1Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 2the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.
Looking back at 1 Timothy 1:3-4, we see that Timothy is going to have to instruct some men not to teach "strange doctrines" and engage in conversations that aren't really helping anyone. From these passages 2 things stand out:
1. Timothy has authority as being appointed to his position by Paul and church elders.
2. Timothy is young (4:12).
Timothy being young and most likely single means he had 2 cultural strikes against him: In Asian cultures, like those found in Asia Minor, real adulthood begins when you're married. Not only that, but authority is always given to the oldest male.
Yet, he had God-given authority, and the older men in the church would have to submit to him if they wanted to be obedient.
I can't imagine having to correct an older man, even by "appeal"ing to him as a father. Have I ever even "corrected" my own father? I was raised in obedience to his position of authority as head of our household.
Timothy, as a very young and single man, is now the authority of the church in Ephesus. Tough job, I'm sure, which is why Paul continually encourages him.
I would find it even harder to talk to a woman about something she's doing wrong. Doing this tactfully is a tough task, and I'd probably send my wife (someone who understands her own gender better than I) to say "You know, what you're doing isn't really benefiting the body..." Timothy didn't have that option.
It's like Paul is saying "be tactful, be respectful, and don't be harsh." This would mean Timothy needed to have patience and firm reliance on the Spirit as well as a boldness to carry out the task he was given.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
1 Timothy 4:14-15
"14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all."
In v. 14 we learn Timothy has a "spiritual gift...which was bestowed."
I would guess the "prophetic utterance" would be one or more of the elders identifying what that spiritual gift was.
Where else do we see gifts being "imparted," by one believer to another?
In Romans 1:11, Paul longs to see the church in Rome so that "I may impart some spiritual gift to you." It seems that in that passage, "some" gift seems seems to be talking about mutual encouragement. Is encouragement a spiritual gift?
In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Paul says that he and others imparted "not only the Gospel, but our own lives" to the church.
The gift imparted to Timothy is something specific which is not to be "neglected." Could it be one of the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14? Paul urges the church at Corinth to "desire earnestly" spiritual gifts because they edify the body (14:1-12).
So, we see that Paul has a desire to impart gifts, that we should "earnestly desire" gifts and not "neglect" them because they're beneficial to everyone for mutual edification and encouragement.
How often do we, as a group of believers, seek to impart gifts to others? When was the last time you heard someone give a "prophetic utterance" for mutual encouragement, something Paul especially urges in 1 Cor. 14:2.
It appears that the prophetic utterances do 2 things in the NT:
1. They identify gifts given. Either at the impartation of that gift, or as a way of recognizing a spiritual gift that already exists.
2. They edify and encourage the whole church (1 Cor. 14:3-4).
I think there was only one time in my life where someone spoke a "prophetic utterance" to me in this way. It was a pastor who was praying for me in a group of other believers. Without knowing me very well or for very long, they identified a particular gift that I have and prayed that it would not be neglected, or used vainly, but rather to further the kingdom.
It really struck and encouraged me.
I should seek to allow the Holy Spirit to use me to impart gifts to others. We should all do that for each other.
Timothy was told to "take pains," with the things we've talked about: Public reading of scripture, teaching, exhortation, and to not neglect the particular spiritual gift mentioned. I should be "absorbed in" the things of God and in using the gifts He's given me to further the kingdom. I should be absorbed in obtaining gifts, but should probably first not neglect the ones I have and use them to edify others. That seems to gel with the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25:
"For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away."
In v. 14 we learn Timothy has a "spiritual gift...which was bestowed."
I would guess the "prophetic utterance" would be one or more of the elders identifying what that spiritual gift was.
Where else do we see gifts being "imparted," by one believer to another?
In Romans 1:11, Paul longs to see the church in Rome so that "I may impart some spiritual gift to you." It seems that in that passage, "some" gift seems seems to be talking about mutual encouragement. Is encouragement a spiritual gift?
In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Paul says that he and others imparted "not only the Gospel, but our own lives" to the church.
The gift imparted to Timothy is something specific which is not to be "neglected." Could it be one of the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14? Paul urges the church at Corinth to "desire earnestly" spiritual gifts because they edify the body (14:1-12).
So, we see that Paul has a desire to impart gifts, that we should "earnestly desire" gifts and not "neglect" them because they're beneficial to everyone for mutual edification and encouragement.
How often do we, as a group of believers, seek to impart gifts to others? When was the last time you heard someone give a "prophetic utterance" for mutual encouragement, something Paul especially urges in 1 Cor. 14:2.
It appears that the prophetic utterances do 2 things in the NT:
1. They identify gifts given. Either at the impartation of that gift, or as a way of recognizing a spiritual gift that already exists.
2. They edify and encourage the whole church (1 Cor. 14:3-4).
I think there was only one time in my life where someone spoke a "prophetic utterance" to me in this way. It was a pastor who was praying for me in a group of other believers. Without knowing me very well or for very long, they identified a particular gift that I have and prayed that it would not be neglected, or used vainly, but rather to further the kingdom.
It really struck and encouraged me.
I should seek to allow the Holy Spirit to use me to impart gifts to others. We should all do that for each other.
Timothy was told to "take pains," with the things we've talked about: Public reading of scripture, teaching, exhortation, and to not neglect the particular spiritual gift mentioned. I should be "absorbed in" the things of God and in using the gifts He's given me to further the kingdom. I should be absorbed in obtaining gifts, but should probably first not neglect the ones I have and use them to edify others. That seems to gel with the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25:
"For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away."
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
1 Timothy 4:13
v. 13 "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching."
Some people use this passage to support expository preaching. Paul, however, was referring to something even more specific: the Jewish practice in worship of reading the Scriptures aloud in public.
In watching one of the Ray Vanderlaan videos entitled "Footsteps of the Rabbi," I learned that one of the central parts of Jewish worship was bringing out the Scrolls to read aloud in the local synagogues. There was a special seat called the "bimah" where the person reading the Scriptures was to sit. Jesus would have occupied that seat on several occasions. Zodiahtes mentions that the Greek word for this Scripture reader was "aganostai," it was an actual position.
Jews would shout and sing and dance in excitement at the sight of the scrolls being brought out for a reading. They'd be excited about the Word of God, and I assume it was the same in early churches. We don't seem to get that excited these days.
Maybe it's because we can read the Word anytime we want to, whereas complete scrolls weren't widely available to the general public back then. It was truly possible for someone to come and hear a scripture that they hadn't heard before or had access to.
There's an implication in the verse, too. Timothy wasn't just to read aloud but to "exhort" and "teach" from the Scripture. I can see how the entire verse taken together could support expository preaching, or teaching from an entire passage read publicly.
I wonder how the believers in Ephesus danced when it was time to hear the Word read out loud.
"Until I come..." Clearly this was a specific command for Timothy, but I think most feel it's a role of an elder today to "devote yourself" (NIV) to reading, teaching, and exhorting from the Word.
Some people use this passage to support expository preaching. Paul, however, was referring to something even more specific: the Jewish practice in worship of reading the Scriptures aloud in public.
In watching one of the Ray Vanderlaan videos entitled "Footsteps of the Rabbi," I learned that one of the central parts of Jewish worship was bringing out the Scrolls to read aloud in the local synagogues. There was a special seat called the "bimah" where the person reading the Scriptures was to sit. Jesus would have occupied that seat on several occasions. Zodiahtes mentions that the Greek word for this Scripture reader was "aganostai," it was an actual position.
Jews would shout and sing and dance in excitement at the sight of the scrolls being brought out for a reading. They'd be excited about the Word of God, and I assume it was the same in early churches. We don't seem to get that excited these days.
Maybe it's because we can read the Word anytime we want to, whereas complete scrolls weren't widely available to the general public back then. It was truly possible for someone to come and hear a scripture that they hadn't heard before or had access to.
There's an implication in the verse, too. Timothy wasn't just to read aloud but to "exhort" and "teach" from the Scripture. I can see how the entire verse taken together could support expository preaching, or teaching from an entire passage read publicly.
I wonder how the believers in Ephesus danced when it was time to hear the Word read out loud.
"Until I come..." Clearly this was a specific command for Timothy, but I think most feel it's a role of an elder today to "devote yourself" (NIV) to reading, teaching, and exhorting from the Word.
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