Outline and Summary of Paul's First Letter to Timothy

Written by: The Apostle Paul
When written: ~ 63 A.D.
Suggested Theme verse: "to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves" (3:15)

Purpose:

Paul is writing to encourage Timothy, a young leader of a church. I was going to say a new church, but then thought, "All the churches were new!" Almost no churches had been around for years or decades. There was very little church tradition. Some Jewish tradition had filtered over into the new Christian churches, but this was a new enterprise.
Most religions at the time were centered on Greek or Roman gods. There were very few organizations in which people were 'discipled', taught and trained in their belief system.
I don't think there were any 'churches' in which people were taught how to worship Caesar or Neptune. There were temples for Aphrodite, or Zeus, but I doubt there was much training, except for priests and acolytes. Did Caesar-worship have a bible? Did Zeus or Mars have a bible?
The Jews had synagogues, in which people came together regularly to be taught from their scriptures. Synagogues were local, for each village or neighborhood. People did not make the trek to Jerusalem for everyday worship, only for the major Holy Day sacrifices. In some ways, the church copied the practice of the Jews - getting together once a week to be taught. In addition, the teaching and practices of the church were radically different from all other religions (except for Judaism - both believed in God - and Christianity shared the Jewish Scriptures as their foundational documents.)

Paul tells Timothy people who are trying to get the Ephesus church to fall back into following the strictures of the Law don't know what they are talking about. After dealing with the problem of the Law, then Paul spends the rest of the letter helping Timothy guide the church in dealing with the family members. The interpersonal relationships of a group of people is complex. Even though we are 'new creations, all things have become new' (2 Cor. 5:17), our personalities, needs, and wants are all thrown into the church membership pot and stirred. The administration of a group of people requires both planners and doers, servants and those served, leaders and followers. I believe the Holy Spirit leads Paul to lay out a local church hierarchy, and guidelines for dealing with the believers.

Go through the letter, and see how God wants us to treat and work with each other in the church. Who will lead us? Elders. Who will serve us, help us in need? Deacons. Who should do these jobs? Upstanding citizens. Who should they serve? Widows. Old people. Slaves, Masters, Young men. Young women.Those who are in need. You know who they are, just look around you. They are your fellow believers. You see them every day, every church gathering.

Outline
Chap. 1
1:1-2 - Greeting
1:3-5 - Urging correct instruction
1:6-11 - They do not understand the law
1:12-17 - God's mercy shown to Paul
1:18-20 - Timothy reminded of his calling

Chap. 2
2:1-8 - Pray!
2:9-15 - Rules for Women

Chap. 3
3:1-13 - Rules for Overseers or Deacons
3:14-15 - Desire to come to you
3:16 - Compact Gospel

Chap. 4
4:1-5 - Some will stray
4:6-11 - Teaching the truth is good
4:12-16 - Stay faithful to your calling

Chap. 5 - Rules For harmonious living
5:1-2 - Old people
5:3-6 - Dealing with widows - part 1
5:7-8 - Realize your Responsibilities
5:9-10 - Starting a List...
5:11-16 - Dealing with Younger Widows - part 2
5:17-18 - Elders Are Your Leaders
5:19-20 - Accusations Against Leaders
5:21-23 - Keep yourself pure
5:24-25 - Behavior will be revealed

Chap. 6 - Rules for harmonious living
6:1-2 - Slaves and masters
6:3-5 - Fruit of false teaching
6:6-10 - The love of money...
6:11-12 - A charge to Timothy
6:13-16 - Jesus is the One
6:17-19 - Teach the rich
6:20-21 - Protect your calling
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Summary:

Background information:

Timothy had been left by Paul in Ephesus, or sent to Ephesus, to correct some false teaching being preached there. This letter also sets up a leadership structure for the local church. At this time the main church structure was located in Jerusalem where most of the apostles were living. Peter, John, John, and Luke were the main leaders in the Jerusalem church. Barnabas brought Paul to Jerusalem to be 'approved' by the council to be a missionary. See Acts 9:26-30.

Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to be blessed and sent out to evangelize. See: Acts 15:1-21. They needed the approval of the 'twelve' to go to the Gentiles. Without that approval, there is no way to know if they were actually part of the Christian faith or charlatans in it for profit. In each city, or village, where believers were found, they came together to support each other. This support is important because what they were doing was completely new.
In any group of people, whether a drug gang, a golf players club, or a church, leaders will emerge. People who will study, who will demonstrate themselves as the ones who may have answers to questions such as: "How do we..."; or "What is the proper way to..."; and "Can you help?" Likewise, in any collection of people, there are those that want to be in control of others - whether for good or ill will.

From the Jewish tradition, there were people called or appointed to care for those in their tribe or neighborhood. For example, Moses could not manage the Israelites - there were too many with too many issues. See: Exo. 18:13-21. Even the first church in Jerusalem was too much for the twelve apostles. There were people appointed to handle problems and issues. Everything that happened in the Jerusalem church was not personally directed by the apostles. They delegated the work and responsibility. See: Acts 6:1-7.

One of the major differences between the Jewish religion and other religions of the time - the Roman or Greek gods - is the Jewish God was solitary, and not an eclectic group of 'super' individuals. This monotheism was/is unique, and their behavior was to be based on their relationship with God.
One of the major differences between the Jewish religion and the Christian religion involves the personal relationship each believer has with God. I do not mean God was remote from the individual Jew. Each person could call upon God, and come and pray to Him. God promised to listen when they prayed, when they sought Him with all their heart. Yet, there was no way for the average Joseph to offer a sacrifice in the Temple. Sacrifice were brought to the Temple, handed over to the priests who performed the ritual for the believer. The whole dynamic changed when Christ came to earth as a human, to be sacrificed and resurrected.

Jesus said if you believe in Me, I will be in you, you will be in Me, and I am giving you the Holy Spirit of God to teach, instruct, guide, comfort, and help you. You are not alone anymore. When you pray I will always hear you because I am in you. When you don't know what to pray (especially during stressful situations) the Holy Spirit will speak for you. The Spirit knows your needs. This personal relationship with God means that individuals do not need a priest to guide them, to teach them. Priests were no longer necessary to perform rituals. There are no longer sacrifices for atonement, cleansing, purification.
Priests are not a bad thing, just not required for faith in Christ. That being said, there will always be people who struggle with studying and applying information for living their lives. There will always be people who thrive in study and synthesizing concepts for understanding and living for Jesus. There will always be people who are better at organizing and leading groups, and there are always followers. Leaders, teachers, servers, and followers imply a hierarchy or structure for the church organization.

Paul is not addressing the ecclesiastical structure of the world wide church, if such a thing is necessary. He is giving instruction for local church body organization. How to choose leaders for our local church. The guidelines for leader criteria are started here in this letter.

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Note: My intent was to have each verse of the chapter included usually in italics, with discussion following. Sometimes if there were significant phrases or words, these are handled separately, and will be shown underlined. Verses quoted as reference or explanation will be italics with the address bold.
Please forgive fractured grammar, and partial sentences. These were notes written as I thought and prayed during the study. The truncated written thought was fully developed in my mind, or so I like to believe.