ti 1:3-20)

 TEACHING SOUND DOCTRINE (1Ti 1:3-11)
 THANKSGIVING FOR THE LORD'S GRACE AND MERCY (1Ti
1:12-17)
 TIMOTHY'S RESPONSIBILITY (1Ti 1:18-20)
 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE CHURCH (1Ti 2:1-
3:13)
 THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER (1Ti 2:1-8)
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR WOMEN (1Ti 2:9-15)
 QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHURCH OFFICERS (1Ti 3:1-13)
 For bishops (1Ti 3:1-7)
 For deacons (1Ti 3:8-13)
 ADVICE TO TIMOTHY (1Ti 3:14-4:16)
 PAUL'S PURPOSE IN WRITING (1Ti 3:14-16)
 REMEMBER THE SPIRIT'S WARNING OF APOSTASY (1Ti 4:1-6)
 EXERCISE YOURSELF UNTO GODLINESS (1Ti 4:7-16)
 INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH (1Ti
5:1-6:19)
 MAINTAIN PROPER RELATIONSHIPS (1Ti 5:1-2)
 CONCERNING WIDOWS (1Ti 5:3-16)
 CONCERNING ELDERS (1Ti 5:17-25)
 CONCERNING SERVANTS (1Ti 6:1-2)
 CONCERNING TEACHERS MOTIVATED BY GREED (1Ti 6:3-10)
 CONCERNING THE MAN OF GOD HIMSELF (1Ti 6:11-16)
 CONCERNING THE RICH (1Ti 6:17-19)
 CONCLUDING CHARGE TO TIMOTHY (1Ti 6:20-21)