David Pawson - TIMOTHY

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THOUGHTFUL THOUGHTS  6.3.26 BY JOHN DUNNING…

TIMOTHY Part 1

PROLOGUE

Billy Graham had a friend who was an evangelist, who gave up because he had to learn something called “higher criticism” of the Bible at theological college. Theological seminaries have been nick-named, theological "cemeteries" because they can undermine a student’s faith, and even make them lose it. 

We are told to worship God with our mind as well as our heart, so bear with me. This study may seem boring to some as it requires more thought, but this study is to help serious Bible students. 

One way to undermine the value of a message is to undermine the messenger. So, because some theologians did not like the message, they cast doubt on the authorship, and therefore on the authority of the message. 

Some ‘theologians’, taught students that the letters to Timothy and Titus were not by St Paul and therefore they lack the authority to be in the Bible. 

One way to cast doubt on the authority of the message is to cast doubts on who the author was by casting doubts on the date it was written… 

When I was at theological college, we had to learn what German theologians said, which was given the name of “higher criticism”, which was because German theologians had torn the Gospels apart. What this did was to undermine the faith of going into the ministry.

There is a saying that “lies can be halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on”. In this case “theologians” damaged the faith of many Bible students before academic evangelicals saw the danger of what they were doing, and “countered” it with academic explanations, called “lower criticism”.

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INTRODUCTION

There has been a difference of opinion by some in the dating of Timothy and Titus, but in this case, there are certain “queues” and “clues”. I am going to show those interested in serious Bible study, how you can trust the books selected in the protestant Bible as being authentic, using Timothy as an example.

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1a). PAUL’s 1st IMPRISONMENT IN ROME…

If we first fit together the pieces of the jigsaw of Paul’s life as an Apostle, the timeline becomes clear. Paul did not just have one trial in Rome, he had TWO trials in Rome. When this is taken into account, the timeline becomes clearer, as it puts the pieces of the jigsaw together. So we will “start at the very beginning”, as the song goes!

Initially, Paul was held at Caesarea facing a trial before Festus. Now, in order to escape from some Jewish leaders who lied to the Roman governor about Paul, in order to have him killed, Paul appealed to Caesar, (in Acts 25) so he would be taken to Rome, as he was a Roman citizen. So, Paul was taken under guard to Rome, even though all Jews had been expelled from Rome by the emperor Claudius. 

Prior to Paul’s first trial in Rome, he had the privilege of being given “home detention” and not held in prison. This was not just because he was a Roman citizen, but because the Roman centurion who took Paul to Rome on the ship, spoke up for him before the authorities, on arrival in Rome. The centurion explained the helpful way he had conducted himself on the journey to Rome, by saving the ship’s company, when they were shipwrecked. We know all about that from the book of “Acts”.

Dr. Luke prepared for Paul’s trial, by writing both the gospel of Luke and what call “Acts”, which were the defence papers for the Roman legal official who needed to know about Paul, so he could prepare a case to defend Paul. The reason why we know this is because Luke and Acts are addressed to “Most Excellent Theophilus”. “Most Excellent” was a legal title back then, for what we might call a Barrister today. So Dr. Luke’s material enabled Paul’s Barrister to defend Paul at his trial in Rome. 

At the first trial it was still legal to be a Christian. Nero only outlawed Christians later. Paul said in the letter to the Philippians that he expected to be released. It is thought that Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy during this time, (about 62 AD-ish). Paul wrote to Timothy because he had been assigned to the church in Ephesus by Paul, to sort out leadership problems in the church. Paul enabled Timothy remotely to do that job, by mail.

Because “Most Excellent” Theophilus won the case for Paul this first time, Paul was released (around 62 AD). That is why the book of Acts simply stops in chapter 28, as Paul’s trial was over and Paul went on his way rejoicing! The diary that Dr. Luke kept of Paul’s work suddenly stops, but Paul kept on writing letters.

1b). Paul’s 4th missionary journey.

At this point, Paul went on another missionary journey, which was almost certainly to Spain, judging from the plans Paul said he had as he had already written about it. 

During this 4th missionary journey, remember, Titus was in Crete and Timothy was still in Ephesus. Paul continued to help them both with their assignments, by writing to them. Dr. Luke went on with Paul, and was not just his physician, but would have helped him write. Paul’s hands were no longer fit for purpose as he actually explained that the letters finished with very big letters, as it was all he could do to sign off to prove it was from him.

It was on this 4th missionary journey that Paul went to Crete. This becomes important because theologians of “higher criticism” said that another reason the letters could not have been by Paul was because he didn’t go to Crete. Well, he did, and then he went from there back to Ephesus.

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2). PAUL’s 2nd IMPRISONMENT IN ROME…

In July 64 AD, the mad emperor Nero set fire to Rome, destroying three quarters of the city, just so he could rebuild it to his own glory and design. Then he blamed the Christians for the fire with “fake news”, and ordered the arrest of any and all Christians, who were killed mercilessly.

A man called “Alexander” saw his chance and turned Paul in, as Paul said to Timothy that he had betrayed him, (2 Timothy 4:14). As Paul was arrested, he was suddenly all alone. Paul wrote to Timothy asking him to come and visit him as he was all alone, and to bring along with him his parchments and overcoat. 

As Timothy was in Ephesus, that means Paul had been there too when he was arrested, as he had left his personal things behind, and asked Timothy to bring them to him. He had not had the time to grab his things. Timothy knew he had been arrested and was back where he started, in Rome. 

Alexander had already crossed swords with Paul before, (see 1 Timothy 1:20). This betrayal resulted in a totally fresh arrest for Paul, for being a disciple of Jesus, as it was now illegal to be a follower of Jesus, which resulted in Paul being sent back to Rome. This time Paul was put in prison, and not just house arrest, while awaiting trial before Nero and his verdict. As Nero had already outlawed Christians, Paul knew that this time he would die. 

Previously under “home detention” Paul’s friends could provide for his needs. Added to which he could make tents for sale. Because of this second arrest, Paul said he knew that this time he would be going to the Lord. (The first time he said he knew he would be released.) So, years after the first trial, Paul faced this second trial which resulted in him being beheaded. (Execution by beheading was a privilege reserved for Roman citizens only, as it was a quick death, compared to the slow tortuous death by crucifixion.)

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3). THE PUNCH LINE…

However, there is an important follow up to this which is not in the book of Acts, but which is in Paul’s second letter to 2nd Timothy. Paul asked Timothy to bring Mark with him from Ephesus, as he was now all alone and Mark had proven his usefulness.

i).  Mark had been the right-hand man of Peter…

ii). What we call the Gospel of Mark used to be called by many theologians, the Gospel of Peter, as Mark acted as Peter’s secretary, writing down the Gospel at Peter’s dictation. 

iii). So as Timothy is asked to bring Mark, that means Mark was still in Ephesus, 

iv). If Mark was in Ephesus, that means Peter had been there too, before his crucifixion. Rome had been out of bounds for Jews under Claudius, and out of bounds for followers of Jesus under Nero, who became the next emperor after Claudius. As Nero made Christianity illegal, that means for a great many years, the Apostles could not get into Rome as they were both Jewish and also disciples of Jesus. As a Roman citizen, only Paul got into Rome because he was under arrest as a citizen. That means that as a Jew and as a disciple of Jesus, Peter would never have been allowed in, and if he snuck in, he would have been crucified for disobeying the emperor, before he could have had half a chance to be pastor.

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EPILOGUE

Billy Graham saw an evangelist friend of his lose his faith at his theological college while he was studying theology. Billy went on a long walk and put his Bible on a fence post, and promised God that he would believe the Bible was God’s inspired Word. We all know the evangelistic fruit that came from Billy Graham’s faith. 

Bible students should do what Billy Graham did, and avoid becoming like Billy Graham’s friend who lost his faith due to believing the fake news of establishment theologians.

Next time we look at the content of “Timothy”.

Do share this study with your friends…

This is John Dunning signing off from “Thoughtful Thoughts” for another week.

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