Act 16:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | After passing through Syria and Cilicia, Paul comes to Derbe and to Lystra in Lycaonia ( ). In Lystra he meets a disciple named Timothy. Timothy is mentioned here for the first time. In the sequel of Acts and also in Paul’s letters we will hear a lot about him. It seems he came to faith through Paul’s preaching during his first missionary journey. We can conclude this from the letters Paul wrote later to Timothy. In them he calls him “[my] true child in [the] faith” ( ) and addresses him as “my beloved son” ( ; cf. ). He will become Paul’s most valued co-worker. The marriage from which Timothy was born is forbidden by law ( ; ). But grace overcomes and makes him, born of an unlawful marriage, an instrument of God’s honor – his name means ‘honoring God’. His mother and also his grandmother were believing women ( ), who taught him in the Scriptures. He has known the Scriptures from an early age ( ). Since his conversion, Timothy has grown in the faith. Because of his knowledge of the holy Scriptures, he is soon able to serve with the Word. His spiritual development has been noticed by the brethren in Lystra, where he lives, but also by the brethren in Iconium, where he apparently sometimes comes to serve with the Word there as well. When Paul comes back to Lystra and his attention undoubtedly is focused on this promising young man, he wants Timothy to travel with him. From the letters that Paul will later write to Timothy, we know that he is equipped for the service in a special way. We can discover four aspects that have played a role in this: 1. previous prophecies ( ), 2. the spiritual gift of God ( ; ), 3. laying on of hands by Paul ( ) and 4. laying on of hands by the joint elders ( ). As mentioned before, the laying on of hands does not mean ordination or calling, but identification ( ). Then Paul is doing something that at first glance seems odd because it is something he recently opposed so much. He circumcises Timothy with his own hands. The reason follows immediately. His goal with the circumcision of Timothy is to overcome Jewish prejudices ( ). Timothy will not be acceptable to Jews if he is not completely Jewish. Paul stands in the freedom of the Spirit, therefore he can circumcise Timothy. He also does it without any constraint being exerted on him. When he was forced to circumcise Titus, he did not do so ( ). Christian freedom fully acknowledges the law in its place, although the law has no place in that Christian freedom itself. With Titus it is about Christian doctrine, as if you cannot be saved without circumcision. That is why Titus is not circumcised. With Timothy it is about what is useful for the work and then it is useful to circumcise him in order to have a better entrance with the Jews and to win the Jews. Thus, the circumcision of Timothy has nothing to do with his salvation, but only with his functioning among Jewish believers. Because of his birth from a Jewish mother Timothy is Jewish. This has been stated – so it is said – from a practical point of view that it is easier to prove that a mother is a Jew than that a father is a Jew. Also, a child is influenced by the mother in a much stronger way by her religion than the father could by his religion. Nowhere did Paul call on the Jews to no longer abide by the law. Where it was useful, he submitted himself to it with a view to the gospel among the Jews. Only later is written in the letter to the Hebrews about the disappearance of the age of the law and with that its importance to the Jews and called on them to leave the camp ( ). With Silas and Timothy, Paul travels through the cities to pass on everywhere in the churches what has been decided in Jerusalem concerning the necessary things to be observed by the believers from the Gentiles. There is no question of keeping the commandments of the law.

‏ Acts 16:1-3

Timothy, Paul’s New Travel Companion

After passing through Syria and Cilicia, Paul comes to Derbe and to Lystra in Lycaonia (Acts 14:6). In Lystra he meets a disciple named Timothy. Timothy is mentioned here for the first time. In the sequel of Acts and also in Paul’s letters we will hear a lot about him.

It seems he came to faith through Paul’s preaching during his first missionary journey. We can conclude this from the letters Paul wrote later to Timothy. In them he calls him “[my] true child in [the] faith” (1Tim 1:2) and addresses him as “my beloved son” (2Tim 1:2; cf. 1Cor 4:17). He will become Paul’s most valued co-worker.

The marriage from which Timothy was born is forbidden by law (Deu 7:3; Neh 13:25). But grace overcomes and makes him, born of an unlawful marriage, an instrument of God’s honor – his name means ‘honoring God’. His mother and also his grandmother were believing women (2Tim 1:5), who taught him in the Scriptures. He has known the Scriptures from an early age (2Tim 3:15).

Since his conversion, Timothy has grown in the faith. Because of his knowledge of the holy Scriptures, he is soon able to serve with the Word. His spiritual development has been noticed by the brethren in Lystra, where he lives, but also by the brethren in Iconium, where he apparently sometimes comes to serve with the Word there as well.

When Paul comes back to Lystra and his attention undoubtedly is focused on this promising young man, he wants Timothy to travel with him. From the letters that Paul will later write to Timothy, we know that he is equipped for the service in a special way. We can discover four aspects that have played a role in this:

1. previous prophecies (1Tim 1:18),

2. the spiritual gift of God (1Tim 4:14; 2Tim 1:6a),

3. laying on of hands by Paul (2Tim 1:6b) and

4. laying on of hands by the joint elders (1Tim 4:14).

As mentioned before, the laying on of hands does not mean ordination or calling, but identification (Acts 6:6 ; Acts 13:3).

Then Paul is doing something that at first glance seems odd because it is something he recently opposed so much. He circumcises Timothy with his own hands. The reason follows immediately. His goal with the circumcision of Timothy is to overcome Jewish prejudices (1Cor 9:20). Timothy will not be acceptable to Jews if he is not completely Jewish.

Paul stands in the freedom of the Spirit, therefore he can circumcise Timothy. He also does it without any constraint being exerted on him. When he was forced to circumcise Titus, he did not do so (Gal 2:3). Christian freedom fully acknowledges the law in its place, although the law has no place in that Christian freedom itself. With Titus it is about Christian doctrine, as if you cannot be saved without circumcision. That is why Titus is not circumcised.

With Timothy it is about what is useful for the work and then it is useful to circumcise him in order to have a better entrance with the Jews and to win the Jews. Thus, the circumcision of Timothy has nothing to do with his salvation, but only with his functioning among Jewish believers.

Because of his birth from a Jewish mother Timothy is Jewish. This has been stated – so it is said – from a practical point of view that it is easier to prove that a mother is a Jew than that a father is a Jew. Also, a child is influenced by the mother in a much stronger way by her religion than the father could by his religion.

Nowhere did Paul call on the Jews to no longer abide by the law. Where it was useful, he submitted himself to it with a view to the gospel among the Jews. Only later is written in the letter to the Hebrews about the disappearance of the age of the law and with that its importance to the Jews and called on them to leave the camp (Heb 13:13).

With Silas and Timothy, Paul travels through the cities to pass on everywhere in the churches what has been decided in Jerusalem concerning the necessary things to be observed by the believers from the Gentiles. There is no question of keeping the commandments of the law.