1 Corinthians 16:10 Commentary and Bible Study

Here again Paul shifts the subject a little bit. The word translated ‘despise’ in the Greek literally means disesteem, look down on him, pull him down, be critical of him. Why would that happen? Well for a number of reasons. Timothy was young. He was still in his 20s or early 30s. That appeared unseemly to some people: that he should be ministering at that age. And the trouble is the Corinthians were very good at looking down on people. There was tremendous intellectual snobbery in Corinth. ‘Of all Greeks, we are the most Grecian.’ They had their faith in Greek oratory and philosophy and learning, and here comes Timothy a man from Lystra and Derbe (modern day Turkey). They were inclined to treat him as an outsider, a person brought up in a small rural town, coming to sophisticated Corinth with all its intellectual pride and snobbery. Because of this there is an apostolic command for them: ‘See that he may be with you, without fear’ – Timothy was of a nervous disposition.‘For he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.’ That is dynamite. He’s on a par with me, says the apostle. He’s wholly dedicated, wholly committed. Elsewhere he says he has nobody quite like Timothy, nobody quite like-minded. ‘Let no man therefore’ look down on him, we would say today, ‘but conduct him fourth in peace.’ Conduct him fourth; take responsibility for him; care for him as a brother, as a fellow, in unity and oneness, that he may come unto me. Timothy does not seem to have been one of these overly authoritative preachers. He was a rational, gentle soul; and he would appeal to reason, and he would lay out the doctrines more gently. If some of those people who had gone wrong, Timothy would be an easy preacher to steamroller down and discredit, and to put the word around, ‘He is no good. He is no preacher. He has got nothing to say.’ Therefore let them be careful to esteem him highly for his work’s sake.