Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear, for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. 1 Corinthians 16:10
Corinth was not a particularly dangerous city to live in, even during Bible times. It was a relatively civilized place, a good town in which to raise children, conduct business, or even to live in retirement. So what could Paul have been referring to when he urged the Christians in Corinth to make sure that Timothy could pay them a visit without fear? Well, Timothy was a preacher, as Paul points out. And preachers in those days, and today, have things that they often must fear.
We don’t pay the full-time workers a salary; they are living by faith, trusting the Lord to supply their needs as they work for Him. But there are times when some of the preachers experience very little support from the Lord’s people. We know little about it, because they don’t share their concerns with anybody but the Lord. But some of the preachers frequently do without some of the things that they would like to have. Maybe they don’t fear having to go without, but I suspect I would if I were one of them. These workers are worthy of their hire, and we as Assemblies and as individuals should not be stingy in our support of them.
We know surprisingly little about Timothy, but we do know that he had some health problems. When he went to Corinth, would he find the Christians sympathetic to his ailments and willing to help and support him. Or would he find the Christians selfishly feeding him with meals that they enjoyed even though they might not be good for Timothy. It is important today to take into consideration the dietary needs of the preachers when we entertain them in our homes. Some of those poor men must have stomachs like seagulls to endure the variety of dishes that the Christians thrust at them.
It is a rare Assembly that does not have different groups , or even cliques, among the membership. Usually, these are just social preferences and cause only minor problems. But sometimes these divisions are sharply defined, with differences in doctrine, with strong preferences or objections to certain leaders or preachers. Such an atmosphere existed in Corinth, as this epistle reveals. This was a difficult atmosphere for a preacher such as Timothy to come in among. So Paul is warning the Corinthians to not allow their petty differences to place undue stress on Timothy. Some Assemblies today are awkward places for certain preachers to visit, because of the internal politics. This is shameful.
There are things that we can do to make sure the preachers are not fearful or uncomfortable among us. They deserve our respect and consideration. -Jim MacIntosh