1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; #NAME? I. His OFFICE as being that of "an apostle of Jesus Christ." He often laid stress upon his apostleship, and not with out good reason, for if it had not been recognized he would have been powerless to mould the Churches, which by God's blessing he had been enabled to form. Apostles are still wanted by the world, and Christians ought not to speak either with faltering voice or with apologetic tone. The confidence of the Church must be strengthened before the world will submit to its teaching. II. St. Paul refers here not only to his office as "an apostle of Jesus Christ," but also to THE BASIS ON WHICH HIS APPOINTMENT RESTED — namely, "the commandment of God our Saviour." Nothing could give a man more courage than belief in such a Divine call. It sustained that noble hero, General Gordon, amidst difficulties and perils which made his life an epic poem; indeed, in all ages the men who have had that belief have dared and done the mightiest deeds. Turn over the pages of history, and you will see that the invincible Ironsides — the dauntless pilgrim founders of the new world — the noblest evangelists and fathers of the early Churches, were all victorious because each said to himself, "I am here by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope." And going back farther still in a Church history, we see Jeremiah standing amidst his persecutors like a brazen wall and a defenced city; Daniel defying the wrath of the king, without a sign of brag gadocio, or of any seeming consciousness of his nobility; and Elijah opposing the court, the hierarchy, and the fanatical people — without a tremor, because he looked beyond them all, and spoke of "the Lord God of Israel, before whom I stand." III. Here we may encourage ourselves, as Paul did, by remembering THE GIVER OF THIS OFFICE AND WORK. The expression "God, our Saviour" is frequent in the pastoral epistles, but is only met with elsewhere in Jude's doxology, and in Mary's Magnificat. Probably Paul used it here with a special view to certain false teaching which was springing up in the Christian Church at this period. (A. Rowland, LL. B.) Parallel Verses KJV: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; |
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