1 Timothy— A Charge to Keep
4.19.23
O Timothy, keep that which was committed to your trust. (1 Timothy 6:20a) Timothy was serving as Paul’s apostolic representative in the city of Ephesus. This was an important city, a crosscurrent for many different world cultures. It was the center of the worship of Diana.
Paul had established the church in Ephesus with the help of Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-4). He stayed longer in Ephesus (2 years) than he had in any other new church work. It was no small task for Timothy to assume Paul’s role. Paul had great confidence in young Timothy (Philippians 2:19-23).
Timothy had a godly heritage (2 Timothy 1:5). He was the son of a Gentile father and Jewish mother. Paul likely had been instrumental in his salvation (Acts 16:1-5). Timothy had traveled with Paul on his 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys.
From the various references in the NT, Timothy seems to have been a man of nervous temperament with some physical weakness. Yet he was a faithful man of God, highly trusted by the Apostle Paul and one of his closest companions.
As noted, the theme of the book is ‘A Charge to Keep.’ The charge concerns the keeping of the faith, the gospel and doctrines of Christ that had been entrusted to Paul and that were now being entrusted to Timothy. It is defined for us at the outset of the book (1:11)… according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Here is Paul’s flow of this thought: the glorious faith is committed to Paul (1 Timothy 1:11); he deposits this to Timothy (1:18); Paul exhorts Timothy to keep this charge (6:20); Paul is confident that God is able to keep this deposit that had been given to him (2 Timothy 1:12); Timothy is to pass this charge on to other men who then could also teach others (2:2). Anyone who has heard the gospel of Christ, and accepted His free gift by faith, is a beneficiary of the fact that faithful men have kept the charge down through the centuries.
The book springs, in part, out of a realization by Timothy that he could go to Paul for the problems he was having in his church. Paul responded to his questions. Some of the problems in Ephesus included: immature men who were teaching fables instead of the Word; women who were more concerned with appearance than with character; the materialism which had crept into the church; and the clarification of the qualifications for church officers.
Several passages stand out in pointing us to the person and ministry of the Savior: He is the source of one’s calling, strength and faith (1:12-14); He is the One who came to save sinners (1:15); He is the only Mediator between God and men, the God-Man (2:5); He should be the focus of song and melody (3:16); and He is the Savior of those who believe (4:10).
This book must have been a great encouragement to Timothy and has been an source of strength to Christian leaders ever since. In an age when this world is filled with false teachings, ever more those who name the name of Christ need to stay in the Word and ‘keep the charge.’
Based on these texts, Charles Wesley wrote: “A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify; a never-dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky. To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill, O may it all my powers engage to do my Master’s will. Arm me with jealous care, as in Thy sight to live; and O Thy servant, Lord, prepare, a strict account to give.”