Citizens of God's Kingdom: Timothy

There are a couple of things we need to bear in mind as we study Philippians. One is that it had been quite a long time since Paul was last at Philippi. And the other is that this was a world without easy long-distance communication. Letters and messengers were the only way to have communication with places far away.

Prior to the writing of this letter, Epaphroditus had visited Paul and brought him news about the state of things in Philippi. And though, as we have seen, things were going well, there were also dangers and problems in the church. And while we don't know an exact timetable, it seems that some time had passed since Epaphroditus had left Philippi and came to Rome. And we don't know that Paul had had any communication, at least any solid communication, with Philippi since that time. And so he was naturally concerned. He was sending them this letter along with  Epaphroditus, but he wanted more. He wanted to send someone who could minister among them and then bring him back a message and tell him how things were. And that is the background to this passage:

(Philippians 2:19-24) But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

Before we talk about Timothy, we should note one thing about the life of Paul. We've talked before about Paul's joy which is a major part of Philippians. Near the end of the book, we'll talk about his contentment. Throughout the letter, we see his dedication to God's work. But I think one thing underpinned all of these things, and that was his trust in God. Twice in these few verses, he says “I trust in the Lord” to allow certain things to work out. At the foundation of Paul's life an assurance that Jesus was in control of the world and was working out all things according to his own wisdom and goodness  That was why Paul could rejoice, why he could be content, why he was able to dedicate his life to God's work--because he had a trust in the Lord, an assurance that all things were working out according to God's plan.

Paul met Timothy on his second missionary journey, shortly before reaching Philippi. “Then came [Paul] to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.” (Acts 16:1-3) This is our first introduction to Timothy and is really all we know about his life before he met Paul. His mother was a devout Jewish Christian. We learn from 2 Timothy that her name was Eunice and that her mother's name was Lois and that she was also a godly woman.

Timothy's name is found 25 times in the New Testament. He is joined with Paul in several of his letters and also has two letters specifically addressed to him. Even though we don't know that many concrete details about him, we do know that he was someone very active in the life of the New Testament church.And the one thing we know about him was that he was a good messenger, a good person to send to a church that needed someone. Barclay comments: “Timothy's great use was that, whenever Paul wished for information from some Church or wished to send advice or encouragement or rebuke and could not go himself, it was he whom he sent. So Timothy was sent to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:6); to Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10, 11); to Philippi... Timothy's great value was that he was always willing to go anywhere; and in his hands a message was as safe as if Paul had delivered it himself.” (47-48)

And so it is that here Paul speaks of sending Timothy to Philippi so that he can get a report of their condition, but also so Timothy could minister to them an help them.

We often think of the church in the New Testament times as being better than the church today and that the problems we have they didn't have. And while there may be some truth to that, the sad commentary in verses 20-21 show that some things don't change very much. When Paul looked around at the Christians around him, looking for someone he could send to Philippi, someone available for this great mission, the only one he could find was Timothy. “For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.” Albert Barns suggests that Paul may have suggested to some of the Christian leaders in Rome that they would undertake this journey and they had refused. He adds, “Let us not be harsh in judging them. How many professing Christians in our cities and towns are there now who would be willing to leave their business and their comfortable homes, and go on an embassy like this to Philippi? How many are there who would not seek some excuse, and show that it was a characteristic that they "sought their own" rather than the things which pertained to the kingdom of Jesus Christ?” (Philippians 2:21)

Is it possible that this line about people seeking their own interests was meant as a veiled rebuke to those at Philippi who were risking the unity of the church by pursuing their own interests? This was a reminder to live in complete dedication to the fellowship of the gospel, following the example of Christ who surrendered all things in order to fulfill the plan of the Father.

Both at Rome and at Philippi, just as today, there were many, too many Christians who were more concerned with their own affairs than with the progress of God's kingdom. But Timothy was the exception. Just like Paul, he would be genuinely interested in helping the Philippians and in working for God. Since Timothy had been to Philippi before, including on Paul's first visit, the Philippians were familiar with his character and would be able to attest to the good character that Paul gave him here. His dedication to work for God and working with Paul had been like that of a son working with his father. He was the one who Paul could trust with this mission to Philippi.

And so he intended to send him once he was sure what was going on with his own future. Though he was hopeful that he might be released and go to Philippi himself.