Stroll through Scripture for July 12, 2026

Based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17

The Narrative Lectionary moves us to 1 and 2 Timothy.  The first thing to talk about is who wrote this.  The letters are attributed to the Apostle Paul historically.  But scholars debate whether Paul actually wrote the letters or someone who was learning under Paul wrote them.  Some of the debate centers on the words that are in the letters that don’t appear in Paul’s other letters.  2 Timothy talks about a strict, organized church system, which is far different than what Paul would have encountered. And lastly, the writing style is different from the letters that we know Paul wrote.  

Regardless of who wrote the letters, the letters have much to offer the reader.  The message is simple – the Gospel of Jesus must shape how we live and how we gather together as communities of faith.  

1 Timothy starts with a standard greeting from Paul.  While we typically race past that, the introduction gives us some key indicators of what the letter will focus on.  In this letter, we hear about Paul’s authority as well as Timothy’s faithfulness in following Paul’s teaching.  

It then shifts to a warning about false teachers.  The point being to stay true to what Timothy learned from Paul.  And then we get to this Sunday’s selection which is focused on gratitude for mercy.  In this section we hear Paul highlighting his own unworthiness but receiving mercy.  Grace and mercy are two words that Paul uses in this section.  And while it is easy to read them interchangeably, they hold different ideas.  Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.  Mercy is not getting what you do deserve.  Paul’s emphasis on mercy in this section pertains to his former persecution of the church.  

The combination of grace and mercy are vitally important to faith.  Grace and mercy are what moves faith from just knowledge about God to God’s relationship with us.  Do you hear the emphasis shift.  If faith is just about knowledge about God, then it’s on us.  Paul writes that he received mercy because he acted ignorantly in unbelief and that the grace of Jesus overflowed in him with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Grace and mercy are God’s doing, not our own.  We can only receive them.  This is Good News.  And because of this Good News, Paul heaps praise on God.