1 Timothy 2

1 -2

First of all, I encourage you to make requests and prayers and intercession with thanksgiving for all men ...and for all kings, and for all who are in authority so that we can lead a life of peace and quiet with godliness and respect.

The two main jobs of the pastor are to be in the Word and to be in prayer.

We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. Acts 6:4

Paul says, “first of all” which shows us that prayer is the place to start.

There are no prayer experts -just pray! If there is not much prayer in your life then there is not much fire in your spirit.

If a church teaches detailed Bible messages, but there is no prayer, then there will be a lot of light with no heat. If we only pray for ourselves, then prayer or concern for others becomes unimportant to us.

This would include praying for evil men like Nero.  It is a proven fact that when Christians pray for their brothers and sisters in prison, there is less bad treatment of them.

As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11

God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.” Romans 10:21

3 – 4

This is the right way to pray in the eyes of God, our Savior. Whose purpose is that all men should be saved and come to know the truth.

Calvin said that this verse means God is only talking about saving all “nations,” and not all men. He said that anyone who disagrees with his idea is dreaming. The word “nations” is not in this verse.

Calvin did not see that God's plan to save those who come to Him when He calls them does not mean that He planned ahead of time to send certain ones to hell.

See 2 Peter 3:9.

5. For there is only one God and one middle-man between God and men, Jesus Christ, who was Himself human.

Some people speak or share a word as if they were taking the place of Jesus and His Word.

Any church that teaches that we must come to God through anyone besides Jesus Christ is teaching false doctrine. Some ministries give the impression that their leader is so important that he stands between God and man - be careful of these ministries.

Job cried out in his trouble, wishing for someone like Jesus to stand between man and God.

There is no middle-man between us, who might lay his hand on us both. Job 9:33

6 – 7

He gave Himself as a ransom for all men as a testimony in their own time. This is the reason that I was given the assignment, as an apostle, to be a teacher for the Gentiles to believe and know the truth.  I am serious.  I am not lying about this.

The life of Jesus completed all the prophecies about the Messiah.  His death is a witness to all men, in their own lives, in all of history.

8. I want men everywhere to pray while lifting up clean hands without arguing or imaginations.

We should not come to God while we are holding something that is not clean in our hands.

9. Also, women should be dressed using common sense. Their clothing should be modest while thinking seriously about how they are dressing. The church is not the place to show off your hairstyle, or your jewelry, or expensive clothes.

Women can be modern and modest at the same time. Do you want to point men to Christ or to look at your body?

Do not come to church as if you were dressed for a party.  Chrysostom

10. They should show their faith by the way they live, and by the way they serve others.

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.[fn] She was full of good works and acts of charity. Acts 9:36

All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. Acts 9:39

She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. Proverbs 31:20

Having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. 1 Timothy 5:10

11. A woman should humble herself, and allow herself to be taught while she listens quietly.

Jewish teachers did not teach women, so how were they to be taught in the Word? It is time for men to take responsibility to be in the Word every day with their wives.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water of the Word. Ephesians 5:25 – 26

If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home. 1 Corinthians 14:35

12. I do not allow women to teach men or to be in authority over men but to listen quietly.           

This verse has been used to teach that women are not to say anything in the church.  The only thing we can see for sure is that a woman is not to teach or take complete authority over a man.  God wants men to lead and the best way to get men to lead is to leave them in the hands of God.

It makes good sense to see women teaching women because they face the same things. Titus 2:3 – 4

13. Because Adam was created first and then Eve.

Men were given more strength than women so that they could protect and provide for the family.  Too many times, men give the idea that the most important thing is to be strong.  God created a woman to provide balance.  A woman has stronger emotions and she sees that people's feelings are important.  The devil used Eve's feelings to create a trap for her.  Evil men also play with a women's feelings to create a trap for them.

14. It was Eve, and not Adam, who was the first one to be deceived and fall into sin but she is saved.

If Adam would have been with Eve he could have protected her. He was not tricked, but rebelled with his eyes open.

If you could see a Bible scroll, you would see that all the letters are pushed together with no punctuation. Some Bible teachers agree that the words “she is saved” go along with verse 14. 

This view gives us a balance to see that Eve was saved even though she was deceived.  It also shows that there is no reason to teach the false idea that women are saved by having babies, which is the way some teachers translate verse 15. See 2  Corinthians 11:3.

15. Women who are walking in faith and love, set apart from the world with modesty, will come safely through childbirth.

Jesus took the curse of sin on the cross.  There is no more curse for those who are covered by His blood.

Genesis 3:16 does not say that having children is a curse!  It says that there will be pain added.

I will surely add your pain in childbearing; in pain you will give birth. Genesis 3:16

Child care is ministry not a punishment – what if we had no mothers?  Who else would be the first friend we had in our lives?

Who else would teach us teach us the basics of how to live and how to take care of ourselves?  What a privilege to be a mother!  When a man has to do this job, he finds out what a powerful influence a woman has on the life of a little person.