Cluttered, Compact, yet Clear
If you have read much of the Apostle Paul’s writings in the New Testament you will know that Paul can occasionally get so caught up in what he is saying, that punctuation, sentence structure, or even taking a breath does not often factor in. From a purely grammatical stance, Paul is known to have run-on sentences, embedded clauses within clauses, and incomplete thoughts. From reading Paul’s letters, it is clear that this does not come from a lack of education, or an inability to think straight. Far from it! Paul is wonderfully articulate at times and has a clear grasp of his thoughts. Rather, I think the occasional odd sentence structure arises from the fact that Paul is simply so excited to get his ideas out that he can sometimes run them all together in a mixed-up jumble.
The two sentences that make up verses 3-7 in chapter one of 1 Timothy are not as “full and convoluted” as some of Paul’s writings, but you certainly can pick up the passion and care that he gives to this topic. His long-winded rhetoric serves, if for no other reason, as an indication of his commitment to the issues he is addressing. Paul wants to impress upon Timothy the importance of staying true to “sound doctrine,” and avoiding that which is false. This is his basic idea, and it certainly comes across. But, Paul has so much else to say! And he can’t help but get it all out.
In these short verses, you can see the evolution of Paul’s thought, as one idea crowds in on another. First, he wants to remind Timothy why he has been left in Ephesus; that morphs into a discussion of false doctrine; which shifts to a look at the errors of false teaching; that is in contrast with God’s work; which is grounded in the goal of love; which comes about in a certain way; that is different than the false teachers’ motives. Phew!
But for all of Paul’s excitement and many words, his message is rather straightforward: “teach what is true, which leads to love; avoid what is false, which eventually leads nowhere.”
And so, the pastoral question: What path are you on? Sound doctrine produces love; not simple head-knowledge, but genuine, God-honoring, Christ-witnessing love. And, the pursuit of false teaching is demonstrated by taking the student nowhere—nothing gained, a vanity which is tangible in its emptiness. What path are you on, love or vanity? Let us together see that which produces love!
Join us in worship this Sunday as we study 1 Timothy 1:3-11.
1. In verse 3, why do you think Paul reminds Timothy of his past instruction? What might be motivating Paul’s words here? Why might God have included this for us?
2. In our current society today, what would it look like to “command” people not to teach some things? What would a “command” look like that would be culturally appropriate? In other words, how do we faithfully follow this command to “command” in a society that will not take well our commanding them?
3. How does the end of verse 4, “which is by faith,” tell us what is wrong with the pursuit of myths and genealogies?
4. Why would “love” be the goal of a command to stop teaching false doctrine? What other motivations/goals might be present? How can we be sure we are wedded to that goal in everyday life?
5. Look how verse 5 describes the source of love… how do you think love comes from “a pure heart… good conscience… sincere faith?”
6. What is “good” about the law (vs. 8)? What is the proper way to use it?
