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1Ti_1:1-2. As in most of his other epistles, Paul here calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ in the narrower sense of the term, according to which it was applied only to those immediately called by Christ to the ministry of the gospel. He directs attention to the immediate nature of the call by adding the words κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν Θεοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν κ . τ . λ . In 1 Cor., 2 Cor., Eph., Col., 2 Tim., διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ is used for a like purpose. The expression κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν κ . τ . λ . is found elsewhere in the inscription only in Tit_1:3, where, however, it is not placed in such close connection with ἀπόστολος as here (comp. besides Rom_16:26, also 1Co_7:6; 2Co_8:8). The θέλημα is the source of the ἐπιταγή , by which we are to understand the commission given to the apostle. By this addition the apostle expresses his “assured consciousness of the divine origin and worth of his apostleship” (Matthies). It is not, however, an “involuntary” expression. The apostle deliberately insists on his apostolic authority, for the very sufficient reason that he was laying down in his epistle rules for church life. Heydenreich’s suggestion, that Paul meant at the same time to confirm Timothy’s position, is very far-fetched.
Θεοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ] This collocation of the words is only found elsewhere in the N. T. in Jud_1:25; in all passages of the Pastoral Epistles it usually runs: ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν Θεός . In this passage σωτὴρ ἡμῶν is added as in adjectival apposition to Θεοῦ ; while in Luk_1:47 it is marked as a substantive by the article. In the Pastoral Epistles σωτήρ is used both of God (so frequently in O. T.; comp. LXX. Psa_24:5; Isa_12:2; Isa_45:15; Isa_45:21; Wis_16:7; Sir_51:1) and of Christ; in the other Pauline Epistles (e.g. Eph_5:23; Php_3:20), as well as in Joh_4:42, Act_5:31, etc., it serves to denote Christ. Heydenreich is right in remarking that God does not bear this name as preserver and benefactor of men in general, but on account of the means He has instituted for saving and blessing us through Christ.
καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ] These words are added on account of the apostle’s Christology; so also in Gal_1:1.
τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν ] Christ is so named because He is both “the ground of our hope” (Wiesinger) and the object of it. He is hoped for, because by Him the σωτηρία is brought to completion (Calvin: in eo solo residet tota salutis nostrae materia); comp. the expression in Col_1:27 : ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δοξῆς .
Τιμοθέῳ γνησίῳ τέκνῳ ἐν πίστει ] Paul calls Timothy his child; he was not so κατὰ σάρκα but ἐν πίστει , since he was converted to the faith by Paul, as we learn from 1Co_4:14-17. Paul usually calls himself the father of those who had been led to the faith by him (comp. Gal_4:19). The idea of τἐκνον is strengthened by γνήσιος , perhaps by way of contrast with the heretics. The opposite of γνήσιος is νόθος or οὐκ ὄντως ὤν (comp. Plato, Rep. 293). This addition also gives prominence to the fact that Timothy was his son in the faith, not in appearance but in truth; hence Paul calls him also in 1Co_4:17 his τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν καὶ πιστὸν ἐν κυρίῳ .
ἐν πίστει ] “in the sphere of faith,” is not to be connected with γνησίῳ but with τέκνῳ , as defined more closely by γνησίῳ ; comp. Tit_1:4, and see Winer, p. 130 [E. T. p. 171].
χάρις , ἔλεος , εἰρήνη ] This collocation occurs only in the Pastoral Epistles and in 2Jn_1:3; in the other Pauline Epistles it runs: χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη . In Gal_6:16, however, εἰρήνη and ἔλεος are connected with one another. In Jud_1:2 we have: ἔλεος ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ ἀγάπη . The three expressions manifestly do not indicate three different gifts of grace, but only one. The distinction is, that χάρις points more to the soil from which the gift comes, and εἰρήνη denotes its nature, while the ἔλεος (standing between the two others in the Pastoral Epistles) lays stress on the element of compassionate love in χάρις .[39] Otto arbitrarily finds in ἜΛΕΟς “a reference to the official position,” appealing to such passages as 1Ti_1:13; 1Ti_1:16; 1Co_7:25; 2Co_4:1. Paul does also acknowledge that his call to the ministry of the word came from God’s ἜΛΕΟς ; but it does not follow from this that the word ἜΛΕΟς is used only in reference to the official position; comp. Gal_6:16; 2Ti_1:16; 2Ti_1:18.
ἈΠῸ ΘΕΟῦ ΠΑΤΡῸς ΚΑῚ Κ . Τ . Λ .] Even with the reading ἩΜῶΝ the genitive ΧΡΙΣΤΟῦ ἸΗΣΟῦ cannot be made to depend on ΘΕΟῦ . Next to the Father, Paul names Christ as the source from which the blessing comes, because all the Father’s gifts of blessing come through the Son.
[39] Wiesinger is right in not agreeing with Olshausen, who wishes to see in the expressions σωτήρ , ἐλπίς , ἔλεος , a special reference to the apostle’s position as a prisoner. Van Oosterzee aptly remarks: “Grace may be called the greatest benefaction for the guilty, compassion for the suffering, peace for the contending (?) disciple of the Lord.” Hofmann is right in his remark on 1Ti_1:1, that χάρις with ἀπό does not denote God’s thoughts, but “that in which His thoughts are shown, the grace which man receives.” In his explanation of 1Ti_1:2 : “ χάρις is that which is imparted to man by God, who wishes him well,” the idea of χάρις is made far too general.