1 and 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon: “Be Thou an Example of the Believers” (October 23-29)

Timothy reads an epistle from Paul, from the Bible Video “The Last Days“

Paul loved Timothy and Titus.

He met Timothy during his second missionary journey. He was apparently impressed with the faith of his mother, Eunice, and church members in the area spoke highly of her son. (See Acts 16:1-3, 2 Timothy 1:5.) Paul asked Timothy to accompany him, and they ended up working together for many years. Timothy is mentioned in nearly all of Paul’s epistles and is even credited as co-author of five of them. (See 2 Corinthians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:1.)

We don’t know when Paul met Titus, but they traveled together to Jerusalem at the end of Paul’s first missionary journey. (See Galatians 2:1-3.) Titus subsequently delivered an epistle from Paul to church members at Corinth and reported back (to Paul’s relief) that the epistle had been well-received. (See 2 Corinthians 7.)

Paul speaks highly of both of these men in his epistles. To the Philippians, he says, “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare” (Philippians 2:20, New Living Translation). And speaking of Titus, he tells church members in Corinth, “His inward affection is more abundant toward you” (2 Corinthians 7:15).

We don’t know exactly how old Timothy and Titus were, but Paul addresses them both as his “sons,” implying that they were younger than him. (See 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:3, Titus 1:4.) This reminds me of Helaman, who called the 2,000 young soldiers he led, “my sons.” (See Alma 56:10, 17, 27, 30, 39, 44-46.)

Characteristics of Church Leaders

Both Timothy and Titus were apparently responsible for selecting local church leaders, Timothy in Ephesus, and Titus on the island of Crete. Paul provides both of them with lists of characteristics they should look for in a leader. (See 1 Timothy 3:2-13, Titus 1:7-9.) Here are a few of the characteristics that appear on both lists:

1. Blameless – conscientious; acting with integrity
2. Sober – calm; self-disciplined
3. Given to hospitality – fond of guests; loving strangers
4. No striker – literally, not someone who hits people; by extension, someone who doesn’t create contention
5. Apt to teach – understands the gospel and is eager to share true principles with others

One characteristic which appears in Paul’s epistle to Titus is temperance. Here’s a blog post with more thoughts about that attribute: What Does It Mean to Be “Temperate in All Things?”

One leadership role which Paul asks Titus to fill is presbuteros (πρεσβύτερος), which means “older people,” or “elders” (Titus 1:5). He also specifies to Timothy that a bishop should not be “a novice” (1 Timothy 3:6). How ironic, then, that Paul instructs Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth” (1 Timothy 4:12; see also 1 Corinthians 16:10-11, Titus 2:15). Clearly, Paul was looking for leaders with spiritual maturity, not merely advanced age. See the following blog post: What Is an Elder?

Natural Affection

In both of Paul’s epistles to Timothy, he prophesies of challenges in the “latter times” or “last days.” (See 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:1-7.) However, unlike other prophets, who have emphasized the natural disasters or international conflicts which will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Paul focuses on the degradation of character in the world, including the loss of sensitivity and empathy. Jesus prophesied that “the love of many will wax cold” (Matthew 24:12, Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:10). Paul adds that people will have “their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 1:2) and that they will be “without natural affection” (2 Timothy 3:3).

The prophet Moroni issued a similar warning at the end of his father’s book. Speaking to his future readers, he asked, “Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?” (Moroni 8:39).

Clearly, there are good feelings that come naturally to us. We must be careful not to suppress those feelings or to let the challenges of life overwhelm them. Here is a blog post on that topic: Affection.

A Personal Mediator

A mediator is someone who helps to resolve conflict. We tend to think of mediators as objective, having no personal interest in the outcome. But Paul describes Jesus Christ as a very different kind of mediator, one who is personally invested in reconciling us with God:

There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1 Timothy 2:5

Just as Jesus suffered on our behalf, His disciples are willing to get personally involved in helping other people. When an escaped slave named Onesimus became a believer, Paul wrote a heartfelt letter to his master, another church member named Philemon, pleading for him to receive Onesimus, not as a servant, but as a “brother beloved” (Philemon 1:16). Here are some of the phrases I most appreciate from Paul’s epistle to Philemon:

• “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds” (Philemon 1:10).
• “Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels” (Philemon 1:12).
• “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account” (Philemon 1:18).

Paul was willing to put his own reputation and his relationship with Philemon on the line on behalf of Onesimus, whom he loved. As followers of Jesus Christ, we mediate on behalf of others in a personal way. We care about their well-being and are willing to make sacrifices to help them achieve it.

Here is a blog post about the Savior’s role as our mediator with the Father:

• The Great Mediator – 2 Nephi 2:27-29

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