for this cause = on account of ( App-104 . 1 Timothy 1:2 ) this. first . See "chief", 1 Timothy 1:16 . for. App-104 . pattern . Greek. hupotuposis . Only here and a Tim. 1 Timothy 1:13 . to = of. should hereafter = are about to. believe on . App-150 to. App-104 . life. App-110 . everlasting. App-161 . Paul was converted through the visible appearance of the Lord from heaven, Others will be (Zechariah 12:10 ). read more
might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life.Paul's argument here is that by pardoning the chief of the band of brigands, Jesus Christ had, by implication, extended an invitation to receive forgiveness to all the lesser sinners who made up the company!For an ensample ... That the blessed apostle does not here overestimate the significance of his conversion is discernible throughout history. Paul's... read more
16. Howbeit—Greek, "But"; contrasting his own conscious sinfulness with God's gracious visitation of him in mercy. for this cause—for this very purpose. that in me—in my case. first—"foremost." As I was "foremost" (Greek for chief, :-) in sin, so God has made me the "foremost" sample of mercy. show—to His own glory (the middle Greek, voice), :-. all long-suffering—Greek, "the whole (of His) long-suffering," namely, in bearing so long with me while I was a persecutor. a pattern—a sample (1... read more
II. TIMOTHY’S MISSION IN EPHESUS 1:3-20In chapter 1 Paul charged Timothy to remain faithful to the task with which Paul had entrusted him in Ephesus. He began by reminding Timothy what that task was and how he should carry out his chief duty. Then he exhorted Timothy to be faithful. He reminded his young protégé of God’s power to transform lives and warned him of the danger of acting contrary to his own spiritually sensitive conscience."The absence of . . . [a thanksgiving] here supports the... read more
1. A positive encouragement 1:12-17Paul thanked God for changing him to enable Timothy to appreciate the fact that God can transform even the worst of sinners and enable His saints to accomplish supernatural feats. What called forth Paul’s testimony here was the difficult situation Timothy faced in Ephesus made even harder by Timothy’s personal tendency toward timidity. The evidence that Timothy tended to be timid, perhaps partly because of the strong opposition he faced, comes out more clearly... read more
B. Exhortations to be faithful 1:12-20Paul proceed to balance his instruction by giving Timothy a positive encouragement and a negative warning so he would deal with the false teachers effectively. read more
God was unusually merciful to Paul because He desired to make the apostle an example of how God can change the worst of sinners into the best of saints. His greatest enemy became His greatest servant. In the light of Paul’s conversion no one should conclude that his or her sin is too great for God to forgive. God may be patient with anyone since He was patient with Paul. read more
1:16 of (b-24) As 'outline,' 2 Timothy 1:13 . It is a mistake to confine delineation to long-suffering, and so make 'of' mean 'for.' 'for those,' c. Paul was a delineation of Christ's ways in their case, even, I doubt not, in the case of the rebellious Jews hereafter. the whole long-suffering was in Paul's case, so as to picture every case. In those who companied with Christ when alive this was not so, though the grace was really the same but there was not the same showing forth of it. read more
Timothy Reminded of his Commission, and Exhorted to Earnestness1, 2. Salutation. An apostle] St. Peter and St. John, with regard to whose position no question was raised, are content to call themselves presbyters (2 and 3 John, 1 Peter 5:1), but St. Paul usually designates himself as an Apostle owing to the peculiarity of his call to the apostleship which led his adversaries to deny him the title; and for the same reason he claims that he holds his apostleship by the commandment of God the... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Timothy 1:12-20
Reminders from past experiences (1:12-20)As soon as Paul mentions the gospel, he is reminded of the power and grace of God that he has experienced in his own life. God changed Paul, and turned the greatest of sinners into his special representative to take the gospel to the Gentiles. If God can do that, there must be no limit to his mercy, grace and love (12-15). No person is beyond hope. Christ’s patience in dealing with the persecutor Paul should be an assurance to others that he will be... read more