¹⁰Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am. ¹¹So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

The best-known companion of the apostle was Timothy. As part of Paul’s succession planning, he wrote succinctly to his understudy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2)

There was also Sosthenes (co-writer of this letter to the Corinthians), Titus, John Paul, Silas, Silvanus. But Timothy played the largest role among them all, having co-authored six of Paul’s letters (2 Corinthians, Colossians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon), and was the personal recipient of two of Paul’s letters. When Paul met him for the first time, he “wanted this man to go with him…” (Acts 16:3), and the latter became first an assistant, then a co-worker of the apostle—“he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am.” And now Paul is sending him ahead to Corinth on the apostle’s behalf (1 Cor. 4:17).

Some have made a big deal of the thought that Timothy may have been timid, but this may be a misconception. To be sure he was young, for Paul writing much later instructed him, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness” (1 Tim. 4:12; see 2 Tim 1:7, 2:1, 3). We have no indication that Timothy failed to take that charge seriously. In fact, in one of the letters that Paul and Timothy wrote, “most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of [Paul’s] imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear” (Phil. 1:14). Paul knew of the extreme hardships encountered in his mission to preach the gospel widely, and he both warned and encouraged those who went with him of the dangers and opposition, especially for someone who was young.

The apostle was sending Timothy (along with Erastus, noted in Acts 19:22) to Corinth as into a proverbial lion’s den, knowing there were some “arrogant” ones there who needed an apostolic rebuke (1 Cor. 4:18). Who better to send on his behalf than Timothy? Let us not be arrogant ourselves and judge Timothy, whose ministry Paul compared to his own (“he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am.”) If the Corinthians had the audacity to challenge the apostle Paul, they were capable of chewing up anyone else, even though Timothy had been personally trained by Paul and had experienced the hardships of serving along with him. It is clear, Paul is telling them to treat Timothy as a man of God, not despising him for his youth.

Lord, help me face those who oppose me in ministry with courage.