From today’s passage and on in the book of Acts Barnabas does not appear and Paul’s ministry becomes the central focus of the book.  This is because Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, was a disciple of Paul and he went with Paul on his missionary trips.  It was not because Barnabas had done something wrong. If Luke had gone with Barnabas, he probably would have written about Barnabas. However, he went with Paul so Paul’s ministry is recorded.  In today’s passage Paul “came to Derbe and then to Lystra” (1) where he met Timothy.  Paul wanted to take him along on the missionary trip, “so he circumcised him”. (3)  This seems strange because in Acts 15 we saw how strong Paul stood up for his belief that circumcision was not necessary for salvation.  Today let’s look at three aspects of this passage and at the same time understand why Paul circumcised Timothy when Paul believed so strongly that circumcision was not needed for salvation.

I.                A person well spoken of (vs. 1,2)

Paul left on his second missionary trip to encourage and give strength to the churches that he had evangelized and started on his first missionary trip.  First he went to the area of Cilicia and then went over the mountain ranges of Tarsus to Derbe.  From there he went to Lystra, the place that he had been stoned and almost died at on his first missionary trip.  There he met a disciple, Timothy.  Timothy had believed in Christ and become a Christian along with his mother and grandmother on his first missionary trip.  When Paul returned on his second missionary trip Timothy had grown into a wonderful young man.

Here Timothy is introduced as having a mother who “was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek”. (1)  At that time it was almost unheard of for a Jewish girl to marry a Greek.  For the Jews purity of blood was very important.  In Palestine such a mixed marriage was unthinkable, but in this area a little far from  Palestine there were a few such marriages.  We don’t know how Timothy’s mother happened to marry a Greek, but the fact that she did shows that she didn’t have a pure faith.  Even so, later through Paul’s evangelism she believed in Jesus Christ and became a Christian.

              One reason that “Paul wanted to take him along on the journey” was probably that Timothy was from this type of mixed marriage so he had been influenced by and knew both cultures.  Paul thought that Timothy would be a great asset on his missionary trip.  However, that is not the only reason Paul wanted to take Timothy.  In verse 2 a deeper reason is given.  That is “The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.”  “To be spoken well of” is a very important thing for Christians.  In the Jerusalem church, the criteria for the first deacons were that they were “known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.” (6:3) Also they “must also have a good reputation with outsiders”. (I Timothy 3:7)  In other words, they must be well spoken of.  This is the result of being a good Christian testimony. 

              We don’t know what kind of life Timothy led, but his lifestyle was spoken well of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.  However, we can get a hint of why he was spoken so well of in the letter that Paul wrote to him.

II Timothy 1:5

              His pure faith was passed down from his mother and grandmother.  Education based upon the Bible has such a great influence upon on the person and their life.  Even if we know nothing else if we know through the Bible the way of God, that’s enough.   That type of person receives God’s wisdom through the Bible, his personality is formed, and he is well spoken of. Just as Timothy was used on Paul’s missionary trip, that type is person is used for God’s work.

II.              Everything is for the Gospel (vs. 3,4)

This seems really strange, but Paul wanted to take Timothy on the missionary journey, “so he circumcised him” (3) This is difficult to understand why Paul would do such a thing considering the fact that he had stood up so strongly insisting that you do not have to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul definitely believed very strongly that neither circumcision nor following the law were needed for salvation.  He believed that faith in Jesus Christ was the only requirement for salvation.  This can be seen in verse 4. “As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.”  If Paul believed so strongly that circumcision was not necessary for salvation, then why did he circumcise Timothy?  The reason is given in verse 3. “because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”  If Timothy was not circumcised, the Jews would not accept him because they knew that he was the son of a Greek.  Therefore, evangelism would be very difficult.  Uncircumcised people can not speak in the Jewish temple.  No matter how much Timothy wanted to evangelize there, he would not be able to speak there because he was not circumcised.  For Paul the fact that Timothy had not been circumcised was no problem. (Galatians 5:6)  However, Paul circumcised Timothy because he felt that that was better for evangelizing the Jews. This was because Paul realized that to evangelize the Jews he needed to honor their culture and feelings. This was his basic philosophy: in order to reach the Jews become like the Jews; to reach the Gentiles, become like the Gentiles.

I Cor. 9:13-23

Paul was free from all, but he was willing to become a slave so that others would be saved. He became as a Jew to the Jews and a Greek to the Greeks.  He became weak that he might reach the weak. He was willing to give up anything that people might be saved.  He did everything for the sake of the Gospel.  That was the reason too why he circumcised Timothy.  He didn’t need to be circumcised or follow any part of the law, but so that the Jews could be saved he was circumcised.

This is an important principle for us Christians too.  We who are saved by the cross of Jesus Christ should live by this principle too. We should be willing to give up our freedom to win others to Christ.

III.         So the churches were…(vs. 5)

Up until now in Acts whenever the Holy Spirit performs some great work, after that we are told about the church’s progress and growth. (2:47; 6:7; 9:37)  Here as a result of Paul’s lifestyle, “the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” (5)  It will be the same for us.  When we live for the Gospel, we will receive the grace of the Gospel.

Paul was willing to give up everything in order for a person to be saved. This is what God wants us to do too.  We are free, but in order that many people will be saved, we need to become like others. Then we will see the great works of God.