False Teachers in the Church of Ephesus: Endless Genealogies and Fables
Ephesus was a local assembly of God people on the coast of what is now Turkey. At that time it was a huge metropolitan city especially noted for it magnificent temple dedicated to Artemis. The goddess protector of young girls, also of childbirth/midwifery...
You can read about Paul establishing the congregation in Acts 19:1-40 and dynamically drawing them out of a culture dedicated to the occult and sorcery. In Acts 20:17-38 you can read Paul's farewell warning to the elders there about false teachers who would soon attack them like ravenous wolves, and in Revelation 2:1-7 you can read Christ's assessment of Ephesus; they beat back the false teachings, persevered in the truth, but they appear to have lost much of their zeal and enthusiasm for the precious truth revealed to them.
After Paul left Ephesus he travelled to Jerusalem where he was arrested, imprisoned, and sent to Rome for a trial. While under house arrest in Rome Paul wrote quite a bit concerning the Ephesian church: the book of Ephesians itself [a very high enthusiastic doctrinal message], plus 1st and 2nd Timothy which are written to Timothy concerning problems in the Ephesus church. Timothy was specifically sent there and commissioned to correct the situation [many aspects of this instruction are applicable to any congregation if necessary].
Our purpose to day is to review Paul's instructions to Timothy.
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1 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul reminds readers and listeners that as an apostle: 1) one sent to represent the interests Christ the King and 2) a herald... the king’s official messengers, sent to deliver the kings proclamations. Paul sees himself as acting under the king’s command, he is not doing what he is doing of his own will but acting under orders. Elsewhere, he says “my task is to proclaim this hope of salvation to you... and woe unto me if I do not”.
Ans so it is with the local ministry. It is not our role to teach people what we think they would like to hear, nor is it our role to speak our own mind… we have a job to do.
Noe: the biblical meaning of hope is expectation, absolute certainty of accomplishment, not the modern usage which implies only fond wishes or desire.
Timothy is Paul's true son in the faith because they share the same cause and the same expectation. And so it is with us. The relationship we have together is not based on our common tastes, hobbies, cultural background, is it based on sharing a common cause and the true expectation of God’s plan of salvation.
Paul's Explanation of the Task To Timothy 1:3-20
Timothy was sent by Paul to deal with trouble n Ephesus. Timothy was supposed to confront and correct false teaching and false teachers. That warning can be broken down into 3 parts:
1. Content of the warning [read verses 3-4]
The people were getting into novelty and speculative ideas. Specifically mentioned here is "endless genealogies" or concerns about the origins of peoples, and myths. This could be referring to Jewish myths and concern for genealogies.
We see this desire to enquire into the teaching of the Jews from time to time in the modern day church... people get introduced to the Sabbath and holy days and then want to start learning about all other stuff Jewish people do, which are very often cultural traditions that might sound biblical but are really traditions of men. This is a deception that takes people away from the truth. The Sabbath and the holy days are not of the Jews... they are of God.
For example: Titus was sent to the church in Cyprus on a similar mission to Timothy where the problem was specifically "Jewish myths and fables". But Paul does not mention Jewishness in his charge to Timothy. The the context of Ephesus appears to be more of a problem with Gnosticism. Which is basically the idea that knowing secrets and mysteries puts you on a higher spiritual plane.
In both cases the problem arises when, ideas, and stories that go beyond what is revealed in scripture grab people’s attention and dominate their instruction. Stuff that does not have authority because it is not revealed by God. Usually, they are not about real world issues like the separation of what is good and what is evil… but weird stuff that can be interesting but not useful. They stir up controversies precisely because there is not authoritative yes or no, truth or false... they are just stories.
The true purpose and work of God’s teaching is to build trust and obedience to our Father Creator. It is based on love which is the fruits of the spirit visible and active in your dealings, and its good works which God has set before us to perform.
2. Goal and Purpose of the Warning [read verses 5-7]
The goal of the warning was to get the people to focus on moral awareness... the discerning of good from evil and choosing the good. A good conscience is developed through: building up your mental inventory of God's commands; anticipating how they would apply in various situations, what are the fruits of the spirit and how do they apply a wide variety of situations... this is what Paul means by a pure heart and a clear conscience.
Apparently the congregational leaders were not training the members in Godly righteousness. Their sermons were meaningless because they were based on myths, stories, traditions that had no real foundation in scripture. They positioned themselves as teachers of the law... boldly matters that they either didn't understand or could not prove.
Question: is this a verse where Paul is condemning teachers in Ephesus for teaching God's commandments? I'm sure there are those who would make such an evaluation. However, if you consider the context that is not the case. Paul refers to these people as wanna-be teachers of the law [because that's what the ministry is supposed to do] but characterizes their talk as meaningless. That is not the way the apostle Paul would speak of God's commands! The law that he elsewhere describes as holy, spiritual, and good…
The meaningless talk is the genealogies, myths, stories, and traditions that they had become fixated on while presenting themselves as teachers of the law.
3. Reason for the warning [verses 8-11]
The purpose of the commandments, statutes and judgments of God is correct error and to properly inform/train the conscience to discern good from evil]. Then learn to freely choose the good.
· When used properly Gods commands give us an authoritative statement on what is good vs. evil. They give a definition of good vs. evil. A definition that is trustworthy and reliable because it comes to us from God [Paul then provides a short list of heinous behaviors God’s word condemns.
· When used properly God's commands provide a restraint on bad behavior through fear of punishment. Turning away from evil is the beginning of Godly wisdom. However, a righteous person will build upon that solid foundation with the fruits of the spirit, good works, faith, and perseverance in suffering.
Paul concludes this section saying: disobedience to God's commands is contrary to sound doctrine and the glorious gospel God gave Paul to teach and proclaim. Paul is not criticizing anyone for teaching God’s commands. Rather, his criticism is that they are not providing moral guidance but are fixated on myths and genealogies. Sound doctrine is: teaching that establishes the moral reason why we do what we do, and provides a guide for how we then live our lives.
Paul Passes The Authority of Leadership To Timothy
This letter was written when Paul was near the end of his life. He wants Timothy to carry on the work he began and wants 1) Timothy to know and understand that the task of preaching and proclaiming has been passed on to him 2) wants Timothy to understand that he has been given the necessary authority to accomplish the task 3) wants this to be made clear to the members of the church.
1 Timothy 1:12-14 Paul quickly reviews his own commission. He reminds Timothy that his commission came to him directly from Christ. In this way he’s validating his authority to pass along authority to Timothy. Along the way he makes a few observations:
God did not select and appoint Paul because he was the best of men. Rather he was commissioned by God in spite of his serious problems. God could have held these acts against him but did not. Paul had been a violent man who vigorously hunted down Christian believers and had them executed; Paul had vehemently denied that Jesus was who He said He was [thus declaring Jesus Christ to be a liar] and had persecuted anyone who said otherwise.
God was willing to forgive Paul and press the reset button on his life because Paul didn't know any better [someone who does such things when they do "know better" might not be treated with such gentleness].
An important point to consider for you and me is: God does not call and choose people based on their accomplishments or worth in the eyes of other people. Paul was extremely zealous for obedience according to God's law and the traditions of his people. But that is not why God singled him out. Christ commissioned Paul because He saw in him a man who would respond with that same zeal, faithfulness, loyalty, and trustworthiness when given access to the truth about God’s plan of salvation. A truth very different from what he would have learned from the higher education of is day.
The Father Values Faithfulness Loyalty & Zeal In You
Sometimes we talk as if all that really matters is us learning to trust God [which is important]. But have you stopped to consider that it is just as important for God to know that He can trust you? Can He trust you to be loyal? Can He trust you to make the right decision when faced with trial, temptations, tests? Can He trust you with little matters today so that you can be trusted with larger matters when you are seated there alongside Christ when He returns to rule?
I think we often get so fixated on the notion that God needs to prove himself to us... that we forget that its more important that we prove ourselves to Him.
If God truly is everything He claims to be [which He is] then He doesn't need to prove Himself to you. He will continue living eternally with or without you. On the other hand you need Him if you are to have any hope of ongoing life. This is why it is do important to understand that you do not have an immortal soul.
When you die you simply stop… unless He intervenes you have not future life. You simply go out like the flame of a candle in the wind… unless He chooses to raise you back to life on the day of resurrection.
1 Timothy 1:15-17 Paul is saying: Christ Jesus came to turn people lives around. Even people who's lives are/were way off the path. I am presenting the amazing turnaround in my own life as an example to you, "if He will do this for a person like me, He will do it for you". Within the context: just as God appointed me [Paul] to preach and teach the truth... He will do the same for you [Timothy] in spite of your shortcomings [which Paul gently addresses in chapters 2 &3].
Paul's Recap and Official Declaration of Commission
1 Timothy 1:18-20 1) I give you this commission 2) you are to go forth into this situation in Ephesus to confront and stamp out the false teaching taking root there. This ends the opening section of this letter to Timothy.
In the remaining portion of the letter Paul will go on to provide additional detail and direction in just how to go about the task. We will go over these together in a future message but in short Paul's directions are:
· Give people a proper perspective on worldly authority
· Establish order within the worship service which is built on the model of a family
· Establish authority and conduct within the family unit itself
· Provide clear working orders to those ordained to serve within the congregation
This plan of action is also a guide for productive church life and therefore worthy of our review.
Paul saw Ephesus as a congregation in trouble and he had a plan of action to bring them back. Their problem was false teaching, false teachers, and church life that was veering off into a chaotic free-for-all. I do not see false teaching as our problem, but I do see some aspects of our church life that are lacking.
Paul’s plan of action is a guide for productive church life applicable in all circumstances and therefore worthy of our review.
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