Index 


Timon Honouring, one of the seven deacons at Jerusalem (Act 6:5). Nothing further is known of him.

Timotheus The Greek form of the name of Timothy (Act 16:1, etc.; the R.V. always "Timothy").

Timothy Honouring God, a young disciple who was Paul's companion in many of his journeying. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are mentioned as eminent for their piety (Ti2 1:5). We know nothing of his father but that he was a Greek (Act 16:1). He is first brought into notice at the time of Paul's second visit to Lystra (Act 16:2), where he probably resided, and where it seems he was converted during Paul's first visit to that place (Ti1 1:2; Ti2 3:11). The apostle having formed a high opinion of his "own son in the faith," arranged that he should become his companion (Act 16:3), and took and circumcised him, so that he might conciliate the Jews. He was designated to the office of an evangelist (Ti1 4:14), and went with Paul in his journey through Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia; also to Troas and Philippi and Berea (Act 17:14). Thence he followed Paul to Athens, and was sent by him with Silas on a mission to Thessalonica (Act 17:15; Th1 3:2). We next find him at Corinth (Th1 1:1; Th2 1:1) with Paul. He passes now out of sight for a few years, and is again noticed as with the apostle at Ephesus (Act 19:22), whence he is sent on a mission into Macedonia. He accompanied Paul afterwards into Asia (Act 20:4), where he was with him for some time. When the apostle was a prisoner at Rome, Timothy joined him (Phi 1:1), where it appears he also suffered imprisonment (Heb 13:23). During the apostle's second imprisonment he wrote to Timothy, asking him to rejoin him as soon as possible, and to bring with him certain things which he had left at Troas, his cloak and parchments (Ti2 4:13). According to tradition, after the apostle's death he settled in Ephesus as his sphere of labour, and there found a martyr's grave.

Timothy, First Epistle to Paul in this epistle speaks of himself as having left Ephesus for Macedonia (Ti1 1:3), and hence not Laodicea, as mentioned in the subscription; but probably Philippi, or some other city in that region, was the place where this epistle was written. During the interval between his first and second imprisonments he probably visited the scenes of his former labours in Greece and Asia, and then found his way into Macedonia, whence he wrote this letter to Timothy, whom he had left behind in Ephesus. It was probably written about A.D. 66 or 67. The epistle consists mainly, (1.) of counsels to Timothy regarding the worship and organization of the Church, and the responsibilities resting on its several members; and (2.) of exhortation to faithfulness in maintaining the truth amid surrounding errors.

Timothy, Second Epistle to Was probably written a year or so after the first, and from Rome, where Paul was for a second time a prisoner, and was sent to Timothy by the hands of Tychicus. In it he entreats Timothy to come to him before winter, and to bring Mark with him (compare Phi 2:22). He was anticipating that "the time of his departure was at hand" (Ti2 4:6), and he exhorts his "son Timothy" to all diligence and steadfastness, and to patience under persecution (Ti2 1:6), and to a faithful discharge of all the duties of his office (Ti2 4:1), with all the solemnity of one who was about to appear before the Judge of quick and dead.

Tin Heb. bedil (Num 31:22; Eze 22:18, Eze 22:20), a metal well known in ancient times. It is the general opinion that the Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon obtained their supplies of tin from the British Isles. In Eze 27:12 it is said to have been brought from Tarshish, which was probably a commercial emporium supplied with commodities from other places. In Isa 1:25 the word so rendered is generally understood of lead, the alloy with which the silver had become mixed (Isa 1:22). The fire of the Babylonish Captivity would be the means of purging out the idolatrous alloy that had corrupted the people.

Tinkling Ornaments (Isa 3:18), anklets of silver or gold, etc., such as are still used by women in Syria and the East.

Tiphsah Passing over; ford, one of the boundaries of Solomon's dominions (Kg1 4:24), probably "Thapsacus, a great and wealthy town on the western bank of the Euphrates," about 100 miles north-east of Tadmor. All the land traffic between the east and the west passed through it. Menahem undertook an expedition against this city, and "smote Tiphsah and all that were therein" (Kg2 15:16). This expedition implied a march of some 300 miles from Tirzah if by way of Tadmor, and about 400 if by way of Aleppo; and its success showed the strength of the Israelite kingdom, for it was practically a defiance to Assyria. Conder, however, identifies this place with Khurbet Tafsah, some 6 miles west of Shechem.

Tiras Tiras, the youngest of the sons of Japheth (Gen 10:2; Ch1 1:5).

Tires "To tire" the head is to adorn it (Kg2 9:30). As a noun the word is derived from "tiara," and is the rendering of the Heb. p'er , a "turban" or an ornament for the head (Eze 24:17; R.V., "head tire;" Eze 24:23). In Isa 3:18 the word saharonim is rendered "round tires like the moon," and in Jdg 8:21, Jdg 8:26 "ornaments," but in both cases "crescents" in the Revised Version.