1 Timothy includes over a dozen compound words that are found nowhere else in the New Testament, with many of these also being absent from the Septuagint and rare in other contemporary literature. I will argue that Paul followed a pattern established in 1 Corinthians 6:9 of using compounds words, like ἀρσενοκοίτης, to appeal to specific sections of the Old Testament Law. These compound words in 1 Timothy have their source in the text of the Old Testament, and Paul used these compound words specifically to combat the false teaching prevalent in Ephesus.
In this paper, I will examine each of these compound words, argue for the grounding of the compound word in the Law, and show how the compound words contribute to our understanding of the false teaching addressed in 1 Timothy. Paul sets the stage in 1 Timothy 1:3 with his reference to teaching other doctrine (ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν), and from there he uses these compound words in key places in the text where he has the false teaching in Ephesus in mind. The result of this study will be a clearer understanding of the vocabulary of 1 Timothy, the nature of the false teaching in Ephesus, the connection between the false teaching and the Old Testament Law, and a more refined understanding of key passages in 1 Timothy, including 1 Timothy 2:15 and Paul’s reference to child-bearing (τεκνογονία).