Timid Timothy -- Young Church Worker in Olden Days Quiz

Answer: Lystra

The correct answer is Lystra. Scripture states Timothy's mother "was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek". 2 Timothy 1:5 states his mother's name was Eunice and his grandmother was Lois. Lystra was a city in present day Turkey. According to Wikipedia, the community is now known as Klistra and is about 20 miles south of the city of Konya.

Answer: Berea

Berea was just west of Thessalonica. Today the Greek community is known as Veria. Acts 17:11, in the NIV Bible, states the Bereans were of "noble character" and "received the message with great eagerness." The verse also states the Bereans examined the Scriptures "every day to see if what Paul said was true." Verse 12 states "many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men."

Answer: Preaching

The correct answer is "preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." With Timothy and Silas by his side, Paul didn't have to devote time to a long list of other tasks in the early church -- everything from providing for widows to dealing with divisions that might arise between believers.

As a result, it appears Timothy and Silas often labored quietly behind the scenes, much to the benefit of the early church.

Answer: Macedonia

Macedonia is the correct answer. In other words, Timothy was sent back to the place from which he had come. The decision to send Timothy and Erastus was made immediately after a large number of people who had practiced sorcery in Ephesus gathered their scrolls and burned them publicly. (Acts 19:13-20).

Incidentally, verse 20 says the value of the scrolls burned was 50,000 drachmas. According to notes in the NIV Study Bible, a drachma was a silver coin worth about a day's wages.

Answer: fear

It appears Paul may have used the word "fear" because Timothy was young and possibly timid. Considering how hard he labored for the early church, it is a supreme compliment to Timothy for Paul to write "he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am." In 2 Corinthians 11:23-25, Paul writes about some of his sufferings.

He states he had been in "prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again." He goes on to state: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea." With this background, it boggles the mind to think how much young Timothy might have suffered to preach the news of a resurrected Christ.

Answer: He had been released from prison

Hebrews 13:23, in the NIV Bible, states "I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you." No further details are given about Timothy's incarceration. Making things even more of a mystery, no one knows for certain who wrote the book of Hebrews.

Some people believe Paul wrote the book, but there is no conclusive proof. If anything, this Scripture might indicate Paul was not the writer. And then again, it might not. In other books, Paul describes Timothy as his son and tells him not to let people look down on him because of his youth.

In this case, Timothy is described as a brother. Supporters of the belief that Paul wrote Hebrews will counter by saying perhaps with Timothy serving time in chains for the Gospel of Christ, Paul felt it was appropriate to describe him as a brother, and no longer as a son.

In other words, Timothy had "all grown up."

Answer: True

Timothy's name appears at the beginning of 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon as well as 1 and 2 Thessalonians -- a total of six books. Silas' name appears in the salutations of two books, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, where he shares the billing with Timothy. Sosthenes' name appears at the beginning of 1 Corinthians.

In other words, the scorecard is Timothy 6, Silas and Sosthenes combined, 3. Most often, Paul includes only his name and no one else's.

Answer: proved

The correct word is proved. Paul speaks highly of Timothy time and again in Scripture. And with two books, 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, addressed to the young church worker, he is often in the forefront when one considers the various workers in the early church.

Here's some more fascinating trivia about Timothy. His name can be found in 12 different books of the New Testament. The books include Romans, Acts, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, Philemon and Hebrews as well as 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.

Answer: Some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

1 Timothy 4:1, in the NIV Bible, states "the Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." Notes in the NIV Study Bible state Paul possibly wrote the passage after a specific revelation by the Spirit.

Although Paul is writing about later times, it's apparent false teachings were taking place in the early church.

Answer: His youth

1 Timothy 4:12, in the NIV Bible, states: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." Notes in the NIV Study Bible sum up things this way: "Timothy was probably in his mid-30s or younger, and in that day, such an influential position was not held by a man so young. For this reason, perhaps his leadership had been called into question."