Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Timothy had learned the Scriptures from childhood and had witnessed Paul's suffering at Lystra, and that shared history strengthened the sympathy between them. The greeting to Timothy as Paul's own son in the faith means Paul regarded him as a spiritual son bound to him by close Christian union and love. That same address shows Paul loved Timothy as his own son in the faith. In that relationship Timothy stood as Paul's younger disciple, whom Paul taught and guided in gospel ministry.
Timothy became Paul's fellow laborer and trusted fellow worker in the gospel, and his companion in labor and travel. He is likewise reckoned as Paul's spiritual son and fellow worker in the gospel. Paul trained him by drawing him out with questions about Scripture history and by carefully teaching him from place to place how to do successful work. Paul and Silas used all their association with Timothy to deepen the impression already on his mind of the sacred, serious nature of the work of the gospel minister.
Timothy had learned the Scriptures from childhood and had witnessed Paul's suffering at Lystra, and that shared history strengthened the sympathy between them. The greeting to Timothy as Paul's own son in the faith means Paul regarded him as a spiritual son bound to him by close Christian union and love. That same address shows Paul loved Timothy as his own son in the faith. In that relationship Timothy stood as Paul's younger disciple, whom Paul taught and guided in gospel ministry.
Timothy became Paul's fellow laborer and trusted fellow worker in the gospel, and his companion in labor and travel. He is likewise reckoned as Paul's spiritual son and fellow worker in the gospel. Paul trained him by drawing him out with questions about Scripture history and by carefully teaching him from place to place how to do successful work. Paul and Silas used all their association with Timothy to deepen the impression already on his mind of the sacred, serious nature of the work of the gospel minister.