While on his fourth missionary journey, Paul provided instructions to Timothy to care for the church at Ephesus (1:3) while he went on to Macedonia. It was when he realized that he might not return to Ephesus in the near future (3:14-15), that he wrote this first letter to Timothy to develop the charge he had given his young protégé (1:3, 18), to refute false teachings (1:3-7; 4:1-8; 6:3-5, 20-21) and to supervise the affairs of the growing church in Ephesus. Gnosticism had become a major problem in the Ephesian church, along with Judaism (1:3-7) and false asceticism (4:1-5). 

As indicates in the salutation (1:2), Paul is writing to Timothy, a native of Lystra (modern Turkey). Timothy’s father was Greek, and his mother was a Jewish Christian (Act 16:1). From childhood he had been taught the OT (2Ti 1:5; 3:15). Paul referred to him as “my true son in the faith” (1:2).  It is possible, but not known for certain that Paul may have led him to faith in Christ during his first visit to Lystra. At the time of his second visit, Paul invited Timothy to join him on his missionary travels. Paul made a point to circumcise him so that his Greek ancestry would not be a hinderance in working with the Jewish believers that were still struggling with Judaism (Act 16:3).

Paul and Timothy evangelized Macedonia and Achaia together (Act 17:14-15; 18:5) and  Timothy was with Paul during much of his long preaching ministry at Ephesus (Act 19:22). He traveled with him from Ephesus to Macedonia, to Corinth (see Act 20:3 and note), back to Macedonia, and to Asia Minor (Act 20:1-6). He was with Paul during the apostle’s first imprisonment (Phl 1:1; Col 1:1; Phm 1).

Following Paul’s release (after Act 28), Timothy again traveled with him but eventually stayed at Ephesus to deal with the problems there, while Paul went on to Macedonia. Paul’s closeness to and admiration of Timothy are seen in Paul’s naming him as the co-sender of six of his letters (2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1, 2 Thessalonians and Philemon) and in his speaking highly of him to the Philippians (Phl 2:19-22). At the end of Paul’s life, he requested Timothy to join him at Rome (2Ti 4:9, 21). According to Heb 13:23.

Timothy’s nature may have been somewhat timid, passive, retiring, and easily intimidated (2Ti 1:7). As such, Paul spurred him into action repeatedly (1Ti 1:3; 4:11; 5:7; 6:2; 2Ti 3:14; 4:2, 5). He was to let nothing, including his relative youth (1Ti 4:12) stand in the way of his performance of duty (2Ti 2:1-7; 4:5). Timothy was rather young: Paul’s exhortation “let no one despise your youth” (1Ti 4:12) was given 15 years later.

Timothy was ready to “fight the good fight” (1Ti 1:18; 6:12), aggressively protecting and spreading the gospel, using the full range of his gifts (1Ti 4:14; 2Ti 1:6).

Yet despite his gifts, and his close association with Paul, Timothy was easily discouraged. The last time Paul had been with him, he had encouraged him to stay on at Ephesus and finish his work (1Ti 1:3).