That's My Boy!

“To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (1Tim 1:2).

Who’s your go-to? Who’s that person you’ve got in your contacts you can’t wait to call? That one who’s always been there and will always be there? For Paul, there’s no question that’s Timothy. The apostle writes the first of two personal notes to his young and trusted friend while Tim’s on special assignment pastoring the megachurch Paul planted in Ephesus (1Tim 1:3). As he opens this letter, Paul gushes over his young buddy. “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (v2). 

Just who is this guy? What’s the deal with Timothy? You’ll be glad to know that there are very few people other than Jesus and His crew of apostles the New Testament has more to say about than the Timster. His name literally means “one who honors God.” That comes as a shock to no one. Let’s take a quick look at his bio. He grew up in Lystra in modern day Turkey. He’s a product of a mixed marriage. His dad was a Gentile and his mom Jewish (Acts 16:1). Just more proof that the only pedigree you need to enter God’s kingdom is placing your trust in Jesus. Paul mentored several younger dudes over the years. But Timothy is on the short list of his personal favorites.

Dr. Luke describes Paul meeting Tim on a stop in Lystra during the second tour (Acts 16:1-2). By calling him a “disciple,” the good doctor lets us know Tim’s been a follower of Jesus for a while. The apostle was apparently was instrumental in introducing Jesus and Tim on his first trip through Lystra with Barnabas a couple of years before (Acts 14:8-18). That original stop in Lystra is one for the books. Things escalate quickly when God uses Paul to heal a man disabled from birth. The people of the city are so blown away that they actually believe Paul and Barney are actually the Roman gods Hermes and Zeus. The dynamic duo make it clear they aren’t superheroes but messengers of great news from God. Some Jews from neighboring cities got so upset at what Paul and Barney were teaching that nearly killed Paul and left him for dead just outside the city limits (Acts 14:19). 

Jesus has clearly transformed the young buck over the past couple of years. “He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium” (Acts 16:2). Despite his age, Tim is clearly growing like crazy spiritually. He’s gained quite a rep among the local churches in the area. His name keeps coming up over and over as other believers talk to Paul and Barney. At this point it seems obvious to the apostle that this is exactly the kind dude who needs be part of his team. 

Who are folks talking up around you? Who’s name do they keep dropping as a rockin’ disciple of Jesus? That’s somebody you probably ought to meet. And what about you? What’s your rep? We’re not talking about managing an image. We’re talking about integrity. Do folks both inside and outside the church see you as a person as someone who is looked up to and can be trusted? Later in his first letter to Tim, Paul talks about how leaders in the local church should be “well thought of by outsiders” (1Tim 3:7).

Because Tim was half-Hebrew and there was quite a controversy about what it meant to be a Jewish follower of Jesus, Paul “took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek” (Acts 16:3). Remember, tensions between Jews and Jesus’ disciples exploded into a riot the last time Paul hit Lystra. There’s no reason to stir up that hornet’s nest again. 

Stop and think for just a moment about Tim’s commitment to follow Christ. He was so passionate about who Jesus is and what He had done in his life that he’s willing to let Paul circumcise him as an adult! Normally this rather delicate procedure happens at a bris when a baby Jewish boy is just eight days old. It’s a little different for a grown man. I don’t know about you, but that’s dedication to the cause of Christ in my book! And I complain about getting up early and reading my Bible everyday. Boy, do I feel like a wimp!!

As a result playing a key role in his walk with Christ and not to mention being the rabbi at his adult bris, Paul sees himself as Tim’s spiritual father. He addresses this note to “my true child in the faith” (v2). Luke mentions Tim’s name at several key spots throughout the book of Acts. When a posse from Thessalonica threatens Paul in Berea (are you seeing a trend here?), he leaves Silas and Tim behind to wrap things up before rejoining him down the road (Acts 17:14-15). Tim and Silas arrive in Corinth just in time to see Paul kick local Jews to the curb for opposing the Gospel (Acts 18:5). Tim and Erastus are the apostle’s advance team on his third tour, making preps for his visit to Macedonia (Acts 19:22). Luke lists Tim as a member of Paul’s posse heading to Jerusalem with much needed famine relief (Acts 20:4).

When Paul writes his letter to his friends in Rome, Tim is right there with him (Rom 16:21). The apostle uses his protege as key part in putting out the dumpster fire at the church in Corinth. He gushes to the Corinthians that Tim is “my believed and faithful child in the Lord” who’s coming to get them back on track in following Jesus (1Cor 4:17). Paul encourages folks in Corinth to throw out the welcome mat for Tim because “he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am” (1Cor 16:10-11). He’s right there when the man from Tarsus composes another letter to the Corinthians (2Cor 1:1). 

He’s there again with Silvanus when Paul drops both of his notes to the Thessalonian church (1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1). The apostle reminds them how “we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith” (1Th 3:2). Clearly one of Tim’s gifts is his ability to stoke the fires of faith in Jesus when things are cooling off. Who does that for you? Who do you want to be around when the flames of faith are fading? It’s also a reminder of how important is for each of us to continually stack kindling around fellow believers. Let God use you to stoke the faith fires!

Later, Tim’s with Paul in prison when he writes to both the Philippians (Phil 1:1) and Colossians (Col 1:1) as well as his buddy Philemon (Phm 1). The apostle sends the young fellow from Lystra to visit the church in Philippi and says “I have no one like him” (Phil 2:19-23). For all the awesome guys Paul mentored over the years, that’s quite a recommendation! If I’m Timothy, I’m pretty sure that’s going on my resume and LinkedIn profile. Apparently he also did time in the slammer like his mentor. The writer of Hebrews says, “Our brother Timothy has been released” (Heb 13:25).

And who does Paul write to just before his own death? You’ve got three guesses and your first two don’t count. When the apostle knows he’s a dead man walking, he reaches out to “Timothy, my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2). Paul spends his final written words pumping Tim up for the road ahead after his execution. Just before he signs off, he pleads with his spiritual son to get to Rome as quickly as he can (2Tim 4:9-13, 21). Who’s your 911? Who’s your one phone call when your at rock bottom? Who’s your ultimate “phone-a-friend”? For the man Jesus used to write most of the New Testament, it’s Timothy. 

Soul Brothers

“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also” (Philippians 2:19-24).

Who’s your 911 call? Who’s the one person you would buzz when you’re up against the wall? Who’s the one you can’t wait to talk to when you get great news? Who’s your phone-a-friend when you absolutely, positively need something done? Who do you have on speed dial when you need someone to speak some sense into your crazy world? Okay, I know the Sunday School answer is Jesus. But the Lord also calls us to have close friends we can lean on. Following Christ is a team sport. Nobody should be flying solo. We need soul brothers. We need soul sisters.

For Paul, that’s his buddy Timothy. Here in his letter to the church in Philippi, he tells them about his soul brother. Tim’s right there in visiting the apostle in his Roman prison cell while he writes to them (Phil 1:1). He tells the Philippians how he plans to send his best bud to Macedonia ASAP (v19). He can’t wait to hear all of the stuff Jesus is doing through them. If he can’t be there himself, he’ll send the one person who’s most like him (v20). The Timster has no hidden agenda. Unlike some other so-called ministers, he’s not working any kind of angle. He wants God’s best for others (v21). Tim’s legit (v22). He’s the real deal. And Paul hopes his legal troubles are soon in his rearview mirror so he can also join the party in Philippi (v23-24). 

Let’s be honest. If you’ve been anywhere near a church in your life, you’ve heard all about Paul and Timothy’s relationship. Paul is Tim’s mentor. Tim is Paul’s protege. We’re not exactly going biblically where no man has gone before. But it’s never a bad idea to take a fresh look at such a powerful example of one of the great relationships in the entire Bible. It seems like time your turn the page in the NT, you read about the former Pharisee and the young Turk. Let’s look at what the apostle writes to the church in Philippi and how that fits together with what we know about Tim and Paul’s friendship as soul brothers.

The apostle plans to send Tim on his merry way from Rome to Philippi if it fits in Jesus’ agenda (v19). Paul pulls no punches and boldly declares “I have no one like him” (v20). The original text literally reads that he and Tim are “equally souled” (Gr. isopsuchos). It’s the only time word appears in the Bible. It’s Paul’s way of saying they have the same feelings, the same attitude, and the same mind. He thinks like Paul. He’s wired like Paul. They are so much alike, when Tim’s around, it’s like Paul is there. When Paul’s around, it’s like Tim is there. Tim is Paul’s brother from another mother. They are soul brothers. It’s awesome whenever God brings someone into your life who you feel like you’ve known forever. 

So who is this rascal and where did he meet Paul? Let’s start with his name. Names in the Bible have a boatload of meaning and our boy Tim is no exception. Timotheos literally means “honoring God.” He grew up in Lystra, a mid-sized city in Asia Minor, what we now know as Turkey. Dr. Luke tells us that his dad was Greek and his mother Jewish (Acts 16:1). Paul first Tim him during his second tour of the Mediterranean rim. Tim had a great rep among the believers in the multi-site churches of Lystra, Derbe, and Iconium (Acts 16:2). As a result, the apostle asks Tim to ride shotgun on his trip (Acts 16:3). Because of tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers, Paul asks Tim to get circumcised. This was not exactly a same-day surgery in the first century. Wow, talk about commitment to the Gospel!

Timothy is member of Paul’s posse which crosses the sea from Asia to Macedonia and Philippi, taking the Good News to Europe for the very first time (Acts 16:11-12). He has a front row seat for those crazy days in Philippi (Acts 16:12-49). Later Paul trusts Tim and Silas stay behind in Berea telling folks about Jesus when a gang of thugs from Thessalonica hit town looking to rough up Paul (Acts 17:14). Tim is such a trusted dude that Paul sends him on to Macedonia as part of an advance team with Erastus (Acts 19:22). God continues to build relationships between the young Turk and the Philippian church. He’s a key member of Paul’s crew when they discover some Jews have put a hit on the apostle in Macedonia (Acts 20:1-6).

Paul and Philippians “know Timothy’s proven worth” (v22). Time and time again, the apostle taps his protege for important assignments like this trip to Philippi. He sends the Big T to Corinth “to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church” (1Cor 4:17). He gives the Corinthian believers instructions to open their hearts and doors to his associate. “When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am” (1Cor 16:10). When the Thessalonian church needs help, guess who hits the road? “We sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith” (1Th 3:2). Who has Jesus placed in your life that’s proven their worth? Do others look to you in crunch time? Can you be counted on with critical assignments when the chips are down? 

Another awesome example of Tim’s value to Paul is his presence and input in several of letters to local churches. Near the conclusion of Romans, Paul writes, “Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you” (Rom 16:21). He’s with his mentor when he writes to the church in Corinth. The apostle sends them greetings from “Timothy our brother” (2Cor 1:1). They know him well because Tim was with the apostle and Silas when they first heard the Good News (2Cor 1:19). He’s right there again when his spiritual dad knocks out letters to Jesus’ followers in Colossae (Col 1:1), Thessalonica (1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1), and his old pal Philemon (Phm 1). It makes perfect sense that these soul brothers would team up on such important projects.

Paul tells the Philippians how Timothy is “as a son with a father” (v22). The man from Tarsus clearly sees him as his spiritual son. There’s a good chance Paul is the one who first told him about Jesus. The Corinthians read all about Paul’s “beloved and faithful child in the Lord” (1Cor 4:16-17). He addresses two different notes to young associate speaking of their father/son relationship. “To Timothy, my true child in the faith” (1Tim 1:2). “To Timothy, my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2). Check out Paul’s other descriptions for him. Tim is “our brother and God’s coworker in the Gospel of Christ” (1Th 3:2). “Our brother” (2Cor 1:1; Col 1:1; Phm 1:1). The apostle passes along greetings to the Romans “Timothy, my fellow worker” (Rom 16:21). Paul certainly assembled an amazing team in his career with folks like Barnabas, John Mark, Silas, Dr. Luke, Titus, Tychicus, Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila. But his go-to guy was clearly his soul brother Timothy. Who are the fellow believers you can lean on when the bottom falls out? Turn it around. Can people rely on you? Do folks look to you? Are you on anyone’s speed dial when things hit the fan?

Paul hands the leadership of the growing mega-church in Ephesus off to Timothy. The book of the Bible we call 1 Timothy is the apostle’s instructions to the young pastor (1Tim 1:3). This note is chockfull of all sorts of important guidance of the local church. But Tim is also the last person to hear from Paul before his execution. In 2 Timothy, the apostle pleads “Do your best to come to me soon” (2Tim 4:9). Like a proud papa, he commends the young Turk that he has “followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (2Tim 3:10). Paul’s last words in the Bible are his sign off to Timothy. “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you” (2Tim 4:22). We have no idea whether these two soul brothers ever saw each other again on this side of heaven.

The only other mention of Mr. T in the NT is at the end of Hebrews. The author lets his readers know “Timothy has been released” from the slammer. After that, Scripture has nothing else to say about Paul’s protege. There are accounts that he returned to lead the church in Ephesus and was eventually stoned to death when he opposed a festival to honor the Roman goddess Diana. Like his mentor, Timothy stood strong for the Gospel until the end of earthly life. That’s no surprise really. Paul and Tim had were “equally souled” (v20). They began as soul father and son and grew to become soul brothers.

So what do we take away from this amazing relationship? First and foremost, who’s your Paul? Who’s your mentor? Is there someone in your life who is intentionally building into you? If not, is there someone you can reach out to personally? Don’t overlook folks who can coach from a distance. There are loads of authors and pastors available to you through books, podcasts, and other online resources. You don’t stop with simply finding someone to teach and lead you. I need to ask who’s my Tim? Who’s my protege? Look around. Who has the Lord led into your life that you can serve and lead? Make a point of reaching out. Meet for coffee. Read a book together. The next thing you know, you’ve got a soul brother.