“As I urged you when I
was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain
persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths
and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship
from God that is by faith”
(1 Timothy
1:3-4, ESV)
When I first read 1 and 2
Timothy, I thought that Timothy was a senior pastor. I was wrong. Timothy is
not to be thought of in the same capacity as a modern-day pastor. The church at
Ephesus already had elders who were in charge of the work there (read Acts
19:17-38). Timothy was rather Paul’s representative to give direction
and instruction to the church at Ephesus and surrounding churches (when I read
the New Testament, it seems like there are at least two churches at Ephesus). So,
one of the main reasons the apostle Paul wanted Timothy to stay in Ephesus was
to counteract the teaching of those who were teaching “different doctrine” or “other doctrine.” These individuals are not named as are in 1
Timothy 1:20 but are simply referred to as “certain persons.”
In Acts 20:18-31, Paul had
warned the Ephesian elders: “Pay careful
attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made
you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own
blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not
sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking
twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert,
remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every
one with tears.” So here, Timothy is to warn them again that they are to
stop these false teachers (“fierce wolves”)
to “not to teach any different
doctrine” (same words used in Galatians 1:6-7). Warn and stop them
Timothy!
For the child of God – especially,
Bible teachers – faithfulness to the doctrine of the Word of God is not
optional. This “different doctrine”
didn’t and won’t bring sinners to salvation or edify the believers. It only
sparked curiosity and people pursue “myths”
and “endless genealogies.”
Historically, the Jews have been guilty of allegorizing much of the Old
Testament, adding stories and taking some of the genealogical lists in the Old
Testament, and adding names with symbolic meanings (Google Jewish Mythology). I have a Good News Bible with Deuterocanonical
or Apocrypha books in it such as the story of the prophet Daniel, Bel, and the
Dragon! A bunch of myths! How many false cults and heresies have been started
in our day by the same means (the Bible taught God the Mother? Lucifer
is Jesus’s brother? Muhammad is the seal of the Old and New Testament prophets?).
People are fascinated by some new, wild speculations and yet remain ignorant of
the Gospel of the saving grace of God.
All such nonsenses only lead people to more
and more questions and devotions. Distracted and majoring in minor things. They
do not result in the “stewardship from God
that is by faith” or “godly
edifying which is in faith” (KJV). Rather than being occupied with Jesus Christ and
the truth of God’s Word, they are occupied with various side issues. Paul says
that we have been made stewards of the mysteries of God and we are required to
be found faithful to that stewardship (read 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, I remember Steve
Green’s song Find Us Faithful). The “different doctrine” in Ephesus and the curious myths of
the Bible today must be put to stop!
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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