THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TIMOTHY.
PREFACE.
I. TIMOTHY.— We have an account of Timothy in the Acts 16:1; Acts 16:3, and in other parts of the New Testament; from which he appears to have been a youth of the most excellent qualities, and the almost constant companion of St. Paul. This first Epistle to him is by some dated in the year 65, but by others, on better grounds, about the year 58, at the time of St. Paul's journey to Macedonia, Acts 20:1. The place where it was written it not certainly agreed on, though it is likely that St. Paul was either in Macedonia, or near it. Being obliged to retire from Ephesus earlier than he intended, on account of the insurrection raised by Demetrius, he left Timothy behind him, to restore perfect order in the church, to fill the ecclesiastical offices, and to withstand false teachers. As some of the Ephesians would not obey him, and others attempted to force themselves upon him as bishops and ministers, St. Paul wrote this epistle, which he might lay before them as his commission; so that it is as much to the Ephesians as to Timothy. See Ch. 1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:18 1 Timothy 4:6; 1 Timothy 4:12 1 Timothy 5:23.