Bible Discussion Thread

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY (Part 2):

I. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Written by Paul. Paul's Inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.

II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:

It was written to Timothy who was pastoring in Ephesus and its territories, because out of Ephesus went the missionary journeys. So, Timothy not only was pastor at Ephesus, but also several churches. We know at least the churches that are in the book of Revelation.

III. THE HISTORY OF TIMOTHY:

His name mentioned 24 times in the New Testament. Timothy was from Lystra and was saved during Paul's first missionary trip ( Acts 14:19-20; 16:1-2). His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, were godly Jewish women, and we see that in 2 Timothy 1:5. They were Jewish, they were raised on the scriptures, and they also had been saved under Paul's ministry, and had a great influence over Timothy's life.

Timothy was about 15 years old when he met Paul.

Timothy's father was a pagan Greek ( Acts 16:1; II Timothy 1:5).

Timothy was raised hearing Old Testament Scriptures ( II Timothy 3:14-15).

He joined Paul, along with Silas and Luke, during their second missionary trip ( Acts 16:3).

Paul had Timothy circumcised so that he might have the freedom to preach the gospel in Jewish synagogues ( Acts 16:3; I Corinthians 9:20).

Because his mother was Jewish, he is considered Jewish, even though his father was a Greek. Now had it been reversed, and his father was Jewish and his mother a Greek, he would not be considered Jewish. The mother has to be Jewish to be considered Jewish.