Was Paul inconsistent?
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| Rembrandt's Timothy and his grandmother, 1648. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
A certain disciple was there, named Timothy.… He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium (Acts 16:1b–2).
Having begun his second missionary journey by passing through Syria and Cilicia, Paul now comes to Derbe and Lystra, the cities he visited last on his first journey. He comes to them first on this trip because he is traveling from the east; on his first journey, he came to them from the west and returned the way he came.
He is now beginning to fulfill the stated purpose for his second journey (Acts 15:36). He is also returning to the site of his severest persecution (14:19).
Luke has little to say about the churches in these cities. But he records Paul’s encounter with Timothy, who will become his companion and his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2). Unlike John Mark, with whom Paul would have nothing to do (Acts 15:38), the apostle is impressed by this young man. Timothy is the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, Eunice, who, along with Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, had taught him the Scriptures from an early age (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15).
Luke has little to say about the churches in these cities. But he records Paul’s encounter with Timothy, who will become his companion and his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2). Unlike John Mark, with whom Paul would have nothing to do (Acts 15:38), the apostle is impressed by this young man. Timothy is the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, Eunice, who, along with Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, had taught him the Scriptures from an early age (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15).
These women may have become Christians during Paul’s first visit and, in turn, instructed Timothy in the faith. Under this tutelage, his faith grew strong, and he is known to and admired by believers from Derbe to Iconium. He is still very young at this time; even in an epistle written approximately 14 years later, Paul will advise him not to let others look down on him because of his youth (1 Tim. 4:12).
However, Paul faces one major hurdle to enlisting Timothy on his missionary team—he is a product of a mixed marriage, and his father, not being a Jew, had not had him circumcised. As an uncircumcised son of a Jew, he is an offense to Jews (there would have been no offense had both his parents been Gentiles). Paul, of course, is carrying a decree from the Jerusalem Council stating that circumcision is not necessary for Christian faith, a decision for which he argued strenuously. He will deliver that decree to the churches, helping them greatly (Acts 16:4–5). But Paul is willing to circumcise Timothy in order to take him along and still be able to minister to Jews without giving offense.
However, Paul faces one major hurdle to enlisting Timothy on his missionary team—he is a product of a mixed marriage, and his father, not being a Jew, had not had him circumcised. As an uncircumcised son of a Jew, he is an offense to Jews (there would have been no offense had both his parents been Gentiles). Paul, of course, is carrying a decree from the Jerusalem Council stating that circumcision is not necessary for Christian faith, a decision for which he argued strenuously. He will deliver that decree to the churches, helping them greatly (Acts 16:4–5). But Paul is willing to circumcise Timothy in order to take him along and still be able to minister to Jews without giving offense.
Is Paul being inconsistent? Not at all. As Dr. Simon Kistemaker notes, “Paul himself wanted to be all things to all people, so that he might win both Jew and Gentile for Christ (1 Cor. 9:19–23). He expected that Timothy, a fellow missionary, would do the same.” Timothy does, and becomes an invaluable aide to the apostle.
