To Timothy, his beloved son in faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

“"Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith." This too is encouraging. For if he evinced such faith as to be called peculiarly Paul's "own" son, he might be confident also with respect to the future. For it is the part of faith not to be cast down or disturbed, though circumstances occur that seem contrary to the promises. But observe he says, "my son," and even "mine own son," and yet he is not of the same substance. But what? was he of irrational kind? "Well," says one, "he was not of Paul, so this does not imply 'being of' another." What then? was he of another substance? Neither was it so, for after saying "mine own son," he adds, "in the faith," to show that he was really "his own son," and truly from him. There was no difference. The likeness he bore to him was in respect to his faith, as in human births there is a likeness in respect of substance. The son is like the father in human beings, but with respect to God the proximity is greater. For here a father and a son, though of the same substance, differ in many particulars, as in color, figure, understanding, age, bent of mind, endowments of soul and body, and in many other things they may be like or unlike, but there is no such dissimilarity in the divine Essence. "By commandment." This is a stronger expression than "called", as we learn from other passages. As he here calls Timothy "mine own son," in like manner he says to the Corinthians, "in Christ Jesus I have begotten you," i.e. in faith; but he adds the word "own," to show his particular likeness to himself, as well as his own love and great affection for him. Notice again the "in" applied to the faith. "My own son," he says, "in the faith." See what an honorable distinction, in that he calls him not only his "son," but his "own" son. "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord." Why is mercy mentioned here, and not in the other Epistles? This is a further mark of his affection. Upon his son he invokes greater blessings, with the anxious apprehension of a parent. For such was his anxiety, that he gives directions to Timothy, which he has done in no other case, to attend to his bodily health; where he says, "Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities" (1 Tim. v. 23.) Teachers indeed stand more in need of mercy. "From God our Father," he says, "and Jesus Christ our Lord." Here too is consolation. For if God is our Father, He cares for us as sons, as Christ says, "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" (Matt. vii. 9.)”

“This epistle is divided into the salutation and the epistolary narration, at "as I asked." Concerning the first he does three things: first the person saluting is set down, second the person saluted, third the goods wished for. Now he describes the person saluting, first from the name "Paul," which befits authority on account of two things. For in the apostolate there are two things, namely the height of power, to which the humble are exalted. 1 Kings 15:17: "when you were little in your own eyes, you were made head over the tribes of Israel." And "Paul" means small. Likewise the clarity of wisdom, and this the Lord grants to the little ones. Matthew 11:25: "you have revealed these things to little ones," etc. Second, from authority, because "apostle," that is, sent. John 20:21: "as the Father sent me." 1 Corinthians 9:2: "you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." Third, from the origin of this authority, whence he says "of Jesus Christ according to the command of God," etc. Acts 13:2: "separate for me Barnabas and Saul unto the work for which I have taken them." 1 Kings 13:14: "the Lord sought for himself a man according to his own heart," etc. From which it is clear that prelates are bound by necessity of precept to those things which belong to their proper office. 1 Corinthians 9:16: "for woe is to me if I do not preach the gospel." And "of Christ Jesus our hope," who is our hope, that we may come to him. Philippians 1:23: "having a desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ," etc. Or "of our hope," because through him we hope to obtain the eternal goods. 1 Peter 1:3: "he has regenerated us unto a living hope," etc. Romans 15:4: "that through the consolation of the Scriptures we may have hope." He describes the person saluted in three ways. First from the name, when he says "to Timothy," concerning whom see Acts 16. Likewise from affection, saying "beloved." Philippians 2:20: "I have no one so like-minded," etc. Likewise from sonship, saying "son in the faith," namely converted by him. 1 Corinthians 4:17: "I have sent to you Timothy, my dearest son, and faithful in the Lord," etc. Then first he sets down the goods wished for, and afterward shows from whom they are. But it must be known that in the other epistles two are set down, here three, because prelates need more. And therefore he says "grace and mercy," first for himself, and then for others. And here "mercy" is taken for the remission of sins, because this is from the mercy of God; but "grace" for the gift of graces, which prelates need. Or "grace," as in the others, for justifying grace, but "mercy" for the divine gift exalting in spiritual charisms. Wisdom 4:15: "the grace of God and his mercy is upon his saints, and his regard is upon his elect." And "peace," namely with you, and through you with others. Psalm 71:3: "let the mountains receive peace." But from where? "From God," that they may give it to the people. James 1:17: "every best gift, and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights." And "Christ Jesus our Lord," namely through whom he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, 2 Peter 1:2.”

“Unto Timothy my own son in the faith,.... Not in the flesh, or by natural descent, but in a spiritual sense, in the faith of Christ; for Timothy was not related to the apostle according to the flesh, as some have thought, but the relation was spiritual; though the apostle was not properly his spiritual father, or the instrument of his conversion; for Timothy was a converted person, and a disciple of Christ, and well reported of by the brethren, when the apostle first met with him, Act 16:1 but he calls him his son, either because of his age, being a young man; or because of his affection for him, so the Vulgate Latin version reads, "a beloved son"; or rather, because he was instructed more largely by the apostle into the doctrine of faith; and as a son, with a father, served with him in the Gospel of Christ. It may be rendered "a true or genuine son in the faith", in distinction from nominal Christians, formal professors and hypocrites. Timothy was a real Christian, a true believer, and an hearty and upright professor and preacher of the faith of Christ, as well as truly regenerated by the Spirit of God, Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord; the Arabic version reads, "and Lord Jesus Christ our Lord". The form of salutation is the same as in all the epistles of the apostle, only that "mercy" is here inserted; and when he wishes "grace" to Timothy, he may mean a fresh discovery of the love and free favour of God unto him, and an increase of grace in him, and of the gifts of the Spirit upon him; and by "mercy" he may intend a fresh application of the pardoning mercy of God, through Christ, and all assistance, and success in his work as a minister, and all succour and support under every trial and exercise, and mercy at the last day, or the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life; and by "peace" he may design peace of conscience through the blood of Christ, and all prosperity, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. And all this being wished for equally from Christ, as from God the Father, is a proof of the proper deity of our Lord.”

“My own son in the faith - Brought to salvation through Christ by my ministry alone. Probably the apostle speaks here according to this Jewish maxim: כל המלמר בן תכירו תורה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו ילרו He who teaches the law to his neighbour's son is considered by the Scripture as if he had begotten him; Sanhedrin, fol. xix. 2. And they quote Num 3:1, as proving it: These are the generations of Aaron and Moses - and these are the names of the sons of Aaron. "Aaron," say they, "begot them, but Moses instructed them; therefore they are called by his name." See Schoettgen. But γνησιῳ τεκνῳ may mean my beloved son; for in this sense το γνησιον is not unfrequently used. In the faith - The word πιστις, faith, is taken here for the whole of the Christian religion, faith in Christ being its essential characteristic. Grace, mercy, and peace - Grace, the favor and approbation of God. Mercy, springing from that grace, pardoning, purifying, and supporting. Peace, the consequence of this manifested mercy, peace of conscience, and peace with God; producing internal happiness, quietness, and assurance.”

“my own son--literally, "a genuine son" (compare Act 16:1; Co1 4:14-17). See Introduction. mercy--added here, in addressing Timothy, to the ordinary salutation, "Grace unto you (Rom 1:7; Co1 1:3, &c.), and peace." In Gal 6:16, "peace and mercy" occur. There are many similarities of style between the Epistle to the Galatians and the Pastoral Epistles (see Introduction); perhaps owing to his there, as here, having, as a leading object in writing, the correction of false teachers, especially as to the right and wrong use of the law (Ti1 1:9). If the earlier date be assigned to First Timothy, it will fall not long after, or before (according as the Epistle to the Galatians was written at Ephesus or at Corinth) the writing of the Epistle to the Galatians, which also would account for some similarity of style. "Mercy" is grace of a more tender kind, exercised towards the miserable, the experience of which in one's own case especially fits for the Gospel MINISTRY. Compare as to Paul himself (Ti1 1:14, Ti1 1:16; Co1 7:25; Co2 4:1; Heb 2:17) [BENGEL]. He did not use "mercy" as to the churches, because "mercy" in all its fulness already existed towards them; but in the case of an individual minister, fresh measures of it were continually needed. "Grace" has reference to the sins of men; "mercy" to their misery. God extends His grace to men as they are guilty; His "mercy" to them as they are miserable [TRENCH]. Jesus Christ--The oldest manuscripts read the order, "Christ Jesus." In the Pastoral Epistles "Christ" is often put before "Jesus," to give prominence to the fact that the Messianic promises of the Old Testament, well known to Timothy (Ti2 3:15), were fulfilled in Jesus.”