Homilies on First Timothy 0

Timothy also was one of the Apostle's disciples.

And Luke testifies that he was a certain admirable young man, well attested by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium;

who at one and the same time became a disciple and a teacher;

and he was so exceedingly discerning that, when he heard Paul preaching without circumcision, and learned that on this account he had even withstood Peter, he chose not only not to preach the contrary, but even to suffer for it;

for he circumcised him, it says, at such an age;

and thus he entrusted to him the whole administration.

Now Paul's affection would of itself have sufficed to show what manner of man he was.

For indeed in another place also he bears witness to him, writing and saying, 'But you know the proof of him, that as a son with a father he served with me in the Gospel;'

and again he writes to the Corinthians, saying, 'I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord;'

and again, 'Let no man despise him;'

'for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do.'

And writing to the Hebrews also he said, 'Know that our brother Timothy has been set at liberty;'

and on every side one may find abundant proof of his love for him.

And the miracles now wrought also demonstrate his boldness.

But if anyone should inquire why in the world he writes to Titus and Timothy alone, seeing that Silas too was among the approved, and Luke likewise;

'And Luke alone is with me;'

and Clement too happened to be one of those who were with him;

for he says concerning him also, 'With Clement also and the rest of my fellow-workers;'

for what reason, then, does he write to Titus and Timothy alone? Because to these he had already committed Churches, whereas those others he still led about with himself;

but these he had assigned to certain definite places.

For so great was the surpassing measure of his virtue, that his youth was in no way a hindrance.

'Let no one despise your youth.'

[And again he says, 'The younger women as sisters.'] For where there is virtue, all these things are superfluous, and nothing can stand in the way.

For indeed, when he discourses concerning bishops and says many things about them, nowhere does he lay down precise rules concerning age.

But if in writing he says, 'Having children in subjection,' and, 'The husband of one wife,' he does not mean that it is necessary to have both children and a wife, but that, should it ever happen that men are brought in from worldly life, they should be such as to know how to preside over a household and children and everything else.

For if a man were worldly, and had proved of no use even in these things, how could he be entrusted with the care of a Church? But for what reason, someone asks, did he write to his disciple who was already appointed to teaching? For ought he not first to have been perfected, and then to have been sent? But he needed instruction — not the same as that which the disciples need, but such as befits a teacher.

Observe, then, how throughout the whole Epistle he makes his instruction such as befits a teacher.

And immediately from the very preface he did not say, 'that you may give heed to those who teach otherwise,' but what? 'That you may charge them not to teach otherwise.'