Bible Commentaries

1 Timothy 2:1 to 1 Timothy 3:16. The Charge Respecting Church Regulations.

(a)1 Timothy 2:1-15. Public Worship.

1 Timothy 2:1-7. Public Prayer.—Paul requires, as of first importance, the offering of public prayer in a catholic spirit. Since the Christian's rejection of state-religion might appear treasonable, he especially names kings and high officials (cf. Romans 13:1 ff.). Such prayer for all men is well-pleasing to God. For His will is all men's salvation and enlightenment, as is shown by (a) God's own Unity (if there is only one God, all men are equally His care); (b) the oneness of the Mediator (He, as Man, represented all mankind); and (c) the universal purpose of Christ's sacrifice—a truth to be attested in its proper season, Paul himself being constituted a witness.

1 Timothy 2:1. intercessions: rather, "petitions."

1 Timothy 2:2. gravity: "honesty" (AV) bears its old sense of "propriety."

1 Timothy 2:4 f. To interpret these verses as anti-Gnostic entirely destroys the sequence of thought.

1 Timothy 2:6. a ransom: The Gr. word contains the preposition (found also in Matthew 20:28) denoting "instead of."

1 Timothy 2:7. Cf. 2 Timothy 1:11. I speak, etc.: insists on Paul's apostolic authority, which the false teachers probably denied.

1 Timothy 2:8-15. The Behaviour of Women.—Public prayer, characterised by the right spirit, must be offered only by men. Women's part is to dress modestly, finding their chief adornment in good works. They may neither teach in public nor rule. Their's is the inferior position (a) because woman was created later than man; (b) because, while his first sin was deliberate, hers was due to the ease with which she was deceived—a proof of her unfitness to guide others. Nevertheless, exhibiting the Christian virtues in her natural sphere and functions, woman shall thereby work out her salvation. Cf. p. 650.

1 Timothy 2:8. lifting, etc.: this attitude, pagan as well as Jewish and Christian, denoted expectation of blessing.

1 Timothy 2:9. Cf. 1 Peter 3:3 ff.—shamefastness: the modesty of womanly reserve.

1 Timothy 2:11. Cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34 f.

1 Timothy 2:12. to teach: i.e. publicly; cf. Titus 2:3.

1 Timothy 2:13. Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18 f.

1 Timothy 2:13 f. Such arguments belong to Paul's day rather than our own (cf. Deissmann, Paul, pp.103ff.).

1 Timothy 2:15. the childbearing: cf. Genesis 3:16, and (for man's case) Genesis 3:17. The interpretation "through the Childbearing," i.e. the Messiah's birth, is less suited to the argument.