What does 1 Timothy 1:11 mean?

This verse clearly defines Paul's stance on what constitutes correct teaching. The "sound doctrine" mentioned in verse 10 is that which agrees with the gospel Paul has been preaching. The word "gospel" simply means "good news." The good news was the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the salvation He made possible through His sacrifice. Paul called it the gospel "of the glory of the blessed God." This "glory" (1 Timothy 1:17; 3:16) was associated with the God of the Old Testament Paul referred to throughout this unit, whose glory was predominant in the worship by God's people.

Paul had been "entrusted" with this gospel. He would "entrust" Timothy with it as well (1 Timothy 1:18; 6:20). In his final letter to Timothy, Paul would again mention being entrusted with the gospel (2 Timothy 1:12). Paul had entrusted the good deposit to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:14); Timothy was to take "what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). To entrust the gospel to someone was a serious commitment, one Paul expected Timothy to follow and pass on to others he led in Ephesus.

The Bible gives us reasons to believe that Timothy was successful in living out this commission. When the apostle John penned the book of Revelation thirty years later, Christ's message to the church at Ephesus praised their ability to stand against false teaching (Revelation 2:2–3).