Mr. D's Notes on I Timothy
Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.
Copyright 2000

CHAPTER 8

Among the many things happening for the new millennium is one that recently caught my interest. It is the year of Jubilee. The Roman Catholic Church is going all out for one of their traditional holy events - the year of Jubilee. The Pope has declared 2000 as the year of pilgrimage.

We know of the year of Jubilee in the Old Testament. The Roman Church also celebrates a year of Jubilee. They feel that it began prior to Boniface VIII but his celebration in 1300 is the first officially recorded. Boniface set it to be a celebration every one hundred years, but due to the fact that many would die with never a chance to see a celebration it was decided that every thirty-three years would be good. Finally it was settled at every twenty-five years.

It is my understanding that there are four doors one in each of four basilicas. The Pope opens the door of St. Peter's while other delegates open the other three doors at the same time.

The doors have been walled up with brick and mortar for the past twenty-five years. Prior to the ceremony of the opening masons loosen the mortar so that the doors are easily broken down. The Pope on Christmas Eve will strike the door three times with a silver hammer. The third stroke brings the door down.

The bricks, mortar and scraps are quickly gathered by guests as holy relics. Then the Pope walks through. The symbolism supposedly is that Adam and Eve were barred from the garden, and this breaking of the door symbolizes restoration and forgiveness of all past sin.

On the Christmas Eve following, the doors are again walled back up.

There are websites committed to this event. There are travel agencies offering special packages to Rome. There are special events planned all over the world. They have planned events in major cities and are calling it the "Biggest party in the world" and have set up a website for the party and its advertising.

A quote concerning the party is of interest. ""All the world sing praise" is a people's event with a special emphasis on children whose purpose is to assist the Christian celebration of the Millennium. It can be celebrated in a variety of ways; the idea is however that we try to do something together across the World at the same time to celebrate Jesus birthday worthily. . . . "

Note "to celebrate Jesus Birthday worthily. . . . " This BIGGEST PARTY IN THE WORLD is going to be on January 1, 2000 - thought they set it up to be the 25th of December at one time.

This December 24, the Pope will declare the beginning of the Year of Jubilee, and four special Holy Doors will be opened in Rome with the most important being in St. Peter's Basilica. People from all over the world an expected 30 million or more will make a pilgrimage to Rome during 2000 seeking forgiveness of all past sins by walking through the doorways, which are opened only during Jubilee years. Many will travel thousands of miles, sacrificing time and money, in an effort to obtain eternal life. For these seekers, Rome is the place to be in 2000.

The Jubilee occurs every 25 years, but the dawn of a new millennium is bringing much more attention to this particular Year of Jubilee and will bring a greater number of pilgrims.

So much trouble to travel so far! These folks will spend millions to seek salvation, while Paul only had to go to Damascus, indeed, these celebrants only have to go to their knees before God to find their free salvation - their salvation which requires no travel, which requires no doors to open, which requires no Pope to set a year of jubilee.

And we Christian's of the born again type ought not be too smug looking down our noses at the Roman pilgrimage - many in our following are suggesting these days that we can't really understand God fully till we have walked where Jesus walked. Many ads make this trip sound like a pilgrimage - indeed, they use the term in ads - they talk as if there is spiritual gain to be received by a trip to the Holy Land.

I Tim 1.15-17 "This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Paul says what I am about to say is a faithful saying and it is worthy of acceptance. HUMMMM! Do you think he is contrasting this statement with the teaching of the other guys we've been talking about - you remember - the guys that hold forth falsehood as truth - Paul says THIS IS VALID - THIS HAS VALUE ENOUGH TO ACCEPT! As opposed to some other teaching I know of.

This guy isn't nice in his bluntness to the false teachers! Does that give you any ideas in how you should be? On the internet boards when someone stands boldly for the truth of Scripture there is always someone that will reprimand them for being unloving, yet Paul was blunt and to the point as we ought to be in our confrontation of those that put forth falsehood as truth.

George Whitefield in a message entitled The Method of Grace said the following of preachers. "As god can send a nation or people no greater blessing than to give them faithful, sincere, and upright ministers, so the greatest curse that God can possibly send upon a people in this world is to give them over to blind, unregenerate, carnal, lukewarm, and unskillful guides." He continues "As it was formerly, so it is now; there are many that corrupt the Word of God and deal deceitfully with it."

Even in Whitefield's day he could see that there was falsehood being set forth as truth and so it is today. The believer MUST be on their guard constantly.

Kent mentions "The formula, "faithful is the word," occurs five times in the New Testament, all of them in the Pastoral Epistles (I Tim. 1.15; 3.1; 4.9; II Tim. 2.11; Titus 3.8). A similar expression, "these words are faithful and true," occurs twice (Rev. 21.5 22.6). Apparently during the latter half of the first century, this formula was quite generally used to emphasize important truths. Here the reference almost certainly is to the statement of Jesus, uttered on several occasions (Matt. 9.13; Luke 19.10). Such truths as these probably were often repeated in the Christian assemblies, and were thus well known." THE PASTORAL EPISTLES; Homer A. Kent, Jr., Th.D.; Moody Press; Chicago; 1958; p 92. (Matt. 9.13 "But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 19.10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.")

"Acceptation" according to the dictionary means "the generally understood meaning of a word" © 1995 Zane Publishing, Inc. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary © 1994 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Paul says these things I'm relating are worth acceptance - as is - nothing added.

I have read that this phrase actually stands alone in the original construction of the passage. This would draw complete attention to the coming statements.

The term world has a wide meaning. It can mean the earth proper, or it can mean the universe. Either way it is true in this case, but it might bring a slightly different perspective to your mind. Christ came into the world - as in contrast FROM HEAVEN. We all know this to be true, but have you considered that Christ left the solid comforts of heavens glory to accomplish His work among men?

He gave up a throne in glory for the hardships of living. He went from not needing sleep to having to get up in the morning, from needing nothing to needing everything, from being totally free to being dependent on others.

The term Paul chose to call himself in this text is of interest. It does have the idea of chief, but there is another shade of meaning that is significant within the context. Not only can this word be translated chief, but normally it is translated first. Thayer mentions "first in time or place . . . in any succession of things or persons ... first in rank"

The context pictures Paul as the first - the example of all to come. Now, we know that there were others that were saved prior to Paul, but the Holy Spirit via Paul sets Paul as the prime example of all to come.

Paul uses the sequence "Christ Jesus" - he uses this sequence twenty five times in the Pastoral Epistles compared to eight usages as Jesus Christ.

He came into the world - a simple statement which has deep ramifications. He came into - He came from somewhere - PRE-EXISTENCE IS THE ONLY POSSIBLE CONCLUSION! There is also the thought that He came for a specific purpose and that He came of His own accord.

Christ came into the world to save sinners. The question always seems to come up, just how many of the sinners did He come to save. Did He just come to save the elect sinners, or did he come to save ALL sinners?

Indulge me for a moment while I consider the concept of unlimited atonement.

John. 3:16 Loved the world - whosoever. There seems to be no restrictions in this passage. (I Jo 2:2)

Some suggest that some reject His salvation, so He couldn't have died for them. On the contrary, He died for every single one. If a person rejects Christ then they reject the salvation that has already been provided for them.

Christ paid all costs for all mankind's redemption! Man rejects or accepts what Christ did. This is termed in theology UNLIMITED ATONEMENT. Did Christ atone for only the elect, or did Christ atone for all mankind? Others hold that He atoned only for the elect.

This leads to the ARMENIAN Vs CALVINISM debate. The Armenians held that Christ atoned for all, while the Calvinists believed that Christ atoned for only the elect.

Where you land on this discussion well may depend on your understanding of Christ's work on the cross and salvation itself. Is it total provision for the sin of the world or is it not?

Remember, just because you believe in an unlimited atonement it doesn't make you an Armenian. It just means you can't be a five-point Calvinist.

Paul mentions that he was the chief sinner. He knew what he was before Christ. Many in our own day realize well who and what they were before Christ. Others don't really realize what they were. They have not really come to terms with what they were and now what they are.

This most likely comes from some of the easy believism that is being preached today. It is essential to believe in Who Christ was, and to believe in what He did, but it is also necessary for the person to understand who they are and why what Christ did is important.

An Independent Baptist pastor on an internet board I visit has come to the realization that he must get the people lost before he can lead them to the Lord. He has begun to use the law to show them that they are sinners. I tried to help him understand that you can show them from the New Testament that they are sinners, but he insists that you must use the law - HUMMMMMM! Well, anyway the point is that when the person realizes they are lost and on their way to hell then you can begin to talk to them of the gift of God.

I would like to read a comment from someone on this thought.

Hiebert mentions "The fact is that it is always the characteristic of a true saint to feel himself a real sinner. The air in a room seems to be clear, but when it is penetrated by the sunlight it is seen to be full of dust and other impurities; and so as men draw nearer to God, and are penetrated by the light of God (I JN 1:5 - "God is light. . . . "), they see more clearly their own infirmities, and begin to feel for sin something of the hatred which God feels for it." (First Timothy; D. Edmond Hiebert; Moody Press; Chicago; 1957; p 43.)

John Owen said once, "’He that hath slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God.'" (First Timothy; D. Edmond Hiebert; Moody Press; Chicago; 1957; p 7)

Reread and stop for a moment and think about that one.

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

"For this cause I obtained mercy" has some serious ramifications! For this cause only! Paul had nothing of worth that God would save him for. Paul could do nothing in his future of worth that God would save him for. Paul could teach noone in his future of worth that God would save him for. He was saved to show forth the glory of God - plain and simple - I might add this goes for each and every one of us. We had nor have anything to offer Him that would move Him to save us!

The term "first" is the same word translated "chief" in verse 15. Again drawing attention to Paul as the first or the example.

This verse seems to back my thoughts on verse thirteen. Paul seems to have been an example to those that come to the Lord - of the long-suffering and mercy of God in saving all types of sinners.

One of the quotes I read mentioned the fact that we should give serious consideration to the sinfulness of our old life.

David Brainard was a person that was very introspective and always viewed himself as the lowest of low before God. If you read much of his writing, you will find that he knew what he was!

I think that God included these thoughts in the Word for us to realize that no matter how bad our pre-salvation life was, that if He could forgive and use Paul in the ministry, that he can use anyone in the ministry.

No matter how low you were in your life before, the Lord can use you in His work.

There are hundreds of testimonies of people that were saved out of the dregs of society and the Lord picked them up, washed them up, polished them up and put them into His service.

One such man was a drunk tending bar many years ago. He had been confronted with the Gospel and one night he dropped to his knees behind the bar and asked God to forgive him of his sin and accepted the Lord. God sent him off to Bible college and he served God as a pastor for many years. He also raised three children. One became a pastor, one a pastor’s wife and the other a professional.

This is the hope of all that are saved. WE CAN BE ACCEPTABLE TO HIM, EVEN UNTO SERVING HIM!

Christ choose Paul to be His prime spokesman. He selected this one that illustrates the depth of what man could be so that - may I say - no one has an excuse not to be saved.

Indeed, when someone spoke to lost Stanley Derickson I stated, He can't save me - I've done wrong and the answer was - He can save anyone. This passage illustrates that truth for us.

There is another application to this verse which Wiersbe mentions. "But there is a special application of this to today's people of Israel, Paul's countrymen, for whom he had a special burden . . . The people of Israel, like unconverted Saul of Tarsus, are religious, self-righteous, blind to their own Law and its message of the Messiah, and unwilling to believe. One day, Israel shall see Jesus Christ even as Paul saw Him; and the nation shall be saved." THE BIBLE EXPOSITION COMMENTARY; Warren Wiersbe; Victor Books; Wheaton; 1989; P 213.

The term translated “pattern” is used in classical Greek of a model that is brought before an artist to be drawn or painted. It has the idea of an outline or drawing.

Paul is a pattern of all Christ wants to do in mankind. This was His purpose in coming into the world, this was His desire in coming into the world, and this was his only reason in coming into the world.

I wonder even more if Paul wasn't something really special in God's plan. Christ Himself appeared to him. Why? What is the significance of this? Christ appeared to no one else in this way.

I personally see in these verses Paul revealing that Christ had special plans and special reasons for His treatment of Paul. Remember the three years of personal attention to Paul.

Paul wasn't just blessed, but he was special in some way. He was first among many others to come. His specialness was in God's plan, not what or who he was as a human being!

Christ didn't tell Paul of his being a pattern in the record of Acts thus it must have been face to face at a later time - put yourself in Paul's place when Christ revealed this truth to him.

It is clear that Christ is central - he provided - He showed mercy - for HIS purpose. Christ was not responding to what he saw in Paul, but He was responding to His plan.

Paul was to be an example looking back to his sin and he should be an example in his post-salvation life. Let's think of his example for a few moments. What type of man was Paul? What did he have to go through?

imprisonment
whipping
beating
stoning
near drowning
walked all over Asia Minor and the near east
served in the harshest of circumstances
served without pay
served where ever and whenever he could
prayed
preached
etc.

How do you measure up to his example?

He was transformed from the chief persecutor of Christ to the chief spokesman for Christ. Just give me an example that shows more of a change than that!

As I have observed life and the testimonies of believers, it is often the man that was saved out of the terrible life that is most active in the Lord's work. Several of the more forceful evangelists of recent centuries have been men that knew of the sin that they preached against.

It often is the believer that is raised in a Christian environment that is weak in preaching against the sin of the world.

One might wonder about Paul's denigration of himself. Just how can we help Paul improve his self image. He is so down on himself. We really must make him feel better about himself! His self worth is so lacking. His self esteem is so poor. NOT! He has a true understanding of who he is and who Christ is and what the results of that merger was. Paul is improved only by the blood of Christ.

While preparing this study I had to wonder, are "chief" and "first" relating to more than example - is this a picture of the gospel going to the gentiles before Cornelius? Most feel that Cornelius was the first indication in Acts that the Gospel would be going to the gentiles. Paul was a Roman citizen as well as a Jew. Actually being a Jew and a Roman, he was a picture of the bridge between the two - Judaism and Christianity/gentiles, as well as an example of the Gospel going to the nations.

The verse also mentions that Christ was using Paul to show forth the long-suffering of God toward those that have not yet come to Him. The term long-suffering is also translated patience at times.

It is used in I Pet. 3.20 "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water"

God waited quite some time to destroy the ungodly - He waited 80 to 100 years! He truly is long-suffering! (Gen. 5.32; 6.10 cf. Gen. 7.11)

By the way, have you heard of the newest discovery concerning Noah. The man that discovered the Titanic has also discovered proof of the flood - in the words of the news media at least. He has discovered proof that the Black Sea at one time was a lake and that there was a breaking of a natural dam which inundated this lake area with saltwater from the Mediterranean Sea, thus proving that Noah did build an ark.

The problem with that is that it would be a local flood and not a universal flood. There also is no indication that the flood that this man has proven is the flood of the Bible. There could well be proof that this lake did exist and that it was a disaster, but there is no proof at all that this was the flood that the Bible speaks of. The media just never ceases!

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What a declaration concerning our God!

King = OVER ALL - even the Orion's nebula that the Hubbell telescope has viewed recently.

Eternal = Always has been - always will be.

Immortal = He can't die no matter what the liberals say!

Invisible = Remember this one when you are considering sin.

ONLY wise God = ALL other gods are dead and offer NO wisdom!

Deserving of our honor and glory forever. Give you a hint of what we will be doing in heaven?

The term translated glory is the term we gain the word Doxology from.

MacArthur puts it this way. "Having begun the passage with thanksgiving, Paul now closes it with a doxology. Eternal literally means "of the ages." It refers to the two ages in Jewish thought, the present age, and the age to come. God had no beginning and will have no end. He exists outside of time, though He acts in it. He is immortal, imperishable, and incorruptible. He will never know death, decay, or loss of strength. Because God is invisible, He can be known only by His self-revelation. That he is the only God is a fundamental truth of Scripture...." THE MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY I TIMOTHY; John MacArthur; Moody Press; Chicago; 1995; P 33.

Amen is a transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning truth. Lenski mentions of the term, "It is always emphatic and should be read so; it is a confessional affirmation that completely justifies what precedes and compels the reader to see and to recognize the fact." THE INTERPRETATION F ST. PAUL'S EPISTLES TO THE COLOSSIANS, TO THE THESSALONIANS, TO TIMOTHY, TO TITUS AND TO PHILEMON; Augsburg Publishing House; Minneapolis; 1937; P 528.

There are some indications that the end of verse 17 might be a better chapter break. It ends with Amen and then the next verse is the challenge to Timothy and 2:1 begins "I exhort therefore. . . . " indicating that it is directly linked to the challenge of 18 and following.

To recap I would like to quote White as listed in Kent's book "In the experiences of personal religion each individual man is alone with God. He sees nought but the Holy One and his own sinful self.... And the more familiar a man becomes with the meeting of God face to face the less likely is he to be deceived as to the gulf which parts him, limited, finiet, defective, from the Infinite and Perfect." THE PASTORAL EPISTLES; Homer A. Kent, Jr., Th.D.; Moody Press; Chicago; 1958; p 93

Paul knew his own sinfulness when He faced Christ on the Road to Damascus! He also knew that he was to be an example for all to come after him.

There should be no doubt to the fact that there is no sinner that we ever will meet that is too sinful to find mercy before our God. As we visit with and witness to folks we meet, we can be assured that there is mercy for them, if they will but turn to the Lord that offers it.

There is also a real application for us as parents and grandparents. We as Christians ought to be examples to those in our families. We need to realize that our lives before them are an example of the saving grace of the Lord.

"A man was walking through the deep snow when he heard the voice of his oldest son saying: "I'll step in Father's tracks." He was trying to do it, and two younger brothers were at the same thing. The father went to the house of prayer to seek God that evening, thinking, "If I lead my sons thus, I'll make tracks for heaven.""

May we remind ourselves of how sinful we once were, and then remind ourselves of that great step downward that Christ took on our behalf to become man to die for our sin.

May we also be reminded that this is the only truth that we can share with the many lost folks around us as we walk through our weekly life.