WEEK 3 HOOK 1 Timothy 2:1 15 Daily Life Events: As Americans, one of our favorite things to do on a Friday or Saturday evening is to go out to dinner. We finagle through slow moving traffic, wait impatiently for a table to become available and then dive into a seat like it might be our last meal. As we look intently over the menu we begin to select foods based on what flavor we feel like that evening; spicy, all-american, exotic, etc. We quickly push aside items that don t fit our mood and pursue what our appetite craves. What are some of your favorite places to eat in Dallas? What makes them so great? What are the go-to dishes you always order? Are you getting hungry right now? The interesting notion behind this method of picking our food is that this is often how we also pick whom we ll lift up in prayer. We pick and choose whom we will pray for and how fervently we will pray for them based on a hidden favoritism. As Christians, we are called to pray for all leaders and rulers around us? What if you don t like your leader? Should you not pray for him or her? Personal Story: Ask the class members to share a time when they found it difficult to pray for another person or authority figure. Discuss why it was difficult and how personal opinions/preferences often play a role in how we pray for them. Remember politics is a sensitive matter as our church is full of all parties and values. As you teach this lesson seek to challenge people from all parties to show our authorities and God honor.
WEEK 3 BOOK 1 Timothy 2:1 15 Background: Having denounced the idle speculations of the false teachers, Paul turns to expounding in specific terms what true Gospel living (1:5) should look like. He calls for prayer and he addresses hindrances to prayer (2:1 15), qualifications for overseers (3:1 7), and qualifications for deacons (3:8 13). 1 Timothy 2:1 4 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ESV Study Bible: Kings and other authorities are mentioned as examples of the all people for whom Christians are to pray. The lifestyle encouraged here (peaceful, quiet, godly, dignified) corresponds to the goal of apostolic teaching in 1:5 and contrasts with the behavior of the false teachers. This sort of living commends the gospel, a theme that will recur throughout this letter (2:11; 3:7; 5:7, 14; 6:1) as well as in 2 Timothy and Titus. Why does Paul urge us to prayer and be thankful for all people, including authorities? What happens to believers when they pray for someone they don t care for? What should we pray for those in authority? What is God s desire? 1 Timothy 2:5 7 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. ESV Study Bible: Ransom (Gk. antilytron) refers to purchasing someone s release and describes a common Pauline and NT understanding of Christ s work as redemptive (cf. Gal. 1:4; 2:20; Eph. 5:2; and related NT concepts of redemption [Luke 1:68; 2:38; 24:21; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 1:18] and ransom [Matt. 20:28 par.; cf. Rev. 5:9]). Who is the only mediator between God and us? Whom would Christ have prayed for? How was Christ a ransom for mankind? Whom did Christ die for?
How does Christ s example of humility guide our prayer life? 1 Timothy 2:8 15 8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. ESV Study Bible: Paul addresses particular concerns in regard to each gender. The issue for men is anger and for women it is modesty and proper submission. not with gold or pearls or costly attire. Paul is not prohibiting the wearing of jewelry (see note on 1 Pet. 3:3 4); the principle is that women should not dress ostentatiously or seductively, but in a way that is proper. True doctrine produces good works (see note on 1 Tim. 1:5). I do not permit. Paul self-consciously writes with the authority of an apostle (e.g., 1 Thess. 4:1; 2 Thess. 3:6), rather than simply offering an opinion. This statement is given in the context of Paul s apostolic instructions to the church for the ordering of church practice when the church is assembled together. In that context, two things are prohibited: (1) Women are not permitted to publicly teach Scripture and/or Christian doctrine to men in church (the context implies these topics), and (2) women are not permitted to exercise authority over men in church. How does men s anger distract them from lifting holy hands? What could distract women and men away from prayer? Why does Paul outline what he does not permit women to do in the Church? What is Paul showing us in this passage regarding authority, distractions and our prayer life?
Another Perspective: Bible Knowledge Commentary: The Ephesian church was to pray for everyone (v. 1, lit., all men ), but especially for the leaders of civil government. Paul did not specify here the content of these prayers, but almost certainly he was instructing that requests be made for the salvation of the populace and its governors. This can be seen clearly from the following verses. With Nero s growing resentment toward Christians which came to full bloom after the fire in Rome in July, A.D. 64 and the general disintegration of the Roman Empire due to Nero s profligacy, Christians began to suffer persecution from the Roman authorities. Having recently been released from his Roman imprisonment, Paul was greatly aware of the deteriorating political atmosphere. Thus he urged prayer for the salvation of all men, but especially rulers, so that the stable, noninterfering environment of previous days might be recovered. This is the minimum requirement if Christians are to live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Class Discussion: Have your class members discuss whether they are doing the minimum of praying for their authorities including President Obama and Congress in their prayer life. Ask, How do you think by praying for these leaders God will grant you a more peaceful, quiet, godly and holy life? Remember that we should also pray for their salvation. Holman New Testament Commentary: For many Christians, prayer is an enigma. But it is one of the clearest indicators of the depth and extent of our trust in God. Often prayer is a ritual a routine before meals or bedtime. It is invoked as a safeguard for travel. It is sighed in desperation when there is nothing left to do. We mouth words that sound right ; we create prayer lists or schedules to keep us on track. Occasionally a prayer seems answered, and we may wonder how that happened. At other times our words seem to float heavenward, dissipating in the clouds. We become used to our onesided conversations and expect little else. But God never calls us to empty habits. He never instructs us to pursue form without content, action without purpose or result. So when we are told to pray continually, to enter prayer with boldness, to pray for rulers, society, and neighbors, He is not giving us something with which to fill our empty moments, some pious act to make us feel good. Prayer does make a difference, in ourselves, in our world. 2 Class Discussion: Have your students describe what prayer means to them. Ask them how they go about their prayer life, habits they have formed and words they most commonly use. Now pray that God would restart their passion for prayer. 1 A. Duane Litfin, "1 Timothy", in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 1 Ti 2:2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985). 2 Knute Larson, vol. 9, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Holman New Testament Commentary, 174-75 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000).
WEEK 3 TOOK 1 Timothy 2:1 15 In Today s World: Ask your class the following questions: Do we follow the authorities over us if they do not follow the authority over them? Is there ever a situation where we don t follow the authority over us? Do political differences factor into God s expectations for us following authority? Can we speak out against our authority? When does it become disobedience? Use this time not to correct or guide answers but simply write down each person s response. Once all ideas have been expressed, read aloud Romans 13:1 7 and 1 Peter 2:13 17. Check off the ideas that fall in line with Scripture and erase those that do not fall within the standard of our God. Note our ultimate authority as a believer is Jesus Christ, but we are called to also respect the authorities placed around us. This does not mean that we are to disobey God in situations where the law of man may conflict with the law of God, but rather we are to continue to respect a government s authority even when those in positions of authority abuse their offices. Challenge: Charge your class members to live a Christ-centered prayer life that has no flavor of favoritism. Encourage them to make a list of those in authority over them and what specific prayer they have for each person. Remind them that no matter who is placed in authority over us, we are called to pray for, respect, and serve them while remembering that Christ is our ultimate authority.