1 Timothy 2

1 Timothy 2:1-6

Setting the Church In Order – 1 Timothy 2:1 to 1 Timothy 6:19 is the body of the epistle in which Paul gives Timothy specific instructions on how to set the church in order. Young believers do not know how to conduct themselves unless they are taught how to do this; thus, Paul places a special emphasis on respect and reverence upon the house of God, because it is a place dedicated to God. A new believer has to learn how to conduct himself in church since it is a new and sacred experience for him. After Timothy is given his commissions and told how to appoint leadership (1 Timothy 1:3-20), Paul gives him three things to do in order to set qualified and trained leadership over the church of Ephesus. First, Timothy is to establish this church by calling the congregation to corporate prayer, where godly men will be identified (1 Timothy 2:1-15). This instruction includes the role of women role in the church. In a new church with new converts, women can dress very immodestly, so Paul is telling Timothy to set these issues straight so that prayer is not hindered. (Note that Jesus set the temple in order by driving out the moneychangers and saying that God’s house must be established as a house of prayer [Matthew 21:12-13].) These times of corporate prayer will help Timothy identify those with a pure heart. Second, Timothy was instructed to appoint and train elders and deacons by giving them certain qualifications to meet (1 Timothy 3:1 to 1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy will begin to look for those who qualify as leaders out of the faithful who follow him in corporate prayer and exhibit a pure heart, and appoint them as bishops and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13).

Finally, he will train those whom he has chosen to be future leaders (1 Timothy 3:14 to 1 Timothy 4:16). Thus, the steps to becoming a church leader are to first become a man of prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-15).

As the desire for the ministry grows, a person will allow the Lord to develop his character so that he can qualify for the office of a bishop (1 Timothy 3:1-13). Finally, this person is to train himself unto godliness (1 Timothy 3:14 to 1 Timothy 4:16). We see this same method of selecting and training leaders in the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. He left home and called many to follow Him. For those who did forsake all and followed Him, Jesus chose twelve, whom He then trained for the work of the ministry. The third aspect of setting the church in order is regarding those church members who do not aspire to leadership positions of bishops and deacons.

Thus, Paul gives Timothy guidelines on how to set in order additional roles of each member of the congregation (1 Timothy 5:1 to 1 Timothy 6:19). The passage on corporate prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-15) will emphasize the spiritual aspect of the congregation as the members prepare their hearts before the Lord.

The passage on the appointment and training of church leadership (1 Timothy 3:1 to 1 Timothy 4:16) will emphasize the mental aspect of the congregation as certain members train for the ministry. The passage on the role of additional members (1 Timothy 5:1 to 1 Timothy 6:19) will emphasize the physical aspect as they yield themselves to a godly lifestyle. Outline – Here is a proposed outline:

1. The First Order: Corporate & Personal Prayer — 1 Timothy 2:1-152. The Second Order: Appointing & Training Church Leaders — 1 Timothy 3:1 to 1 Timothy 4:163. The Third Order: the Roles of the Congregation — 1 Timothy 5:1 to 1 Timothy 6:19

1 Timothy 2:8-15

The Attitude of Prayer – Within the context of setting in order the Church assembly, Paul makes a distinction between the roles of men and women so that each will have the proper attitude in prayer. Thus, in 1 Timothy 2:8-15 shows the order of the family as man being the head of the woman. God has ordained two institutions on earth, the family and the Church. Both are designed to work together and to be a part of everyone’s lives. When a man sets himself in order within the institution of the Church, and is also able to bring his wife and family in order within the Church, he is then putting himself in a position for the next discussion, which is Church leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-13). Thus, we see a sequence of events in the life of individuals regarding their roles within the local church assembly. 1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1 Timothy 2:8 — “therefore” - Comments - Since Paul is an apostle, preacher and teacher who is preaching saving faith in God and the Truth, he has something to say to us! 1 Timothy 2:8 — “I will…that men pray every where” – Comments - In 1 Timothy 2:8 Paul tells Timothy that he wants men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. The city of Ephesus was used by Paul as a base to evangelize the entire region (Acts 19:10). Thus, Paul’s statement to Timothy in “every place” reveals that the church of Ephesus influenced the entire region. Acts 19:10, “And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” 1 Timothy 2:8 — “lifting up holy hands” - Comments - That is, “a life without sin.” Our hands represent our actions that commit sins. Illustration: Acts 19:11, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:” Ephesians 4:28, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” James 4:8, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” Revelation 9:20, “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:” “lifting up holy hands” – Comments - It is interesting to note how Paul makes a reference to the hands of the men in the church at Ephesus. For within the context of this epistle to Timothy, the laying on of hands for ordination is a key teaching. This practice would fall under the foundational doctrine of the laying on of hands (Hebrews 6:1-2). 1 Timothy 2:8 — “without wrath and doubting” – Word Study on “doubting” – Strong says the Greek word “doubting” “dialogismos” (διαλογισμός) (G1261) means, “discussion, consideration, debate.” The Enhanced Strong says this word is used 14 times in the New Testament, being translated in the KJV as “thought 9, reasoning 1, imagination 1, doubtful 1, disputing 1, doubting 1.” Comments - The phrase “without wrath” refers to a pure heart. The word “doubting” is sometimes translated as wavering faith, without which it is impossible to please God, but this Greek word (διαλογισμός) more properly means, “computation, adjustment of accounts; then reflection, thought; then reasoning, opinion; then debate, contention, strife” (Albert Barnes).[100] We see this noun and its verb used often within the context of disagreements and arguments in the New Testament. [100] Albert Barnes, The First Epistle of Paul to Timothy, The Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy, and The Epistle of Paul to Titus, in Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database (Seattle, WA: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1997), in P.C. Study Bible, v. 3.1 [CD-ROM] (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft Inc., 1993-2000), comments on 1 Timothy 2:8.Luke 9:46, “Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.” Mark 9:33-34, “And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.” Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” This seems to fit the context of prayer in which we are to approach God with a pure heart without having angry quarrels with one another. We hear in the U.S. that there are two topics that anyone should be careful to discuss, and that is politics and religion; for both topics easily raise one’s temper. It is this anger that leads to expressions of thoughts that bring about disputes. When a congregation of men comes together, they must be in one heart and mind in order for the church to function properly as the body of Christ. 1 Timothy 2:8 — Comments - 1 Timothy 2:8 discusses man’s behavior during the church assembly; then Paul turns to the behavior of the women in 1 Timothy 2:9-15. Just as a woman’s dress and talkativeness are two key issues that have to normally be addressed to women when they are new to the faith, so are a man’s temperament and lack of faith two important issues that they must deal with as new believers in a church congregation in order to pray effectively. A person must have a pure heart that is strong in faith in order for prayer to be effective. 1 Timothy 2:8 — Illustrations - God has given man the responsibility to lead church and family as intercessors and prayer warriors. Illustrations: Abraham: Genesis 12:8, “And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.” Job: Job 1:5, “And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.” 1 Timothy 2:9 — Comments - Billye Brim tells of a pastor who prophesied in the middle of the twentieth century that men and women would begin to take more and more of their clothes off in public.[101] This prophecy came years before bathing suits ad bikinis became popular. This prophet explained that this nakedness would be outward symbol of an inward nakedness. God wants us to dress modestly, as an outward reflection of an inward clothing of righteousness. [101] Billye Brim, interviewed by Gloria Copeland, Believer’s Voice of Victory (Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Fort Worth, Texas), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.1 Timothy 2:9-10 — Comments – The Conduct of a Godly Woman - 1 Timothy 2:9-10 is about how a godly woman is to conduct herself with her manner of dress and with her husband and is similar to the passage of Scripture in 1 Peter 3:1-6. 1 Timothy 2:13 — Comments - Eve was made in the image of Adam, while Adam was made in the image of God. This is why the Scriptures tell us that “the woman is the glory of the man.” (1 Corinthians 11:7) 1 Timothy 2:14 — Comments - It was the woman who was deceived by the Serpent, but in Genesis 3:6 we read how the man took the fruit from the woman. 1 Timothy 2:15 — Comments - Why does Paul make a reference to childbearing when discussing the order of men and women in Church? It is because Paul establishes this order from the story of Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden when God made Adam first, then Eve. Paul used a second witness to this order by pointing out that the woman was deceived by the Serpent and not Adam. So, the comment on childbearing refers to the curse that came upon the woman as a result of her transgression. However, Paul takes a moment to point out that God will bring a any woman safely through the time of giving birth to children, even though God had caused her to bring forth children in sorrow when she sinned in the Garden of Eden, if she will live a godly lifestyle. Genesis 3:16, “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” 1 Timothy 2:15 — Comments - The Scriptures make a number of references to the sorrows of childbearing. Rachel died in childbirth: Genesis 35:17-19, “And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.” Phinehas’ (Eli’s son) wife died at childbirth: 1 Samuel 4:19-22, “And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.” Hebrew women: Exodus 1:19, “And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.” 1 Timothy 2:13-15 — Comments - Reasons for Woman’s Subjection to Man – In 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Paul gives Timothy two reasons, or witnesses, for a woman is to be in subject and in silence to the man:

1. Adam was first formed, then Eve (1 Timothy 2:13). 1 Corinthians 11:7, “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”
2. The woman was in the transgression (1 Timothy 2:14), so her desire was to be to her husband. Genesis 3:16, “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”