1 Tim. 3:14-15 - Desire to come to you

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you
15 in case I am delayed, to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, because it is the church of the living God, the support and bulwark of the truth.

Since I Can’t Come to Ephesus...

Vs. 14: - I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you

"hope to come to you" - Most likely, Paul was in Rome. Timothy had been dispatched to the Ephesus church to teach, and correct some doctrinal errors that had cropped up. It is believed Paul might have been released from prison, but was required to remain in Rome. Later, he was arrested again, and executed. The desire to come to Ephesus to talk and mentor Timothy was tempered by Paul's situation.

"writing these instructions" - This is an instructional letter to correct problems in the local church. If left alone, the problems will destroy the church from within. Sometimes heresies are subtle, and seem to make some sense. One such is about the Law (from the Torah) and its relevance to Christianity. Jesus was/is a Jew, and all the first disciples and apostles were Jews. The Christian faith has its roots in the Jewish Law and Scripture. It could make sense that Christians should follow the Law in their behavior and worship. (In our time, the Seventh Day Adventists come closest to this way of thinking.)

I do not say 'it does make sense', but there is enough logic there to sort of make sense. Jesus came to fulfill the Law and prophecies, not to abolish the Law. See: Matt. 5:17. Now, in some ways, Jesus fulfilling the Law has the effect of abolishing it. (That is a discussion for another time.)

Some heresies are so beyond the pale they can be rejected outright. For example: Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child together. (This was part of the book 'Davinci Code', by Dale Brown.) Another is that Jesus did not really die. The problem here: No death equals no sacrifice equals no salvation! Another: Jesus was not really a human (what then, a hologram, a ghost that merely looks human?). This has the same error as claiming Jesus did not die.

Paul is emphatic. The people who are trying to get the Ephesus church to fall back into following the strictures of the Law don't know what they are talking about. He deals with the heresy of the Law in the first chapter of this letter, urging them to get back to the true gospel - Christ died for your sins, was buried, and resurrected, resides in glory. Then Paul spends the rest of the letter dealing with the church family members.
The interpersonal relationships of a group of people is complex. Even though we are 'new creations, all things have become new' (2 Cor. 5:17), our personalities, needs, and wants are all thrown into the church membership pot and stirred. The administration of a group of people requires planners and doers, servants and the served, leaders and followers. I believe the Holy Spirit leads Paul to lay out a local church hierarchy, and guidelines for dealing with the believers. The apostles named some men to help them with growing church membership. It seems that no decisions were made for the long term growth of the church. Paul codifies local church structure in this letter.

Go through the letter, and see how God wants us to treat and work with each other in the church.

Who will lead us? Elders.
Who will serve us, help us in need? Deacons.
Who should do these jobs? Upstanding citizens.
Who should they serve? Widows. Old people. Slaves, Masters, Young men. Young women. Those who are in need.
You know who they are. Just look around you. They are your fellow believers. You see them every day, every church gathering.

How Believers Should Conduct Themselves

Vs. 15: - in case I am delayed, to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, because it is the church of the living God, the support and bulwark of the truth.

"to let you know how people ought to conduct themselves" - This is the purpose of the letter.

"the household of God" - Remember the Pointer Sisters song, 'We Are Family!"? That's us - 'my brothers, my sisters, and me.' We are children of God. See: 1 John 3:1-3. We serve the Living God! We are His children! We are no longer enemies because of our sins that separate us from His righteous holiness. We are more than friends, more than slaves. See: John 15:15.

"church of the living God" - We are the family of believers - the church. This is not a NGO - 'non-government organization. We are not the Elks Club, Rotary, Red Cross, or the Beaver Fan Club. We are the Bride of Christ. We are God's ambassadors to a lost and hopeless world. “The Holy God of Israel, the Lord who saves you, says, ‘I am the Lord your God, the one who wants to teach you for your own good and direct you in the way you should go’.” (Isa. 48:17)

"support and bulwark of the truth" - This is our job! Support the truth. Defend the truth. This is why you must know what you believe. "Be ready at all time to give an account of the hope that is in you." See 1 Pet. 3:15. There will be myriad messages out there designed to draw people away from salvation in Christ alone. There is salvation in no one else. See: Acts 4:12.

*** End of Chapter ***

1 Tim. 3:8-13 - Rules for Deacons

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not two-faced, not given to excessive drinking, not greedy for gain,
9 holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless.
11 Likewise also their wives must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in every respect.
12 Deacons must be husbands of one wife and good managers of their children and their own households.
13 For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

6 Desireable Character Traits for Deacons

Vs. 8: - Deacons likewise must be dignified, not two-faced, not given to excessive drinking, not greedy for gain,

"Deacons" - Deacons are chosen to serve by working in the body, whereas elders are called to lead the church (not rule it, but lead by service). The deacon is the implementer of the service the church needs. 'Deacon' is a different church office than 'Elder'. The list of attributes for a deacon is just as daunting as it is for an elder. Does it seem unreasonable to have such high standards for church leaders? Does that sound like a dumb question?

As the church matured, women were called deacons (deaconess sounds stuffy). They served in the local body and were honored because they stepped up. Why are women deacons and not elders? I think the following list plus the admonition in chapter 2:12 will help us understand. Deacons are not teachers (called as such), they are workers. I know that some deacons have also the gift of teaching. So a deacon could well be a teacher.
To clarify, the scriptural description of deacon is a person who serves the needs of the members of the church. In the very early church there was no government organization that provided for the physical welfare of citizens (No ‘Department of Human Services’, no ‘Welfare’ nor ‘Social Security’). Even though God told the Jews to care for the widows and orphans (Zech. 7:8-11) their obedience was spotty at best. There appears to be no functionary within the Jewish religion to take care of the needy. This is something new - people called and appointed to provide for the needs of the church. The supplies are not coming from the pocketbook of the deacons only, but from the tithes and offerings of the church.

There are eight (8) attributes for deacons listed in these verses, and four (4) for the deacon’s wives.

(1) "dignified" - honest and trustworthy. Deacons are to be honorable in deeds and with people.

(2) "not two-faced" - No accomplished liars need apply. Someone who is honest and trustworthy (see above) will not be one person with you, and a different person with someone else. You can trust this person when he gives his word. No written contracts are necessary - his word is his bond.

(3) "not given to excessive drinking" - not a drunkard. This is not a admonition to refrain from alcoholic beverages. A little later in this letter (5:23), Paul instructs Timothy to drink a little wine for his ailments. There are plenty of warnings about getting drunk, and using too much wine, especially in Proverbs and some of the prophets. Too much wine (alcoholic beverages, in general) dulls the senses, clouds the judgment.

(4) "not greedy for gain" - not out for 'filthy lucre' (KJV), not out to make money off the church from funds intended for the needy of the church. The idea of getting rich from the church not only seems wrong - it is wrong. The duty of the deacon is to take the offerings, whether cash or goods, and distribute these to those in need. I think, but am not sure, that many of the first believers were not the wealthy, but the downtrodden, the widows and orphans. Also, after a few years the church would begin to acquire widows by attrition. More on this later. The deacons were to distribute the offerings to those who need it. Money would be passing through the deacons to the church members. The deacons must be honest, and not skimming a percentage for themselves.
The Bible has plenty of warnings about riches. Usually in reference to depending on riches instead of the Lord. (For example: Luke 12:15; Heb. 13:5; Matt. 19:20-24) On the other hand, the apostles were not called to a life of poverty. Those who dedicated their full time to studying the scripture, teaching and preaching were to be considered worthy of wages. (1 Tim. 5:17, 18)

Vs. 9: holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

(5) "holding to the mystery of the faith" - a firm and steady believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This has been said before, 'mystery' in the Biblical sense does not mean the 'Hound of the Baskervilles', or a Robert B. Parker, or Edgar Allen Poe type mystery. In the NT, a mystery is new revelation regarding Jesus' work for us or the church. The redemptive work of Jesus on the cross was foretold, but not understood by the Jews (or anyone else for that matter). The resurrection was not understood, even when Jesus told his disciples it would happen.
The disciples were totally surprised at Jesus being alive. They had watched him die! Their surprise is evident when we see the response to the women returning from the open tomb. How about 'Doubting Thomas'? "I won't believe unless I touch His nail scarred hands," followed by "My Lord and my God!" when Thomas’ eyes were opened (John 20:24-29). It is not that Thomas didn’t see Jesus, but his mind could not accept this information as true!
Prophecies concerning the church are harder to find in the OT. The church is the Bride of Christ - surprise! That Gentiles would be part of the church without being Jewish first - Surprise! Gentiles being brought into the kingdom of God was prophesied, but not understood. (See: Isa. 60:1-14; Hos. 1:10, 2:23; Amos 9:12) All these new things including, but not limited to, Christ living in me, being reborn (See John 3:1-9), the Holy Spirit teaching and leading from within - Surprise!
This is the mystery that deacons are to know and understand. If you don't understand and know this deep within yourself so that you are completely confident, how can you help others understand and know the wonder of Jesus loving you.

Vs.10: - And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless.

(6) "tested" - The local church body needs to check out the people who are aiming to be deacons. Are they believers? What is their reputation in the community? Will they be a credit to the church - will the community have positive or negative impressions of the church because of the life of the deacon in that same community? Do the deacons know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Are they living accordingly?

4 Desireable Character Traits for a Deacons‘ Wife

Vs. 11: - Likewise also their wives must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in every respect.

"wives" - The wives of the deacons are part of the criteria? Wives are not mentioned in the rules for elders (see verses 1-7 above). The roles of deacons and elders/overseers are different. There is the aspect of authority and teaching for the elder position that is not evident for the deacon. The wives of the deacons may be more involved in their husbands 'work' than for the elders. The deacon is dealing with church member needs, and perhaps the informal network of wives will be more aware of needs, than would the men. The women may be co-workers in meeting the needs. If so, the wives should be of the same temperament and moral standing as the deacon husband.

(1) "dignified" - This is the same description as for the deacon. (See 1 Tim. 3:8 above).

(2) "not slanderous" - The wife is not to participate in gossip, especially gossip that damages someone's character. (See: 2 Cor. 12:20; Col. 3:8; Tit. 2:8) The sense of the word is that a 'slanderous' person by opposing God's will is taking the devil's "side" on things. The devil is described as a liar and a slanderer. He is the one who accuses you before God. Jesus is the one who stands for you and declares you innocent. You are His, and no one, not even Satan, can take you away.

Satan says, "Sinner! Loser! Deserving of death!" Jesus says, "I have paid the price. They have believed and placed their trust in Me. They now have My life." God the Father says, "Why, yes they do. Their name is written in the book of life. Enter into My peace. Welcome, child, welcome."

Spreading gossip is slandering people, just as does Satan.

(3) "temperate" - A sober woman, not emotionally, but figuratively. This person does not over-indulge in alcohol (commentaries say moderate use of wine, but I suspect beer and distilled spirits fall into the same category.) Temperate can also mean to be in control of yourself, and capable of devoting your will and actions to accomplish a desired end, serving God and Jesus to further the kingdom. Although that is a valid goal, that word is not the one used here.

(4) "faithful" - That is faithful in all things. This can mean that whatever she is given to do, it gets done. She is dependable for every task. This can also mean that she has accepted and believes that Jesus is the Son of God who came to die for our sins. She has placed her life in His hands.

2 More Desireable Character Traits for Deacons

Vs. 12: - “Deacons must be husbands of one wife and good managers of their children and their own households.”

(7) "one wife" - Back to the characteristics of the deacon, the male part of the equation. This is a simple declarative: married; one man to one woman. In many cultures the idea of one man/one woman marriage is too restrictive. See the discussion of 1 Tim. 3:3 above.

(8) "good managers" - The deacon is to be 'fine, upstanding, citizen'. Not only is his public persona real and respected, but his home - wife and family - is also fine and upstanding. The reputation of this man is known throughout the community.

Vs. 13: - For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

An old aphorism says, “The proof is in the pudding.” The result of a faithful servant will be reflected back from the community and spur others to serve boldly for Christ as well.

"served well" - When the legacy of the deacon is reviewed, it will be apparent. See also 1 Cor. 3:11-15.

"good standing" - Jesus will say to the deacon who has served well, "Well done, My good and faithful servant." (Matt. 25:21,23) See also 1 Cor. 3:11-15. No other declaration need be made.

"great boldness in the faith" - How does serving the believers in the church equate to great boldness in the faith? The deacon is sharing the gospel without needing to go door-to-door, meetting people, or sharing the Four Spiritual Laws. The deacon is sharing the command of Jesus to "Love one another, as I have loved you." (John 13:34) Why does the deacon do these deeds? Because the love of Jesus fills and controls him. As the deacon sees lives changed, his life is filled with joy because he knows that it Jesus working in him and through him. He will not want to stop.

***

1 Tim. 3:1-7 - Rules for Overseers

1 This saying is trustworthy: "If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work."
2 The overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher,
3 not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money.
4 He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity.
5 But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God?
6 He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact.
7 And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil's trap.

Overseers

Vs. 1: This saying is trustworthy: "If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work."

"This saying is trustworthy" - Paul uses this phrase three times in this letter (see verses 1:15 and 4:9). It seems that he was the only apostle that reminded the readers what he was saying was true and could be trusted. I suspect part of this is he was not an original disciple/apostle and had to defend himself against accusations.

This whole paragraph (or maybe one sentence, since it is written by Paul) deals with the local church organization. Paul is not dealing with gifts of the Spirit herein. Any organization will run smoother if the responsibilities for operation are defined. Paul describes two positions in the local church - overseer (also known as elder, or bishop) and deacon.

"aspires" - Reaching out to take hold of this job. This person wants to do the job.

"office of overseer" - When the church first started out, the only people in charge were the apostles. As the church began grow when new believers were added, it became clear the work load was too much for the apostles (see Acts 6:1-6). The message of hope was an immediate draw for people, especially widows, orphans, and the poor. The church began meeting their needs. So much time was being consumed taking care of the believers, the apostles did not have time to pray, study, preach and teach. Seven men were appointed to serve the needs of the church, so the apostles could do their job - teach, preach, and evangelize.

The church spread rapidly out from Jerusalem into neighboring cities, and countries. Paul became the apostle who was called to spread the gospel to the Gentiles. It became quickly obvious there were not going to be enough apostles to preach, teach, and evangelize all of the churches scattered throughout the region. The Holy Spirit gave the spiritual gifts for this very reason - to continue the spread of the gospel to the whole world. Paul includes the gifts of administration in 1 Cor 12:8-10, 28 as part of the list of spiritual gifts for the benefit of the believers.

The church of Jesus Christ is not just to meet spiritual needs. In America at this time, there is an effort (not by churches, mostly) to relegate our religion to just worship in the church on Sunday morning. According to detractors, our faith may be exercised there, and only there. Christians are not to live their faith 'in the world', but be cloistered inside the walls. However, it is clear from reading the book of Acts, and letters from Paul, Peter, and James, the church was to meet the needs, both physical and spiritual of the church community as well as go out into the non-churched world to spread the gospel of peace. The preachers and teachers (also gifts of the Spirit) were not to be taken away from their tasks of showing us the way God wants us to live out our faith.

A collection of people without leaders will devolve into a mess without accomplishing the tasks. People need direction and leadership. This is not a knock on people, We operate better when we know what is expected of us, and when we know when it needs to be done, and in some cases how it is to be done.

The consulting engineering firm where I worked designed the utility infrastructure for factories. We worked with architects to size the building correctly for its purpose. The mechanical engineers developed the water, and air supply, heating and ventilation systems. The electrical engineers developed the distribution for the power into the building and out to the various loads to run the plant. The engineers designed the piping or conduit and wire systems for these functions. The contractors took our designs and built the plant. It was exciting to walk into a plant as it came together and see the systems, whether power, or lighting, or controls, exist in three dimension that the engineer had visualized and put on paper. It is very possible for an owner to go to a contractor and have him build a facility without plans. But one of the benefits of a comprehensive design is the avoidance of interferences between disciplines - interferences are expensive to correct.

It is similar in operating a church body - someone needs to plan and oversee the operation to avoid duplication, or failing to meet a need (again, see Acts 6:1-6).

"desires a good work" - It is a good thing for someone to want the job of elder or overseer. A church may ask a man to do the job. But, he need not accept if he doesn't feel qualified. It is not wrong for a man to want to do the job. This verse seems to say a man may want the job, and seek it out. No false humility is needed or required - acting too humble to offer yourself. The job of elder is never considered to be a 'ruler'. This is a job of service not for the power hungry. The requirements for the job listed later will allow the church to select only those who are suitable.

Vs. 2: The overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher,

16 Desireable Character Traits

The list starts in next six verses (2-7) for the qualities and temperament needed to be an elder.

(1) “above reproach“ - This is a man people trust. He's not a criminal, he doesn't cheat others, doesn't cut corners. This reminds me of what was expected of Caesar's wife - she must have no appearance of impropriety. Psa. 32:2 "... how blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose heart is no deceit."

(2) “husband of one wife” - Simple declarative: married; one man to one woman. I do not know if this would prevent a man who was divorced and is now re-married from being an elder. (A church I attended had this issue. The board of elders could not come to a unanimous decision - some felt the verse was literal "one wife"; he was re-married, therefore, two wives. Kinda makes you go, "Hmmmmmmm." )

“One wife” - I believe God had always intended that as the standard. God expected men and women to be faithful to each other, completely. God is not a polygamist. "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exo. 20:3, Deut. 5:7, Judg. 10:13). The prophets characterized the Jews turning to false gods as adultery - read the prophet Hosea. Jesus was also straightforward about the issue. If a man divorces his wife and marries another, he is committing adultery. (See Matt. 19:9, 10) - Husbands and wives are to be exclusive with each other (talking about sexual relationships) (See 1 Cor. 7:2,3) - There should be no divorce (See 1 Cor. 7:10,11) - Husbands and wives are bound to each other as long as one of them is alive. (See 1 Cor. 7:39). Since the elders and deacons were to be called from the church body of believers, then it is reasonable to guess that one man-one wife would need to be relatively common occurrence. Is it a command?

(3) “temperate“ - A sober man, not emotionally, but figuratively. This person does not over-indulge in alcohol (commentaries say moderate use of wine, but I suspect beer and distilled spirits fall into the same category.) Temperate can also mean to be in control of yourself, and capable of devoting your will and actions to accomplish a desired end, serving God and Jesus to further the kingdom. Although that is a valid goal, that word is not the one used here.

(4) “self-controlled” - A man of sound mind, capable of curbing one's desires and impulses.

(5) “respectable“ - A man who is modest in behavior. People will respect someone who is not wild and wooly, moderate and even-tempered in his behavior.

(6) “hospitable“ - A man who likes having guests in his home.

(7) “able teacher“ - A man who is capable of teaching others about the truths of the love of God.

Vs. 3: - not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money.

(8) "not a drunkard" - This is more emphatic than "temperate", a stronger sense, than 'moderate use of wine". Alcoholics need not apply for overseer, not stoners, nor drug addicts, either. Paul is not expecting an elder to be a teetotaler.

(9) "not violent, but gentle" - The elder is not to be pugnacious, a brawler, a fighter, someone who strikes out at people. Such a ‘violent’ person is a ruder, cruder version of the "self-controlled", or "temperate" man mentioned above. Likewise, this man is not eligible to be an overseer.
An interesting thought to ponder, can a man be an alcoholic or an abuser and no one know about it?

(10) "not contentious (peaceable) " - A man that is not to be argumentative. I think this word is part of the previous type, that is, the opposite of pugnacious, being someone who not only gentle but also not tending to argue and stir things up.

(11) "free from the love of money" - Not greedy. I like the way King James Version (KJV) "not greedy of filthy lucre". A word describes this 'avaricious' - 'an immoderate desire for wealth or gain.'
God wants a man who is even keeled, not veering wildly. James describes it as "like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." We would call him a fine, upstanding citizen, without sarcasm intended. This is someone who may be trusted by both believers and non-believers alike.

Vs. 4: He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity.


(12)"manage his own household" - Again, the aprobrium, 'fine, upstanding, citizen' fits here. Not only is his public persona real and respected, but his home - wife and family - is also fine and upstanding. The reputation of this man is known throughout the community.

(13) "keep his children under control" - Even his teenagers? (Joke.) A person hopes the training given his children will show they caught what you taught. Again, the public will see how your children act. Our children do not always believe that their behavior is a reflection upon the family and their parents. (By the way: our behavior as Christians is a reflection of our life in Christ, and upon Him. Are we under His control? Are we as obstreperous as rebellious teenagers? The world knows, they are watching.) Note that all this is to be done "without losing his dignity." Discipline without embarrassing yourself, or your kids.

Vs. 5: But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God?
"
how will he care for the church of God?" - This is directly tied to the previous verse. Obviously the overseer is not a desk job, not a paper pusher. The office of overseer is one of service to the flock.

Vs. 6: - He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact.

(14) "not be a recent convert" - This is an interesting comment, since when it was written most converts were 'recent'. I will amend that, some churches may have been around for about 20-30 years. But there wasn't the generational legacy you might have in your church. No family Bible with great-grandma's name, or grandma's name written in the fly leaf. Paul is saying that the overseer must be someone who has a personal history of belief and life in Christ. In other words, someone who has been discipled, and is a disciple. The elder must have the maturity to deal with the issues of the body. A new convert will probably not know the people making up the local church, their families, their illnesses, their problems, the interaction with each other.

(15) "arrogant" - A reason for not choosing a new convert to be an elder - pride! We can easily see how this problem would surface. If a man accepts Christ as Lord and Savior, and then quickly is named an elder of the church. He could begin to 'puff up', thinking too highly of himself. Does the new believer understand the power of prayer? Maybe, but perhaps not as well as a seasoned believer. Does he understand living in the power and control of the Holy Spirit? How could he? This is learned habit. Not having these attributes, and being a leader in the church, how cool is that? It is not hard to drift into arrogance in these conditions.

"fall into the punishment" - Interesting! Satan will exact a punishment, and obviously God will let it happen. What would that punishment be? (Note: other translations indicate "the same judgment as the devil." for this phrase.) How's that for a jaw-dropper? Satan lusted to be equal to God. (Isa. 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:14-19) He and his followers rebelled and were ejected from heaven. (Rev. 12:7-9, Luke 10:18). His ultimate location (can't really say 'end', because it is eternal punishment) is the lake of burning sulphur. (Rev. 20:10). His (Satan's) arrogance caused a might schism and war in heaven.
That being said, I find it difficult to believe that a Christian to drifts into arrogance because he was appointed an elder prematurely would be sent to hell. It is much more likely this part of the sentence is saying an elder who thinks more highly of himself than he ought to think (opposite of Rom. 12:3) too easily falls into the same sin as the Devil - pride leading to the sin of self-determination, that is, I don't need God.

Vs. 7: And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil's trap.

(16) “be well thought of" - This is similar to 'beyond reproach" as seen above in verse 2. Psalm 15 has eleven (11) precepts of true religion (living out one's faith):

1 A Psalm of David. O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.
3 He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

"may not fall into disgrace" - The disgrace is to "fall into the devil's trap". It seems the Greek word is for 'snare' like for catching a bird; or "the allurements to sin by which the devil holds one bound". This reminds me of 'The Screwtape Letters' in which Satan's hench-demons (hench-angels doesn't work, or sound right) are encouraged to take a good thing and twist it to keep the believer from living an abundant life. The trap of arrogance is almost always embarrassment. The person is operating as if everything is under his control. The comeuppance will undermine the person in their position, or destroy the witness and effectiveness.

***

1 Tim. 2:9-15 - 'Rules' for Women

9 Likewise the women are to dress in suitable apparel, with modesty and self-control. Their adornment must not be with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothing,
10 but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God.
11 A woman must learn quietly with all submissiveness.
12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. She must remain quiet.
13 For Adam was formed first and then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was fully deceived, fell into transgression.
15 But she will be delivered through childbearing, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control.

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

Whatever I say about the seven verses is probably going to upset someone. This letter was written in a different time and culture, so the relationship of men and women is different than our day and age. The social mores change with each generation and each culture.
On the other hand, we know that "all scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching..." 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. Some scripture is for exhorting believers, some are commands or history. We can agree that some the commands of the Old Covenant no longer apply to believers (e.g., sacrifices, holy days, etc.). Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law. He did that. There are fewer commands in the New Covenant than in the Old.

Do the following verses fall into the 'culture specific' instruction or commands, such as women are second class citizens and should be kept quiet and invisible? Or are these commands to be universally applied, like 'believe and be saved', or 'go in to all the world...'?
It is potentially dangerous deciding which biblical verses are applicable and which are not. It is a path to be tread lightly. When is a command not a command but an applicable guideline? (See the note 1 below.) This ‘smorgasbord religion’ eventually hollows out the foundation of the church; the result is “form without substance”. A decision to be totally literal may also seem plausible, but can lead to bone-headed actions. TV shows or movies similar to “A Year of Living Biblically” point out how silly this is. (BTW: I think that is the reason for the movie - to make the church look silly.) There are commands for the church that do not determine salvation, but instruct us how to live out our salvation. (See: Eph. 2:10; Phi.2:12; Jam. 1:27.)
This passage is very similar to 1 Peter 3:1-6, dealing with basically the same subject with respect to Christian women.

Suitable Attire

So let’s begin:

9 Likewise the women are to dress in suitable apparel, with modesty and self-control. Their adornment must not be with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothing,
10 but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God.

"Likewise" - Some translations use 'also' here. (Either seems to work.) In verse 2:8 previously discussed, Paul instructed all men to pray everywhere, for everyone, and without anger or dispute. Do I think this instruction applies only to men, and not all believers? No, I do not. All of us need to pray for our leaders, for peace. Paul, in the next few verses, addresses women...

He states that a Christian woman should not depend on clothes and jewelry and fancy hair to be 'noticed', but her behavior should be the prominent feature that people notice. Suitable, modest clothes, not expensive clothes, no gold chains, no fancy hairdos, no pearls. Now, to our modern sensibilities this seems harsh. Paul is pretty clear, women are not to draw attention to themselves by their outward appearance.

What does this mean? Are there any similar such admonitions to men? Yes, but a bit more obliquely. James 2:2-4 says that we are not to give preferential treatment to richly dressed people over the poorly dressed. God does not measure a man by his outward appearance. See 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.‘" The people of Israel were looking for a big strapping super-hero type to be king. (They had one such in Saul, and that did not go well.) Jesus also warned against public displays - see Mathew 6:5 - ostentatious displays of piety are hypocritical.

I went to a commentary, "A Leader Led" (see note 2) to help me on these verses. Per this commentary, the command is to avoid vulgar display, whether dressing for church, or as a witness in the world around you. If you say you are a Christian, then let the display come from the heart, not the hairdo. To quote, "These severe words of the apostle are not to be taken as a plea for frumpishness, but as a warning against immodesty and extravagance. Ladies - look nice... be natural." The guidelines are (a) modest apparel, (b) modest behavior, and (c) self-control.

The charm of believers is not how they look, but how they behave (a truism for both men and women). This same message was said by Jesus (Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke 6:45) "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil.” That is the essence of the phrase "who profess a reverence for God." If you have it, you will live it. See James 2:17, 26. James is emphasizing living out your faith, demonstrating your beliefs in the way you treat people, take care of people, meet their needs. It comes from within, and is on display for the world to see. Again, from A Leader Led, "Not what you say, but how you act; not what you profess, but whether you possess; not only that you believe, but that you behave - there lies woman's, or man's true charm."

Women and Church

The following verses, 11-15, are probably more controversial than the previous two... dealing with the subject of women and church. I continue with some fear and trepidation.

Sometimes people say, "I can be Christian without going to church." One of our pastors has said Christianity is not designed for hermits, but for fellowship. We are children of the Lord of the universe, and are to worship together, to fellowship, to sing. Through teaching and preaching we are to encourage and buildup one another. See Heb. 10:23-25, and Rom. 12:5. This issue, the teaching and preaching in church is what is being addressed here. In today's America, with intense emphasis on equality, especially women's rights, these verses are bound to raise hackles. Paul is not addressing a woman's private ministry for the Lord here, but in the public place.

V. 11 A woman must learn quietly with all submissiveness.

"learn quietly" - All believers are to learn, be disciples. The Holy Spirit is given to each of us so we may be taught, and learn. Jesus said in Matt. 11:28, 29 to come to Him, all who are weary and burdened. The Holy Spirit (Advocate, or Helper) is promised to teach us. (John 14:16, 26) He also said to learn from Him. Men and women are to learn from the teachers and preachers, neither men nor women should lag behind the other.

"with all submissiveness" - To simplify somewhat, Paul is telling women to listen and not challenge the teacher/preacher when in public settings. This seems harsh. Part of the harshness is the result of the modern sense of the idea of 'submissive'. It does not mean 'inferior' - we tend to infer that being submissive means giving in to a superior. In the Bible, submissive is positional (however, we are inferior to God, and being submissive to Him is a wise choice). Jesus Christ was submissive to the Father in ceding to His will, but was in no way inferior to God the Father, or the Holy Spirit. See: 1 Cor. 11:3, 15:28. Jesus also said He could only do what the Father told Him to do. John 5:30.

Women are not inferior to men in any way. Both men and women were created in God's image. See: Gen. 1:27. There is no difference in the relationship with God, there is no distinction among the children of God - Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11.

This does not mean women are to sit quietly and do nothing, learn nothing.

Look at all the women in the early church. They were an integral part of Jesus' entourage - the disciples (a.k.a., apostles) and the women. These include Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of Mark - Acts 12:12; Philip's daughters - Acts 21:9; Lydia, in whose house the church met - Acts Acts 16:14-15; Tabitha, who died and Peter brought her back to life so she could continue her work (she was that valuable to the church in Joppa!) - Acts 9:35-42; or Phoebe, mentioned in Rom. 16:1-2. Women in the early church were indispensable to its growth. Women were prophets (prophetesses?) in the early church - Acts 21:29; 1 Cor. 11:13. Apollo was taught by a woman, Priscilla, who (with her husband) brought him into her home to teach him - Acts 18:28. In Paul's letters to the early church believers, women are prominently mentioned as part o the vital growth, see 2 Tim. 1:5 (Timothy's mother and grandmother).

V. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. She must remain quiet.

"do not allow..." - It is said straightforward, women are not to teach men in the church. This does not mean women are not to teach at all. Older women are to teach younger women. See: Titus 2:3,4. Women are to teach the children - their own children as well as others.

"teach, or exercise authority" - We do not always perceive teaching as an authority position, especially in the American church where we tend toward egalitarianism. Yet in our secular schools, we recognize the teacher is the one who knows what needs to be taught. We expect that the best teachers are the ones trained in the subject. (Do you really want a P.E. teacher in the calculus classroom? Assuming the P.E. teacher in this example was not a mathematics major in college.) We expect the teacher to instruct us on what is right, to call us out and show us what we are doing wrong. That requires some authority. The spiritual gift of teaching is not a degree you pick up, either in school or on-line. The Holy Spirit dispenses the gifts to each of us for the common good - 1 Cor. 12:7.

And therein lies a dilemma for us. Does the Holy Spirit give the gift of teaching only to men? NO. And if women are gifted as are men, what is the problem? It appears that it not a matter of “ability, or gifting, but of roles and responsibilities. The issue is the matter of function, not inferiority or superiority of either sex. The roles of men and women are different. God has given each a role to fill in the church and we do best when we are in that role, or function.” (See note 3)

Example: Adam and Eve

V. 13 For Adam was formed first and then Eve.
V. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was fully deceived, fell into transgression.

The reason why. Some commentaries indicate Paul (or, God through Paul) hass removed this issue of cultural bias as presented by . In most ancient cultures, women were not equal to men, in almost every way. In pagan religions the role of the woman was either non-existent, or worse, as a temple prostitute. Even today there are religions in which the women have no rights, other than to do what their husbands or fathers tell them (See: Islam). Even in ancient Judaism women were not fully involved in the faith. Yet there are plenty of instances where they played a vital role in the Old Testament, - see: Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther, Deborah, etc.).

It is in the New Testament that, maybe for maybe the first time, women have equal standing before the Lord. That includes equal standing on earth - women could make their own decision to believe and be saved; women were not shunned or denied access to Jesus. See in Samaria (John 4:5-29). Jesus spoke to the woman at the well first. She was a Samaritan, with a somewhat dubious reputation. She believed in Him, and went to fetch the men of the city, saying she had found the one for whom they were waiting.

"Adam was formed first, and then Eve." - This is the basic reason that God has placed men in the position of authority over women. Simply: Adam was created first. Eve second. See: Gen.1:27; 2:18-25. This a hierarchy established by God. (Does this mean that animals have a position ahead of humans because they were created first in the Genesis story? I think not. Animals were not created in God's image. Animals were not given a soul.) In most commentaries, this is why the question is not one of cultural bias. Christians can fall into a "The Bible said it. That settles it," attitude. That can be dangerous, as it calcifies the thought process, rejects reasoning and searching out the truth.
Just as Jesus subjected Himself to the will of God - Phil. 2:5-11 - God has laid out a hierarchy of man-woman, husband-wife. The church is the bride of Christ. We are subject to Him (plus, He is God and all things are subject to Him). We do not exercise any authority over Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. (I am NOT saying that men have the same authority over women as Jesus and the church. I think that would be blasphemy.) In fact, there are areas in which men should tread lightly, such as in management of the home. It seems that God has indicated that the woman is in charge in the home, the household and children. See Proverbs. Do not go too far with that concept. We are not to be autocratic in our endeavors. We are not in control, only the Lord is in control of all things.

"Adam was not deceived... she was fully deceived." - The second line of reasoning is here. (Remember, 'All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness' - 2 Tim. 3:16 - it is in the Bible for our edification.) Sin came into the world, and is passed on to each human born, because Adam walked into it, eyes only, knowing fully he was commanded not to do it. See: Rom. 5:12, 15. We are inheritors of Adam's sin. Eve also sinned, but she was fully deceived. Does that mean she gets a kings-x? No. She shares in the curse placed on humankind as the result of sin. She fell into sin first, before Adam, but she was gullible and deceived. Adam made the decision. Knowing it was wrong, he did it anyway. I will not try to impute a reason or motive for the guideline God has laid out. Throughout the Bible, God has placed men as priests, and in the church - apostles, preachers, teachers, elders or deacons for the public teaching of doctrine, and shepherding the body of believers.

V. 15 But she will be delivered through childbearing, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control.

"delivered through child-bearing..." - And here we go - stepping into another mine field. This does not mean that a woman is saved by having babies ('barefoot and pregnant', or so to speak). If that were so, why would a woman need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? She would not. The more babies she delivers, the better she is saved. This is the worst kind of 'works'.
Or, does this mean that women are saved because the Savior was born, a woman delivered the Savior into the world? That concept does not work (for me anyway). Besides, only one woman did that. How does that save all the others who did not give birth to Jesus Christ? What about all the women who lived before Mary? Would her ‘work’ reflect backward to Eve? Don’t think so.
I think 'A Leader Led' puts it quite nicely. Rather than 'saved' in the evangelical sense, she is saved from 'spiritual uselessness' (which some say verses 11-14 would condemn her). A mother can care for the children's spiritual welfare as no one else can. She takes care of their physical needs, and by teaching the gospel, by disciplining them she can raise up children who walk in the way. See: 3 John 4. And if she teaches other young mothers, or teaches in Sunday school she can have an effect for the Kingdom of God 'that is beyond measure.' This concept is similar to the 'work out your salvation' in Phil. 2:12, which is not a verse saying you can work your way to heaven. Your salvation is demonstrated by how you live, how you serve, how you work. This theme of works show your salvation is repeated throughout the epistles. See James and 1 John.

***

Note 1: Rules versus guidelines: Our sermon this Sunday was titled “More Like Guidelines’, based on Luke 5:17-6:11. Luke gives us the account of Jesus being confronted by the religious leaders. Their system had become rigid, and they could not ‘see’ Jesus as the Messiah. Even miracles could not convince them, because He had ‘violated’ one of their religious rules. They had forgotten the Law could flex in order to meet human need.
The command - barring women form teaching and preaching in the church - seems like one of those rigid rules. This is one of those commands which does NOT have any effect upon salvation. Salvation is based on belief and faith in Jesus Christ - His birth, life, death and resurrection. I know there situations in a local church where a woman may be the best, or only teacher. Should she be barred from teaching based on this command. I don’t know the answer. We should turn to the Lord in prayer and supplication for Him to lead us in the proper direction. This command concerns the church community, not salvation. I don’t think it should be taken lightly. However, as John states, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) This is the test for whomever would be a teacher - male or female. I am not comfortable saying we can ignore Paul’s command with respect to women preaching in the church. I am also not entirely comfortable being rigid about the matter. The local church leaders must pray and ask the Lord for leadership.

***

Note 2: Guy H. King. A Leader Led. Christian Literature Crusade. 1962.
Note 3: N. Geisler. Systematic Theology, Vol. 4. Bethany House Publishers. 2005.
END OF CHAPTER

1 Tim. 2:5-8 - We Have A Mediator

5 For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God's purpose at his appointed time.
7 For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle - I am telling the truth; I am not lying - and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
8 So I want the men to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.

Christ the Mediator

Vs. 5 For there is one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, himself human,

"One God... One Intermediary... Jesus" - This is one of those amazing facts: We do not need to face God based on our own accomplishments. A Secret Service agent willingly takes a bullet to protect our president. Jesus Himself is between us and the penalty for our sins. We cannot face God and His justice on our own merits. God is not cruel and vindictive, but His holiness is so perfect, so bright, so intense.
We read in the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego - the furnace fire was so hot the guards who threw them in the furnace were killed by the intense heat. (See Daniel 3) God's glory is like that, but even more!
In Exodus 33:18-23 - Moses asks to see God's glory. The response: no one can see God's glory and live! Remember, Moses had a long running relationship with the Lord, spent time with Him, talked with Him, pleaded and argued with Him. Yet, God protected Moses from his ignorance. Moses thought he knew and understood God, and wanted to see Him in all His glory.
This theme is repeated in the New Testament - "No man has seen God at any time..." 1 John 4:12. But then, yet, when we see God, when we see Jesus, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. We will see God, face to face (Rev. 21:3,4, 1 John 3:1-3), because of what Jesus has done for us by His life, His death, and His resurrection.

Vs. 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God's purpose at his appointed time.

"gave himself" - Jesus was not coerced. He was not a prisoner, condemned to death, and killed against his will. See also: John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38, 39; Phil. 2:5-11.

"as a ransom" - The human race has been 'kidnapped' by sin. We are held captive by sin. We cannot escape it, since it is in our DNA. Just like the color of your eyes, or hair, or skin, you have no choice in the matter. The sin nature is inherited from Adam and Eve. They sinned against God (this is where the term 'original sin' originates), and the stain and penalty is passed on to all the rest. There is no genetic modification that can be done by doctors or scientists that will erase the penalty of death. The ‘death’ being discussed here is not physical death, as horrible as that may be. This is the 'second death' - the penalty is eternal separation from God. Your soul and spirit, the eternal part of you, will be totally conscious and aware of the separation.
This state of being is not annihilation, or simple cessation and nothingness. It is being painfully aware of the gloriousness of God the Father, and that you are not there. How can we say this? See Rev. 20:11-15 - Those whose name is not registered in the 'Book of Life' (Book of Life = people who have believed and trusted in Jesus as Savior) are individually acknowledged and notified of their fate. Vizualize standing there before God: You see His glory, He is on the throne, all else is 'blown away', and then the sentence is pronounced. Immediately you are gone from there. How horrible is this? You see God for who He is, for how perfect and holy, how loving - and you must live with this for eternity! This is nothing like 'parting is such sweet sorrow'. This is eternal realization that you could have been with God in His presence, in His glory and your choice to go another way resulted in separation from that.

"revealing God's purpose" - This is what the universe has been waiting for - how God was going to redeem the universe from the stain of sin. How will He redeem the fall? It is 'simple'. The penalty for sin is death. The price for that penalty was paid in full by God Himself.

Paul Called to be an Apostle

Vs. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle - I am telling the truth; I am not lying - and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

"For this" - The reason Paul was doing what he was doing: to preach and teach Gentiles about faith in Jesus Christ. This statement points both forward and back. Forward: Paul is a preacher, a teacher, and an apostle. Back: He was called is to spread the message of Jesus Christ, the Savior - the only mediator that stands between us and God Almighty. What does a mediator do? Reconciles differences between disputants. (Think negotiations between labor unions and companies, or between two people going through a divorce.) The mediator comes up with a solution to the problem between the two groups. You may ask, "Why do we need a mediator? Why would a good God condemn someone to hell?"
The answer is - He does not. We condemn ourselves. God the Father has provided a means to salvation. We don't have to work for it, earn it, beg for it, sacrifice virgins in volcanoes. There is an unbridgeable gulf yawning between us and God. You can't build a bridge over it. One of the most amazing bridges I have seen is the one near Hoover Dam. It crosses the Colorado river just downstream from the dam (it will provide a much easier drive than the one across the top of the dam) and spans from one cliff to the cliff on the other side. Both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Verrazano Narrows are spectacular. But none of these will get you close to God's forgiveness. We have walked on the moon, over two-hundred-thousand miles from earth. But no rocket booster will bridge the gap between us and God. Only Jesus and His sacrifice does it. See John 3:36 “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God's wrath remains on him.” Our sin is the reason for God's judgement (aka: wrath).

"appointed" - Many can preach and teach. Not everyone can be an apostle of Jesus Christ. Also, teaching and preaching can be volunteer positions, apostleship is not, exactly. Look at Paul's personal journey to his calling (Acts, chaps 7-9). We can see Paul was NOT seeking such a position. God called him to this job - taking the gospel to the Gentiles - and Paul responded positively.
Ponder the choice of Paul as the missionary to the Gentiles. Could there be a worse choice than a devout, proud Jewish scholar to go to people shunned by the Jews? He had nothing in common with these 'strangers', and according to some of the Jewish teaching, should not even come in contact or touch a Gentile. They were 'unclean', spiritual lepers, or so to speak. On the other hand - who better than Paul? If anyone had an inside lane to God, it would be Paul - a devout, proud Jewish scholar. He personally discovered how far away he was from peace with God. If Paul could not bridge that gap, he knew that no one, absolutely no one, would escape the wrath unless the price could be paid. The prophet Micah puts it mildly: ”we will bear His indignation because of our sin against Him.” But He will plead our case and bear the judgement. Micah 7:9 We don't have to find a defense attorney, we don't have to try to prove our innocence. Jesus steps in. He provides the defense. He bears the justice required. We get to see the light and the righteousness of the Lord without fear and trembling.

"I am not lying" - Paul uses this phrase as an answer to challenges to his bona fides. He also uses 'trustworthy' to bolster his message. Paul was teaching and preaching to people who had no concept of a God who save them because He loved them. In the Greek and Roman culture the gods were capricious and sometimes cruel. They must be mollified or they would rain down pain and terror. Appeasement was the norm. Paul was defending himself and his appointment. He was also telling these new believers the message of their salvation is true, the one teaching and preaching is true.

Vs. 8 So I want the men to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.

"pray" - Everywhere! Everyone! This takes us back to verse 1, where Paul urges prayer for all peoples, even for kings.

"without anger or dispute." - Does our anger or arguing with others (it makes little sense to argue with God!) hinder our communication with God? Does He not “hear” our prayers if we are angry or disputatious with other believers. This indicates Yes, our prayers are hindered by our anger. Whoa! My anger, my unforgiving attitude (my sin) towards others means I am not filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. If not filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, how can I be praying within God's will for my life? God is waiting for me to confess my sin, repent and be controlled by the Holy Spirit. (See 1 John 1:9)

***

1 Tim. 2:1-4 - Pray!

1 First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people,
2 even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
3 Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior,
4 since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Pray for a Peaceful Life

Vs. 1: - “First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people,”

"First of all, then..." - Now Paul gets down to business, having earlier reminded Timothy why he is in Ephesus. Timothy is to be the preacher, teacher, exhorter for Christian living. The problem: Some people in the church have their information all wrong. Paul begins to lay out the teaching that needs to be done.

"requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks" - Pray for all people. Paul is urging the believers to pray for all people, and gives a list of prayers:

1. requests - essentially asking for stuff
2. prayers - lifting these people up to God, or for God to move on their behalf
3. intercessions - asking for God's mercy or help on their behalf
4. thanks - always be ready to thank God for what He has done, or for Who He is.

What is the difference there is between prayers and intercessions? In both cases, you are asking God for something. I feel that “requests” are for things, “prayers” and “intercessions” are for others. When a person asks you to pray for them, you are offering up a “prayer”. There are instances when a person cannot ask God for themselves, or maybe even don't know they need to ask God. I think we “intercede” for others in those situations.

"behalf of all people" - Leave no one out. This does not mean launching up prayer balloons, "Dear God, please bless everybody." We are to pray for those we know, or know of - people you work with, people in your church, people with whom you golf, or play pinochle.

Vs. 2: - “even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.“

"even for kings..." - Put this in your thinking cap "Pray for all people - even for kings..." Not only are we to pray for people we know; pray also for the leaders of your country ("all who are in authority"). Suppose for a moment the governor of your state is not a believer, or is dishonest or immoral (that would never happen, right?!). Are we to pray for him or her? What about a mayor that is anti-Christian - pray for him as well? What if the President of the United States is making decisions that may bring harm to the church, or other believers - pray for him?
Yes. We are to pray for them. When I say, "Pray for him" I mean pray for his peace, his safety, that he might have wisdom. Never, ever pray for bad things to happen to your leaders - especially if they are bad leaders. Instead, pray that the leader may respond to God’s leading. A country, a state, a county, or a city all become unstable when a leader falls.
Remember when John F. Kennedy was assassinated? Our country was in shock and mourning for months, even years. Remember the kerfuffle when Ronald Reagan was shot in an assassination attempt and Alexander Haig was 'In charge'? More recently think back to 9/11 - our country staggered for a months with the grief and anger. The President led us through and out of that.
Instability in a country's leadership can lead to anarchy. Anarchy is never good! Loss of authority, police and government, means that gangs and criminals take over. There is no peace.

"lead a peaceful and quiet life" - this is why you pray for all who are in authority - so you can lead a quiet life. It is so much easier living your life when you don't have to fear that gangs will invade and destroy your family. Life is good when you don’t worry about the government bashing in your door. A peaceful and quiet life includes taking your kids or grandkids to soccer games, going to movies, to church. What a great opportunity to share your faith when you are living in peace. We forget that here in the United States. We take living in peace for granted. We haven't had war in our land since 1865. The wars we've fought have been 'over there'. We've been attacked - Pearl Harbor, also 9/11 - but haven't had the ravages of war on our homeland. I think we are complacent, floating along happily.

"in all godliness and dignity." - This is the goal for the peaceful life - that you may exhibit godliness and dignity as you go. How do you understand 'godliness' and 'dignity'? What do these mean to you? What are the qualities of godliness? Of dignity?
To start off, you should be the polar opposite of the qualities Paul lists in chapter 1 verses 9-10. Looking at the list of lying, killing, immorality, and irreverence, etc., it doesn't look too hard to pull off!

'dignity' - This does not mean ‘straight-laced, sober and sad’. It does not mean acting superior, or stiff-necked. It also indicates we are not to be flippant, or sarcastic, in braggadocio, or de-mean people, but to live in quiet confidence.

Vs. 3: - “Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior,”

"good and welcomed" - Do you ask yourself why are these prayers labeled good and welcomed by God? I mean, aren't all prayers welcomed? (Okay, I know you can think of prayers that might not be good. That is not the point.) The answer is in the next verse. I think we may be unwilling to pray for someone with whom we are not happy - politicians, mayors, governors, presidents. God wants you place the needs and concerns of others above your own. The pop culture saying, "You must take care of yourself first..." is not the Christian way. When we can begin to pray in earnest for our leaders and people in authority it shows we are willing to obey and put the needs of others first.

So All May Be Saved

Vs. 4: - “since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

"since He wants all people to be saved..." - Here's the pay off for our prayers. We are to pray for our leaders, so there will be peace in the land, so we may share our faith in Christ, giving opportunity for people to hear and believe. See Rom. 10:14 - they can't believe if they haven't heard. They can't hear the gospel if we don't preach it. We can't preach it in turmoil and anarchy. (Again - I know that people are saved in turmoil and anarchy. I don't think this is saying that people will only come to Christ if the land is at peace.)
More people can be reached with the gospel if we are free and living in peace in our communities. It is much more difficult to get the gospel out there if we are in jails, or compounds, or refugee camps, or fleeing for our lives. The martyr's witness is definitely a powerful one. The witness of a believer to his neighbors, by action and word is also powerful. And we can reach more people. Hence, pray for peace and stable government so you can be out there sharing the Good News.
The other side of this coin is that when people are 'fat and happy' they may be 'inoculated' to the gospel, seeing no need for salvation. These really need to hear the gospel message, because they live in the delusion that all is well. We rationalize 'they just think they are happy; they really are not that happy." People are content with their lives, and don’t see a need for a fulfilled life. We can help them see Christ will give them peace for a fulfilled and abundant life. The Four Spiritual Laws said it well - "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." We tend to grade ourselves on a curve, and think we are much better than we really are. Leading people to see there is a vast, unbridgeable gulf between us and the perfect and holy God will bring them from indifference to repentance.

"knowledge of the truth" - There are so many “truths” out there - so many false truths. A quote from one of my favorite comic strips, "Get Fuzzy", is by Bucky the Cat, "Facts are for those who can't make up their own truth." Recently a celebrity spoke of “telling your truth.” Several pundits noted there is no such thing as “your truth”, there are only facts and opinions. If you tell the facts you are speaking the truth. If you do not like the facts and try to explain them away, you are not telling the truth, but offering you opinion.
The beauty of Christianity is that we need neither make up facts or our truths. These are the facts: Jesus Christ came to earth, lived a sinless life, was crucified (died for our sins), was resurrected, appeared to us, and ascended to glory in heaven. Paul spells this out in 1 Cor. 15:3-4 - "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." The phrase 'according to the scriptures’ is not referring to scripture record, or history, but to scriptural prophecy.
We are told that the Savior was coming. We are told He would suffer for our offenses. We are told He will return for us. He Himself told us He came to save us, and there is no one else who can or was willing to do it. See John 14:6 - "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'" This the truth: He came. He died. He is risen. (He is risen indeed.) He is in heaven preparing a place for us. No other person can make that claim. See Acts 4:12 - "For salvation is found in no one else. There is no name under heaven, given to men, by which they must be saved."

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1 Tim. 1:18-20 - Timothy reminded of his calling

18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle,
19 having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith.
20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

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vs. 18 “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle,“

“Timothy, my son” - See verse 2, this chapter. This is a personal letter of exhortation and instruction to a close friend rather than to churches in towns or regions.

"prophecies previously made" - These are not recorded in the Scripture, nor by whom. Paul knows Timothy was called to be a leader of the church. A “Calling” is much more than being appointed to serve. God places a “need to be there” in the heart. Mature fellow believers can confirm the person “called” is ready and willing. Secular examples are authors who are compelled to write by an inner drive, or musicians who are compelled to play and perform music. God places this same type of desire and drive in the spirit of those called to serve.

"strongly engage in battle," - Some translations read “fight the good fight.” We are in a spiritual war. (See Eph. 6:12, and other verses.) Satan hates God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Because of that enmity, he hates Christians. Not all non-believers feel animosity toward believers. Some do. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, it is because it hated me first.” (John 15:18) Why does the world hate Jesus? He said, “... because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil." (John 7:7) The Apostle John also wrote “See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God's children - and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.“ (1 John 3:1) Jesus will be with us and protect so ”that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us." (See: Luke 1:71; Psa. 106:10)

vs. 19 “having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith.“

"having faith and good conscience" - See also 1 Tim. 1:5. Some translations read “keeping faith...” Paul is encouraging Timothy about two things - stay true to the gospel, and do not do things for which you will have to rationalize. Paul is reminding Timothy that the “ends do not justify the means.” Remain faithful in this spiritual battle.
This would seem obvious - do not do morally questionable things to defend the gospel. For example: Do not tell lies in order to defeat enemies of the gospel. Do not spread malicious gossip in order to denigrate the character of people who oppose the message of Christ. We do not need to defend Jesus Christ’s reputation. Our reputation is to be spotless as we spread the Gospel. Let our consciences be clear! “Clear” or “good” means no conflict with the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is convicting us, it is sin, and no amount of negotiation will make it not sin. We must operate in the power and control of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

“Which some have rejected” - What an interesting turn of phrase! Think about this. There are people in the church whose motivation will use any means available to blunt the message of salvation and abundant life. They do not want to keep to the gospel - Jesus came to seek and save the lost. They don’t mind leading people away from Jesus into a religion of “works”. I have heard a comment, “Christianity is not a belief in a system, but a belief in a person.”
I have been watching “The Crown” (on Netflix) which is about Queen Elizabeth II. The queen and her cadre of advisors continually worry about the behavior of the royal family and the damage scandals would do to the reputation of the queen and the government. They KNOW that damage to the reputation of the royal family can damage the ability to rule, and therefore to the nation. In the same way, our behavior supports or harms the reputation of the church, and therefore of the Lord.

"suffered the shipwreck of their faith" - You may crash your ship of life into rocks and be lost if you stray from the gospel. (Jesus crucified. Jesus resurrected! Jesus saves!) See: 1 Cor. 15:3-4. Good navigation requires the correct information. Whether you're in a car driving through Los Angeles or Seattle, or on an ocean ship you need to know where you are and where you need to be. A wrong turn can cause you to enter the wrong harbor. A wrong turn can put you in a neighborhood you have no business visiting.
I read a book about the development of accurate portable clocks for ships. Sailors had been able to determine their latitude for centuries by sighting on stars thanks to the development of the astrolabe. Knowing where you were longitudinally was much more difficult. It required precise knowledge of the time of day. Being a few minutes off meant you would miss the harbor entrance, or river entrance. An Englishman made a clock that would work on a ship. Pendulum clocks - the most accurate clocks at that time - don't perform well on pitching, rolling ships!). The British Admiralty required a demonstration. During the ‘field’ test run, the timepiece saved the fleet from crashing into a false harbor. This amazing instrument, adopted for use, was one of the reasons the British Navy became dominant on the seas. (See Note 1)
One time I was in Los Angeles for a seminar, and driving from the airport to the hotel, I misunderstood the instruction from the GPS unit, and took the wrong off-ramp. The GPS was able to guide me back to the correct freeway and to the motel.
In another incident, a co-worker and I were in Philadelphia without a GPS. We got lost on the way to Valley Forge. We ended up in an area (I think it was called Strawberry Hill). It was Sunday morning and there was almost no one on the streets except a few people going to church. We stopped at a gas station to buy a map. When we turned in the rental car at the airport, the agent asked if we had a nice stay and where had we gone. We described our adventure. She was appalled and asked, "What were white boys like you doing in that area?" We had no idea we were in a ghetto until she explained it to us.
If you do not have the correct information you can end up where you don't want to be. This is true in your spiritual life as well as travels.

vs. 20 “Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.”

- "Hymanaeus and Alexander" - Almost nothing is known about these guys - other than they strayed from the gospel preached by the Apostles. They are also noted in 2 Tim. 2:17, 18. Almost nothing is known about their heresy. The best guess by some scholars is that these were among the first of the Gnostics. From Second Timothy they may have been telling people there was no hope for their resurrection from the dead, because it had already happened and they missed it! This is serious - no resurrection, no eternal life! This background information is pretty sketchy. The problem was serious, and Paul knew enough to censure them.

"delivered them to Satan..." This can't be good. There's no good way to look at this. It is not at all clear what this means. Several commentaries indicated this means 'excommunication' - expelling them from the church (See also: 1 Cor. 5:5). Putting them out of the church into the world - the domain of Satan - may be the meaning. I am not sure how kicking them out 'teaches' them not to blaspheme. How do they learn the truth when they are not where they can hear or learn the truth? Some indicated the delivering might also mean physical illnesses imposed upon them. (Again, this is supposition, with no information to buttress that.)
I can understand not wanting them in the church, teaching false doctrine. Asking them to leave until they get it right also makes sense. "I'm kicking you out of the church until you come to your senses" sounds a lot less scary than "I'm giving you to Satan." The purpose of this action is not just punishment for their actions, but to get them to repent - to “save their souls” (Again, 1 Cor. 5:5) By the way, this has been a troublesome turn of phrase since it was written and discussed by Christian scholars. I checked Ungers Bible Dictionary and Matthew Henry's Commentary, and a couple other commentaries - and it still isn't clear to me.

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Note 1: Sobel, Dava. Longitude. Walker Books. 2005.
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END OF CHAPTER