Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa. E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk
Note to the reader: If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you simply stating where in the world you are based; I do not need any other information, however, please feel free to communicate. This is merely so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God that all over the globe, the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God. Thank you. Herman Abrahams, Cape Town, South Africa.
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WAS TIMOTHY AN APOSTLE?
By Herman Abrahams
Thesis:
We are accustomed to understanding that Timothy and Titus were pastors. Many books and commentaries have been written on the “pastoral epistles” with reference to Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus. Whilst I believe that Timothy and Titus had a measure of pastoral responsibility, they were more essentially apostles, who had to train and entrust unto faithful men the things they had learnt from Paul (2 Timothy 2:2). Allow me to take you on a scriptural tour and source detailed evidence to prove that Timothy was indeed an apostle.
To begin with, I would like to list the names of New Testament apostles other than the original twelve.
‘It is clear that there were more apostles than the twelve apostles of the Lamb. These are referred to as secondary apostles by some theologians because they are designated in Scripture as apostles, but do not have the unique prominence in the Kingdom that the original twelve had. These apostles include some of the greatest world changers in history, and this kind of apostle continues on today as the normative kind. (Apostles And The Emerging Apostolic Movement – David Cannistraci, REGAL BOOKS, page 58)
The New Testament mentions the following names as those who were secondary apostles:
Matthias (Acts 1:26);
Paul (1 Cor. 15:8);
Bamabas (Acts 14:3,4,14);
Andronicus (Rom. 16:7);
Junia (whose name indicates this might have been a woman, Rom. 16:7)
James, the brother of Jesus (GaL 1:19);
Silas or Silvanus (Acts 15:22; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2:6);
Timothy (Acts 19:22; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2:6),
Apollos (1 Cor. 4:6-9);
Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25);
Titus (2 Cor. 8:23, where ‘messenger’ is apostolos. [Strong’s Greek Dictionary no. 652]);
Unnamed apostle (2 Cor 8:18b cf 2 Cor 8:23)
Unnamed apostle (2 Cor 8:22b cf 2 Cor 8:23)
Tychicus (2 Tim. 4:12 – where ‘sent’ = apostello. [Strong’s Greek Dictionary no 649]);
Judas (Acts 15:27 – where ‘sent’ = apostello) [Strong’s Greek Dictionary no 649);
Erastus (Acts 19:22 - where ‘sent’ = apostello) [Strong’s Greek Dictionary no 649])
If the twelve apostles are added to this list, a total of 28 apostles would be mentioned in the New Testament. All of these were sent by God as valid apostolic ministers and members of the apostolic compa¬ny of the New Testament.
Timothy
A. TIMOTHY WAS PART OF AN APOSTOLIC TEAM; A FELLOW APOSTLE WITH PAUL & SILAS
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Key Scriptures no’s 1 and 2 (see B below for Key Scripture no. 3):
1Thes 1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
1Thes 2:6-7 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.
Paul speaks of himself as having been in the company of apostles of Christ at the church in Thessalonica (1 Thess 2:6b). Paul is apparently talking about his co-travelers, Silas and Timothy (1 Thessalonians 1:1a) - they are his colleagues – fellow apostles.
[There is no recorded scene in which the Lord or the twelve Apostles appointed Silas as a ‘formal’ Apostle. Based on the scene in Acts 13:1-3 it could be said that he is appointed an apostle – see Acts 15:22. Silas then took off with Paul on his 2nd missionary journey. Silas was also a prophet (Acts 15:32)].
B. TIMOTHY WAS SENT AS AN APOSTLE TO MACEDONIA
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KEY SCRIPTURE NO. 3 -
ACTS 19:22 “He sent (Greek – ‘Apostello’) two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.”
• Timothy and Erastus could be called “secondary apostles” alongside Paul.
C. TIMOTHY WAS MADE PART OF AN APOSTOLIC TEAM AUTHORISED BY THE JERUSALEM CHURCH.
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Timothy was discovered by Paul at the beginning of that journey and he took him along. Again we are not told that the Lord or the twelve Apostles appointed him as a ‘formal’ Apostle. But, traveling with Paul and Silas on the journey authorized by the Jerusalem church, Timothy could be called an apostle of that local church.
Acts 16:1-3 “He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. Ac 16:2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Ac 16:3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Ac 16:4 As they traveled from town to town,…”
Timothy was Paul’s companion on many of his journeys. He is first brought into notice at the time of Paul’s second visit to Lystra (Acts 16:1-2), where he probably resided, and where it seems Paul had met him on his first visit to that place. The apostle, having formed a high opinion of his "true son in the faith," (1 Tim 1:2) arranged that he should become his companion (Acts 16:3). He went with Paul on his journeys through Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia; also to Troas and Philippi and Berea.
D. TIMOTHY WAS LEFT BEHIND IN BEREA TO DO APOSTOLIC WORK WITH SILAS
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Acts 17:14 “The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. Ac 17:15 The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.”
• The team left behind in Berea is now smaller – by implication, fit enough to carry on the apostolic work after Paul’s departure. Timothy must have been regarded by Paul as a capable helper/fellow worker with Silas. It’s very likely that Paul had felt that the work in Berea was not yet completed, that’s why he left his fellow apostles behind to continue strengthening the church.
E. TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO THESSALONICA TO STRENGTHEN AND ENCOURAGE THE CHURCH.
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1 Thess. 3:2 – “We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith.”
• Encouraging and strengthening the churches - clearly apostolic work that was entrusted to Timothy.
F. TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO EPHESUS TO CORRECT DOCTRINE
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1Tim 1:3 “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 1Ti 1:4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.”
• Correction of doctrine – again, apostolic work
G. TIMOTHY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPER WAGES FOR ELDERS & ALSO FOR CHURCH DISCIPLINE
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1Ti 5:17 “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor.”
1Ti 5:19 “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.”
Note: Similarly Titus is an apostle.
Tit 1:5 “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.”
• Titus had to ‘appoint’ / ordain elders – an Apostolic function.
On the basis of the scriptural evidence outlined above, I believe we can satisfactorily conclude that Timothy was an apostle!
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Compiled By:
Herman Abrahams
E-Mail: mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk
Your comments or questions are most welcome.
