1Timothy 1:3 - The Absolute No-No

”Just as I encouraged you to wait in Ephesus, going unto Macedonia, in order that you should command certain ones not to be teaching differently...”

-Teaching differently.  That is an absolute no-no.  Negatory.  The word is used only by Paul in this one letter.  He uses it twice (again in 1Timothy 6.3).  Which points out several things.  First, the implicit assumption of the need to be teaching the SAME things.  Which would of course require that a would-be teacher first learn the same things, and then watch out over his life and teaching to insure that he remains on the path of orthodoxy.  Then there is the tacit imperative to guard the flock from any different teachings (Acts 20.28-29, 1Peter 5.2) - arguably the fundamental responsibility of an overseer.

-But so, what needs to happen in this instance is that Timothy needs to guard and watch over the flock there in Ephesus.  Paul had left for Macedonia, and he had put Timothy in charge of the flock.  Timid Timothy, as we read in Paul’s subsequent letter to his protege.  Timothy needs to step up, and stand in the gap for God’s people, for this assembly.  Paul here is exhorting him to do just that.  One might ask how such “other teachers” might gain any kind of platform with God’s people, whether it would have been inside their assembly, or if it might have simply taken place in the public square somewhere.  Best I can tell, these were insiders (cf 1Timothy 1.19).  And as was their custom, when God’s people gathered each person would have an opportunity to speak to the assembly (1Corinthians 14.26, Ephesians 5.19).  Some of these were getting off-track and off-course in their thinking and understanding of the truths of God, and were potentially going to lead His people astray.  And since we know that the goal of all such instruction was to build up the body in its capacity to love, the critical equipping of God’s people to carry out the prime directives of the Great Command and the New Command (Matthew 22.37-39, John 13.34-35, Ephesians 4.15-16, 1Timothy 1.5), it was paramount that these ones be corrected as needed.  Or at least opposed.  For their sakes as well as for the sake of the flock.  And of course there will always be competing voices in the public arena, other teachers who advocate things which are contrary to the Gospel, to the truths of God.  I don’t think Paul is insisting that Pastor Timothy go out and confront them in that arena per se.  But there is certainly a battle for the hearts and minds of God’s people, those He has called out to be the people of the Book, those to whom He is entrusting His truths, entrusting us to disseminate them to our family and our neighbors and ultimately to all nations.  The stakes could be no higher.  Timothy - time to step up...!