Timothy was a remarkable protégé of the apostle Paul in the mid-first century. His name appears nearly 25 times in the New Testament, and he was a key player in the founding and early history of many churches mentioned there. Paul intimately refers to him as his “brother,” “fellow worker,” “beloved and faithful child in the Lord,” “bond-servant of Jesus Christ,” “kindred spirit,” “true child in the faith,” and simply “son.” Timothy began his ministry alongside Paul at a relatively young age (probably his early 20s), yet Paul found him so useful for service that he would often dispatch the young preacher to various churches that needed reinforcement or exhortation.
Paul’s two epistles to Timothy provide a wealth of insight and information to us. While the first letter (1 Timothy) serves as an excellent training manual for ministers of the gospel, it also reveals much about: doctrinal teaching of the church; Christian lifestyle; the nature of false teaching; instructions for men and women in the assemblies; candidates for elders and deacons; the church’s care for “widows indeed”; warnings about wealth; and Paul’s own self-reflections. The second letter (2 Timothy) is more personal, and reveals a father-figure (Paul) doing his best to impart final words of exhortation, calls of duty, and warnings to his “son” in the faith (Timothy). The result is a heartfelt and passionate correspondence unlike anything else in the New Testament.
The 1 & 2 Timothy Study Workbook is an inquisitive work of careful research into these two fine epistles. It offers practical and understandable meaning to Paul’s many—and sometimes difficult—words and phrases, giving us a rich comprehension of these inspired works. This workbook thus provides a relevant and profitable companion to your personal study, and is equally useful for group studies and adult Bible classes.
