The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917], at sacred-texts.com
1 Timothy Introduction
Book Introduction - 1 Timothy
Writer: The Apostle Paul
Date: The date of this Epistle turns upon the question of the two imprisonments of Paul. If there were two
(See Scofield - Act 28:30) then it is clear that First Timothy was written during the interval. If Paul endured but one Roman imprisonment, the Epistle was written shortly before Paul's last journey to Jerusalem.
Theme: As the churches of Christ increased in number, the questions of church order, of soundness in the faith, and of discipline became important. At first the apostles regulated these things directly, but the approaching end of the apostolic period made it necessary that a clear revelation should be made for the guidance of the churches. Such a revelation is in First Timothy, and in Titus. The key-phrase of the Epistle is, "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God." Well had it been with the churches if they had neither added to nor taken from the divine order.
The divisions are five:
1. Legality and unsound doctrine rebuked (1 Timothy 1:1-20).
2. Prayer and the divine order of the sexes enjoined (1 Timothy 2:1-15).
3. The qualifications of elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-16).
4. The walk of the "good minister," (1 Timothy 4:1-16).
5. The work of the "good minister," (1 Timothy 5:1 - 6:21).