Acts 20:18-32, Timothy: Command and Teach This (1)

First, Timothy was to “command” things that were being passed along from Christ, perhaps and likely through Paul, to the Church at Ephesus.  Sometimes local churches get into controversies that dishonor Christ because those who are to shepherd the flock are not willing or able to declare the will of Christ for their fellowship.  Timothy had an “imperative” to command.  But along with that, he had an imperative to teach.  Let’s consider this so we can put these together.

This verb (didaskō) is used 93 times in the NT, so we will be a little less detailed in our explanations here.  First, here is Strong’s definition: to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses; to impart instruction, instill doctrine into one, to explain or expound a thing, to teach one something.  What you see in this is that while Timothy was to command certain things, it was to be joined with teaching, explanations (from Scripture) that would provide context for the commands.  Teaching takes more effort but is essential so that it is understood that the commands are only given because they are from the Head!

Of the 93x in the NT,  58x it is in the Gospels, 16x in Acts, and twice in Revelation (2:14 and 2:20 of Balaam and Jezebel, false teachers).  That leaves 21x from Romans to 1 John which will occupy our attention.  For this post let me share a few uses from the Gospel and Acts that in my view are important for the Church.

·       Mt. 4:23: Jesus taught in all the synagogues of Galilee. 7:29: He taught with authority, not like the scribes.  15:9: The Jews were teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.  28:20: The Great Commission, to teach the things I have commanded you.  Here we have the two words together that are in 1 Tim. 4:11. The subject of the Apostoles teaching was commanded by Christ.

·       Mark 6:34: Jesus saw the crowd as “sheep without a shepherd, so He taught them.”  The sheep are lost without the teaching.  8:31: Jesus taught the disciples of His upcoming suffering.  He did not just predict events; He put it in the context of Scripture. 

·       Luke 5:17: Jesus was teaching and power to heal was present.  The main thing for Jesus was to teach; the accompanying signs came from His Father but were not to obscure the teaching.  Thus, He often told those healed not to broadcast it.

·       Acts 1:1: Luke wrote his gospel about all that Jesus began to do and teach. Now he wrote Acts to continue the story.  4:2: The apostles taught and preached Jesus daily and in every house.  This brings together two terms: the teaching that searches Scripture and gives explanation, and the preaching that announces the conclusion and calls people to repentance.  18:11: For one and a half years Paul was in Corinth teaching.  He was 2 years in Ephesus using the school of Tyranus as his teaching center (19:10-11).  20:20: Paul kept back nothing that was helpful but taught publicly and from house to house.  He “declared” the whole counsel of God (20:27).  The flock needs a stead diet of God’s word.