Paul Enlists Timothy
Acts 16:1-5
1 Then
came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named
Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but
his father was a Greek:
2 Which
was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Him
would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of
the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a
Greek.
4 And as
they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that
were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And
so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Outline:
I. The Entrance of Timothy into the Narrative (16:1-3)
II. The Continuation of the Ministry (16:4-5)
I. The Entrance of Timothy into the Narrative (16:1-3)
1. The Location of Timothy (16:1a-d)
Then came he to Derbe and
Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus,
He may have witnessed the stoning of Paul at Lystra on
the first missionary journey (Acts 14:6-23). If so, then Timothy may be to
Paul’s stoning as Saul was to that of Stephen in one respect, i.e., as a witness who was forever
altered by the event. However, we do not have a mention of Timothy being
present at Paul’s stoning as we do concerning Saul as the legal witness to that
of Stephen. Given the excitement and uproar at Lystra over the preaching of the
Gospel, the healing of the cripple, the attempted idol sacrifice, the stoning
and resuscitation, the return trip to confirm the saints, etc. it is hard to
imagine that Timothy was not aware and greatly affected by these events.
2. The Parentage of Timothy (16:1e-h)
the son of a certain woman,
which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
His mother undoubtedly went against her family to marry
her father.
His grandmother (maternal?) Lois, and his mother Eunice were
believers (2 Tim. 1:5), who were influential in his Biblical education (2 Tim.
3:15).
He would have been considered a Jewish apostate due to
his Gentile father and his lack of circumcision. This may have been due to
opposition to his father, and if he was deceased due to his mother’s desire to
respect his father’s wishes.
3. The Reputation of Timothy (16:2)
Which was well reported of by
the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
He may have developed health problems later (1 Tim. 5:23).
He was considered young (2 Tim. 2:22), and may have been
subject to intimidation by some elders (1 Tim. 4:12).
4. The Circumcision of Timothy (16:3)
3 Him
would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of
the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a
Greek.
1 Cor. 7:17-20 - 17
But
as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let
him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. 18 Is any man called being
circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision?
let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and
uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Let
every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
1 Cor. 9:19-23 - 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto
all, that I might gain the more. 20 And
unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are
under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as
without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that
I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I
am made all things to all men, that I
might by all means save some. 23 And
this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
5. The significance of Timothy
5 subsequent mentions/verses in Acts: 17:14-15; 18:5,
19:22; and 20:4.
6 Epistolary Salutations: 2 Cor. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col.
1:1; 1 Th. 1:1; 2 Th. 1:1; and Phile. 1.
8 Epistolary Mentions: Rom. 16:21; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; 2
Cor. 1:19; Phil. 2:19; 1 Th. 3:2, 6;
Heb. 13:23 (not mentioned in only 3 of the 13 Pauline
Epistles in the NT: Gal., Eph., and Tit.).
2 Complete Epistles (Pastorals): 1 and 2 Timothy.
II. The Continuation of the Ministry (16:4-5)
1. The Deliverance of the Decrees
4 And
as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep,
that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
This was in spite of the fact that the immediate
addressees of the letter from the First Baptist Church of Jerusalem were only
Antioch, Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:23). Their significance, however, applied
across the board to all Gentile converts by way of clarifying what the Gospel
was and was not.
2. The Growth of the Churches
5 And
so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
This is one of the six statements that outlines the
narrative of Luke and the progress of the Gospel as the acts of the ascended
Christ through His Holy Spirit by His Apostles.
See also Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 19:20; 28:31.
Whether it is persecution or false teaching from without,
civil unrest and governmental opposition, or personal dissension within, all
work to further the sovereign work of God in gathering and strengthening His
chosen ones.
Conclusion:
I. The Entrance of Timothy into the Narrative (16:1-3)
1. The Location of Timothy (16:1a-d)
2. The Parentage of Timothy (16:1e-h)
3. The Reputation of Timothy (16:2)
4. The Circumcision of Timothy (16:3)
5. The significance of Timothy
II. The Continuation of the Ministry (16:4-5)
1. The Deliverance of the Decrees
2. The Growth of the Churches
[Sermon preached 20 JUL 2014 by Pastor John T.
“Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]
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