Artists for Israel International · Online Exhibit

1 Timothy & Yiddishkait Iggeret Rishonah el Timotheus — הָאִגֶּרֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה אֶל טִימוֹתִיּוֹס

Shaul's oversight manual to his talmid muvhak — sound doctrine against fables, chesed to the chief of chota'im, order for tefillah and for the kehillah, the qualifications of mashgichim and shammashim, the Raz HaChassidut, warnings of the acharit hayamim, and the milchamah tovah against ahavat kesef — read through its Tanakh-soaked vocabulary across six chapters, then set beside the Greek NT interlinear itself.

Soaked in Tanakh: Four Threads

Written by an aging Shaul to his talmid muvhak left to shepherd the kehillah at Ephesus, 1 Timothy is a manual of halachah kahalachah — sound doctrine rightly used, chesed for the worst of chota'im, order in tefillah and in the household of Elohim, and a charge to fight the good fight against love of kesef and torot shedim in the acharit hayamim.

Halachah Kahalachah — Sound Doctrine Against Fables

  • Timotheos charged to remain in Ephesus warning against meshugene aggadot and endless genealogies that minister disputes rather than the binyan of Elohim which is in emunah (1:3-4).
  • The Torah is good if a man uses it kahalachah — not laid for the tzaddik but for the lawless, according to the sound doctrine of the besurah of the kavod Elohim (1:8-11).
  • Shaul himself, once a megadeph and rodef, was shown chesed as the rosh hachotim — a pattern of the savlanut of Moshiach Yehoshua toward all who would believe (1:13-16).

Tefillah, Seder u'Manhigut — Prayer, Order & Leadership

  • Tachanunim, tefillos, and hodayot to be made for all men, for melachim and those in shilton, that a quiet life in chassidut and kovod be led (2:1-2).
  • One Elohim, one Melitz between Elohim and bnei adam — HaAdam Moshiach Yehoshua, who gave Himself a kofer for all (2:5-6).
  • The mashgiach and the shammash each measured by the same standard: blameless, sober, apt to teach, not a lover of unjust betza, ruling well his own bayit (3:1-13).

Acharit HaYamim v'HaEved Ne'eman — Latter-Day Apostasy & the Faithful Servant

  • The Ruach speaks expressly that in the acharit hayamim some depart from the emunah, heeding ruchot mat'ot and torot shedim (4:1-3).
  • Every creature of Elohim is tov, set apart through the dvar Elohim and tefillah — nothing refused when received with hodayah (4:4-5).
  • A good mesharet of Moshiach Yehoshua is nourished on the words of emunah, exercising unto chassidut rather than old wives' fables, a dugma to believers in davar, halichah, ahavah, ruach, and tahorah (4:6-12).

Milchemet HaEmunah neged Ahavat Kesef — The Good Fight Against the Love of Money

  • Zekeinim who rule well worthy of kavod kaful; an accusation against a zaken received only on the mouth of two or three witnesses (5:17-19).
  • "Ki shoresh kol ra hu ahavat hakesef" — coveting after it, some have erred from the emunah and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (6:10).
  • The ish HaElohim charged to flee these things, follow tzedek and chassidut, and fight the milchamah tovah of the emunah, laying hold on chayei olam until the appearing of Adoneinu Yehoshua Moshiach (6:11-16).

Reading Key — Doctrine, Order, Faithfulness & the Good Fight

This exhibit reads 1 Timothy as Shaul's oversight manual to his talmid: sound doctrine guarded against fables, chesed held up for the chief of chota'im, tefillah and order set for the kehillah, mashgichim and shammashim measured by the same yardstick, warnings for the acharit hayamim, honor for zekeinim and almanot, and a final charge to fight the milchamah tovah against ahavat kesef.

➤ Halachah Ne'emanah v'Chesed la'Chotim (ch. 1) — Charge against fables and endless genealogies; chesed shown to the chief of chota'im.

➤ Tefillah l'Chol Adam v'Seder baKehillah (ch. 2) — Prayer for all men, one Melitz, and order for men and women in the kehillah.

➤ Mashgichim v'Shammashim — Raz HaChassidut (ch. 3) — Qualifications of overseers and deacons, and the hymn of the mystery of chassidut.

➤ Acharit HaYamim v'HaEved Ne'eman (ch. 4) — Apostasy foretold, and the faithful mesharet as a dugma to believers.

➤ Kibbud Zekeinim v'Almanot (ch. 5) — Honor for widows indeed and for elders who rule and labor well.

➤ Ahavat Kesef v'Milchemet HaEmunah (ch. 6) — The root of all evil, and the ish HaElohim's charge to fight the good fight.

I. Halachah Ne'emanah v'Chesed la'Chotim Sound Doctrine & Mercy to the Chief of Sinners (ch. 1)

  1. 1Greeting — Shaul, shaliach of Moshiach Yehoshua by command of Elohim Moshieinu, to Timotheos, true ben in the emunah 1Ti 1:1-2A shaliach writing not by his own will but by command of Elohim Moshieinu.
  2. 2Charged to remain in Ephesus to warn against strange doctrine, myths and endless genealogies, which minister disputes rather than the binyan of Elohim which is in emunah 1Ti 1:3-4Torat ShavVain aggadot and genealogies that build machloket, not the binyan of Elohim.
  3. 3The goal of the mitzvah is ahavah out of a pure heart, good conscience, and emunah unfeigned; some have turned aside to vain jangling 1Ti 1:5-6The tachlis of every mitzvah traced back to a pure-hearted ahavah.
  4. 4The Torah is good if a man uses it lawfully, laid not for the tzaddik but for the lawless, according to the sound doctrine of the besurah of the kavod of the blessed Elohim 1Ti 1:7-11Torah KahalachahTorah used kahalachah — rightly aimed at the lawless, not the redeemed.
  5. 5Thanksgiving to Moshiach Yehoshua who counted Shaul faithful, putting him into the sherut though formerly a megadeph, rodef, and violent man 1Ti 1:12-13A former rodef counted ne'eman and set into the sherut.
  6. 6"Ne'eman hadavar" — Moshiach Yehoshua came into the olam to save chota'im, of whom Shaul is chief, a pattern for those who would believe unto chayei olam 1Ti 1:14-16Rosh HaChotimThe rosh hachotim made the very picture of Moshiach's savlanut.
  7. 7Doxology — to the Melech Olamim, immortal, invisible, the only Elohim, be kavod v'tiferet l'olam va'ed 1Ti 1:17A burst of kavod v'tiferet to the Melech Olamim alone.
  8. 8Charge committed to Timotheos to wage the milchamah tovah, holding emunah and a good conscience; Hymenaeus and Alexander, having rejected this, delivered to Satan 1Ti 1:18-20The first sounding of the milchamah tovah, and its cost when abandoned.

II. Tefillah l'Chol Adam v'Seder baKehillah Prayer for All & Order in the Assembly (ch. 2)

  1. 9First of all, tachanunim, tefillos, intercessions and hodayot to be made for all men, for melachim and those in shilton, that a quiet and peaceable life in all chassidut and kovod be led 1Ti 2:1-2Tefillah l'Chol AdamTefillah reaching even to kings and rulers, for the sake of a quiet halichah.
  2. 10This is good and acceptable before Elohim Moshieinu, who wants all men to be saved and come to da'as ha'emet 1Ti 2:3-4Elohim's own ratzon: all men brought to da'as ha'emet.
  3. 11"Echad hu HaElohim, v'echad hu HaMelitz bein Elohim uvein bnei adam — HaAdam Moshiach Yehoshua," who gave Himself a kofer for all 1Ti 2:5-6One MediatorOne Melitz alone, offering Himself as kofer for all bnei adam.
  4. 12Shaul appointed a maggid and shaliach, a moreh of the Goyim in emunah and emet 1Ti 2:7A moreh sent specifically to the Goyim in emunah and emet.
  5. 13Men to daven everywhere lifting up kadosh hands, without wrath and machloket 1Ti 2:8Kadosh hands lifted free of anger and quarreling.
  6. 14Women to adorn themselves in tzniut and sobriety, not with gold, pearls, or costly array, but with ma'asim tovim befitting yirat Shomayim 1Ti 2:9-10Tzniut and ma'asim tovim named the true adornment.
  7. 15Women to learn b'shtikah with all submission, not to teach or usurp authority over the man, for Adam was formed first, then Chavah, and Chavah was deceived, not Adam 1Ti 2:11-14Adam u'ChavahThe order of Adam and Chavah in Bereishis set as the pattern here.
  8. 16Yet she shall be saved through the bearing of children if they continue in emunah, ahavah, and kedushah with sobriety 1Ti 2:15Perseverance in emunah, ahavah and kedushah named as the abiding fruit.

III. Mashgichim v'Shammashim — Raz HaChassidut Qualifications of Overseers & Deacons, the Mystery of Godliness (ch. 3)

  1. 17Whoever desires the office of mashgiach desires a good work 1Ti 3:1The office of mashgiach named a good and honorable desire.
  2. 18A mashgiach must be blameless, husband of one wife, sober, of good behavior, hospitable, apt to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy of unjust betza, but gentle and not a brawler 1Ti 3:2-3Mashgiach KasherA checklist of middot making a mashgiach kasher for the role.
  3. 19One who rules well his own bayit, having his children in subjection — for if a man knows not to rule his own house, how shall he care for the kehillah of Elohim? 1Ti 3:4-5The bayit itself the proving ground for shepherding the kehillah.
  4. 20Not a novice, lest lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Satan; must have a good report of those outside 1Ti 3:6-7Ga'avah (pride) named the very snare that felled the Satan himself.
  5. 21Likewise shammashim must be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of unjust betza, holding the raz haemunah in a pure conscience 1Ti 3:8-9Shammashim Ne'emanimShammashim held to the same standard of ne'emanut as the mashgichim.
  6. 22Let them first be proved, then use the office if blameless; their wives likewise grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things 1Ti 3:10-11A time of testing (bechinah) before entrusting the office.
  7. 23Deacons husbands of one wife, ruling their children and houses well, purchasing to themselves a good standing and great boldness in the emunah 1Ti 3:12-13Faithful sherut yielding ma'amad tov and boldness in emunah.
  8. 24Writing so Timotheos will know how to behave in the Bais Elohim, the pillar and ground of HaEmet; great is the Raz HaChassidut: Elohim manifest in the basar, justified in the Ruach, seen of malachim, proclaimed among the Goyim, believed on in the olam, received up into kavod 1Ti 3:14-16Raz HaChassidutThe Bais Elohim as pillar of HaEmet, crowned by the hymn of the Raz HaChassidut.

IV. Acharit HaYamim v'HaEved Ne'eman Latter-Day Apostasy & the Faithful Servant (ch. 4)

  1. 25The Ruach speaks expressly that in the acharit hayamim some will depart from the emunah, giving heed to ruchot mat'ot and torot shedim 1Ti 4:1-2Torat ShedimA plain warning of torot shedim arising in the acharit hayamim.
  2. 26Forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which Elohim created to be received with hodayah by those who believe and know HaEmet 1Ti 4:3False asceticism denying what Elohim made to be received with hodayah.
  3. 27Every creature of Elohim is tov, nothing to be refused if received with hodayah, for it is set apart through the dvar Elohim and tefillah 1Ti 4:4-5Creation itself tov, set apart through dvar Elohim and tefillah, not by human decree.
  4. 28Putting the brothers in remembrance of these things makes a good mesharet of Moshiach Yehoshua, nourished in the words of emunah — bodily exercise profits little, chassidut is profitable unto all things 1Ti 4:6-8Eved Ne'emanA good mesharet nourished on emunah rather than old wives' fables.
  5. 29"Ne'eman hadavar" — we trust in the Elohim Chai who is the Moshiah of all men, especially of those who believe 1Ti 4:9-10Trust anchored in the Elohim Chai, moshiah of all, especially of ma'aminim.
  6. 30"Al yavuz ish et na'urecha" — let no man despise your youth, but be a dugma to believers in davar, halichah, ahavah, ruach, emunah, and tahorah 1Ti 4:11-12Dugma laMaaminimYouth answered not with defense but with a life made dugma.
  7. 31Give attendance to reading, exhortation, and doctrine; neglect not the matanah given by prophecy with laying on of hands of the zekenim 1Ti 4:13-14A matanah received through prophecy and the semichah of the zekenim.
  8. 32Meditate on these things, give thyself wholly to them; take heed to thyself and to the doctrine, continue in them — this will save both thyself and those who hear thee 1Ti 4:15-16Guarding one's own halichah named as inseparable from guarding the doctrine taught.

V. Kibbud Zekeinim v'Almanot Honoring Elders & Widows (ch. 5)

  1. 33Rebuke not a zaken sharply but exhort as an av, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger as sisters, with all tahorah 1Ti 5:1-2Rebuke reframed through the language of mishpachah — av, achim, imahot, achayot.
  2. 34Honor almanot who are almanot indeed; but if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and requite their parents 1Ti 5:3-4Almanah AmititThe almanah amitit distinguished from one whose family owes her kibbud.
  3. 35She who is a widow indeed, desolate, trusts in Elohim and continues in tachanunim and tefillos night and day; she who lives in ta'anug is dead while she lives 1Ti 5:5-6A life of tefillah night and day set against a life of ta'anug that is death while living.
  4. 36If any provide not for his own, especially his own household, he has denied the emunah and is worse than a kofer 1Ti 5:7-8Denying the EmunahNeglecting one's own mishpachah named a denial of emunah itself.
  5. 37Younger widows refused for the roll, lest wanton against Moshiach they marry, having condemnation; let them marry, bear children, guide the house 1Ti 5:9-14Practical eitzah given for the younger almanot rather than a fixed roll.
  6. 38Zekeinim who rule well are worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the davar and in teaching — "thou shalt not muzzle the ox... the laborer is worthy of his reward" 1Ti 5:17-18Kavod KafulKavod kaful due to zekeinim who labor in davar and teaching, grounded in the Katuv.
  7. 39Receive not an accusation against a zaken but before two or three witnesses; rebuke sinning ones before all, charged before Elohim, Moshiach Yehoshua and the elect malachim to be impartial 1Ti 5:19-21Protection for zekeinim through the standard of shnei edim or more.
  8. 40Lay hands suddenly on no man; keep thyself tahor; use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities; some men's sins go before to judgment, some follow after 1Ti 5:22-25Even semichah tempered with patience, and a father's practical care for Timotheos himself.

VI. Ahavat Kesef v'Milchemet HaEmunah The Love of Money & the Good Fight of Faith (ch. 6)

  1. 41Servants under the yoke to count their masters worthy of kavod, that the Shem Elohim and doctrine not be blasphemed; believing masters served the better, not despised as brothers 1Ti 6:1-2Even the eved's halichah guards the Shem Elohim from bilul (desecration).
  2. 42Whoever teaches otherwise and consents not to the sound words of Adoneinu Yehoshua Moshiach and the doctrine of chassidut is proud, knowing nothing, doting about questions and strifes of words 1Ti 6:3-4Torah ZarahTorah zarah exposed by ga'avah and empty word-battles rather than chassidut.
  3. 43Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of HaEmet, supposing that gain is chassidut; from such withdraw thyself 1Ti 6:5A warning to withdraw from teachers who treat revach (profit) as chassidut.
  4. 44Chassidut with histapkut is great gain; we brought nothing into this olam and can carry nothing out; having food and covering, let us be content 1Ti 6:6-8HistapkutHistapkut — contentment — named as chassidut's true and great revach.
  5. 45Those who desire to be rich fall into nisayon and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires which drown men in destruction and perdition 1Ti 6:9The desire to be rich itself a nisayon and a snare.
  6. 46"Ki shoresh kol ra hu ahavat hakesef" — coveting after it, some have erred from the emunah and pierced themselves through with many sorrows 1Ti 6:10Shoresh Kol RaThe most quoted line of the letter: ahavat hakesef as shoresh kol ra.
  7. 47But thou, ish HaElohim, flee these things; follow tzedek, chassidut, emunah, ahavah, savlanut, anvah; fight the milchamah tovah of the emunah, lay hold on chayei olam 1Ti 6:11-12The ish HaElohim charged to flee and to fight in the same breath.
  8. 48Charge before Elohim who gives life to all things, and Moshiach Yehoshua who testified a good confession before Pontius Pilate, to keep this mitzvah until the appearing of Adoneinu Yehoshua Moshiach — Melech HaMelachim v'Adonei HaAdonim 1Ti 6:13-16Melech HaMelachimA charge sealed with the title Melech HaMelachim v'Adonei HaAdonim.
  9. 49Charge the rich not to be haughty nor trust in uncertain riches but in Elohim Chai, who gives richly all things to enjoy; to do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to share 1Ti 6:17-19True wealth redirected toward gemilut chassadim and a good foundation for time to come.
  10. 50"O Timotheos, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called... Chen be with thee. Amen." 1Ti 6:20-21A final berachah — chen upon the talmid entrusted with so great a pikadon.

Read the Greek Text Itself

All six chapters of 1 Timothy, word for word, at the AFII Greek NT interlinear.

1Ti chp 1 chp 2 chp 3 chp 4 chp 5 chp 6