The church at Ephesus cannot be trusted to manage itself. It has a strong tendency to follow heresy. Paul must leave them, but much as he loves the company of his young protégé and travelling companion Timothy, he believes it best to leave Timothy in Ephesus to keep a close eye on the wondering sheep there and firmly teach them to keep focused on the straight and narrow of scriptural doctrine. Timothy would prefer the adventure of international travel with Paul, meeting and evangelising new people and nations, but instead he must accept the duller, more housebound and managerial role of babysitting baby believers. These Ephesians will be ungrateful, they will despise his youth, they will give him a hard time and try his patience and tire him with constant petty sniping, yet for now, this is his responsibility, this is his calling, this is his education, his internship, as a budding minister of God.
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