Note 22 at 1 Tim. 4:13: Timothy was to give attention to reading first. Since the other two exhortations in this verse are dealing with ministry in the church, this was probably referring to the custom of reading God's Word publicly. The early church had public reading of the Scriptures at every service. This followed the custom of the synagogue worship that involved reading and explaining the Old Testament Scriptures (Lk. 4:16; Acts 15:21).

In the New Testament church the apostles' doctrine was explained as well as reading the Old Testament Scriptures with the early letters written by the apostles to the church (Acts 2:42; Col. 4:16; 1 Th. 5:27). Exhortation followed, that would challenge the believer to apply the truths that had been read to his life. Added to this, was teaching that thoroughly explained the passage. Notice that the early New Testament church revolved around the Scriptures.