Saint Timothy

{{Short description|1st-century Christian evangelist, philosopher and bishop}} {{Infobox saint |honorific_prefix = [[Saint]] |name= Timothy |birth_date= |death_date= unknown (The Acts of Timothy dates Timothy's death to c. AD 97 [aged 79/80]) |feast_day=January 22 ([[Eastern Christianity]]) January 26 ([[Catholic Church]], [[Lutheranism]], [[Anglican Communion]]) January 24 (some local calendars and pre-1970 [[General Roman Calendar]]) 23 [[Tobi (month)|Tobi]] ([[Coptic Christianity]])<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/5_23.html#1| title = "The Martyrdom of St. Timothy, the Apostle.", Coptic Orthodox Church Network}}</ref> 27 Tobi (Relocation of [[Relic]]s – [[Coptic Christianity]])<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/5_27.html#3| title = "The Relocation of the Relics of St. Timothy, the Apostle.", COCN}}</ref> Thursday after fifth Sunday after feast of the Holy Cross ([[Armenian Apostolic Church]])<ref>''Domar: the calendrical and liturgical cycle of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church'', Armenian Orthodox Theological Research Institute, 2002, p. 528.</ref> |venerated_in= [[Catholic Church]] [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] [[Oriental Orthodoxy]] [[Anglicanism]] [[Lutheranism]] |image= Saint Timothy.jpg |imagesize= 180px |caption=Icon of Saint Timothy |birth_place= [[Lystra]], [[Galatia (Roman province)|Galatia]], [[Roman Empire]]<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Timothy |title= Saint Timothy |date= 1 January 2021 |website= [[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |access-date= 5 February 2021 |quote= Saint Timothy, (born, Lystra, Lycaonia [now Lusna, Tur.]}}</ref> or [[Derbe]], Galatia, Roman Empire<ref name="biblehub.com"/><ref name="ReferenceA">''"Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium."'' Acts 16:1</ref> |death_place= [[Ephesus]], [[Asia (Roman province)|Asia]], Roman Empire |titles=Bishop, Martyr |attributes= pastoral staff<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/22450| title = Agasso, Domenico. "Saint Timothy, Bishop", Santi e Beati, February 1, 2001}}</ref> |patronage=Invoked against stomach and intestinal disorders |major_shrine= |issues= }} '''Timothy''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Τιμόθεος}}, ''Timótheos'', meaning "honouring God" or "honoured by God"<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://first-names.com/name/timothy/ |title=Timothy |website=Finde |publisher=Zelo |access-date=2017-06-18}}</ref>) was an early Christian [[Evangelism|evangelist]] and the first [[Christianity|Catholic]] [[bishop]] of [[Ephesus]],<ref>{{Citation |last=Eusebius |title=Historia Ecclesiastica |page=109 |year=1965 |trans-title=The History of the Church |chapter=3.4 |others=Williamson, G.A. transl. |place=Harmonsworth |publisher=Penguin}}</ref> whom the [[Acts of Timothy]] relates died around the year AD 97.

Timothy was from the [[Lycaonia]]n city of [[Lystra]]<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url= https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Timothy |title= Saint Timothy |date= 1 January 2021 |website= [[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |access-date= 5 February 2021 |quote= Saint Timothy, (born, Lystra, Lycaonia [now Lusna, Tur.])}}</ref> or of [[Derbe]]<ref name="biblehub.com">{{Cite web |title=2 Timothy 3 Barnes' Notes |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/2_timothy/3.htm |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=biblehub.com |quote=Timothy was a native of either Derbe or Lystra, cities near to each other}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">''"Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium."'' Acts 16:1</ref> in [[Asia Minor]], born of a [[Jews|Jewish]] mother who had become a Christian believer, and a [[Greeks|Greek]] father. The [[Paul the Apostle|Apostle Paul]] met him during his [[second missionary journey]] and he became Paul's companion and missionary partner along with [[Silas]].<ref>{{Bibleverse |Acts|16:1–4|NIV}}</ref> The [[New Testament]] indicates that Timothy traveled with Paul the Apostle, who was also his mentor. He is addressed as the recipient of the [[First Epistle to Timothy|First]] and [[Second Epistle to Timothy|Second]] Epistles to Timothy in the [[New Testament#Pauline letters to persons|New Testament]].

==Life== Timothy was a native of [[Lystra]] or of [[Derbe]] in [[Lycaonia]] ([[Early centers of Christianity#Asia Minor|Asia Minor]]).<ref name="stelca">{{Cite web |url=http://www.sttimothyelca.com/sttimothybio.htm |title=St. Timothy biography |website=St. Timothy ELCA |access-date=2017-06-18}}</ref> When [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]] and [[Barnabas]] first visited Lystra, Paul healed a person crippled from birth, leading many of the inhabitants to accept his teaching. When he returned a few years later with Silas, Timothy was already a respected member of the Christian congregation, as were his grandmother [[Lois (Bible)|Lois]] and his mother [[Eunice (Bible)|Eunice]], both Jews. In 2 Timothy 1:5,<ref>{{Bibleverse|2 Timothy|1:5|NIV}}</ref> his mother and grandmother are noted as eminent for their piety and faith. Timothy is said to have been acquainted with the Scriptures since childhood. In 1 Corinthians 16:10,<ref>{{Bibleverse |1 Corinthians |16:10|NIV}}</ref> there is a suggestion that he was by nature reserved and timid: "When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord".<ref name="fwec">{{Cite web |title=Who Was Saint Timothy |url=http://www.fwepiscopal.org/st.timothy/StTimHist.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114104907/http://www.fwepiscopal.org/st.timothy/StTimHist.html |archive-date=2014-11-14 |access-date=2014-01-17 |publisher=St.Timothy's Episcopal Church |place=Fort Worth, Texas}}</ref>

Timothy's father was a Greek [[Gentile]]. Thus Timothy had not been [[Circumcision controversy in early Christianity|circumcised]] and Paul now ensured that this was done, according to Acts 16:1-3,<ref>{{Bibleverse |Acts|16:1–3|NIV}}</ref> to ensure Timothy's acceptability to the Jews whom they would be evangelizing. According to [[John William McGarvey]]:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/mcgarvey/acts.ch16.html |title=Commentary on Acts of the Apostles |website=Christian Classics Ethereal Library |access-date=2017-06-18}}</ref> “Yet we see him in the case before us, circumcising Timothy with his own hand, and this ‘on account of certain Jews who were in those quarters.’” This did not compromise the decision made at the [[Council of Jerusalem]], that [[Non-Jewish|gentile]] believers were not required to be circumcised.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Timothy-and-Lois.jpg|thumb|right|[[Rembrandt|Rembrandt's]] ''Timothy and his grandmother'', 1648]]

==Ministry== [[File:Statue of Saint Timothy.jpg|thumb|alt=Statue of Saint Timothy at Saint Timothy's Church in The Villages, Florida.|Statue of Saint Timothy at Saint Timothy's Church in [[The Villages, Florida]]]] Timothy became Paul's disciple, and later his constant companion and co-worker in preaching.<ref name="oca">{{Cite web |url=http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/01/22/100262-apostle-timothy-of-the-seventy |title=Apostle Timothy of the Seventy |date=2013-01-22 |website=Lives of the saints |publisher=OCA |access-date=2017-06-18}}</ref> In the year 52, Paul and [[Silas]] took Timothy along with them on their journey to [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]]. [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] extols his zeal and disinterestedness in immediately forsaking his country, his house, and his parents, to follow the apostle, to share in his poverty and sufferings.<ref name="butler">{{Cite book |last=Butler |first=Alban |url=http://www.bartleby.com/210/1/241.html |chapter=Saint Timothy, Bishop and Martyr |title=The Lives of the Saints |publisher=Bartleby |volume=I: January |access-date=2017-06-18 }}</ref> Timothy may have been subject to ill health or "frequent ailments", and Paul encouraged him to "use a little wine for your stomach's sake".<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saints-timothy-and-titus/| title = "Saints Timothy and Titus", Franciscan Media| access-date = 2019-03-25| archive-date = 2020-04-14| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200414221912/https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saints-timothy-and-titus/| url-status = dead}}</ref>

When Paul went on to Athens, Silas and Timothy stayed for some time at [[Beroea]] and [[Thessalonica]] before joining Paul at [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]].<ref name= butler /> {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|3:1-6|NKJV}} suggests that from Corinth, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonika to enquire about the community's continued faith, reporting back that it was in good shape. Timothy next appears in Acts during Paul's stay in Ephesus (54–57), and in late A. D. 56 or early 57 Paul sent him forth to Macedonia with the aim that he would eventually arrive at Corinth. Timothy arrived at Corinth just after Paul's letter [[1 Corinthians]] reached that city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1 Corinthians 4:17 - Paul Warns his Children |url=https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/4-17.htm |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=Bible Hub}}</ref>

Timothy was with Paul in Corinth during the winter of 57–58 when Paul dispatched his [[Letter to the Romans]].<ref>{{Bibleverse |Romans|16:21|NIV}}</ref> According to Acts 20:3–6,<ref>{{Bibleverse |Acts|20:3–6|NIV}}</ref> Timothy was with Paul in Macedonia just before [[Passover]] in 58; he left the city before Paul, going ahead of him to await Paul in [[Troad|Troas]].<ref>{{Bibleverse |Acts|20:4–5|NIV}}</ref> "That is the last mention of Timothy in Acts", Raymond Brown notes.<ref>{{Citation |last=Brown |title=An Introduction to the New Testament |page=655 |year=1997 |place=New York |publisher=Doubleday}}.</ref> In the year 64, Paul left Timothy at Ephesus, to govern that church.<ref name= butler />

His relationship with Paul was close. Timothy's name appears as the co-author on [[2 Corinthians]], [[Philippians]], [[Colossians]], [[1 Thessalonians]], [[2 Thessalonians]], and [[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]]. Paul wrote to the Philippians about Timothy, "I have no one like him."<ref>{{Bibleverse |Philippians|2:19–23|NIV}}</ref> When Paul was in prison and awaiting martyrdom, he summoned his faithful friend Timothy for a last farewell.<ref name=oca />

That Timothy was jailed at least once during the period of the writing of the New Testament is implied by the writer of [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] mentioning Timothy's release at the end of the epistle.<ref>{{Bibleverse |Hebrews|13:23|NIV}}</ref>

Although not stated in the New Testament, other sources have records of the apostle's death. The apocryphal ''[[Acts of Timothy]]'' states that in the year 97 AD, the 80-year-old bishop tried to halt a procession in honor of the goddess [[Diana (mythology)|Diana]] by preaching [[the Gospel]]. The angry pagans beat him, dragged him through the streets, and [[stoning|stoned him to death]].<ref name= oca />

==Veneration== Timothy is venerated as an apostle, saint, and [[martyr]] by the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], with his feast day on 22 January. The [[General Roman Calendar]] venerates Timothy together with [[Titus (Biblical)|Titus]] by a [[memorial (liturgy)|memorial]] on 26 January, the day after the [[Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul]]. From the 13th century until 1969 the feast of Timothy (alone) was on 24 January, the day before that of the Conversion of Saint Paul.<ref>''Calendarium Romanum'' (Vatican City, 1969), p. 86.</ref> Along with Titus and [[Silas]], Timothy is commemorated by the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] on 26 January. Timothy's feast is kept by the [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]] on 24 January.

Timothy is honored on the calendars of the [[Calendar of saints (Church of England)|Church of England]] and the [[Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church)|Episcopal Church]] (with [[Saint Titus|Titus]]) on [[January 26|26 January]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Calendar|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/calendar|access-date=2021-03-27|website=The Church of England|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Titus and Timothy, Companions of Saint Paul |url=https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/titus-and-timothy/ |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=The Episcopal Church |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 4th century, the relics of Timothy were transferred from Ephesus to Constantinople and placed in the [[Church of the Holy Apostles]] near the tombs of Andrew and Luke.<ref name= oca/> Later on in the 13th century, the relics seem to have been taken to Italy by a count returning from the crusades, and buried around 1239 in the [[Termoli Cathedral]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Sanidopoulos |first=John |title=Skull of apostle Timothy to travel to… |date=September 2011 |url=https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/09/skull-of-apostle-timothy-to-travel-to.html}}.</ref> The remains were rediscovered in 1945, during restoration work.

===Patronage=== [[File:Saint Timothy the Apostle.jpg|thumb|[[Icon]] of Saint Timothy in an Orthodox parish in the United States]] Timothy is invoked against stomach and intestinal disorders.

==Pastoral Epistles== {{main|First Epistle to Timothy|Second Epistle to Timothy}} {{see also|Pastoral Epistles|Pauline epistles|Authorship of the Pauline epistles}} There are two letters to Timothy attributed to [[Paul the Apostle]], the [[First Epistle to Timothy]] and the [[Second Epistle to Timothy]]. These – along with the [[Epistle to Titus]] – are called the [[Pastoral Epistles]], and are considered pseudepigraphic by some modern scholars, including [[Bart D. Ehrman|Bart Ehrman]], [[Raymond Collins (priest)|Raymond Collins]], and [[David Aune|David E. Aune]].<ref>[[Bart Ehrman|Ehrman, Bart]]. ''The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings''. Oxford University Press. 2003. p. 393 {{ISBN|0-19-515462-2}} "when we come to the Pastoral epistles, there is greater scholarly unanimity. These three letters are widely regarded by scholars as non-Pauline."</ref><ref>Collins, Raymond F. ''1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: A Commentary''. Westminster John Knox Press. 2004. p. 4 {{ISBN|0-664-22247-1}} "By the end of the twentieth century New Testament scholarship was virtually unanimous in affirming that the Pastoral Epistles were written some time after Paul's death. ... As always some scholars dissent from the consensus view."</ref><ref>David E. Aune, ed., ''The Blackwell Companion to the New Testament'' (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), 9: "While seven of the letters attributed to Paul are almost universally accepted as authentic (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon), four are just as widely judged to be pseudepigraphal, i.e., written by unknown authors under Paul's name: Ephesians and the Pastorals (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus)."</ref>

===First Timothy (c. 62–64)=== The author of this epistle writes to Timothy concerning the organization of the church and Timothy's own leadership within the body. Major themes include the use of [[Law of Moses|The Law]],<ref>{{Bibleverse|1Timothy|1:7–11}}</ref> warnings against [[heresy|false doctrine]] such as [[Encratites|Encratism]], instructions for prayer,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1Timothy|2:1–8}}</ref> roles of women in the church, qualifications for leaders of the church,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1Timothy|3:1–13}}</ref> and the treatment of widows, elders, masters, youth, and church members in general.<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Timothy|5:1–5:20|ESV}}</ref>

===Second Timothy (c. 62–64)=== According to the letter, Paul urges Timothy not to have a "spirit of timidity" and not to "be ashamed to testify about our Lord".<ref>{{Bibleverse|2 Timothy|1:7–8}}</ref> He also entreats Timothy to come to him before winter, and to bring Mark with him. Paul clearly anticipates his being put to death and realities beyond in his valedictory found in 2 Timothy 4:6–8.<ref>{{Bibleverse|2 Timothy| 4:6–8}}</ref> He exhorts his spiritual "son" Timothy to all diligence and steadfastness in the face of false teachings, with advice about combating them with reference to the teachings of the past, and to patience under persecution,<ref>{{Bibleverse|2 Timothy| 1:6–15}}</ref> and to a faithful discharge of all the duties of his office,<ref>{{Bibleverse|2 Timothy| 4:1–5}}</ref> with all the solemnity of one who was about to appear before the Judge of the quick and the dead (God).

==Acts of Timothy== {{main|Acts of Timothy}} The '''Acts of Timothy''' (Acta Timothei) is a work of New Testament apocrypha, most likely from the 5th century. The Acts tell how Paul had consecrated Timothy as bishop during [[Nero]]'s reign on the occasion of a visit to [[Ephesus]] which they made together. Then, under [[Nerva]], Timothy suffers a martyr's death during a [[Paganism|pagan]] festival.<ref>Zahn 1909, 41.</ref><ref>As quoted in Lawson 1910, 222 "In what [[Photius]] calls a "devilish and abominable festival.""</ref> Timothy "attempts to put an end to the wild and violent goings-on but himself falls victim to the orgies."<ref>[[Hans-Josef Klauck|Klauck]] 2008, p. 249.</ref><ref>Text in Usener 1877, 11.48–51; English translation from Lawson 1910, 222.</ref> The Acts of Timothy contain almost as much material about [[John the Evangelist]], who was also a resident of [[Ephesus]] as they do about Timothy.<ref>Lipsius 1884, p. 376.</ref>

== See also == {{Portal|Christianity}} * [[Clement of Rome]]

==References== {{cols|colwidth=26em}} {{reflist}} {{colend}}

==External links== {{Wikiquote|Timothy}} {{Commons category-inline}} * [http://www.bartleby.com/210/1/241.html St. Timothy, Bishop and Martyr] * [http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=367 Saints] * [http://www.stpetersbasilica.info/Exterior/Colonnades/Saints/St%20Timothy-80/StTimothy.htm Colonnade Statue in St Peter's Square]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Timothy}} [[Category:Seventy disciples]] [[Category:17 births]] [[Category:97 deaths]] [[Category:Saints from Roman Anatolia]] [[Category:People in the Pauline epistles]] [[Category:1st-century bishops in Roman Anatolia]] [[Category:Christian saints from the New Testament]] [[Category:Biblical apostles]] [[Category:Bishops of Ephesus]] [[Category:Burials at the Church of the Holy Apostles]] [[Category:Anglican saints]]