Timothy the Fellowlabourer of Paul

We inherit sin from our parents, and this inheritance is unavoidable, since we are conceived in sin and born in iniquity. Grace is not received as an inheritance. A child does not inherit grace from its parents or grandparents. With spiritual good it is different than with material good.

We see God-fearing parents who have wicked children. The Lord is free, however, and many times we see that He gives grace from generation to generation. This is not of merit, but it is God’s work only. This is also evident in our text.

The previous chapter speaks about the synod of Jerusalem, where a decision was made that circumcision was not required among the Gentiles. After this synod, the apostle Paul suggested to Barnabas that they visit the congregations on the mission field again. However, they had a disagreement about who would accompany them. The end was division. Barnabas took Mark with him, but Paul took Silas as a helper. But, for Paul, Silas was not the same as Barnabas, neither as friend nor as fellow laborer.

We read, “Then came he to Derbe and Lystra.” Why is this not in the plural? Because the relationship was not that of two fellow laborers, but of master and disciple. But now the Lord would fill the empty place with a man in His favor. Who was this? It was Timothy.

God’s Word reveals something about this young man. First it speaks about his family: he had a God-fearing grandmother, named Lois; his mother, Eunice, was also a woman who feared the Lord. His father was a Greek, which means he remained a heathen. The grandmother Lois was a God-fearing woman, but she had made the great mistake of giving her daughter in marriage to a heathen, which was expressly forbidden in the law of Moses.

Faith is a personal gift of the Lord, but He uses means and men to fulfill His counsel on earth.

We would ask how it is possible that two God-fearing women fell into such a snare, with all its consequences. We cannot be certain, but it may have taken place in this way: Eunice’s lover, like nearly all do, began to attend the synagogue services for her sake and was almost persuaded to become a proselyte of the gate. But yet some overpowering influence kept him back from taking such an important step. Only let Lois give her consent for the marriage and she would never repent it, he said. It is possible he had the intention to live a godly life. So Lois gave her consent. It would have bitter consequences for Eunice.

Family life became a familiar thing, and gradually he strayed away from the family religion. He had all kinds of excuses, but the end result was that he remained a heathen. Nine out of ten women would have accepted Eunice’s fate and would gradually have sunk to their husband’s unbelieving level of life. This has been the case with many mixed marriages.

Instead of accepting the husband’s way of life, and especially after the birth of the first child and grandchild, these two God-fearing women set themselves to more prayerful lives. The child received a lovely Greek name, Timothy, which means “lover of God.” Are there not many unbelievers who have beautiful Christian names? But in their lives you do not see it. A tree must be known by its fruit.

Timothy’s father did not want the child to be circumcised, and the mother was only allowed to do this alone in special circumstances; think, for example, of Zipporah. Today we are confronted with the same problems in mixed marriages. Then one hears, “When the child is grown up, he must make his own decision.” The parents do not realize what a great step it is to be baptized as an adult; the commandment of the Lord is that we be baptized as children, as it was with circumcision under the Old Testament.

The consequences in Timothy’s family could have been division, with all its related problems. But Timothy was not circumcised, which means that the covenant was broken and, according to God’s law, this child was not allowed to live. What a need this brought into the family, the marriage, the church, and their spiritual life. We should take this example as a warning, young people, not to go in the same direction. We know very well that the Old Testament laws have been abolished about mixed marriages, but even so the same problems remain. We should be aware that the world requires our boys and girls, parents, for the Moloch of unbelief. Many young people have chosen the world and its pleasures. Should we not mourn when we see the departure of so many among us who have the sign of the covenant on their foreheads? Never forget that the King will say in the day of days, “Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity,” especially when we have had God-fearing parents or grandparents.

Our text says, “Behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus.” He is called a disciple, which means that he was a Christian. He had a good name, not only in Derbe but also in Lystra and Iconium. What a blessing when people, not only from our own congregation, may speak well of a person, especially when he is, or will become, an office-bearer. God’s Word says that they must be blameless. This does not mean that they are saints in every respect, but there is a hating of sin and a love for the Lord and their neighbor in their heart.

This young man was known among the Christians. This was said by people who, by the grace of God, may judge. They could speak out of their own experience how the Lord leads His people. They had ears to hear!

How did Timothy become a disciple? Paul wrote to Timothy, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice.” Does Paul say that Timothy inherited faith from his mother or grandmother? No, faith is a personal gift of the Lord, but the Lord often works in certain families. Faith is worked by the Lord, but He uses means and men to fulfill His counsel on earth. The Word must be preached, and out of the Word the Lord will give instruction under the operation of the Spirit.

Who had taught Timothy? Paul gives the answer, “From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” His mother had spoken about the well-known histories out of God’s Word and about God’s promise that He would send His beloved Son. This made an impression in the heart of Timothy. Then, at God’s time, on the first missionary journey, Paul came and preached the gospel, that the Messiah had come; he preached Jesus Christ crucified. This was blessed by the Lord to the conversion of Timothy. There is no doubt that Paul was his spiritual father.

You realize that this was God’s work from the beginning to the end, but the Lord binds Himself to the means. There was joy in heaven, but also on earth, especially in the lives of these women, when God’s work became evident. Fathers and mothers, remember the wise method of Lois and Eunice. We know this is no guarantee that our children will receive grace, but the Lord requires this from us also. We need the blessings of the Lord on our labor, also in the upbringing of our children.

We must realize that these women had not only read out of the Bible, but had also spoken to young Timothy about it and tried to explain it to him. As fruit of this instruction, Timothy could comprehend the sermons of Paul, which were applied by the Lord. I am afraid that this is lacking in many families today, but, parents, it cannot be missed. Remember your promise at baptism and ask for the Lord’s blessing. We know some people disdain Christian education and claim that we only make Pharisees of the children, since it is only an external varnish. This is not true. We are dependent upon the Lord’s blessing for conversion, but also outwardly it is a privilege to know about the Bible. If we as a nation would live according to God’s Word, then the Lord would not give us over so much to the foolishness of our hearts, as it happens today. Therefore the prophet cried out, “Oh land, land, land, hear the Word of the Lord.”

Young people, be aware of the great value of living under the truth, because it can make us wise to salvation. Also, the prayer of a God-fearing member of the family is a great privilege. The Lord can hear the prayer of the righteous when your need is bound upon their heart. Are you such a pillar in the church and family? The number of true believers becomes smaller in our days, but the Lord is still the same and performs miracles.

Probably many think that we are always gloomy and see dangers all over, so that there is no pleasure in this life at all. So it may seem to you, but that is not true, because the Lord has left yet many blessings among us, for which we should acknowledge Him. But on the other hand, we are so blind for the dangers that surround us daily, also in the relationships with our friends and in courtship. Realize what grief it causes your parents when you go your own way.

God’s Word warns us that we should not be unequally yoked together with an unbeliever, a person who is not willing to bow before God’s Word. We have seen it in the life of Eunice, and what a sorrow it has brought in her life!

Fathers, may you see your double calling: to take care of the daily bread and of the spiritual cares of the family, all under the blessing of the Lord. Paul says, “If any does not provide for those of his own, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.” As prophet we should more often open God’s Word every day; as priest we should lay both temporal and eternal needs before the Lord; as king we should maintain the authority in our home. This is impossible for us by nature, but would it be too much for the Lord to give such a blessing? If we are willfully disobedient to this commandment, then there must be written on our house, “Ichabod,” the glory is departed. May the Lord bind this holy duty upon our hearts and bind His blessing to it, to the glory of His name and to the welfare of our dear ones.

Three years had passed since the apostle had been in Derbe. On his second missionary journey he met Timothy again; he had become a young man who feared the Lord. The Holy Spirit drew the attention of Paul to him. More and more he saw in him a young man in whom the Lord worked, but in whom it was also clearly visible that the need of the church weighed heavily upon his heart. There were still so many unconverted fellow travelers to eternity.

What a blessing would it be if also in our days we found such young people who are no strangers of the life of grace, but who also feel a calling for the ministry. Many times in public worship the needs of the denomination are remembered: how that many congregations are vacant and are longing for the living Word and that the heavy task of the ministers may become a little lighter. This should also be remembered in our personal prayers. It is possible that some will say, “But I do not know how to pray, because I am unconverted.” Friend, I hope this becomes true in your life and that your being unconverted becomes a burden. Still it is our duty to lay it before the Lord, that He may give more laborers in His vineyard.

For Paul there was the question of whether Timothy was too young, and whether the Lord had already made him willing to leave all things behind, in the literal sense of the word. When Paul spoke with him about this, probably with the consistory of Derbe present, then he heard how the Lord had inclined his heart to follow Paul on his missionary journey. Was he then admitted to the ministry? Were there no objections?

Yes, there was yet one problem! Timothy was not circumcised. What must Paul do? In this way, he could only labor among the heathens, since he would not be allowed to enter into the synagogue. At the synod in Jerusalem the issue of circumcision had created great difficulties among the Jews. Therefore, because of the offence he would otherwise give to the Jews, Paul determined to circumcise Timothy. For Paul circumcision did not have value any more, but it was a necessity in order to enter into the synagogue.

After the ceremony of circumcision, Timothy was installed in the midst of the congregation. They laid hands on him to install him in his office of prophet, as Paul said, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

The sending out of Timothy meant a new chapter in the New Testament church. He was the first laborer from among the heathen, and he was blessed by the Lord in his labor, as we can read in the following verses. For Paul it was a fulfillment of the promise to receive Timothy out of the hand of the Lord.

Soon the Curatorium hopes to meet to examine men who believe that they have been called to the ministry. May we all lay this great need before the Lord, that we may receive men, in His favor, to labor in our denomination. We do not deserve this, but the Lord has given permission to draw near to Him with all our needs. Is this not especially true in relation to His church, which is His body? He has said, “Come unto Me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” May the Lord do it for His covenant’s sake.

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