The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (239 page)

3:2 one wife:
Candidates for pastoral ministry should not be married more than once in their lifetime (3:12). Paul does not specify why, but his teaching elsewhere suggests
(1)
that widowers who remain unmarried will be better able to devote themselves to the Lord's work (1 Cor 7:8, 32-34) and
(2)
that widowers who pursue remarriage may be lacking the self-control expected of a minister of the gospel (1 Cor 7:9, 3638). On the question of clerical celibacy,
see note on 1 Cor 9:5
(CCC 1579-80). 
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3:5 his own household:
The assumption is that bishops are spiritual fathers. Failure to supervise well the affairs of their own families and households suggests they will lack the necessary virtues to shepherd the household of God, which is the Church (3:15; Gal 6:10). 
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3:8 Deacons:
Ministers who assist the bishops (Phil 1:1) and serve the needs of the poor, sick, and widowed. They probably had limited liturgical responsibilities as well. The beginning of this office is sometimes traced to the seven men ordained for service in Acts 6:1-6.
See note on Acts 6:6
(CCC 1569-70). 
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3:9 mystery of the faith:
The full range of revealed truths given through Christ. Paul regularly connects this with the Father's overarching plan to bring all nations into the kingdom of God (Rom 16:25-26; Eph 1:9-10). See word study:
Mystery
at Eph 3:3. 
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3:11 women likewise:
Either a reference to the wives of the deacons (3:8) or to deaconesses, who assisted with the catechetical instruction and Baptism of women (Rom 16:1). • The Church recognizes that deaconesses were
appointed
for special tasks but not
ordained
for sacramental ministry in the strict sense. The First Council of Nicaea decreed in
A.D.
325 that women deacons are numbered among the laity and not among the ordained clergy (Canon 19) (CCC 1577). 
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3:14 I am writing:
Paul intends to rejoin Timothy in Ephesus at his earliest convenience (1:3). 
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3:15 pillar and bulwark:
The terms refer to structural supports that hold up a building. The Church is set in place to support the edifice of gospel truth. The Spirit makes this possible by enabling the successors of the apostles to preserve the apostolic faith from corruption and distortion as the centuries pass. Without this protective grace, the bishops of the Church would be no more than fallible human teachers unequipped to fulfill the mission granted to them by the Lord. Other passages suggest that Paul may envision the leaders of the Church as the pillars and foundation stones of God's living Temple (Gal 2:9; Eph 2:20; CCC 171, 768, 2032).
See note on Jn 16:13
. 
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3:16 He was manifested:
Several features in the Greek text suggest Paul is quoting from an ancient Christian hymn. It touches on key moments in the incarnate life of Christ: his coming as a man
(manifested),
his Resurrection
(vindicated),
his adoration in heaven
(seen by angels),
the spread of his message
(preached),
its acceptance in the world
(believed on),
and his Ascension into glory
(taken up)
(CCC 463, 2641). 
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4:1 in later times:
Applies not only to the closing days of history, but also to the present age of the New Covenant, which for Paul already stands at the "end of the ages" (1 Cor 10:11). The explosion of error and confusion expected in these days is likewise mentioned in 2 Pet 3:3 and Jude 18 (CCC 672). 
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4:3 forbid marriage:
Timothy is put on guard against teachers who deny the goodness of marriage. Even Paul, who actively promotes celibacy (1 Cor 7:25-26), firmly upholds the propriety and sanctity of married life (Eph 5:21-33).
See note on 1 Cor 7:1
.
abstinence from foods:
Possibly a reference to the dietary restrictions of the Old Covenant (Lev 11). The warning is issued because these laws are no longer binding upon believers in the New Covenant (Mk 7:18-19; Acts 10:9-16). Some suggest this twofold ban on marriage and certain foods reflects an incipient form of Gnosticism, a second-century heresy that saw the material world as evil and called adherents to rise above the demands of their physical life as far as possible. Timothy is cautioned, not against asceticism itself, but against deviant forms of it that develop when the goodness of creation is denied (4:4; Gen 1:31). 
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The Threefold Pastoral Ministry

Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ transformed and fulfilled the institutions of the Old Covenant once entrusted to Israel. The hierarchy of covenant leadership is no exception to this rule. Yahweh established three tiers of Levitical ministry to lead the sacrificial worship of the Temple, and later three levels of leadership were established in the Jewish synagogue to preach the Scriptures and serve the community of faith. The liturgies that revolved around sacrifice (Temple) and Scripture (synagogue) were eventually brought together in Christian worship, where the Word is proclaimed and the Sacraments are administered. For good reason, then, the three-tiered leadership of the Temple and synagogue was a fitting model for the threefold structure of the Church's own pastoral ministry, established to lead, teach, and sanctify the People of God.

Temple

High Priest

Priests

Levites

Synagogue

Ruler of Synagogue

Board of Elders

Servants

Church

Bishop

Presbyters (Priests)

Deacons

4:5 consecrated by . . . prayer:
Mealtime prayers are a regular feature of both Jewish and Christian tradition. 
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4:7 silly myths:
Useless speculation about OT figures.
See note on 1 Tim 1:4
. 
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4:8 bodily training:
Spiritual wellness is more important than bodily health. Nevertheless, the training regiment of athletes is a fitting model for the discipline and commitment necessary to advance in the spiritual life.
See note on 1 Cor 9:24-27
. 
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4:10 Savior of all:
Paul does not mean that everyone will escape damnation in the end. He is stressing that God's call to salvation is universal so that all who respond will find eternal life, regardless of their sex, age, language, or nationality (Acts 10:34-35; Gal 3:28; CCC 1058, 1261).
See note on 1 Tim 2:4
. • Vatican II affirms the possibility that even those who know nothing of the gospel may be saved by the grace of Christ, provided they seek God sincerely, follow the dictates of their conscience, and cooperate with the help given to them by divine Providence (
Lumen Gentium
16). 
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4:12 your youth:
There was a danger that young Timothy, probably in his thirties, would be intimidated or not held in respect by the elders of the Ephesian Church whom he was sent to correct (5:20). He is reminded that his reform efforts will succeed only if he practices the charity he preaches. 
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4:13 reading of Scripture:
One of the earliest references to the recitation of Scripture in the course of the liturgy (1 Thess 5:27; Rev 1:3). This practice passed into the ancient Church from the synagogue (Lk 4:16; Acts 15:21). 
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4:14 the elders:
Includes Paul, along with the assembled bishops of the Ephesian Church (2 Tim 1:6).
laid their hands upon:
The imposition of hands is a gesture with various meanings in the Bible. It was done to
(1)
perform healings (Mk 16:18),
(2)
confer blessings (Mt 19:13),
(3)
appoint missionaries (Acts 13:1-3),
(4)
bestow the Spirit on believers (Acts 8:17; 19:6),
(5)
unload the sins of Israel onto sacrificial beasts (Lev 16:21),
(6)
transfer religious authority from one leader to another (Num 27:18-23; Deut 34:9), and
(7)
appoint the Levites for sacred ministry (Num 8:10-11). • These last two examples (6 and 7) provide the immediate background for the New Covenant rite of priestly ordination. Timothy's consecration as a bishop gives him the fullness of priestly and apostolic authority to ordain others, as well (1 Tim 5:22). Jewish rabbis were similarly appointed by a council of synagogue elders who laid hands on the candidate (CCC 1573-76). 
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5:1-6:2
Paul instructs Timothy on how to treat older and younger believers (5:1-2), widows (5:3-16), elders (5:17-25), and slaves (6:1-2). He leads in with a reminder that every Christian under his care is a member of the spiritual family of Christ (5:1-2). 
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5:3-16
Widows had special needs in ancient society, where no economic or governmental programs were in place to assist them. Paul advises different support systems for different circumstances.
(1)
Widows with a surviving family should be cared for by their children and relatives (5:4).
(2)
Older widows without family or wealth are to receive material support from the local church (5:16).
(3)
Younger widows are advised to remarry, lest their energies and idle time be spent in unwholesome conduct and conversation (5:14). 
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5:5 prayers night and day:
A good example is the aged widow Anna in Lk 2:37. 
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5:6 dead:
Spiritually lifeless (Eph 2:1; Rev 3:1). 
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5:9 enrolled:
Either added to a list of widows who qualify to receive assistance or registered among an organized group of widows committed to prayer (5:5) and works of service (5:10). The character expected of these women is comparable to that of a prospective bishop (3:2) or deacon (3:8). 
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5:10 washed the feet:
An act of hospitality common in societies where sandals are worn and dusty roads are traveled on foot (Lk 7:44). Jesus made it a symbol of Christian service (Jn 13:14-17). 
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5:17 the elders:
Or "presbyters" (priests). Being servants of the gospel, they deserve our highest respect as well as a share of our material resources. Only in extreme cases where sin is at issue should Timothy rebuke an elder in public (5:20). See chart:
The Threefold Pastoral Ministry
at 1 Tim 3. 
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5:18 Scripture says:
By the time Paul wrote 1 Timothy, certain books of the NT were apparently being revered as part of holy Scripture. In this passage, Paul seems to assume that the citations from Deuteronomy and the Gospel of Luke share the same authority as inspired writings. Some of his own letters were esteemed in this way as well (2 Pet 3:15-16).
You shall not muzzle:
A quotation of Deut 25:4. For Paul, permitting animals to eat while they work carries a hidden significance now revealed by the gospel, so that what is true for oxen is even truer for ordained elders: their work entitles them to a share in the community's food and provisions (1 Cor 9:9-10). The allegorical meaning of this OT passage corresponds to the literal meaning of the NT passage that follows.
laborer deserves his wages:
A verbatim quotation of Lk 10:7, where Jesus insists that ministers of the Word have a right to fair compensation for their preaching (CCC 2122).
See note on Lk 10:7
. 
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