1 Timothy 1 explained: Love Over Endless Arguments

Greeting to Timothy (vv. 1-2)

Paul writes to Timothy and calls him his true son, most likely because Paul brought him to faith and they worked closely together. He adds "mercy" to his usual wish of grace and peace, which he does not do in his letters to churches; he never says why, though some readers see it as a more personal touch.

Stop the pointless debates (vv. 3-7)

Paul left Timothy in Ephesus, a major city in what is now western Turkey, to stop certain people teaching ideas built on myths and long family lists. Scholars are unsure exactly what these were, but Paul's point is clear: all this speculation breeds arguments, while the real aim is love that flows from a clean heart, a clear conscience and honest faith.

What the law is for (vv. 8-11)

Paul says the law given through Moses is good, but its job is to restrain real wrongdoing, not to feed clever theories. His list of wrongs loosely follows the order of the Ten Commandments, and a few of its rare Greek words, including the one in verse 10 often translated as referring to same-sex acts, are debated as to their exact meaning.

Paul's own story (vv. 12-17)

Paul once insulted Jesus and violently hunted down his followers, yet he says Jesus showed him mercy and gave him work to do. He calls himself the worst of sinners to make the point that if he could be forgiven, no one is out of reach, and he breaks into praise of God.

Hold on and fight well (vv. 18-20)

Paul reminds Timothy of words spoken over him earlier, probably when he was set apart for his work, and urges him to keep his faith and conscience intact, since some have wrecked theirs like a ship on rocks. Paul says he gave Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan, which most likely means putting them out of the church community, and he says the aim was to correct them.

Key verse: 1 Timothy 1:15

Something to think about

Paul treats the worst part of his past as the part of his story most worth telling; can someone's lowest point become what helps others most, or are some things better left behind?