1 Timothy 1:1–7 (ESV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
I have a couple of outdoor cameras, and the other night they caught some enjoyable activity. At first, there was a rabbit. The rabbit was circling our house, and every time it got to one corner of the house, it would hop off in a different direction. It would then come back to this corner and then hop off in another direction. This repeated several times, and at first, I credited this behavior of the rabbit as wandering around as it looked for some tasty grass or flowers. But then, the last video revealed a fox that was clearly on the hunt for this rabbit. Only when it got to the corner of the house the fox was confused by all the trails that the rabbit left. The fox would start off on one trail only to return to the corner of the house and be baffled by the several trails that the rabbit had left behind. I’m beginning to think the rabbit was messing with the fox!
As we begin to read through this letter, we need to remember Paul’s relationship with Timothy. Paul is Timothy’s mentor, and in this letter, along with a couple of others that are called “pastoral epistles,” Paul gives instructions on ministry and the teaching of the faith, among other things. As Paul begins to write, it’s clear that Paul doesn’t want Timothy to wander off on any bunny trails as he ministers to folks in Ephesus.
Paul is writing to Timothy and encourages him to stay in Ephesus because there is a problem. False teachers are leading people astray, and some of these leaders are intrigued by various ideas and theories, but they are nothing more than bunny trails that lead away from the core of the Gospel. Paul wants Timothy to stay in Ephesus and address these concerns.
However, straight away in verse five, we get a very pastoral moment from Paul to Timothy. Paul says that his goal is love: love for the people and even for these false teachers. The false teachers are getting caught up in myths, genealogies, and speculations rather than getting at the heart of the Gospel. Worse still in Paul’s eyes, the false teachers are promoting themselves as teachers of the law, but Paul points out that they really lack any real understanding of the law.
Paul doesn’t want folks to get caught up and lost in such matters. Instead, Paul wants Timothy to help keep the church centered, to have genuine love for each other, a good conscience, and a sincere faith that constantly helps others to be focused on Jesus above all.
Paul wants the truth to win out over any false teaching, but the real motive here is love, and what Paul is doing in these opening remarks is giving Timothy instruction on how to lead and what to do in difficult circumstances. Paul doesn’t want Timothy, or anyone else, to swerve or wander from the truth of the Gospel.
That’s a good word for us today. We need to pursue and know the truth. Anything that doesn’t conform to the Gospel must be recognized as being false. This passage also serves as an exhortation for Christian leaders; don’t get caught up in things that divert people onto bunny trails!
I’m reminded of a quote that I’ve seen on pulpits or the door that the pastor uses to enter a sanctuary. The quote is from John 12:21, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” That scripture, as we consider Paul’s words in these verses, is a great reminder to always pursue after the truth of Christ, to stay off those bunny trails which lead to our own opinions and pointless speculations, and to stay on point as we reach others with the Gospel.
So where do we go with all this? I want to encourage you to pursue Jesus in all truth and to know Him. May people see Jesus in you! Let your life be a testimony to that truth, and let your love for others, even if you disagree with them, be that witness and testimony to the love of Jesus transforming your life.
God bless you, and know that I’m praying for you constantly.
Scott