1 Timothy 1:1,2 - Paul, an apostle; Timothy my true son

1:1

While this is a personal letter, Paul uses a rather formal introduction, similar to that used in his letters to churches. Paul may have intended that the letter would also be read to a wider audience than just Timothy, or have known that it would be so.

Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus, and here apostle is used in its formal sense, ie one with apostolic authority. Paul was an apostle by the command of God, it is not something that can be taken upon oneself, nor a position that can be bestowed on someone by men.

It is rather unusual for Paul to speak of God our Saviour, he usually talks of Christ our Saviour. Notice also the linking of God and Christ. Christ is our hope, but in what sense is He our hope? He is the basis for our hope,  it is only because of Him that we have hope. Otherwise death and hell are the only things that await us. He is also the firstborn of our hope. Our hope is that we become more and more like Him. We hope to have the same character as Jesus, and hope here is used in the sense of a certain expectation, not wishful thinking. We hope to be raised from the dead and to be raised immortal.

1:2

The letter is addressed to Timothy, though of course it soon had a much wider applicability. Indeed it was quoted by several of the early church fathers. “My true child in the faith”, expresses a close relationship between Paul and Timothy. Timothy is leading a church in a prominent city. So there would be those in the church who were very sure of themselves. There were also several false teachings go around. So Timothy needed to have the right sort of confidence in himself. So Paul assures him that he has every confidence in him. Ultimately our confidence needs to be in God, but we also need to encourage and affirm one another.

Then Paul uses his characteristic greeting of grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. However, it is rare for him to use mercy in this greeting. Timothy was going to have to exercise authority. When we do so we are usually aware of our own weakness and shortcomings. None of us is worthy in our own right, but we have received mercy from God, so He gives us the grace to do what He commands us to do.