1Timothy 2:11-12 - How To Roll With Designer Roles, Pt 1...

”A woman in silence let her be learning in all subjection... But to be teaching a woman I am not allowing nor to be domineering men, but rather to being in silence.”

-This here is one of the thorniest, most controversial passages and subjects in all of Scripture, increasingly so in a culture and world which increasingly rejects not only gender distinctives but Biblical authority.  The role of women in the church.  There is the question of silence, and was this an issue which only Timothy faced in Ephesus (as it turns out it was an issue as well in Corinth - 1Corinthians 14.34)?  There is a question of role, with Paul’s prohibition here of women teaching men.  There is also a question of subjection and of women being in a position of authority over men.  We need to understand whether Paul here is talking about the ROLE of women, or is he addressing their STATUS in Christ?  And ultimately, in light of the questions our culture is asking, we need to determine whether or not this was an isolated cultural issue unique to the context of this time and place in ancient Ephesus, AND more broadly whether or not Scripture in fact says anything about the unique expressions of manhood and womanhood in the body of Christ as well as in the family.

-Our 21st century western culture, for its part, along with growing segments of the evangelical church as well as with the rest of the so-called “progressive” world, increasingly blurs the distinction of gender-specific roles - in the family and in the church as well as in society at-large.  Notwithstanding admitted abuses and mistaken positions in both church and culture, the noteworthy efforts at helping women achieve more equal status in all levels of society have in some respects been sweeping up with them what have been healthy Biblically-based distinctives in the roles of men and women in the family and in the church.  At stake are the core understandings and expressions of what make men and women both unique and equal in the eyes of their Creator.  Are they wired differently?  Are men and women in fact uniquely designed to serve on the same team alongside each other in uniquely complementary roles?  Or is everything interchangeable, right down to the body parts?  The world wants the church to fall in line with the party line that there are really no differences between men and women.  So they insist that it is and will be perfectly fine - just how God designed it - to send mothers to the front lines of military combat.  It is and will be perfectly fine - just how God designed it - for two men or two women to endeavor together to fulfill the command to be fruitful and multiply.  It is and will be perfectly fine - just how God designed it - for a person to surgically alter their body and appearance in an attempt to express the opposite gender.  The plain truth is that there is in the world little to no regard for the original intent or design of a Creator whatsoever.  He is cast out of mind, out of the equation.  Which means it’s all up for grabs.  Anything goes - there are no absolutes - that is what the world claims, and is desperate for it to be true so that they can be free to do whatever feels good.  Certainly not restraints on what a person can or cannot at least be allowed to do, regardless of their gender, as long as they’re not hurting anyone.  Sadly this mindset is slowly infiltrating even the ranks of those who profess to believe in a Creator God.  And increasingly, if you don’t like it or are even inclined to disagree with it in the public square, you will be cast out as well, mocked and maligned as an intolerant hatemonger.

-But differences in roles do not need to translate to differences in status.  Every member of the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia Eagles organizations received championship rings in 2018, regardless of whether they were the MVP or played a lesser role.  Clearly, lesser roles do not necessarily equate to lesser status.  And therein lies the trick, of course - to roll with the kind of integrity and humilty and genuine love and respect to be able to treat everyone in the family or church as having equal status as members even though they have different roles.

-There is surely no question of equal status of men and women in the family of God.  There shouldn’t be.  Joint heirs, we are (1Peter 3.7).  Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 3.6).  Rich and poor (James 2.5).  Slave and free (1Corinthians 7.22, Galatians 4.7) - in Christ all distinctions of status in God’s eyes have been removed (Galatians 3.28).  Equality.  Liberty.  Justice.  And we see that in many cases God’s people have historically been at the forefront of pursuing liberty and justice for all, things like democracy and emancipation and suffrage and civil-rights and lifting up the ultra-poor.  The passage before us is not about status.  The question we must ask is, is there a distinct divinely-designed and instituted role for men and women in the family and in the church which transcends boundaries of time and context?

-These verses are about role.  The role of women in the church.  And more specifically, their suitability for the role of overseer, a ruling/teaching elder in a local assembly.  Rather than filling this specific role of teaching and exercising governing authority and oversight in their assembly, they are to submit to and learn from those who are in that role.  All subjection, Paul says.  This is not about ability - it is about role.  It is about who is to take care of the church of God.  Paul goes into the qualifications for this role in chapter 3, but at this point he is saying that he does not allow a woman to serve in this role.  They were allowed to teach and disciple - we see women doing this with women (Titus 2.3-4), Priscilla doing this alongside her husband with Apollos - IN Ephesus (Acts 18.24-26).  What we don’t see are women overseers.  Elders.  These were men (Titus 1.5-6, 1Timothy 3.1-2).

-There is this matter of silence.  Paul says it twice - “in silence”.  We know that women were allowed to pray and prophesy in churches (Acts 2.17, 21.9; 1Corinthians 11.5; cf Lk 2.36-37) - albeit in the assembly there was supposed to be a peaceful order to that (1Corinthians 14.29-33).  So it must be that Paul is emphasizing silence in relation to this role of authoritative teaching.  Women didn’t do that.

-But the question for us then is, ok, that was how Paul did it in the early church.  But are we allowed to do things differently now?  Maybe that was a cultural thing.  Maybe that was a patriarchal thing, some antiquated position on what women should and should not do.  Maybe today we have progressed beyond those days of shackled minds and bodies.  Would it be appropriate for a woman to serve as a teaching elder in a church today?  Next verse...

1Timothy 2:9-10 - Women and the Lord - Looking Good...

”Likewise [also] women in well-ordered clothing with modesty and a sound mind to be ordering themselves, not in braidings and gold or pearls or expensive garments...but rather what is fitting for women promising godliness, through good works.”

-Likewise women... So, Paul turns his thoughts to what could potentially hinder women from joining in on this great gathering of prayer and celebration, of intercession intended to further the progress of the Good News in the lives of all men (and women).  And Paul focuses on looks.  He focuses on a woman’s looks - because let’s be honest.  Most women probably care more about how they look than most men.  And that partly because the men care more about how the women look.  Men tend to be attracted by sight, and quite frankly, women do tend to be more beautiful to look at than men.  The Lord actually wired things this way to help grease that whole process of fulfilling His command to be fruitful and multiply.  The daughters of Eve are most definitely more pleasant to look at - especially when they decorate themselves in all the ways they are able to do that.  What they do with their hair, with their makeup, with their jewelry, and accessories.  They can do it up right!  Girl, I know you know how to do that.  And here is where the hindrance can tend to come in.  Women focusing on how they look - in their own eyes, how they look to men (or maybe just that one guy?), AND how they look compared to other women.  Even focusing on how their man may compare them to other women.  But women dress to the nines, right?  They even dress to kill.  Think about that.  They indeed do have the ability to decorate themselves in such a way as to get a guy’s eyes squarely onto them.  To all of which Paul says, no.  No, no, no.  Things should not be this way - not among God’s people.  Women should be focusing their attention on the beauty of the Lord - on beautifying Him with their worship and prayer - and helping others (men AND women) to do the same.  Helping others to focus on the Lord.  In this context, for the purpose of coming together to pray for leaders and for the lost and for men and women everywhere.

-So Paul mentions this idea of modesty.  Relatively moderate.  Not excessive or to extremes.  He’s not saying don’t look nice - just don’t go to extremes.  He’s not saying, don’t care about how you look - just don’t focus on how you look.  And make sure you are not trying get anyone else to focus on you either.  It is the idea of restraint which holds one back from doing something dishonoring or shameful, which would make one look bad.  So ladies, show restraint in how you decorate yourselves (actually there are probably guys who need to hear that as well!).  But in other words, going to extremes in trying to make yourself look good to others actually makes you look bad.  Does this mean you can’t show off what the Good Lord gave ya?  It might depend on your motive for doing so.  Probably we should all be more focused on simply showing off the Good Lord...

-The other word Paul uses to describe how women should approach their adornment is “sound mind”.  It is the same word he uses to describe how God does not give us a spirit of timidity but one of power and love and a sound mind.  It is the understanding mind, one which is reasonable and which can excercise self-control.  And so he’s saying, when it comes to how you decorate yourself, be reasonable.  Exercise some self-control, again, some restraint.  Don’t get so focused on how you look or on getting others to focus on how you look.  

-Paul uses the two words here which derive from the word kosmos, which means “world”.  What he’s thinking is, don’t let your world be about how you look.  Paul says rather than focusing on good looks women should strive to focus on good works.  Instead of concerning themselves with how they look, they should be more concerned with what they do.  Paul says this is fitting.  This fits just right, like that perfect top or pair of jeans, for women who are making a claim to godliness, he says.  Women who are claiming to know and follow the King.  Make your world about living - not looking - in such a way as to beautify the Lord, to show off how good He truly is.  And that’ll fit just right.  It’ll look good on ya...!

1Timothy 2:8 - Men. Everywhere. Hands up!

”Therefore I am wanting to be praying the men in every place, lifting up pious hands without wrath and disputing.”

-We must ask, what is this therefore there for?  He wants men in every place to be praying, praying in this certain mode, but why?  Well, because what he began to do in this section was to enlist and mobilize prayer for the sake of seeing people saved and coming to the knowledge of the truth.  People need to be reconciled to God, through Jesus, and towards that end the whole church needs to be praying.  

-So Paul starts with the men.  He says the men in every place - which is interesting, because you would think he might be more focused on what is happening there in Ephesus.  But again, the scope of his vision to this point has been ALL men.  All people.  Prayers on behalf of ALL people.  ALL people saved.  ALL people ransomed.  So, Paul’s protege, Pastor Timothy in Ephesus - he needs to proceed with a vision for a movement of prayer, of prayer everywhere, praying for others to come to know the Lord.  But in focusing on the men, Paul says their hands need to be pious and lifted up, and they need to do so without wrath or disputing.  Think about it - what are men known for?  What are some things which could keep them from being effectively and fruitfully involved in a movement of prayer such as what Paul envisions here?  

-For one, I think men are more inclined to fight, to use their hands (and their voices?) perhaps for fighting.  They get angry and argue and get sideways with other men.  They are more prone to violence.  Which flies in the face of the godliness and dignity with which Paul just said we are to beautify the Good News.  AND which makes it far more difficult to come together and pray with other men.  Not only this, men also use their hands to work, to accomplish their business.  There is a pride - a deep seated spiritual pride about them which in essence says, I got this.  I can do this.  I don’t need help, much less need to ask for it.  Lifting up my hands is a tangible expression of surrender and submission.  I CAN’T do this.  Apart from You, Lord, there is NOTHING I can do.  You ARE the One True God, and You ARE great, greater than me.  You ARE King - and You are MY King.  I need You, and so does my neighbor.  

-There’s another aspect of this.  Think about it - what is one time when (almost) all men lift their hands?  Lifted hands can also be a sign of celebration.  Right?  The ball (or puck) goes in or crosses the line and what do I do with my hands?  They go up.  They go up in rapturous joy.  And there usually is cheering.  Shouting.  Jumping and running about.  We can get so excited about so many different things - but what about the Lord?  Where is the joy and rapture over this One Who is fairer than ten thousand, Who is breathtakingly good and better by far than any athletic achievement?  The spiritual pride (and emotional silence?) of men extends to the place where so many are loathe to engage and express their heart towards another person, not to mention the Lord.  What if I found myself in a place where I celebrated the Lord in the way I celebrate athletic achievement?  What would it take for me to get there?  

-And there is one other time a guy will have his hands up - celebration, surrender, AND to show that he’s not hiding anything.  His hands - as well as the rest of him - not hiding anything.  His hands - like the rest of him - are clean.  In other words, pure.  Which is exactly what Paul is saying - pure hands.  We come to the Lord in dependence and surrender and in celebration AND in sincerity, hearts and consciences (and hands) sprinkled clean by the blood of Christ.  Ready to pray.

-So Paul is talking about where men can put aside their hiding and passivity and timidity, their spiritual indifference as well as their differences and grudges and pride and bravado and busy-ness and come together in the beauty of holiness and unity for the purpose of prayer, of celebrating the King of heaven and beseeching Him in one mind for the salvation of the lost, for the world.  And while body position is not unimportant (the mind and the body do tend to work in concert - slouchy attitude and slouchy posture will usually go hand in hand) - I think it’s probably not so much about body position as it is about my heart, the condition of my heart towards the Lord and towards my fellow man.  Hands up, men!

1Timothy 2:7 - Lay me down...

”Unto this I myself was appointed a preacher and apostle, truth I am speaking, I am not lying, a teacher of the nations in faith and truth."

-Unto this.  Unto what?  Paul was appointed as a preacher and an apostle, but to what end?  So that he could carry and communicate this truth, this message of all that God has done and desires with regard to people everywhere coming home to Him in their hearts.  The dissemination of the Good News, this message about Jesus, the Mediator and Ransom for all mankind.  Just as God gave witness to this truth in the fullness of time, at the divinely appointed season of opportunity, so Paul himself had been appointed to preach this news and bear witness to this truth in every season, in season and out.  Jesus had appointed him, had laid him down as such, such that his would be a life laid down for Jesus, for this Good News about Him.

-Paul is a “preacher” - of this Good News!  That’s our English word, but the Greek word is kéryx, from the verb kérysso.  It means a herald, or a proclaimer.  The herald would herald, the proclaimer would proclaim a proclamation, one which carries a formaility and a gravity with an authority which must be obeyed.  We don’t get these much anymore.  Certainly not in the 21st century, not in the land of the free and the home of the impudent.  These would have been official messages from kings, magistrates, princes, military commanders.  Um, how about an official proclamation from the King of kings?  From God Himself.  The keryx were first and foremost servants (of the one who sent them).  Their chief qualification would appear to have been a clear and loud voice (no microphones or sound systems in those days) - but originally they functioned as well to call soldiers to battle, and citizens to the assembly.  They were responsible in many ways for the maintenance of the laws and thus generally for political as well as religious order.  Theirs was a sacred, a sacrosanct position - when the keryx appeared, weapons were stilled.  These guys were not to be touched, such was the respect accorded their position.  Whatever the keryx proclaimed, by virtue of his being a spokesman for the person or people with absolute authority, was absolutely binding.  Now it is true that in John’s day, the essence of this binding authority of a keryx had been diluted quite considerably, and that the word had come to be used and understood more like our modern word, preacher.  But surely an appointment by the King of kings to be a keryx - HIS keryx - was (and still is) a sacred and sacrosanct calling.  And surely we must pay close attention to the words of this keryx...

-Also an apostle.  Paul was also appointed an apostle - one who had seen the resurrected Jesus and sent with authority to testify (everywhere) to that fact.

-Paul parenthetically tells Timothy that he is telling the truth, that he is not lying.  Surely Timothy knew this.  Surely Timothy had seen the reality of Paul’s call born out in countless ways in too many situations to have any doubt as to this truth.  It’s almost a case of the lady doth protest too much, methinks.  Paul’s protestation, his excessive insistence at this point would seem to undermine his credibility (he does the same thing in Galatians 1.20).  We do find that Paul repeatedly seemed to feel it necessary to defend his apostleship.  There were some at least who indeed questioned the legitimacy of his claim (1Corinthians 9.2, 2Corinthians 12.11).  He had a record, for one.  He was a spiritual felon, as things go.  And he wasn’t one of the “original twelve”.  An apostle with an untimely birth, this one (1Corinthians 15.8-10).  He was late to the game, for sure.  Paul does repeatedly restate his claim to being an apostle, over and over in his letters.  Did he feel it necessary to do this, in part, because of the naysayers, the doubters?  There should however be NO doubt as to the veracity of his claim, based on how the Lord repeatedly confirmed this singular call on the life of this Saul-who-became-Paul (2Corinthians 12.12).  Apostle.  To the nations.

-That’s right - to the nations.  If there’s one thing Paul says even more frequently than that he was appointed an apostle, a sent-one, it’s that Jesus sent him to the nations.  To the despicable dirty Gentiles.  Paul mentions the Gentiles 55 times in his letters.  Talk about a call.  A burden.  Even after the Lord had to pry open the eyes of the original apostles along with the rest of the early church - all Jews - there was still this huge built-up cultural inertia against actually going TO Gentiles (ANY Gentiles) and actually conversing with them and spending the kind of time with them which would be necessary in order to help disciple them to Jesus.  But Jesus had laid Paul down to lay his life down to do just that.  To help people everywhere - really, regardless of their ethnicity - learn the truth about Jesus.  I wonder, is there someone, some group to whom the Lord has laid down you?  May we each find a similar grace to lay me down...

1Timothy 2:6 - THE Ransom. For ALL. Oh, and Gandalf...

”...the [One] having given Himself a ransom on behalf of all, the witness at [the] proper time.”

-The Ransom.  The Man Christ Jesus - He was the Ransom, He gave Himself freely to pay the price in order to release us from captivity (cf Matthew 20.28).  For many.  For all, in fact (no “limited atonement” here).  This is why He came to begin with.  Because not only were we all of us estranged from our Creator, separated by sin, but we were actually held fast in its grip, enslaved and imprisoned and in desperate need of a rescue.  Dire straights of the direst sort.  There was in fact a price on our heads.  Used to be, people could be owned and bought and sold like cattle (which tragically is actually still the case in some places and circles today).  Used to be, you could actually pay a ransom to atone for (pay off) certain crimes, the great exception being when the transgressor was guilty of death (Numbers 35.31).  So whether in prison or slavery, one could usually buy their freedom by paying the price, the ransom.  We do read that the only way to expiate BLOOD-guiltiness was by the shedding of BLOOD (Numbers 35.33).  Thus we come to the guilt of man, the many, all guilty of sin, of turning away from God.  The price on our heads for that fateful choice was blood - and not the blood of lambs or goats, either.  The blood of a human - either the blood of guilty-me or of an innocent Human Substitute - was required to pay off and release us from our debt of sin.  Enter the Man, Christ Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God - He paid it, He paid it off, He pulled it off.  In the Hebrew it is a noun and a verb.  He ransomed us by giving Himself as the ransom.  He paid the payment, and purchased with His blood our release.  Freedom.  Forgiveness.  Paid in full.  No condemnation.  No guilt whatsoever, none, no more, nevermore.

-Paul says that this thing which Jesus did, giving Himself as a ransom for all, is the witness at the proper time.  This one great act was God testifying to the truth about Who He is and about our need for the Mediator.  And Paul is saying that God provided this witness about the truth at the proper time, or season.  Elsewhere Paul talks about the fullness of time (Galatians 4.4, Titus 1.3).  With God there is an appointed time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3.1), and Paul here uses the special Greek word for this - kairos.  It refers not to clock time but to a divinely appointed season of opportunity.  Which is the exact timetable the Lord always uses.  He is never late, nor is He ever in a hurry.  Like Gandalf, only moreso, He always arrives precisely when He means to.  

-This is the essence of the Good News which we are likewise conveying to the world.  Our witness is this, that the Breathtakingly Good Father and Creator of all, sent His one and only Son to be the Savior of the world, the Mediator, to pay the ransom for all, in order to bring us back to God (John 3.17, 1John 4.14).  Praise Him...

1Timothy 2:5 - The. Way. (Back)

”For [there is] one God, and one Mediator of God and men, [the] man Christ Jesus...”

-Knowing the Truth begins right here, coming to know THIS truth, the great Shama (which means “hear”) of Judaism - Hear O Israel!  The Lord God is One! (Deuteronomy 6.4-5, Mark 12.29-30)  He is God and there is no other (Deuteronomy 4.35).  He is the one and only God.  There can be but one Infinite.  This is the self-evident Truth which would arm all humanity against any idol, all lesser and competing devotions, counterfeit and contrary forms of teaching and religion.  And to be sure, this one God, He is Jehovah, infinite and eternal in all His perfections, the one almighty and all-powerful Creator and Father of all, thrice-holy and wholly other.  Truly better, is it not, to have one Fountain than a thousand cisterns, broken cisterns which will hold no water?  And yet we opt for the latter.  The fundamental error of humanity is to reject the one God, to exchange His glory for that of something/anything lesser, to allow that there are gods many, and to give my heart, first place in my heart to something(s) other than.  To put something other than and less than in HIS place in our hearts and lives.  Anthropos, plural - all men do this - all of mankind, all of humanity (cf Romans 3.23).  Hear.  One God.  For all.

-Thus the need for a Mediator, for in this inglorious exchange enmity came in.  Estrangement.  Relationship broken.  Gone.  Someone needs to broker a peace, a reconciliation.  And here again, there is only one.  One Mediator.  One way back - through Jesus.  There are no other mediators any more than there are any other gods.  The word is mesités, meaning an arbitrator, or umpire.  Someone in the middle who will be a go-between between two parties (cf Galatians 3.20).  One Mediator - Jesus.  He alone is the Way back, the Truth which leads to Life eternal (John 14.6).  And this Truth is a bear.  Seriously, the world can hardly bear it.  It chafes at it so.  So exclusive.  So intolerant.  So absolute.  The spirit of non-absolutism which pervades the ethos of our age, which controls our modern psyche, absolutely gags on this notion that there is only one way.  Absolutely! No! Absolutes!, they insist.  Self-defeatingly.  But this truth remains - there are no other ways back.  Not one.  Just one.  Jesus.  The Man.  Hedaman.  Paul refers to Him here as the Man Christ Jesus.  Is this some kind of arian hiccup?  Paul denying the deity of Christ like some kind of heretic?  I think Paul would emphatically declare, may it never be!  Failure to mention something does not therefore equate to the denial of something.  Paul here has merely chosen to emphasize the humanity of the Son of God, Who because He was fully human can fully sympathize with the weaknesses of humanity (Hebrews 4.15).  Mine - AND yours.  We all can relate to Him, we all can come freely to Him (cf Matthew 11.28).  Jesus becomes the perfect go-between.  And the next verse details exactly how He did it...

1Timothy 2:4 - A Pseudo-Promise?

”...Who all men He is wanting to be saved and unto a full knowledge of truth to come.”

-Paul has told Timothy (and us) to be praying for all men and for our leaders, and we have suggested that this includes prayer for them as they would pray for themselves, as well as prayer for the progress of their spiritual journey towards Christ.  But here Paul gives us the big why of this instruction.  Why it makes God so happy.  Why we should be praying for these others, and more practically, WHAT we should be praying.  God, this God Who saved us, is wanting all men to be saved.  ALL men.  That word in the Greek means ALL.  Every last one of them.  Every man, woman, and child.  Fully knowing the truth - about Jesus.  Can’t have one without the other.  We’re not just talking an awareness of facts about Jesus.  Paul uses the word which means exact knowledge.  Understanding and perception.  True knowledge, to know thoroughly and recognize, an acknowledgment of Who Jesus really is - God our Savior.  Knowing and acknowledging (i.e. believing) this truth is the essence of salvation, is it not?  “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8.32).  It is the opposite tack of the world, which knew facts about God, had knowledge about God (Romans 1.21) but did not see fit to ACKnowledge Him (Romans 1.28).  In this regard, is not full knowledge of the truth both the means of salvation and the goal thereof (1Corinthians 13.12, John 17.3)?  This is the administration of God which is to be furthered by Timothy (1Timothy 1.4) and by us.  This is the beautiful use of the Law (1Timothy 1.8), of God’s Word - helping people wherever they are in their spiritual journey to journey towards Christ, to come to know that He is, and to know Him as God our Savior and to be constantly growing in this knowledge.  Life-changing.  Game-changing.  Full exact knowledge, as opposed to speculation and fruitless discussion (1Timothy 1.6).   Uncertainty.  Doubt.  Both feet firmly planted in midair.  House built on shifting sand - that is no way to live.

-But let us not miss this awesome pseudo-promise of which we totally need to lay claim in our praying for those who don’t (yet) believe in Jesus.  Altho not really a pseudo-promise - I suppose that would be a false promise.  This is a near promise, almost but not quite.  Well nigh a promise.  Practically a promise.  A cousin of a promise.  Practically in the family, but not exactly.  Paul tell us that God WANTS people to be saved.  ALL men, he says.  Technically, this isn’t really a full-blown promise, in that we’re not told that God WILL save all people.  But this is a great jumping off point, isn’t it?  “God, You WANT so-and-so to be saved.  1Timothy 4.4 - You desire all men to be saved and to come to fully know the truth about Jesus.  Lord, please do that for so-and-so, please save them.”  Take the Lord at His Word, and take it to Him in prayer.  Remind Him of it, plead with Him over it, badger and bother Him with it in fact, like the old widow who wore out the judge with her incessant pleading.  Isn’t that how Jesus taught us to pray (Luke 18.1-5)?  Think about the context here - we’re talking about what is beautiful and well-pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.  Is that not going to be engaging in the exact thing for which Jesus came in the first place - to save (Luke 19.10)?  Surely there are few things which warm the heart of God more than when His people come to Him in prayer and pray for others to come to know Jesus.  Kings, leaders, neighbors, friends, Romans, countrymen.  That’s what this section is all about - the advance of the saving Gospel of Christ in lives and in our society as those who follow Christ engage in prayer and redemptive living for the sake of those who don’t yet know Him.  It’s about discovering and going deeper into God’s heart, into what He wants and what He is all about.  Fully knowing the Truth.  About Him.  Knowing Him.  Make it so...

1Timothy 2:3 - How To Make God Happy - Get It, Got It, Freely Give It

”This is beautiful and pleasing in the face of God our Savior.”

-So this thing we are to do, praying for all men and especially for our leaders and those who are over us?  We do this for them, yes, and we do this for ourselves, yes, for the benefits which accrue to both parties, but more than that we do this for Him.  For Jesus.  Our Savior.  Our God.  We do this for Him - ‘cuz it makes Him look really good, AND it makes Him really happy.  It gives Him great pleasure, when His children are giving grace to those around them.  Free, undeserved favor.  The same favor He has first shown to us.  It shows that we get it.  It shows that we got it, that we really have received His grace, and that we understand the nature of things.  I need grace.  You need grace.  All God’s people need grace.  Our leaders need grace.  We need to give them grace (cf Ephesians 4.29).  With our words.  With our deeds.  In our praying - FOR them.  We do this, not because this person has earned it or deserves it.  Nope.  They very well may not deserve it.  But neither do we.  And if I can’t embrace that truth, then I probably need a new understanding of my own need for grace and how amazing and undeserved it really is.  

-Think about it tho, this making-the-Lord-happy thing.  Really, are there many prouder moments for a parent than when we see our child get it, when they display some maturity, when they manifest some kind, generous, selfless act for another?  Usually out of the blue?  Assuming that’s your value system.  Which, of course, is precisely what Jesus values...  But consider the possibilities of this situation.  Consider that this selfless act of praying for another, for this leader and for all men, increases the likelihood of God moving in their heart - especially when an entire assembly of believers is interceding on their behalf.  Consider as well how the very fact of my praying for this person(s) facilitates the work which God is doing in my own heart.  It centers my devotion and dependence on Him, and further frees His Spirit to continue to produce His fruit in and through my life.  Godliness and reverence.  Love and joy and peace.  Kindness and faithfulness.  These things do indeed beautify the name of the One whose Name we name.  They show off His goodness, the reality of His very existence, to all those around.  And yes, this all makes Him extremely happy.

1Timothy 2:2 - El Presidente and Serenity Now

”...on behalf of kings and all those being in high [position], in order that a tranquil and quiet life we may be leading in all godliness and reverence.”

-With all our praying, we need to be sure to include prayers for the king.  No, not Elvis.  Not Arnie or Lebron.  The word is basileus and it refers to the leader of the people, whoever he (or she) may be.  The prince, commander, lord of the land.  He may be called Pharoah.  Caesar.  El Presidente.  In Paul’s day, these held supreme power, and their word was law.  Not so much anymore, with many countries now led by committee, by layers (and layers) of leaders and bureaucrats.  There may be a single person with an exalted title and position at the top, but they tend to serve simply as the first among many.  They typically cannot and do not lead by fiat the way a despot or other totalitarian ruler would do.  The advent of things like the landed middle-class and public education has also brought with it new layers of hierarchy in society, all kinds of nuanced relationships where different ones are placed in authority over others including over those who follow Christ.  In the end, whether led by many or a few or just one, God’s people are to pray for those who are in positions of authority over them.  It may be helpful to remember that at this time, almost all if not every one of those to whom Christians would have been subjects of their authority were antagonistic to this sect of the Nazarenes.  At best, Christians were seen as strange nuisances, and at worst they were rabble-rousing, wrath-of-God arousing troublemakers, theological and societal deviants who needed to be either exterminated or marginalized as much as possible.  Inversely, kings would have easily been seen by Christ-followers as the enemy.  Nevertheless, it is these same rulers who in their place of authority are positioned to maintain the peace and dispense justice and who are also the ones able to protect both the promotion of religion and the free exercise thereof.  These men (and women) deserve our prayers on their behalf, not only for wisdom and discernment as they govern but also for the health (and conversion) of their souls.  For as it goes with them and the country or municipality which they lead, so it goes with us and our congregation.  In their welfare, in their shalom, we find the same (Jeremiah 29.7).

-Paul actually expands the list of those for whom these prayers must be made to include all those being “in high”.  Technically, could (and should) this not encompass anyone who happens to be in any kind of position over us?  Our team leader.  Our coach.  Our boss, or supervisor.  Our pastor.  Our teacher(s).  Our parent(s).  We can and should be lifting up anyone who is over us - not only prayers for blessing on their behalf, prayers like they would pray for themselves, but there is an even more important reason to do this...

-No doubt there are a number of strategic and redemptive reasons to be doing this, but Paul cites just one at this time.  He has in mind as the outcome of our praying for these leaders that we may thereby be enabled to be living what he calls a tranquil and quiet life.  An interesting vision, this.  Paul wants some peace and quiet.  Serenity now, serenity now.  He almost sounds like some old geezer who wants the kids and the world to stop making such a ruckus.  Get off the lawn!  Not at all what one would expect from the guy voted most likely to charge the gates of hades with a squirt gun.  Not so much a vision of the army of God’s people facing down persecution and making disciples of all the nations come hell or high water.  What in the world is he talking about?  Is it simply time for Paul to be put out to pasture?  Doesn’t the Gospel tend to flourish best in times of persecution?  Isn’t that when God’s people shine most brightly?

-While this may no doubt be true, and while we are told to expect the world to hate us, for trials and persecution to be sure to come, we are nowhere told to pursue this.  It doesn’t take a PhD to know that a beligerent or otherwise incompetent leader can make life extremely exasperating, even when they’re not “out to get us”.  And if for some reason they DO have it in for you, if somehow you do get sideways with someone who is “high”, higher up the food chain, they can make your life a living hell.  The godliness and dignity which we should have on display at all times and for all people, the kind of godly comportment, the respect, the reverent conduct which beautifies the Good Name of our heavenly King, and which behooves us to render unto Caesar as their position deserves (even when they perhaps have not earned it as such) - our conduct towards this person (and others) can be severely challenged by those very leaders themselves.  And so we pray for them.  Benevolent intercession.  FOR them, not necessarily against them.  For them, the way they would pray for themselves, and for our relationship with them.  For us to find favor and to be better enabled to show them the proper respect as God would have us do.  Ultimately, it can affect our entire mission, AND, bottom line, they are not the enemy.  This person who IS making your life miserable at work or school is not the one you need to worry about.  Not ultimately.  They are no less of a weak and insecure and flawed individual than we are.  They need grace and forgiveness and transformation just as much as we do.  And the grace which we render unto them - that same undeserved favor which we have freely received from the Lord and apart from which there go we - this grace may be the only form of grace that person receives, perhaps that they ever have or will receive in their life.  If they don’t receive it from us, from someone who has first freely received it from the hand of Jesus Himself, where are they going to get it?  If not us, then who?  If not now, then when?  Do this for them - and do this for yourself.

1Timothy 2:1 - First of all...

”I am urging therefore first of all, to being made entreaties, prayers, petitions, thanksgivings, on behalf of all men...”

-OK, so Paul has established that Timothy has been gifted and commanded to keep the flock at Ephesus on course and following Jesus.  And it is going to be a battle, first and foremost a spiritual one, fought in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6.12).  And so it is no coincidence that the very first item on Timothy’s mission checklist is... Prayer.  First of all, Timothy - pray.  First of ALL.  Of all the things you CAN do, do THIS.  Start here.  Continue here.  This is paramount.  I am URGING you - all y’all, all God’s people - to pray.  Prayer.  It is THE work of the ministry.  It is THE battle.  The army of God marches forward on its knees.  That’s exactly what Paul taught the Ephesians - God’s people suit up in God’s armor, they take up the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and they... pray (Ephesians 6.16-18).  They wage battle against the forces of darkness which oppose the name and mission of the one true God, against those who take their stand against that fair Name by which we have been saved.  The Company of the Redeemed fight together side-by-side, praying together, agreeing together in prayer (which is how Jesus instructed us to pray - Matthew 18.19), praying without ceasing (1Thessalonians 5.17) - at least, that’s the idea.  We seem to prefer a whole lot of plans and processes and programs and promotions and then we throw in a little dash of prayer for favor.  

-Au contraire.  What’s the first thing you do for your faith?  What’s the first thing you do in your service for the Lord?  In your service on behalf of your church?  Is prayer anywhere in there?  We read that Jesus would go out into the wilderness to pray OFTEN (Luke 5.16 cf Luke 6.12).  Does that word describe my praying?  Our body?  The early church devoted themselves to prayer, praying together (Acts 1.14, 2.42).  The apostles devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 6.4).  Teach us to pray, the disciples said (Luke 11.1).  And I’m not so sure that it’s teach us HOW to pray as much as it is simply, teach us TO pray.

-And Paul says he wants prayers and petitions and thanksgivings to be made on behalf of all people.  He’s not merely wanting Timothy to pray.  He wants the whole assembly to be praying.  Lots of prayers by everybody for everybody.  Everybody needs prayer.  It’s not only the blasphemers who need us to battle on their behalf.  It’s the rest of the body - so many needs for which we can intercede and so many things for which to be thankful.  And it’s those who are not yet following Jesus - they need to know Him, the truth about Him.  They need prayer as well.  First of all, pray, Paul says.  Pray first, and keep on praying.  Failing here, we fail ultimately.

-Different ones try to splice and dice the various words Pauls uses for prayers here.  I have them as prayers of petition (which emphasize God as Provider), prayers of trust (which focus on God as sovereign), and prayers specifically of intercession (praying for others).  These, and thanksgivings - so much for which to be thankful.  In everything give thanks, right (1Thessalonians 5.18)?  This then, is where the army of God sets out - on our knees.  Lord, have mercy on us and teach us TO pray.

1Timothy 1:20 - Extreme Measures

”...of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I I delivered to Satan, in order that they should be taught not to be blaspheming.”

-Spiritual disaster.  That’s what had happened to these two guys.  Hymenaeus and Alexander.  We don’t know much about them, but they made it into the pages of Scripture.  Sadly, in their case, that’s not a good thing.  They are both mentioned twice in fact, in this letter and then again in Paul’s second letter to Timothy.  Alexander was a coppersmith, and he did something which severely injured Paul somehow (2Timothy 4.14).  We’re not sure if it was physical damage, or spiritual/emotional.  More likely the latter.  Hymenaeus apparently joined with another fellow named Philetus in spreading a gangrenous teaching that the resurrection (the second one for all who put their trust in Christ) had already taken place (2Timothy 2.17-18).  It was upsetting people’s faith, getting them off track.  Ironically, getting off track is precisely what had happened to these two guys.  They were following Jesus at one point.  Had their eyes fixed on Him.  But they rejected faith and a good conscience and had shipwrecked.  They took their eyes off the prize, off of Jesus, somehow stopped caring (for a season?) about what He thought.  And they descended into blasphemy...

-We just visited this word in v 13.  Paul himself was a blasphemer.  BEFORE he came to know Jesus.  The question is, how does one get to blasphemy AFTER they begin following Jesus, and more importantly, how do they get back?

-Paul’s solution, at least in this instance, sounds rather extreme.  Hand them over to Satan - he’ll teach ‘em.  Extreme measures.  This is not the only time where Paul talks about doing this (1Corinthians 5.5).  Whether he’s talking about one or both of these same two guys there, or this is more of a general approach Paul took in extreme situations, it IS safe to say that Paul does take these situations extremely seriously, because what is at stake is not only that the blasphemer has shipwrecked, but there is also the health of the rest of the body to consider.  There is the risk of contagion.  And so commentators disagree as to the extent of what it means to “hand a person over to Satan”.  Some (Calvin) insist that Paul only has a form of excommunication in mind.  Others (Henry) add that the discipline meted out also includes some form of apostolic gifting to somehow enable a form of demonic torment on a person’s body.  Some kind of destruction of flesh, which would have the end goal of preserving their spirit.  In no place are we talking about the loss of salvation, mind you.  These ones, if they had truly placed their faith in Jesus, are permanently saved.  But while they persist in their place of blasphemy, they are bringing shame to the good name of Jesus and are further injuring His body, potentially getting other believers off track as well.  So the situation calls for tough love - extremely so.  Sometimes the most loving thing to do for someone who gets off track like this, as would most parents, spiritual or otherwise, is to discipline them.  Give them consequences.  That’s exactly what Paul is doing with these guys.  He wants to help them learn to NOT blaspheme any more.  He wants to help get them back on track in their faith, following Jesus once more.

1Timothy 1:19 - Chef Paul's Surefire Recipe For Avoiding Shipwreck

”...having faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, around the faith did shipwreck...”

-Some have joined the fight, but things are not looking too good for them at them moment.  They have actually "shipwrecked".  The ship of their faith has run aground - or worse.  And if there was one thing Paul knew something about, it was getting shipwrecked.  Happened to him at least three times in fact (2Corinthians 11.25).  He uses this very poignant term, something with which he was very familiar, to describe what had happened to some who had been following Christ.  This vessel which was transporting you somewhere, carrying you through treacherous seas to some desired destination, this vessel is broken.  It can carry you no further.  Whether it hit the rocks, or got hit by some huge storm, this ship - and you along with it - is stranded.  For the time being at least.  Thankfully, shipwreck does not have to be permanent.  In fact it is avoidable!  Chef Paul here gives us his surefire recipe for how to avoid it...

-To avoid shipwreck, one needs two key ingredients, to keep holding on to two things: faith, and a good conscience.  The first thing, faith, is trust, and it is placed in an object.  In this case, we are talking about God and His Truth, the Truth of His Word and specificially what He has revealed in His Word about His Son Jesus.  That is where we put our trust.  It doesn’t have to be humungous sized faith - a tiny bit the size of a grain of mustard seed will suffice - it simply needs to be locked in on Jesus.  On His goodness and faithfulness.  On His provision and sovereignty.  On His death AND resurrection.  Keep on trusting, keep on holding on to these things.  When the going gets tough and the battle gets fierce and the stormy winds begin to rage and the waves are rocking our boat, we need to hold on to the Lord.  Hold on to His promises.  Keep on trusting Him (Psalm 34.8).  Keep on truckin’, baby.  I know that sounds too simple, that it sounds like platitudes, easy for someone else to say when their own boat is docked in safe harbor, but the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by fellow brothers and sisters the world over.  Every day, folks face both private and public battles, they focus on Jesus, and put one foot in front of the other.  One step at a time.  Fixing our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12.1).

-The other vital aspect of shipwreck prevention, Paul says, is a good conscience.  In other words, you always sincerely try to do it right, whatever it is, and if (when) you mess up, you sincerely try to make it right, with whomever you need to make it right.  You are as innocent or as forgiven as can possibly be.  A good conscience.  Not surprisingly Paul is our shining example in this (Acts 23.1, 24.16; 2Corinthians 1.12).  He’s already mentioned the importance of a good conscience and sincere faith back in 1Timothy 1.5.  It is when we reject these things that we get into trouble, increasing our chances of shipwreck.  We cut spiritual corners.  We compromise.  We neglect to confess a sin, or apologize for something, we cover something up.  And then we do it again, and again.  The little things begin to add up.  We lose sight of God’s promises.  We take our eyes off of Jesus, get them focused on the wind and the waves surging all around us.  We came to drain the swamp, but it’s full of alligators.  The pressure and the doubt and the guilt begin to snowball and push us away from the Lord and His people.  It IS a fight, and not only for the church and for the faith handed down to us by our forebears - it is a fight for our own personal faith.  Every day.  There is a battle to be waged and won, a struggle to hold on to Jesus and to the Truth about Him, God’s Truth.  And to do the right thing especially when the going gets tough.  Some days the battle is tougher than others.  There are entire seasons where the fighting is fierce, every day a struggle to keep holding on and trusting that God is good, that He will provide, that He is faithful to His promises, that He will somehow work this all together for good.  It is when we relax, we let up, we let that little doubt creep in and linger unattended, that little compromise here or there, that slight transgression is unconfessed and unaddressed - that rejecting of faith and a good conscience is a surefire recipe for spiritual disaster...

1Timothy 1:18 - Time for mint juleps?

”This command I am setting before you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies going before upon you, in order that in them you may be fighting the beautiful fight...”

-Turns out, Timothy is in a fight.  He had received instructions, a command actually.  Paul brought this up in verse 3.  Paul had left his trusted friend and companion behind in Ephesus when he departed for Macedonia, left him in charge and left him for a purpose.  Certain men had veered off course in their faith.  They were teaching strange doctrines, speculating about uncertain myths and genealogies and the like, fruitless discussions, things which were detracting from the mission.  And somehow, this leaving Timothy behind, which we can assume Paul would have been loathe to do, was occasioned by some prophecies.  God had communicated directly through some person (or persons) that Timothy needed to remain on in Ephesus in order to help straighten these detractors out, and frankly to help keep the entire assembly on course.  No easy peasy assignment, this - it would be a battle.  Later in this letter, Paul mentions that Timothy had actually received a spiritual gift on the occasion of a prophecy (perhaps related, or even the same?), a gift which uniquely equipped him for this specific ministry.

-And Paul makes it perfectly clear, this is not some stroll in the park, some lazy Sunday afternoon snooze in the sunshine we’re talking about.  Timothy was at war.  He was caught up in a battle with eternal consequences, contending for the Truth and for the Mission of spreading the Truth, the end game of which was (and is) love (1Timothy 1.5).  And to be sure, these speculations and myths were doing very little to build up the body in love (Ephesians 4.16).

-But in this verse, the first thing which Paul says will help Timothy in this fight is the prophecies.  The words which God spoke concerning him.  Timothy needed to be able to harken back and take courage in the knowledge that God had specifically gifted and called him for this work.  And while many of us perhaps have not received any specific words of prophecy a la Timothy, we have all received God’s words in the Bible.  Those words God indeed has spoken concerning us.  By this Word, that which Paul called the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6.17), we similarly are equipped to fight the good fight.  It is indeed our weapon for conducting spiritual warfare, for carrying out the mission.  Of course, being handed a sword doesn’t necessarily equate to beautiful fighting.  The potential exists, but some of us can relate to timid Timothy (2Timothy 1.7).  We maybe need a little bit of encouragement.  Maybe a shove (out of the nest) even...?  So many of us are living like it is peacetime, sipping our mint juleps and caramel machiados and pursuing our own agendas when in fact a desperate battle for the souls of our neighbors and the nations has been joined.  We really need to honestly ask ourselves, how high are the stakes, and how urgent is the situation, and depending on our answer, we may need to reassess our priorities in light of the fight.  So that you (and I - together!) may be fighting a beautiful fight...!

1Timothy 1:17 - King of the Eons

”But to the King of the eons, to [the] immortal invisible only God, [be] honor and glory unto the eons of eons, amen.”

-Paul now breaks out in grateful praise to this One Who mercied Him and repurposed him for the Kingdom.  This Lord of perfect patience and full of mercy and love, our Savior Jesus Christ, this One Who put Paul into service (and would do so for us as well) - He is King.  And He is God.  He alone is God, there is no other, and He alone is worthy.  He is not just a penny ante ruler in some foreign backwater, here today and gone tomorrow.  He is the King of the universe.  King of the eons, Paul says (who are the Eons...?).  King forever.  He is the CEO, the Big Kahuna - He is in charge, completely and forever.  He is immortal, imperishable, incorruptible, indestructible - never tiring or running low on life or love or energy, His rule and reign and magnificent splendor never diminished in the least, not one iota.  And yet He is invisible.  He dwells in inapproachable light, which no man can see.  Not from earth.  Not in our fallen state, with fallen eyes (1Timothy 6.16).  Incomparable, incomprehensible brilliance.  For now, the raw unbridled splendor of His majesty is hidden away from human eyes.  For now, we see only a dim reflection, His glories declared throughout the heavens and mirrored in the lives of the redeemed.  

Truly this God, Jesus Christ, is worthy of all honor and glory forever and ever.  Eons of eons - Paul gives us a function of infinite exponentiality.  Forever times forever, to infinity and beyond, up and to the right until the cows come home and way after that - this is extent to which God the Son is deserving of and the duration in which He will be receiving honor and glory.  The affirmation and enjoyment and celebration of His excellencies and His breathtaking goodness.  Yes, Paul is biased at this point, caught up in the rapture of the realization of the Lord’s great love and mercy and patience poured out on him - but is this not the place to which all we ought to arrive and be kept as well?  May we each be so similarly biased as to what is the proper response to almighty God the One and Only, our eternal King, King of the Eons.  May we each learn to be so employed, with that company of heaven, in giving honor and glory to the Lamb Who was slain and to the One Who sits on the throne of heaven forever and ever, forever times forever, (Revelation 5.11-13).  Amen!

1Timothy 1:16 - Just Desserts, Blessed-buts, and the First Thing About Love

”But rather because of this I was mercied, in order that in me first Christ Jesus should demonstrate the all-patience towards a pattern of the [ones] being about to be believing upon Him unto life eternal.”

-But God.  It doesn’t actually say “But God” here, but that is totally the idea.  Paul could have been the poster child for getting his just desserts, but instead he got mercy.  That’s the word - “but [something else entirely]”.  I can’t tell you how many times Scripture has one of these so-called blessed-buts.  Things look one way, they are trending in one direction, but God [  ].  Fill in the blank.  God had something else in mind all along, and He was just waiting for the optimal time (kairos) to bring it to make it happen.

-And so here we have the first of the worst, Saul the all-star sinner, the blaspheming persecuting death-dealing enemy of the Cross, fully deserving of whatever wrath and punishment the Lord might have chosen to pour out on his sorry keester.  Don’t stand too close, right?  Don’t wanna get hit by that bolt of lightning aimed in his general direction.  But the mercy-full God - Jesus - poured out mercy.  He made Saul an example - not of punishment but of patience - and turned Saul the faith-busting disciple-breaker into Paul the faith-building disciple-maker.  Talk about a plot twist.  Paul was first of the worst, but he now becomes the poster child for God’s perfect patience.  God is full of mercy AND patience!  Phew!  The actual Greek phrase says, all long-suffering.  All of it.  All that is needed, and then some.  All that, and a bag of chips.  It’s not just perfect patience, it’s infinite.  Inexhaustible.  The willingness to endure and wait as long as it takes for someone to believe on Jesus, to come home to Him in their hearts.  Paul shows us in the clearest way possible that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy and grace, not ever, not as long as the Lord is willing to wait.  The Lord stood there, taking all of Saul’s insults and curses and threats, all the hatred and violence, He took it all, and finally just said, “Saul, why are you doing this?” That’s all it took.  Why are you persecuting Me?  Why are you opposing Me?  Why are you doing this? This could actually be a great way to approach those who are far from God, who are perhaps fighting Him or running away from Him in their hearts.  Friend, why are you doing this?  Why are you living like this?  Could you please help me understand why you are doing this?

-But doesn’t Scripture tell us that the first thing that God’s love is like is that it is PATIENT (1Corinthians 13.1)?  Love gives, but I wonder if perhaps the most important thing it does is wait?  Love is indeed patient, as much as anything.  Looooooong-suffering.  Willing to waaaaaaaait.  Patient (and merciful) with delays and not-yet-and-far-from-perfections, patient with the wounds and warts and waywardness of others, patient with their selfishness and self-centeredness, with their messes and messiness and me-first-me-better-ness, with their missteps and mistakes and miscellaneous misanthropies.  Love is patient.  It suffers long.  It waits.  It waits for the harvest.  It waits (and keeps looking and hoping) for the Prodigal.  God’s all-patient love.  It doesn’t come naturally.  Nope, it’s supernatural.  It’s E(x)ternally-Sourced, made and bottled in the heart of God.  Gotta get it from Him.