Timothy: Paul’s Troubleshooter

KEY VERSE: “And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith.” —I Thessalonians 3:2

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:1-3; I Corinthians 4:14-17; I Thessalonians 3:1-8

TIMOTHY, which means ‘one who honors God,’ was the son of a Jewess, Eunice, and a Greek father. While very young, he was taught the Scriptures by his mother and probably also by his grandmother Lois. (Acts 16:1; II Tim. 1:5; 3:15) It is not known exactly when Timothy embraced the truth, but when Paul was in Lystra, which was apparently Timothy’s home, the disciple Timothy “was well reported of by brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium.”—Acts 16:2

It was probably at this time that certain prophecies were made concerning him, and Paul noted them as he addressed Timothy. “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” (I Tim. 1:18) It was after this that the older brethren, including the Apostle Paul, laid their hands upon Timothy, thereby setting him apart for a particular service in the church. (I Tim. 4:14; II Tim. 1:6) Paul was so impressed with this young man, who was probably in his early twenties, that he chose Timothy as a traveling companion, and to avoid giving the Jews an occasion for stumbling, Timothy was circumcised. Timothy shared in the activities involving the ministry in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

When Paul and Timothy were having considerable success with the Jews in Berea, the Jews from Thessalonica came and stirred up the people. The apostle was sent away by the brethren and eventually they brought him to Athens, but he left Timothy and Silas behind to minister to the brethren at Berea. (Acts 17:10-15) While alone in Athens he sent word that Timothy “our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the Gospel of Christ” (I Thess. 3:1-5) go to Thessalonica to encourage them to be faithful despite tribulation. Apparently Timothy rejoined Paul at Corinth and he was the bearer of good tidings about the faithfulness of the brethren at Thessalonica.—I Thess. 3:6

During Paul’s third missionary trip, Timothy again traveled with the apostle, and while at Ephesus, Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians wrote: “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause I have sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”—I Cor. 16:8; 4:15-17

After Paul’s release from prison, Timothy again shared with the apostle in the ministry while in Ephesus. We read in I Timothy 1:2-4, “Unto Timothy my own son in the faith, … as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.” At this time Timothy may have been in his thirties and had authority in the appointment of overseers and other servants in the church. (I Tim. 5:21,22) He was apparently fully capable of handling those responsibilities.

Because of Timothy, Paul could say, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the Gospel.” (Phil. 2:19-22) And to Timothy he wrote: “To Timothy, my dearly beloved son, grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.”—II Tim. 1:2-4

When Paul was imprisoned the second time and felt that death was near, he summoned Timothy to his side. (II Tim. 4:9,21) If Timothy ever reached the apostle, he may have been imprisoned himself, for we read in Hebrews 13:23 of his being set at liberty. Of his subsequent history nothing certain is known.

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