Instructions For Praying For Men and Women

INTRO

In chapter 2, Paul addresses the issue of having balance within the church (1 Corinthians 14:40). Remember, Paul was pouring into his young apprentice Timothy, who was pastor of the church in Ephesus, instructing him how to do that.

TEACHING

1 Timothy 2:1-4: In verse 1, Paul established the priority of prayer: “First of all, then, I urge…”, then he outlines four types of prayer—petitions (or supplications), prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone, not just themselves. Wiersbe differentiates between these four:

• Supplications as “offering a request for a felt need.”
• Prayers are “an act of worship, not just an expression of our wants and needs . . . reverence in our hearts as we pray to God.”
• Intercessions are when we draw near to God on behalf of others. “It suggests that we enjoy fellowship with God so that we have confidence in Him as we pray.”
• Thanksgivings “not only give thanks for answers to prayer, but for who God is and what He does for us in His grace.”¹

Paul explains “everyone” (v. 1b) that was to be included in prayer—he mentions kings and those in authority (v. 2a). That means that we are to pray for President Trump and all those who represent us in government. Our prayers should not be about taking sides or praying only for those with whom we agree, but should be for everyone. Think about what the authority did to Paul—imprisonment, execution—and yet he prayed for them! Why do we pray? Because it allows us to live tranquil, godly lives. I challenge you to stop posting negative things about people, and pray for them instead. I challenge you to pray for the deacons and ministers on your church staff, even if you disagree with them. Paul describes this kind of prayer as good and pleasing to God (v. 3). We pray for God’s will to be done, which is for everyone to be saved (John 3:16) and understand the truth of Christ’s death on the cross (1 John 2:2; 4:14).

1 Timothy 2:5–7: Paul explains why we can talk to the Father—because Christ is Our Mediator. He goes between us and God on our behalf (v. 5). Our Mediator gave Himself as our ransom, which was a testimony at God’s proper time. In the Old Testament, Job wrote there was no one who could intervene for him with God (Job 9:33). To some extent, Moses took that role for the Israelites (Galatians 3:19). In verse 6, Jesus can do that for us because He paid that price for us with His life— “a ransom for all” (Matthew 20:28). Paul stated that for these purposes he was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher for the Gentiles (v. 7).

1 Timothy 2:8–15: In 1 Corinthians 11:4–5, Paul stated both men and women should pray. Both men and women prayed in the early church. Verse 10 does not contradict the 1 Corinthians 11 passage. Rather, Paul was establishing order for prayer in the church. In every prayer they prayed, men were to lift up “holy hands” without anger or argument (v. 8). Throughout Scripture, people are seen in various positions—standing with outstretched hands (1 Kings 8:22), standing (Luke 18:11), kneeling (Daniel 6:10), sitting (2 Samuel 7:18), bowing the head (Genesis 24:26), falling on the ground (Genesis 17:3), and lifting the eyes (John 17:1). Those postures express what the person is feeling. What is most important is not the posture of the body but the posture of the heart.²

Paul outlines three requirements for prayer: “holy hands,” which means living a holy life; “without anger,” which means to be “on good terms with one another”; and without “argument, which means without “disputing” or having “open disagreements with others.”³

In verses 9–10, Paul explains the requirements for women—to dress modestly and decently, without elaborate hairstyles, jewelry, or expensive clothes. Instead, they are to be clothed in good works that show “the true values of godly character and Christian service.”⁴ Further, women are to learn in silence with full submission (v. 11). Wiersbe explains the word silence is a poor translation of the Greek word. The same Greek word is translated as “peaceable” in 1 Timothy 2:2. Paul’s instructions were because “some of the women abused their newfound freedom in Christ and created disturbances in the services by interrupting.”⁵ Further, “submission” can be best understood as “recognizing God’s order in the home and the church, and joyfully obeying it.”⁶ Submission is about a rank under authority and order, not value or worth. There are seasons when children submit to the parents, when employees submit to their bosses, when citizens submit to their government. Jesus submitted to the Father. This model God has put in place doesn’t mean we’re less than another person, but it allows order within the body of Christ.

Before we look at verse 12, I want to remind you we have had very few controversial passages in Revive School. If you do not agree, don’t quit Revive School. I am just trying to communicate from my experience what the Bible says. If you do not agree, that is fine!

In verse 12, Paul said he did not allow women to teach men or have authority over them. Paul outlines how older women should teach younger women (Titus 2:3–4) and how Timothy had been taught by women in his home (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). Women had an unbelievable ministry in the Bible. Think of the women who were at the cross and those at the empty tomb. Think of Lydia, Priscilla, and Dorcas. In Romans 16, Paul greeted at least six women by name, and Phoebe actually delivered a divine letter. Women clearly have a role in communicating in the church.

In verses 13–14, Paul gave his reasons why he gave these instructions to women. First, Adam was created before Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but Eve was and transgressed (sinned). there was deception because there was a violation of God's given orders. But women will be saved through childbearing and in faith, love, and holiness with good judgement (v. 15). The Savior was “born of a woman” (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:34–35; Galatians 4:4).

CLOSING

Slow down and process what is Paul saying here to Timothy. If you are okay with prayer, with petition, intercessions, and giving thanks, what is the rest of the text portraying. I am by no means dimensioning the role a women can have. There are qualities of my wife that she is an unbelievingly strong leader in the Lord. God is using her in an incredible way, just as he can use any women here. Just please do it according to scripture and in order. It is a hard line to walk, but my prayer is that you ask Holy Spirit to show you what this text is saying.