하나님나라를 꿈꾸며(Kingdom of God)

1 Paul, aan apostle of Christ Jesus bby the will of God according to cthe promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, dmy beloved child:

a See 2 Cor. 1:1

b See 1 Cor. 1:1

c Titus 1:2; Heb. 9:15

d 1 Cor. 4:17; [ch. 2:1]; See 3 John 4

e See 1 Tim. 1:2

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 딤후 1:1–2.

1 하나님의 뜻으로 말미암아 그리스도 예수 안에 있는 생명의 약속대로 그리스도 예수의 사도 된 바울은

2 사랑하는 아들 디모데에게 편지하노니 하나님 아버지와 그리스도 예수 우리 주께로부터 은혜와 긍휼과 평강이 네게 있을지어다

 대한성서공회, 성경전서: 개역개정, 전자책. (서울시 서초구 남부순환로 2569: 대한성서공회, 1998), 딤후 1:1–2.

-  1:1 “Apostle of Christ Jesus” indicates Paul’s special authority as one sent by Christ to act and write on his behalf (see further the comments on ἀπόστολος at 1 Tim. 1:1; for Παῦλος see there and at Tit. 1:1). The one who has directly appointed him is “Christ Jesus,” i.e., Jesus who is the Christ, the one anointed and sent by God (see 1 Tim. 1:1). Although some find it unlikely that Paul would identify himself as an “apostle of Christ Jesus” in a letter to a personal friend and colleague, this self-designation is in place when one realizes that Paul is not just writing as a friend but with the authority of an apostle to instruct and admonish Timothy about his ministry and his responsibilities (note the imperatives in 1:14; 2:1, 3, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23; 3:1, 14; 4:5, 9 and the charge in 4:1ff.) and also to communicate to the Christians under Timothy’s care the basis of authority for what Paul is asking Timothy to do (note plural ὑμῶν in 4:22 and the allusions to others in, e.g., 2:14).

Paul specifies that he is an apostle “by God’s will,” διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ. This phrase is found in Pauline salutations also in 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:1 (cf. Gal. 1:4 for a similar phrase; the phrase is also found in Rom. 15:32; 2 Cor. 8:5). Where it is not used in a Pauline salutation, an equivalent is used (κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν θεοῦ, 1 Tim. 1:1; Tit. 1:3) or some other indication of the Father’s will is specified (the Father is the assumed subject in Rom. 1:2ff.; in Gal. 1:1 Paul is an apostle “through” [διά] Jesus Christ and God the Father). διά indicates here that God’s will is “the efficient cause” (BAGD s.v. A.III.1d). Paul describes this “will of God” at work in his life and especially in regard to his apostleship in Gal. 1:15–16 (cf. Gal. 2:7–9).

The following prepositional phrase expresses the aim and purpose of Paul’s apostleship. κατʼ indicates “the object and intention of [Paul’s] appointment” to apostleship (Ellicott; cf. Tit. 1:1, where κατά appears to be used in the same way; κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν also appears in Acts 13:23; Gal. 3:29). ἐπαγγελία (Pl. 26x, PE* 2x: 1 Tim. 4:8 and here) is used almost uniformly in the NT of God’s “promise” (BAGD s.v. 2a; cf., e.g., Heb. 6:13; 10:23; 11:11). “The content of the promises,” even though different terms are used, “is always Messianic salvation” (J. Schniewind and G. Friedrich, TDNT II, 583). Paul utilizes the “promise” concept most fully in Galatians 3, where he indicates that what was promised to Abraham and to his spiritual descendants is fulfilled in Christ (the noun 8x: vv. 14, 16, 17, 18 [2x], 21, 22, 29; the related verb in v. 19). In Tit. 1:2, Paul speaks of the “eternal life” that God “promised (ἐπηγγείλατο) long ago” and has now manifested in his word.

The closest parallel to the combination ἐπαγγελίαν ζωῆς, found here, is in 1 Tim. 4:8. Genitive ζωῆς denotes the thing promised, “life” itself (see the discussion at 1 Tim. 4:8; 1:16; cf. 1 Jn. 2:25). ζωῆς τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ specifies that the “life” spoken of is “the” life that is “in Christ Jesus,” in Jesus as the Christ, the anointed one of God (cf. 2:10; for Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς see the comments on 1 Tim. 1:1). ζωή is used in the NT “of the supernatural life belonging to God and Christ, which the believers will receive in the future, but which they also enjoy here and now” (BAGD s.v. 2). What Paul says here in brief form he says more extensively in the argument of Romans 6, i.e., that by spiritual union with Christ (v. 5), we now are “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (v. 11) and so “walk in newness of life” (v. 4) and have as “the outcome eternal life” (v. 22) “in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 23; cf. also 1 Jn. 5:11–12a).

The “in Christ” formula is characteristically Pauline (72x; elsewhere in the NT 2x in 1 Peter). The formula is found 9x in the PE* and 7x in 2 Timothy (1 Tim. 1:14; 3:13; 2 Tim. 1:1, 9, 13; 2:1, 10; 3:12, 15). For the formula ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ see A. Oepke, TDNT II, 541f.; W. Grundmann, TDNT IX, 550–52, 561f. and the literature referred to there and in BAGD s.v. ἐν I.5d. Allan (“ ‘In Christ’ Formula,” 117) emphasizes the differences in usage of this formula in the PE in comparison to the other Pauline letters and discounts the similarities, e.g., those cases in which it is preceded by the definite article, a difference already found in the other Pauline letters.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, tr. G. W. Bromiley, I–X. Grand Rapids, 1964–76.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, tr. G. W. Bromiley, I–X. Grand Rapids, 1964–76.

TDNT G. Kittel and G. Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, tr. G. W. Bromiley, I–X. Grand Rapids, 1964–76.

BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979.

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 363–364.

 

2절) 본절은 본 서신의 수신자가 디모데임을 밝히고 있다. 딤전 1:2에서 수신자를 ‘믿음 안에서 참 아들된 디모데’라고 말했다면 여기서는 ‘사랑하는 아들 디모데’라고 좀더 친근감있게 부르고 있다. 바울이 디모데를 아들이라고 부르는 이유는 바로 디모데가 바울을 통해서 영적인 생명을 얻었기 때문이다. 자신의 죽음을 앞둔 바울은 자신의 영적 아들이자 신실한 동역자인 디모데를 회상하면서 그를 ‘사랑하는 아들’이라고 부르고 있는 것이다. 

 

이 사랑하는 아들을 향해서 바울은 마음을 담아 축복의 기도를 하고 있다. 이 축복의 내용은 앞선 딤전의 내용과 동일하다. 

 

아들이라는 표현은 ‘테크논’으로 

 

τέκνον -ου, τό; (teknon), 명사. 아이, 자손. 히브리어 등가: בֵּן 1 (119). 아람어 등가: בַּר 2 (1).

1. 아이 — 때로 전체적으로 자녀라고 불리는 나이를 막론한 아들이나 딸.  다음을 참고하십시오 υἱός. 관련 주제: 아이; 자손.

롬 9:8 τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς

갈 4:27 ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον

벧전 1:14 ὡς τέκνα ὑπακοῆς,

요일 3:1 τέκνα θεοῦ

요일 3:10 ἐν τούτῳ φανερά ἐστιν τὰ τέκνα τοῦ

2. 아이 (어린)† — 남성이든 여성이든 (대개)사춘기 이전에 있는 사람. 때로 사춘기에 있는 사람을 그렇게 부르기도 한다. 관련 주제: 아이.

고후 6:13 ὡς τέκνοις

3. 아이 (애정) — 사랑받는 것을 나타내는 기술적인 용어. 자녀를 향한 돌봄과 양육을 가리킬 것이다. 관련 주제: 아이; 딸.

딤전 1:2 Τιμοθέῳ γνησίῳ τέκνῳ ἐν πίστει·

딤후 1:2 Τιμοθέῳ ἀγαπητῷ τέκνῳ·

딛 1:4 Τίτῳ γνησίῳ τέκνῳ κατὰ κοινὴν πίστιν·

몬 10 τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου, ὃν ἐγέννησα ἐν τοῖς

요삼 4 ἀκούω τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ

4. 사람 (범주)† — 특정한 계층이나 그룹에 속한 사람; 대개 해당 계층이나 그룹에 종속된 개념을 갖는다.  다음을 참고하십시오 υἱός.

마 23:37|| ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν

눅 13:34|| ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυνάξαι τὰ τέκνα σου ὃν

눅 19:44 καὶ ἐδαφιοῦσίν σε καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου

요일 3:10 καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ

계 2:23 τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς

5. 아이 (종류) — 몇 가지 일반적인 특성에 의해 구별 하는 것 들 또는 품질 (그것의 headword에서 파생 된);의 카테고리 headword의 자식으로 이해.

갈 4:25 δουλεύει γὰρ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς·

엡 2:3 καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ὡς καὶ

요이 1 Ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις

요이 4 Ἐχάρην λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων

요이 13 Ἀσπάζεταί σε τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου

6. 아브라함의 후손 (영적)† — 아브라함이 받은 약속과 복을 물려 받는 적법한 후사으로 여겨지는 사람; 아마도 특별히 아브라함이 가졌던 것과 같은 믿음으로 특징되는.

롬 9:7 οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ, πάντες τέκνα,

7. 후손 ⇔ 아이† — 부모의 직계로 이해되는 후손. 관련 주제: 아이.

마 3:9|| τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ

눅 3:8|| τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ

요 8:39 τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ

행 13:33 ὅτι ταύτην ὁ θεὸς ἐκπεπλήρωκεν τοῖς τέκνοις

1. 아브라함의 후손 (영적)† — 아브라함이 받은 약속과 복을 물려 받는 적법한 후사으로 여겨지는 사람; 아마도 특별히 아브라함이 가졌던 것과 같은 믿음으로 특징되는.  다음을 참고하십시오 υἱός.

마 3:9|| τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ

눅 3:8|| τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ

• 창 3:16; 창 17:16; 삼상 3:16; 시 33:12; 지혜 16:21; 욜 2:23; 슥 9:13; 사 30:1; 사 63:8; 렘 38:17; 1마카 1:38

† 현재 의미를 포함하여 나오는 현 원형의 모든 용례.

† 현재 의미를 포함하여 나오는 현 원형의 모든 용례.

† 현재 의미를 포함하여 나오는 현 원형의 모든 용례.

† 현재 의미를 포함하여 나오는 현 원형의 모든 용례.

† 현재 의미를 포함하여 나오는 현 원형의 모든 용례.

 Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham 헬라어 성경 어휘사전 (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).

 

 

 

 

1:2 With the name Timothy in the dative case Paul designates the addressee of the letter. When the addressee is an individual (as in Philemon, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus) Paul refers to the warm and close bond that exists between him and the one addressed. In addressing Timothy and Titus, his younger assistants, Paul uses the affectionate term τέκνον preceded by a word that heightens its significance and thereby the status of the one in that role. In 1 Timothy and Titus that additional word is γνησίῳ followed by ἐν πίστει to indicate the sphere in which the term τέκνῳ functions. Here the word is ἀγαπητῷ (Pl. 27x, PE* 2x: 1 Tim. 6:2).

τέκνον might designate one or more of three possible spiritual relationships existing between Timothy and Paul: (a) spiritual sonship, Timothy being Paul’s convert; (b) spiritual adoption and training, i.e., Timothy being Paul’s adopted spiritual son; (c) spiritual youth in relationship to Paul as the older person in the faith. It is likely that at least both (a) and (b) are true. For full discussion see the comments on 1 Tim. 1:2.

Paul uses ἀγαπητός in Romans first of those who are “beloved” of God and called by him (1:7) and then of those who are “beloved” by Paul “in the Lord” (16:8; cf. 16:5, 12). Those who are “beloved” of God are “beloved” by one another (cf. 1 Tim. 6:2). Thus Paul can call the Corinthians “my beloved children” (1 Cor. 4:14, with Eph. 5:1, the only NT occurrences of plural ἀγαπητὰ τέκνα) and in the same context call Timothy “my beloved and faithful child in the Lord” (1 Cor. 4:17, the only other NT occurrence of singular ἀγαπητὸν τέκνον). Here ἀγαπητῷ τέκνῳ is undoubtedly meant to designate that same spiritual relationship to Paul even though the ἐν πίστει in 1 Timothy and Titus and the ἐν κυρίῳ in 1 Cor. 4:17 are not used here, since ἀγαπητὸν τέκνον can be used to designate that spiritual relationship without any further qualification (as in 1 Cor. 4:14).

Timothy was one of Paul’s apostolic assistants who served faithfully with him in many situations and for him on various assignments. He is mentioned in all the Pauline letters except Ephesians, Galatians, and Titus. Much of what we learn about Timothy we learn from this letter, and each will be considered in turn as it is related (e.g., 1:3–7). For a synopsis of our knowledge of Timothy see the Introduction.

 George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1992), 364–365.

 

1 Paul, aan apostle of Christ Jesus bby command of cGod our Savior and of Christ Jesus dour hope,

2 To Timothy, emy true child in the faith:

a See 2 Cor. 1:1

b Titus 1:3; [Rom. 16:26]

c See Luke 1:47

d Col. 1:27

e Titus 1:4

f 2 Tim. 1:2; 2 John 3; [Jude 2]

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 딤전 1:1–2.

-  σωτήρ -ος, ὁ; (sōtēr), 명사. 구주, 구원자. 히브리어 등가: יֵ֫שַׁע (10), יְשׁוּעָה (4), מוֹשִׁיעַ (4).

1. 구세주 — 어떤 것을 위험이나 폭력으로 구하는 사람; 특별히 자기 백성을 그들의 죄와 그로 인한 심판의 위험에서 건진 이인 그리스도에게 특별히 사용된다. 관련 주제: 구세주; 구하다, 저장하다.

딛 1:3 ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγὼ κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος

딛 2:13 θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν

딛 3:4 ἐπεφάνη τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν

벧후 1:1 ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ

유 25 σωτῆρι ἡμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου

• 삿 3:9; 삿 3:15; 시 23:5; 시 24:5; 시 26:9; 시 61:3; 미 7:7; 합 3:18; 사 12:2; 사 17:10; 사 45:21

 Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham 헬라어 성경 어휘사전 (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).

our Savior. Often refers to God (see 1 Tim 1:1 and note), but Christ Jesus fills the same role (Titus 1:4; 3:6).

 Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2179.

-  apostle. Paul did not volunteer to be an apostle; the Father and Son commanded it. God our Savior. Occurs five times in the OT and six times in the NT, mainly in the Pastoral Letters (2:3; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jude 25). In both the OT and NT, God is a protector and rescuer. For Christ as Savior, see 2 Tim 1:10 and note. Paul represents not only primarily himself in what he writes but also Christ Jesus. our hope. Jesus Christ (Col 1:27; Titus 2:13; Heb 6:18–19; 1 John 3:3). hope. Not vague optimism but assured expectation of what God will do. Challenging ministry settings and Christian living generally call for such “hope” (cf. 1 Tim 4:10; 5:5; 6:17), one of three great aspects of the saving knowledge of God (cf. 1 Cor 13:13).

 Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2168.

바울은 1절을 통해서 자신의 사도성의 근원이 하나님과 예수님께 있음을 강하게 밝히고 있다. 우리의 구원자이시며 우리의 소망되시는 하나님과 그리스도 예수께서 자신을 부르셔서 그리스도 예수의 사도가 되도록 부르신 것이다. 이처럼 바울이 자신의 사도권이 하나님과 그리스도께 있음을 강조한 바울의 인사는 갈 1:1에 등장한다. 바울은 사도성에 도전을 받는 상황에서 자신이 그리스도 예수의 사도임을 강력하게 증거하고 있다. 바울은 여기서 직접 언급하지는 않았지만 자신이 다메섹 도상에서 주님의 부르심을 직접 받은 것을 생각했을 것이다(행 9:15; 갈 1:11-15)). 사도는 ‘아포스톨로스’로 보냄을 받은자라는 의미이다. 신약에서 사도는 예수 그리스도로부터 직접 부르심을 받아 그를 대신하여 말하는 권위를 입은 사람을 의미한다. 결국 사도는 자신을 부르신 자, 자신이 누구를 대신하여 어떤 메시지를 전하느냐가 중요하다. 

‘하나님 아버지와 그리스도 예수 우리 주께로부터 은혜와 긍휼과 평강이 네게 있을지어다’, 앞서 발신자와 수신자를 밝힌 후에 바울은 이제 축복의 인사말을 전하고 있다. 

바울은 자신의 여러 서신들에서 하나님과 그리스도를 함께 언급한다(롬 1:7; 고전 1:3; 고후 1:2; 엡 1:1; 살후 1:2). 성부는 근원이시며 성자는 대행자이시다. 

바울의 서신에서 하나님과 그리스도는 밀접하게 연합되어서 양자 모두 동일한 일을 수행하신다. 본 인사말에서 하나님과 그리스도 예수는 명령을 하시고, 구원자의 역할을 행하시고 축복을 선언하신다. 

 

바울은 디모데에게 은혜(카리스)와 긍휼(엘레오스), 평강(에이레네)를 구한다. 

카리스(은혜)는 하나님의 그리스도안에서의 구원 사역을 한 단어로 요약하는 것으로 구원이 무가치한 죄인에게 베풀어진 값없는 선물임을 강조한다. 이는 바울의 신학에서 매우 중요한 표현으로, 신약에서 154회 사용되는데 100번이 바울서신에서 등장한다. 원래 이 표현은 종교적 함의가 없는 표현이었는데 구약에서 ‘헨’, 호의라는 의미로 사용된 것인데 바울은 이것을 사용하면서 구약의 ‘헨’보다는 ‘헤세드’(언약적 신실함)의 의미로 사용하였다. 

 

엘레오스(긍휼)은 두 사람간의 관계에서 적절한 동정과 도움의 행위를 묘사한다. 고전 헬라어에서 긍휼은 불행하고 부당한 일이 어떤 사람에게 발생했을 때의 반응이다. 인간은 하나님의 긍휼을 요구할 수 없으며 그분은 자신의 뜻대로 긍휼을 자유롭게 주신다. 

-  ἔλεος -ου, ὁ; (eleos), 명사. 긍휼, 자비, 연민. 히브리어 등가: חֶ֫סֶד 2 (158).

1. 자비 — 권위가 있는 개인이나 기관을 통해 범법자에게 보여진 관대함과 연민. 관련 주제: 사랑; 동정; 연민; 자비; 자비심; 친절.

딤후 1:16 δῴη ἔλεος ὁ κύριος τῷ Ὀνησιφόρου οἴκῳ,

약 2:13 μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος· κατακαυχᾶται

요이 3 ἔσται μεθʼ ἡμῶν χάρις ἔλεος εἰρήνη παρὰ

유 2 ἔλεος ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ ἀγάπη πληθυνθείη.

유 21 προσδεχόμενοι τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ

1. 자비를 보이다† — 어떤 것 또는 누군가를 향해 관용과 연민을 표시하다.  다음을 참고하십시오 ποιέω. 관련 주제: 사랑; 동정; 연민; 자비; 자비심; 친절.

눅 1:72 ποιῆσαι ἔλεος μετὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν

• 창 19:19; 창 24:12; 창 24:44; 창 24:49; 민 14:19; 삿 1:24; 삼상 15:6; 시 24:6; 시 50:3; 시 102:17; 호 6:6

† 현재 의미를 포함하여 나오는 현 원형의 모든 용례.

 Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham 헬라어 성경 어휘사전 (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).

-  “Grace,” in Paul, is often a concept laden with theological meaning, and probably even in the customary framework of a letter opening it does more than simply satisfy the requirements of epistolary etiquette.36 Within its broad range of meaning, which includes “graciousness, good will, thanks, and loving care,”37 it is the LXX use of the term to express the idea of God’s favor shown to his people (in various contexts) that Paul has developed into his theology of salvation.38 In a way continuous with the nature of salvation, Paul thus asks that Timothy experience God’s favor.

“Mercy,” in the LXX, is the frequent translation of the dominant Hebrew term hesed that describes the lovingkindness of God that undergirds his covenant with Israel as Paul well understood.39 Within Paul’s letters, the insertion of “mercy” between “grace” and “peace” is unique to the greetings of the two letters to Timothy (2 Tim 1:2; 2 John 3; Jude 2), though in one place he does connect the thoughts of peace and mercy (Gal 6:16). If it is assumed that “grace and peace” is the “standard” Pauline greeting, then this threefold formula is of course unique.40 But that observation tells us nothing other than that Paul wished here to add the notion of “mercy” to his personal letters to Timothy. The fact that in each letter to Timothy “mercy” is developed into a significant theme within the opening discourses (1 Tim 1:13, 16; 2 Tim 1:16, 18) may explain the addition to the greeting in these two instances.41 Paul wishes for Timothy a deep sense of God’s sustaining protection.

“Peace,” in NT usage, also owes most to the development of the concept in the Greek OT background. In reference to individuals or groups, it denotes harmony or tranquility within and without, the source of which is God and especially his salvation.42 As with “grace,” the importance of “peace” (both inward and outward) for the situation Timothy would be addressing in Ephesus would seem obvious; no less obvious was the need for the experience of God’s peace in the churches generally.

As is typical in Paul’s letters, God the father and Christ are named together as the source of the blessings just mentioned.43 The prepositional phrase, “from God [the] Father and Christ Jesus our Lord,” exactly replicated in 2 Tim 1:2, differs from the standard Pauline phrase in giving the order of the names as “Christ Jesus” and in moving “Lord” to the end of the sequence. Since Paul’s preference is to use the name “Jesus Christ” in connection with the “Lord” attribution,44 this may represent a divergence from the pattern (cf. 6:3, 14 where the pattern is maintained). One possible explanation for this deviation might be the dominance of the order “Christ Jesus” in the letters to Timothy.45 But attention to the pattern “Jesus Christ” in the two other combinations with “Lord” (6:3, 14) suggests that either the shift to “Christ Jesus” was influenced by the order of the names in the preceding verse, or it has resulted from the placement of “Lord” after the names (cf. Phil 3:8).

36 In Hellenistic letters the standard word of greeting is χαίρειν (1 Macc 10:18, 25; 11:30; 12:6; 12:20; 3 Macc 3:12; Letter of Aristeas 41; Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Emminent Philosophers 2.141.2; etc.; see also Johnson, 158) and it is likely that Paul’s choice of χάρις (shaped by its use with “peace” in Judaism) transposes the greeting into a pronouncement of blessing.

37 The usage of χάρις in these letters is not significantly different from other Pauline letters (in greetings and benediction: 1 Tim 1:2; 6:21; 2 Tim 1:2; 4:22; Titus 1:4; 3:15; in statements about salvation or the Christ event: 1 Tim 1:14; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 2:11; 3:7; and in a construction in which it means “thanks”: 1 Tim 1:12; 2 Tim 1:3 [cf. the use of χάρις with dative for “thanks to God” elsewhere in Paul: Rom 6:17; 7:25; 1 Cor 15:57; etc.]).

38 Spicq, TLNT 3:500–506; H. Conzelmann, W. Zimmerli, TDNT 9:397–99; K. Berger, EDNT 3:457–60.

39 Gk. ἔλεος (“mercy”; see Spicq, TLNT 1:471–79; Towner, “Mercy,” EDBT, 520–523; id., “Mercy/Compassion,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, eds. T. D. Alexander, B. S. Rosner [Leicester: IVP, 2000], 660–63), in noun and verbal forms, is an important theme in these three letters: it forms the basis of salvation for Paul and others (1 Tim 1:13, 16; Titus 3:5) and describes other aspects of God’s gracious help and protection (2 Tim 1:16, 18). Cf. Rom 9:23; 11:31; 15:9; Gal 6:16; Eph 2:4.

40 For speculative explanations of the insertion of “mercy” as a departure from this standard, see Knight, 66 and Spicq, 318 (who link it to Jewish practice, Timothy’s Jewish background, and unique pressures to be faced by Timothy); Dibelius and Conzelmann, 14 and Kelly, 41 (who see it as a replacement for the usual “you” [pl.] of Pauline greetings).

41 Cf. Roloff, 55.

42 Gk. εἰρήνη; see Spicq, TLNT 1:424–38; G. von Rad, TDNT 2:400–417. Cf. Rom 15:33; 16:20; Phil 4:9; Col 3:15; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 3:16.

43 See Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; 2 Thess 1:1; Phlm 3.

44 In 1 Timothy the order of names, “Christ Jesus,” occurs far more frequently (12x) than “Jesus Christ” (2x); however, the 2 minority occurrences (6:3, 14) each has the name in collocation with the phrase “our Lord” according to the overwhelming preponderance of instances of this collocation in earlier Pauline writings (40+ occurrences in which most have the order “our Lord Jesus Christ” [but see the order “Jesus Christ our Lord” in Rom 1:4; 5:21; 7:25; 1 Cor 1:9]); Paul’s only true variation from this pattern is Phil 3:8 (“Christ Jesus my Lord”); for the rest, the order “Christ Jesus” occurs with “our Lord” only when the name is governed by the preposition ἐν; Rom 6:23; 8:38; 1 Cor 4:17; 15:31; Eph 3:11; Col 2:6; in view of this, the configuration in 1 Tim 1:2 (2 Tim 1:2), which combines the order of names “Christ Jesus” with “our Lord” (Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν), belongs to the anomalous category of Phil 3:8.

45 1 Timothy (12x to 2x for the reverse), 2 Timothy (12x to 1x); see Johnson, 158.

 Philip H. Towner, The Letters to Timothy and Titus, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2006), 102–103.

-  The Recipient (1:2a)

It was customary for letters in the first century to convey kind wishes for the continued well-being of the recipients. Paul uses some Christian terms for this purpose, but also uses common terminology with a Christian meaning. Here he expresses these thoughts with the words “grace, mercy and peace.” Those who spoke Greek would normally greet a friend with the word chaire. The word for “grace,” charis, has a similar sound.

Paul’s third greeting, eirene (from which we derive our word irenic), means “peace.” This word recalls the Hebrew greeting shalom, which connotes wholeness and well-being as well as peace.

In addition to these usual two words of greeting in Paul’s letters, 1 and 2 Timothy add “mercy” (cf. also 2 John 3). This word can shade towards the idea of pity or compassion. It recalls the Hebrew ḥesed, with its overtones of mercy and kindness to those within God’s covenant. The terms grace and mercy imply that those who receive those benefits have a need they cannot fulfill themselves.

 Walter L. Liefeld, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 46–47.