The One Mediator We Find in 1 Timothy

Christ Jesus the One Mediator

In 1 Timothy, the title “Savior” is reserved for God, and Christ Jesus is the agent or means by which that salvation is completed, a fact splendidly captured in one of the vital succinct gospel statements in Scripture: “Christ Jesus got here into the world to save lots of sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). This “saying,” which is “reliable and deserving of full acceptance,” demonstrates the virtually inseparable connection between Christology and soteriology within the letter, and introduces the associated theme of Christ’s appearings, which is a function of all of the letters to Timothy and Titus.

There are 4 fundamental texts about Christ (1 Tim. 1:12–15; 2:5–6; 3:16; 6:13–14). The poetic nature of a few of these—and different stylized texts within the letters (e.g., 1 Tim. 1:15; 2:5; 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:9–10, 11–13; 2:19–21; 3:15; Titus 2:11–14; 3:3–7; cf. 1 Cor. 15:3–5; Phil. 2:5–11)—may point out the usage of preexisting conventional formulae or hymnic materials.¹ Our curiosity, although, is within the that means of the biblical textual content slightly than its prehistory, so even when Paul did compose or use preexisting conventional materials, it was to serve the message of this letter. And that literary context governs its that means.

Many facets of the instructing about Christ within the three letters are shared with Paul’s different letters and the New Testomony typically:² Christ Jesus is the God-man, who died to reconcile sinners to God, was resurrected, and ascended to reign within the heavenly locations, till he comes once more to convey the current age to its conclusion. Some frequent facets of Paul’s Christology should not explicitly talked about (e.g., the cross [cf. 1 Tim. 6:13], divine sonship). Nevertheless, Paul’s letters all deal with particular conditions, and their Christology is formed accordingly.³

The stress in 1 Timothy falls on Christ’s true humanity and his historic presence on the planet.⁴ He’s “the man [anthrōpos] Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5), who “appeared within the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16 NIV), and “got here into the world” (1 Tim. 1:15; cf. Rom. 8:3–4; Gal. 4:4–5). He testified earlier than a historic particular person (i.e., Pontius Pilate, 1 Tim. 6:13). He inhabited the identical world because the sinners he got here to save lots of (1 Tim. 3:16; 6:7), and since he shares our humanity, he generally is a mannequin and encouragement to Timothy (specifically) to persevere in antagonistic circumstances (1 Tim. 6:12–14). Christ’s bodily presence on the planet additionally affirms life on this world (1 Tim. 2:2). Most importantly, his real humanity is critical for him to be the one mediator between God and humanity (anthrōpōn, 1 Tim. 2:4–5), representing us and giving himself for us in loss of life (2:6; cf. Phil. 2:7–8; Heb. 2:14).

And but, Christ can be divine and equal in standing with God (Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:15). With God, he’s the divine supply of salvation blessings of grace, mercy, and peace (1 Tim. 1:2, 14, 16). With God, he commissioned and approved Paul’s apostolic ministry (1 Tim. 1:1, 11–12; 2:7). Each God and Christ are “Lord” (kyrios, 1 Tim. 1:1, 12, 14; 6:3, 14–15) and the objects of believers’ hope (1 Tim. 1:1; 4:10; 5:5; 6:17). Each are witnesses to Paul’s prices to Timothy (1 Tim. 5:21; 6:13). Christ reigns in glory (1 Tim. 3:16).⁵ His spoken phrases (now written) are referred to as “Scripture” (graphē) and positioned alongside the Mosaic Legislation as equally authoritative and instructive (1 Tim. 5:18; cf. Deut. 25:4; Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7).⁶ Christ is the supply of sound/ wholesome and authoritative instructing (1 Tim. 6:3), and of saving mercy, grace, religion, and love (1 Tim. 1:13–14). Perception in him results in everlasting life (1 Tim. 1:16). He receives thanks (1 Tim. 1:12), devotion (1 Tim. 5:11), and repair (1 Tim. 1:12; 4:6). He presently empowers Paul’s gospel ministry (1 Tim. 1:12; cf. Eph. 6:10; Phil. 4:13; 2 Tim. 2:1; 4:17). He’s far superior to the angels (1 Tim. 3:16; 5:21; cf. Heb. 1:4). And in his preexistence and “coming/showing” to perform the Father’s will to save lots of, we glimpse his divine sonship (1 Tim. 1:2; cf. Rom. 8:3; Gal. 4:4; John 5:23; 1 John 4:9, 14

This isn’t an adoptionist Christology, the place a merely human Jesus was exalted to divine standing as a consequence of his earthly ministry.⁷ Fairly, Christ “got here into the world” (1 Tim. 1:15) and “appeared within the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16 NIV).⁸ That’s, not like us, Christ existed earlier than he got here into the world (John 1:1, 14; 1 Cor. 10:4; Phil. 2:6–7; Col. 1:15–17; 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 2:11; 3:4), and his divine standing preceded his showing within the flesh. He’s the achievement of God’s promised salvation plan that the Messiah (Christ) could be “God with us” and considered one of us (Matt. 1:18–25; cf. Isa. 9:6–7).

Christ’s Apppearings

Christ’s appearings are a well-recognized theme of the letters to Timothy and Titus, typically referred to as “epiphany Christology,” after the distinctive vocabulary used (epiphaneia, 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; epiphainō, Titus 2:11; 3:4; associated phrase, phaneroō, 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 2:11; 3:4).⁹ The vocabulary denotes the showing or revealing of what was beforehand hidden. It had a historical past of use in reference to navy victories and, in secular Greek thought and Hellenistic Judaism, was related to the seen intervention in historical past of in any other case invisible divine energy to ship help.¹⁰ Every of the three letters places the epiphany theme to a unique use, however it persistently applies to Christ’s first and second appearings in historical past.

In 1 Timothy, this theme can be developed via associated ideas, akin to Christ’s “coming” (1 Tim. 1:15)¹¹ and the “thriller” now revealed (mystērion, 1 Tim. 3:9, 16; cf. Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:3–5; Col. 1:26).¹² The content material disclosed is God’s beforehand hidden plan of salvation. As such, Christ’s appearings are each the disclosure of God’s will to save lots of (1 Tim. 2:4) and the means by which that salvation is inaugurated, completed, and consummated (1 Tim. 6:14) in God’s appointed timing (“the testimony,” 1 Tim. 2:6; 6:15; cf. 3:16; Titus 1:3).¹³

The centrality of Christ to each facet of God’s everlasting salvation plan is captured within the Christ hymn (1 Tim. 3:16):¹⁴ (line 1) The preexistent Christ appeared within the flesh and fulfilled his earthly ministry, climaxing in his crucifixion (1 Tim. 6:13);¹⁵ having glad God’s righteous calls for in his loss of life, (line 2) he was vindicated (edikaiōthē) by (probably in) the Holy Spirit via his resurrection from the useless (Rom. 1:4; 8:11);¹⁶ (line 3) following his ascension, he appeared to angels (1 Tim. 5:21; cf. Eph. 1:21; Phil. 2:9–11; Heb 1:3);¹⁷ since then, (line 4) the gospel about him is preached to the nations (1 Tim. 2:7; cf. Rom. 1:16), and (line 5) folks consider on him for everlasting life (1 Tim. 1:16); and (line 6) because the one taken up in glory, he now lives and reigns and intercedes for them as Lord (1 Tim. 1:2, 12, 14; 5:21; 6:3, 13; cf. Eph. 1:20–23; Col. 3:1).¹⁸ That’s, Christ himself—“incarnate and glorified”¹⁹—is “the thriller of godliness.”

He’s the supply, object, and substance of Christian “hope” (1 Tim. 1:1):²⁰ the (God-)man (anthrōpos) who’s the one and solely mediator (mesitēs) between the one God and humankind (anthrōpōn, 1 Tim. 2:5), who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of and within the place of all these whom God needs to save lots of (1 Tim. 2:6; cf. Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; Gal. 1:4; Titus 2:14).

He’s the Christ (Christos),²¹ the promised Jewish Messiah (Heb. Mashiach) and Son of David (2 Sam. 7:8–16; Isa. 9:2–7; Rom. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:8)—however not for Israel alone. He’s Lord (kyrios, 1 Tim. 1:2, 12, 14; 6:3, 14). That’s, he’s worthy of the Greek title used to translate the divine identify Yahweh within the LXX and in New Testomony citations of the Outdated Testomony (e.g., Rom. 10:16), signaling his full divinity, and but sitting with out contradiction alongside the robust monotheism of this letter and the New Testomony (e.g., 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 8:6). Paul Jeon rightly observes: “By ascribing the title ‘Lord’ to Christ Jesus in direct view of God the Father (1 Tim. 1:2), Paul successfully identifies that Christ Jesus is equally the very God of the OT. Thus, Paul makes clear that Christ Jesus is the ‘Lord’ who shares in God the Father’s place as ruler of the identical family.”²² His rule might be totally realized at his second coming (1 Tim. 6:14; cf. 1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Tim. 4:1; Titus 2:13). As divine Lord, Christ Jesus is much superior to the Roman emperors, who assumed the title. He’s the Lord and grasp of these he saves, and on this letter he’s all the time “our Lord”—the private Lord of Paul, Timothy, the Ephesian Christians, and all those that consider in him (1 Tim. 1:12–16; cf. Rom. 10:9, 13; 1 Cor. 12:3).

This text is tailored from The Appearing of God Our Savior: A Theology of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus by Claire Smith.

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