At the time timothy wrote...the only scripture was the old testament...the new testament didn’t exist...
“At the time timothy wrote...the only scripture was the old testament...the new testament didn’t exist...”
Wrong. The Apostles and their close associates believed they were writing scripture, since they were inspired by the Holy Ghost as defined in Timothy. Here is Peter referring to Paul’s epistles as the scripture:
2Pe 3:15-16 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Here is Paul quoting from the Gospel of Luke and calling it scripture:
1Ti_5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
Luk_10:7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
The first part of that quote is from the Books of Moses, thus Luke is placed side by side the works of Moses and called “scripture.”
The Apostles literally believed they were creating a new canon of scripture as they wrote them down.
“At the time timothy wrote...”
I just caught this. Paul wrote the epistle, not Timothy. Timothy was receiving it.
It may not have been complete at that time, but most of the New Testament had be written, and was circulating to the scattered church in Asia Minor. Paul tells Timothy to preach the word. Is that only the OT, or both the OT and writings of the Apostles?