Question

First Timothy makes Jesus' words authoritative by:

1) Setting them next to Paul's teachings
2) Setting them next to Jewish Scripture
3) Setting them next to Gospel teachings
4) Referring to them as divinely inspired

Answer 1

First Timothy makes Jesus' words authoritative by referring to them as divinely inspired, placing them alongside other revered scriptures and apostolic teachings in early Christianity.

Step-by-step explanation:

First Timothy establishes the authority of Jesus' words by referring to them as divinely inspired. This is evident from the context of First Timothy and other parts of the New Testament, which often convey the idea that the teachings of Jesus and the apostles were guided by divine influence. In early Christianity, there was an ongoing process to define what constituted authoritative scripture.

Different gospels and teachings circulated, but those attributed to Jesus and his closest followers, like the Apostle Paul, were held in high esteem due to their believed divine inspiration. The belief that scriptures are true because they are divinely inspired further reinforces the notion that God is the ultimate source of authoritative teachings.