Today we turn to the Apostle Paul’s first letter to his “son in the faith,” Timothy. Paul had taken Timothy with him on one of his missionary journeys, after meeting him through his mother and grandmother, who were believers. Paul’s influence on Timothy was incredible, but as we’ll see through reading these two letters of Paul to Timothy, Paul held Timothy in the highest regard. These letters read as something of a last will and testament of Paul, offering his “bequest” to Timothy. Timothy would carry on the work after Paul was gone. Throughout the church’s history, this passing of the baton from one generation of leaders to the next demonstrates Jesus’ plan for the church not only to continue but to grow and extend to the ends of the earth.
In 1 Timothy 1, Paul greets Timothy and warns him against the false teachers who have already become prominent in the church. He also tells Timothy of how the Lord has used him even though he was once a persecutor of the church. Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in the faith and not disregard it as some have done. He closes the chapter with the example of a couple of deserters who gave up the faith.
In 1 Timothy 2, we find Paul offering Timothy some guidelines for worship. He tells Timothy to be sure to pray and make intercession for others. He tells him to speak the word faithfully, even as he was appointed as a “herald” of the gospel. The remainder of the chapter is devoted to how women are to dress and respond in worship. Many have used this chapter to exclude women from any type of leadership in church, and it can be read that way. However, just as 1 Corinthians 14 is often mistranslated and used to exclude women from leading in worship, this passage can be translated as women being admonished not to usurp authority from a man. Even this is offensive to some men and women, who see us as being totally equal. While we are equal in our value to God, and as Americans in our ability to vote, the Bible starts in Genesis by pointing out the woman was created as a “helper” or a “completer” for man. This is not a position of subservience, but it is a position that is different than the man. The man is the “head” and the woman is the “helper.” Women are not to usurp authority, which is not to say they cannot hold authority. In my many years of experience as a leader in the church, I have seen women and men with gifts and skills for leadership who have led effectively. Not all men ought to lead, nor all women. The leadership ought to be based on their gifts and skills, and on their calling to lead. All of it must be done with appropriate lines of authority. To prohibit women from leadership based on these few verses, is as wrong as it would be to place all men in positions of leadership based on them. We are all followers of Jesus Christ, and the role we play in His body, the Church is based on His calling and gifting of each one.
In 1 Timothy 3, Paul offers the description of an overseer, or pastor, or elder. The words were used interchangeably in the New Testament Church. Again, because one of the qualifications is to be a “husband of one wife,” some have excluded women from leadership. That would also exclude Paul, because he was a single man. The admonition to be a husband of one wife, was to prohibit anyone from leading who had more than one wife, which wasn’t uncommon in that culture. As we read through the list of qualifications, we see leaders in the church are to be of strong character and integrity. This would be expected, because Jesus’ church is vital to the advancement of the gospel in the world, and the advancement of God’s Kingdom as well.
As we return to Luke 6, Jesus declares Himself Lord of the Sabbath, and heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders took offense to this and started plotting to rid themselves of Jesus. While we might not think Jesus’ declarations are a big deal, they spoke directly against the religious leaders’ rituals and traditions and contradicted their authority.
The remainder of the chapter is devoted to what has been called “Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain.” Much of the content parallels the content of the Sermon on the Mount, but with some variations in wording. Biblical scholars have differed on whether Luke just didn’t get the material right (or Matthew), or whether this was a different message. It’s virtually certain the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain contained content Jesus taught over and over again, because it was the core of His teaching.