1 Corinthians 16:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Since he was young and the correction of such a community had been entrusted to him alone, both things could have caused contempt for him. Therefore the Apostle rightly continues, “Therefore let no one despise him” (1 Cor 16:11).

And he requires not only this for him, but still greater honor. “Send him on his way,” he says, “in peace,” that is, safely, without quarrels and disputes, without enmity and hatred.

They are to send him with obedience and reverence, as a teacher. “That he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brethren.” By this also he inspires fear in them.

Knowing that Timothy would tell the Apostle everything that happened to him, they would be more gentle. For this reason he adds, “for I am expecting him.”

Since he is such a man, let no one despise him. For he was young and alone, and he had been entrusted with care for very many people, and difficult ones at that. It is also likely that they were despising him.

“But send him on his way in peace, that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brethren.” He says still more: show him honor. For this is what “send him on his way” means.

“In peace” means safely, without struggle or dispute, with all obedience. By the words “I am expecting him,” he frightens them, so that, knowing he will tell Paul everything, they may not offend him in anything.

At the same time he presents Timothy as worthy of reverence. For Paul regards him as so necessary that he is waiting for him.

To avoid stirring up the Gentiles to discord, and disagreement among the people of the Church over Timothy, the Apostle Paul exhorts: “Therefore let no one despise him.” For he does the work of the Lord, as the Apostle himself does. This means that Timothy should have Paul’s authority, for he himself was an apostle and he himself was a bishop. “But send him on his way in peace, that he may come to me, for I await him with the brethren.” Paul so emphasizes Timothy’s dignity that he not only commands the Corinthians to honor him, but presents him as an apostle of the Lord worthy of due honor.

“Therefore let no one despise him.” Do not look at his youth, but consider in him his apostolic labors. “Send him on his way in peace, that he may come to me, for I await him with the brethren.” The Apostle added this again with the intention of moving the Corinthians to render service to the disciple. It is as though he said: he will come to me and inform me of all your affairs.

“Let no one despise him.” This points to Timothy’s comparative youth, because many of the Corinthians might not have obeyed the counsels and commands transmitted by Paul through him (1 Tim 4:12).

He commends Timothy to the Corinthians, and concerning Apollos he informs them that he could not persuade him to go to Corinth (1 Cor 16:10-12).

Long before his own coming, the Apostle Paul sent to Corinth his disciple Timothy, one of the Seventy Apostles, who later became bishop in Ephesus. He sent him to guide the Corinthians by word and deed onto the true path of salvation (1 Cor 4:17).

But having learned how many apostolic difficulties awaited Timothy in Corinth, the Apostle Paul advises them to treat him with the fullest love and obedience.

They are to protect him, as a man exceedingly precious to the preaching of the gospel, from every danger and misfortune, both from unbelievers and from those in error.

Then he commands them to send him on his way to meet Paul, so that Timothy might tell the Apostle everything he needed to know for his personal influence on the Corinthians.

“Therefore let no one despise him.” Since he does the Lord’s work, do not dare to despise him.

“Do not look at his youthful age, but consider in him the apostolic labors” (Theodoret).

“Since he was young and the correction of such a community was entrusted to him alone, both things could have caused contempt for him. The Apostle therefore rightly prevents them from despising him.

And he requires not only this for him, but still greater honor: ‘send him on his way,’ he says, ‘in peace.’ That is, safely, without quarrels and disputes, without enmity and hatred.

They are to send him with obedience and care for him, as for a teacher. ‘That he may come to me.’ By this also he inspires fear in them.