Who is this Timothy, the person that two letters were sent to? From the book of Acts we see that Paul met him in Lystra and made him his best helper. His father was Greek, which means Gentile, while his mother was a Jew that became Christian. Timothy studied the Holy Books (the Old Testament) since his childhood.
Timothy used to have health problems (malaises) so Paul took care of his health and circumcised him in order to avoid problems caused by Judaizers. He was ordained by church elders. This epistle is one of the Pastoral Epistles that reflect Paul’s theology.
In the first epistle to Timothy, his teacher Paul says that “This is a faithful word and worthy of all acceptance”; this word is the word that the apostle used to teach and he calls it his Gospel that he took directly from the Lord when he appeared to him on the “correct road“. The content of this Gospel is that Christ came to save sinners, each one of us, as Paul introduces himself as “the chief” of the sinners. This is the way every one of us should speak about himself since no one is allowed to compare himself with others saying that he’s better than them through this or that virtue; we have to consider ourselves the last between people because only Lord can condemn people according to “my gospel” – as Paul says – in Jesus Christ.
No person can say about himself anything except that mercy descends to him and saves him from all his sins. If God gave him his mercy, this would be through his patience. Therefore, when people see God’s mercy on a person, they know that it could also come to them and they will gain eternal life that starts in Baptism and stays with us through all the Holy Sacraments and faith.
“Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever”. This is the act (movement) of us being “caught up” to him through praise. The first movement towards God is request and asking. For if we obtained this request that would be for our salvation, we thank God, and this is the second movement towards him. After that, the only thing left is praise.
These three movements are prayer. We ask God what’s for our salvation. We can ask for health and means of living, but without forgetting that it should only be leading us to God. Health, food and drinking are not purposes; they are ways for the salvation and purification of the soul. Through this we dwell with God in this world and the coming one. Being in a daily relation with God is the salvation itself.
To live in the request of forgiveness and humility is a result to what the Lord said: “Men always ought to pray”. We cannot pray all the time, but we ask the Lord to raise our hearts to him all the time; and this is a speechless prayer. If we reached this level of relation with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we shall be in heaven from now, we become a home for God, free from all harmful lusts, and attracted to the face of the Father who is the beginning and the end.
This is not accomplished for anyone unless he considers himself like Paul did “last between people”, i.e. when he becomes humble and this is the virtue of all virtues. Humility qualifies us to say with Paul that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save the sinners, of whom I am chief”. Then, God will raise us to his throne.
Translated by Mark Najjar
Original Text: “الخطأة الذين أنا أولهم” –Raiati no4- 23.01.11
