Who Was Timothy?

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Of all of the associates of Paul, no one formed a closer relationship with him than Timothy. Paul wrote in the Letter to the Philippians, “I have no one like him.” He was a teenager when he began working with Paul, and that is why our youth group has him as a namesake.

But Timothy is more than just a teenager who was close to his teacher. He was born a son of a mixed marriage, his mother was Jewish and his father was Greek, which meant that he was not readily accepted by either culture. He was raised in the Jewish tradition and later he and his mother converted to Christianity. Because of Timothy's excellent reputation among Christians who knew him, Paul tapped him to work with him in his missionary and pastoral work.

Timothy traveled with Paul to cities and towns in the area that is now Turkey as well as Athens and even Rome. He traveled by foot and made dangerous boat crossing. Missionary work was difficult and it was dangerous, too. Timothy certainly was aware that Paul was almost stoned to death in Lystra on his first visit there. Timothy was also imprisoned. Paul entrusted to him leadership at the church in Ephesus. He worked hard leading the church, but faced challenges from some, presumably because of his youth and maybe his lack of self-confidence.