NT Characters: Timothy

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/nt-character-podcast-56-timothy/">website</a>.</p><p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><ul><li>Most biblical figures give us few insights into the heart or the personality. Timothy is one of the persons about whom we know much more, mentioned some 30x in the N.T.</li><li>He was in the circle of persons trained by the apostle Paul.</li></ul><p><strong>ACTS 161</strong>Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. <strong>2 </strong>The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. </p><ul><li>Jewish / Greek. Jewish mother (2 Tim 1—mother Eunice and grandmother Lois)</li><li>“A disciple”—not a bad phrase for one’s epitaph.</li><li>But this is early in Timothy’s life, not late. As we will see, he seems to have continued to grow—to be a disciple, a learner.</li><li>Character is key. That is, we should <i>not</i> chose people as leaders because they are impressive in a worldly way: photogenic, or tall, or powerful, or intellectual.</li><li>He good character was known in more than one location.</li></ul><p><strong>3 </strong>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.</p><ul><li>Paul averts unnecessary criticism by having Timothy circumcised. This is a strategic decision.</li><li>Titus he did not circumcise, but then Titus came from a fully Gentile background.</li></ul><p><strong>4 </strong>As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. <strong>5 </strong>So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.</p><ul><li>Timothy saw Paul at work, not only in Lystra, but in many towns.</li><li>Paul and Timothy were coworkers.</li><li>It’s immensely valuable to work with someone who knows how to share thei