Paul writes to Timothy, left in Ephesus, with a clear charge: command certain men not to teach a different doctrine or pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. The goal of the command is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Paul then recounts his own story as the chief of sinners who obtained mercy, so that Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would believe.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope, 2 to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I urged you when I was going into Macedonia, stay at Ephesus that you might command certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith. 5 But the goal of this command is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith, 6 from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned away to vain talking, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say nor about what they strongly affirm.
8 But we know that the law is good if a person uses it lawfully, 9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine, 11 according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
12 I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service, 13 although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
18 I commit this instruction to you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which were given to you before, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
Source: ebible.org
Timothy is left in Ephesus to stop those teaching a different doctrine and attending to myths and endless genealogies. These produce disputes rather than the stewardship of God that is in faith. The goal is love from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. Some have missed the mark and turned to vain talk, desiring to be teachers of the law without understanding. The law is good when used lawfully — for the lawless, not for the righteous. Sound doctrine accords with the Good News of the glory of the blessed God.
Paul himself was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent man. He obtained mercy because he acted ignorantly in unbelief. Grace abounded with faith and love. The faithful saying is that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom Paul is chief. His mercy serves as an example for those who would believe for eternal life. The doxology rises to the King eternal, immortal, invisible.
Timothy is to wage the good warfare according to the prophecies previously given, holding faith and a good conscience. Some have thrust these away and shipwrecked concerning the faith — Hymenaeus and Alexander among them, whom Paul delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
The myths and genealogies belonged to the age that was passing. The goal is love from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. Christ Jesus came to save sinners. We live as those who have received the same mercy, holding faith and a good conscience without shipwreck.
Where are “myths and endless genealogies” still able to produce disputes rather than the stewardship of God that is in faith?