Last month (December of 2024) we studied 1 Timothy 4:11–16 where Paul repeats previous encouragements to be diligent, but in a more personal way—emphasizing for Timothy that in all these things he is an example to other believers and promising that Timothy’s ministry will bring blessings to himself and to his hearers.
In chapter 5, Paul creates a list for Timothy: four groups of people. At the beginning of a New Year, many people, including pastors, like to make lists. These lists are often about goals and activities. But what about lists of people? The inspired Apostle Paul helps pastors ponder the people the Lord has called them to serve.
5.1 Πρεσβυτέρῳ μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς, ἀλλὰ παρακάλει ὡς πατέρα, νεωτέρους ὡς ἀδελφούς, 2 πρεσβυτέρας ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρας ὡς ἀδελφὰς ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ.
Not this, rather this. μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς, παρακάλει. Don’t browbeat (strike out at) them. Encourage them.
Paul lists four categories of people: older men (in the dative to go with the negative verb, μὴ ἐπιπλήξῃς); younger men, older women, and younger women (in the accusative to go with the positive verb, παρακάλει, a present imperative).
Paul uses four metaphors to describe how Timothy should view them and treat them: as fathers, as brothers, as mothers, as sisters. Our family members are the people we know best—who they are, what they have experienced, what makes them tick, what they need. When others treat one of our dear family members harshly, we will object, “He or she deserves more consideration and kindness than you are giving.”
Paul encourages Timothy to interact with these four groups as if they were his own parents and his own siblings. Sadly, we must admit that we have not always treated the members of our church family as dear family members. Even more sadly, we must admit that we have not always treated our own dear family members with the familial love that Paul assumes.
As we begin a New Year, we do so with a repentant heart. We can probably remember times when we did not treat the believers we serve as family members. Lord, forgive us. There are probably times when we treated our members in un-familial ways without even knowing it. Lord, forgive also our hidden faults. Lord, help us to grow in our love for your people.
The motivation for us to do this, and the prime example for us, is the Lord Jesus Christ. While we were God’s enemies, Christ died for us. He became a human being to make us his brothers, so that we might be children of God forever. Every day, Jesus treats us as brothers, speaking a personal word of comfort and encouragement to us. In this way, he exhorts us to do the same for others, in his name, in service to God.
In the coming months, we will consider concrete ways we can serve these four groups, in love, and with all purity.
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank you for bringing me safely to this New Year. Thank you for calling and equipping me to serve real and precious people. I confess that my sinful flesh wants to deal with people in wrong ways. It is easy for me to be judgmental, unkind, or apathetic towards others. I am tempted at times to strike out at them. Forgive me. Help me. Teach me. Make me aware of the devil’s schemes and equip me with your armor so that I do not fall into his traps. Help me to teach, admonish, and exhort your people with all love and wisdom. Through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
P.S. For further reading, I recommend Pres. emeritus David Valleskey’s recent book, The Splendid Task of the Ministry: A Pastoral Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles (NPH, 2023). In this section of the commentary, he quotes two former presidents of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.