1 Timothy 4:13-14 13Until I come, pay close attention to reading, exhortation, and teaching. 14Do not neglect the spiritual gift in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the elders.
Paul had plans to visit Ephesus and help with the situation, but until he got there, Timothy needed to handle the situation. The earlier passage focused on Timothy’s character. Verse 13 focuses on the actions Timothy must do within the church. He needed to devote himself constantly (present tense verb proseche) to three activities, which were primary ways to deal with the problem people in Ephesus and help the church grow in faith and knowledge of the truth.
First, he needed to give attention to reading (anagnōsei), which likely refers to reading of Scripture. Timothy’s Scripture would have been our Old Testament, though Paul does not specifically state reading to only the Old Testament. By the point of when this letter was written, Paul had already written several letters, and so it is possible that Timothy’s reading included early Christian writings. There were few copies of Scripture at that time, so most reading of it was in public worship so many people could hear it. Timothy had been taught the Scriptures since he was a young child (2 Timothy 3:15) but needed to continue in his study and also help the Ephesians know God’s words better for themselves.
Second, Timothy’s reading and understanding of Scripture and the gospel should equip him for exhortation. This word (paraklēsei) can also be translated as comfort or encourage. The purpose of exhortation is to bring assurance of faith. In synagogues of that time, the public reading of Scripture was followed by a word of exhortation. A modern equivalent is the preaching that follows the reading of a passage from the Bible.
Third, Timothy needed to give attention to teaching (didaskalia). Teaching entails explaining what has been preached. Teaching often includes deeper explanations with the opportunity for students to dialogue or ask questions. Teaching would be a vital ministry for Timothy (verse 11) because of the problems of false doctrines that were infiltrating the Ephesian church. His careful reading and application of Scripture would provide a solid foundation for him to teach the church. He could only teach what he himself knew well.
All three of these activities should be guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds Timothy of the special spiritual gift (charismatos) he received when the elders of the church laid their hands on him. Timothy had a vital part in his spiritual and ministerial growth. He could neglect his gifting and what the Spirit was doing in and through him through passivity or laziness. Spiritual growth and ministry effectiveness take discipline.
It is not known when the elders laid their hand on Timothy with a prophecy, but perhaps by his home church when he was about to leave with Paul in Acts 16:1-5. In modern terms, this might be considered a form of ordination or commissioning. The inclusion of prophecy in this reminder gave Timothy additional authority from God to deal with the troubles in Ephesus. This past event was a powerful reminder to Timothy that God was with him and had great plans for him as he obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Although Timothy’s situation was unique, his task reminds those in ministry leadership of the importance of faithfulness to the task to which we have been called. Not many people have prophecies spoken over them, but ministers of the gospel experience a form of ordination and commissioning by the church. Timothy’s experience serves as a pattern and reminder for ministers today. The memory of ordination needs to remain strong lest a minister depart from his or her central task of preaching the gospel.
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