Bible Commentaries
1 Timothy 2

Verse 1

1 Timothy 2:1

I exhort therefore, first of all,—[Timothy was to begin at once to carry out the instruction given by Paul—the charge which bade him teach all men to put their whole trust in the Savior of sinners.]

that supplications,—This word signifies requests for par­ticular benefits, and is a special form of the more general word rendered prayers. (Luke 1:13; Philippians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:3.)

prayers,—Prayer is for direct and specific blessings as we need them. [Prayer is communion with God. It implies that God is a person able and willing to hear us, who has created the universe and still preserves and governs all his creatures and all their actions. He can produce results by controlling the laws of nature or cooperating with them as readily as a man can; nay, more readily, for he is God. He can influence the hearts and minds of men more readily than even a man can induce his fellow men to action. He has had a plan from the beginning, and he accomplishes this plan both by the manner in which he established the universe and the laws which he set in operation, and also by his constant presence in the universe, upholding it and controlling it. And God requires prayer of all men. To pray to God implies a right relation to him. Acceptable prayer can be offered unto God by the righteous only. The prayer of the wicked is abomina­tion unto him. (Proverbs 15:29; Proverbs 28:9.) Only those who have forsaken sin are authorized to draw nigh unto God in prayer.]

intercessions,—This word suggests a closer and more inti­mate communion with God on the part of the one praying. It speaks of drawing near to God, of entering into free, familiar speech with him. Prayer is its most individual, urgent form as in the case of Abraham for Sodom. (Genesis 18:24-32.) One of the most distinct examples of intercessory prayer is that of the Lord’s intercession for Peter. (Luke 22:31-34.)

thanksgivings,—Thanksgiving should never be absent from any of our devotions; we should never fail in any of our prayers to thank God for mercies received.

be made for all men;—These prayers were to be offered for all men that God would bestow on them that which is for their good—bring them to honor and glorify God.

Verse 2

1 Timothy 2:2

for kings and all that are in high place;—For kings as the supreme rulers of the country and for all them that are under the kings.

that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.—The end of the prayer was not that the kings and governments of the earth might be built up and strength­ened, but that these rulers might so conduct affairs that the people of God might lead a quiet and peaceable life, living a godly and earnest life in all things; that no hindrance might be thrown in the way of Christians living a godly and earnest life in all things, discharging all obligations to God and prac­ticing honesty toward all men. Similar instruction was given to the Jews who were carried away into captivity. “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:7.) This was concerning the wicked city of Babylon, which had carried them captive, and which was doomed to destruction for their sins; yet for the sake of their own peace, they were exhorted to seek the peace of the city. This prayer for its peace does not involve support, active participation in its affairs, or even approval of its course. This Epistle was written during the reign of the most wicked of the Roman rulers. It involves no question of approval of them or of the course they may pursue. No matter what the government, this prayer is proper.

Verse 3

1 Timothy 2:3

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sav­iour;—To please God is the highest motive that can influence a Christian.

Verse 4

1 Timothy 2:4

who would have all men to be saved,—God’s good will to all men is here expressed, and he desires that all should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

and come to the knowledge of the truth.—There is no inti­mation that salvation is granted save through the knowledge of the truth. The truth was revealed by God to guide man into the way of salvation. Without God’s direction man can never obtain remission of sins and eternal life.

Verse 5

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God,—This is stated as a further reason why Christians should pray for all men. Polytheists could not pray for all men because they would not pray for their enemies. One who believed in the gods of Rome would not pray for the Carthaginians. In the very nature of things, a polytheist could not pray for all men. For the gods of one nation were regarded as enemies of another nation. Whether there was one God or many gods was the issue between Judaism and polytheism. It had required constant struggle, with many failures, to keep even the Jews from polytheism. But after the sore trials during the captivity in Babylon, they were soundly converted to the belief in one God. Whatever else may be said against them, it is evident that they were sound in the belief in one God—Jehovah. But while that is true, they did not believe he was the God of all men. All others they regarded as godless. It took Jesus Christ to teach them that Jehovah is the God of all men. Then the fact that there is one God who loves all constitutes the reason for those who love God to pray for all.

one mediator also between God and men,—As we have just seen, there is one God of all men, so also there is one mediator, and only one, between God and all mankind. A mediator stands between parties who are at variance, who are so widely separated that they can communicate only through an inter­mediary.

himself man, Christ Jesus,—These words emphasize the nature in which Christ acts as mediator. It is in humanity the nature common to all men, and for that reason all who bear that nature are eligible to partnership in his mediation. (Hebrews 2:6-18.) Herein we see how God dignifies man, since it is in humanity he performs his mediatorial work, and by thus exalting our nature has thus set before all human beings the possibility of attaining eternal life. [The statement that “there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus” is in the present tense when Paul wrote. He was still a man. He did not leave his humanity behind when he went up on high. As he did not leave his Godhood above when he came down to earth and became a man, so he did not leave his manhood on earth when he as­cended to heaven. In heaven today the “man, Christ Jesus” officiates as mediator on our behalf. Realizing this, let us re­joice and give renewed diligence to make our calling and elec­tion sure.]

Verse 6

1 Timothy 2:6

who gave himself a ransom for all;—Ransom is the price paid for the redemption of a captive. Man had through sin sold himself a captive to the evil one. Jesus became mortal, shed his blood, and died to redeem man from the thraldom of sin and the bondage of the grave. He died as “the lamb that hath been slain.” (Revelation 13:8.)

the testimony to be borne in its own times;—Jesus Christ was to be manifested in the last days of the Mosaic dispensa­tion or testified in due time when the Lord should appoint. He came to die and rescue man at the time appointed by God.

Verse 7

1 Timothy 2:7

whereunto I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—The word “preacher” here carries the meaning of an original herald or proclaimer rather than one who teaches an old truth. The apostles of Christ were those sent and authorized to speak in his name, which authority was attested by the power to work miracles.

(I speak the truth, I lie not),—In parentheses he empha­sizes that he speaks the truth in Christ and does not lie. This is said in response to the teaching of the Judaizers who called in question his claims to be an apostle. [These words were uttered in view of the surpassing magnitude of the mes­sage with which he was charged—solely to bear a weighty and imposing testimony to the truth of his assertion, which so many were ready and eager to dispute—the assertion that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of glad tidings was an offer of salvation, not to a people, but to the whole world.]

a teacher of the Gentiles—This specifies the especial duties of Paul’s apostleship with reference to the peculiar fitness which marked him out as the proclaimer of the divine will in respect to this gracious offer of redemption to the Gentiles.

in faith—Paul’s own faith in Jesus Christ—the grand motive power of his life and work.

and truth.—[This refers to the well-known facts of the gos­pel story. Paul carried on his ceaseless labors, within gathering fresh and ever fresh strength from the exhaustless spring of his own mighty faith in Jesus Christ.]

Verse 8

1 Timothy 2:8

I desire therefore that the men pray in every place,—Be­cause he was an apostle to the Gentiles, he declares his wish that in every place, not at Jewish altars only, but that the Gentiles as well as Jews should pray.

lifting up holy hands,—Those leading the prayer did so with outstretched hands. They must be men whose hands were holy—unstained with wrong. [This is a figure for uprightness and purity of life. (Job 17:9; Psalms 24:4; James 4:8.) The church is “an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1 Peter 2:9), and no man should attempt to exercise this priestly function whose life and character is not that of an earnest and consecrated Chris­tian.]

without wrath and disputing.—Without animosity or bitter­ness toward other nations or people and without disputing over questions the Holy Spirit has not decided. [These angry feelings can have no place in the heart of one who really prays whether in public or in private.]

Verse 9

1 Timothy 2:9

In like manner, that women—He had laid down rules for the men in the public worship; he now gives rules for the women in the congregation who had duties as well as the men.

adorn themselves in modest apparel,—[Their place in public worship was one of quiet attention. Their reverence and adoration must be shown not by thrusting themselves forward with a view to public teaching or public praying, but by being present and taking part silently, avoiding especially in these services anything like conspicuous dress or showy orna­ments—anything, in fact, which would be likely to arouse attention or distract the thoughts of others.]

with shamefastness—That which shrinks from overpassing the limits of womanly reserve and modesty as well as dis­honor which would justly attach thereto. [That habitual inner self-government, with its constant rein on all the pas­sions and desires which would hinder the temptation to this from arising or, at all events, from arising in such strength as to overcome the hindrances which shamefastness oppose to it.]

and sobriety;—The well-balanced state of mind arising from habitual self-restraint.

not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment;— [The reference is to the then common fashionable custom of interweaving gold, silver, and pearls in the hair, causing it to glisten in the light. Gold or pearls refer to the bracelets, neck­laces, anklets, rings and chains, and such things with which women were often laden. The Jews denounced such extrava­gant ornamentation. (Isaiah 3:16-23.)]

Verse 10

1 Timothy 2:10

but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works.—To follow both these negative and posi­tive requirements is church work because it is the work of Christ and must be observed by women if they be faithful members of the church. The works a widow must have done to entitle her to the support of the church are: “If she hath brought up children, if she hath used hospitality to strangers, if she hath washed the saints’ feet, if she hath relieved the afflicted, if she hath diligently followed every good work. . . . I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear chil­dren, rule the household, give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.” (1 Timothy 5:10-14.) That is church work. The church has no more important work than bearing children and training them for service to God. Women must do that work. Paul instructs Titus to teach sound doctrine. “That aged women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:3-5.) A Christian woman is doing church work when she keeps her house well. The word of God is blasphemed when she does not do so, when she fails to love and honor her husband and fails to love her children and train them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Verse 11

1 Timothy 2:11

Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection.—The position of women in public worship is that of a quiet learner in manner and in act, yielding submission in all lawful re­spects to the position God had placed man as leader of the worship in the public assembly of the church. This is given as the rule “in all the churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:33-34.)

Verse 12

1 Timothy 2:12

But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness.—The point guarded against here is woman’s assuming authority over man. It is not wrong for her to teach the word of God, but wrong for her to teach it in a way that assumes authority or superiority over man. (Titus 2:5.) This is the only reason given in the Scrip­tures why it is wrong.

Verse 13

1 Timothy 2:13

For Adam was first formed, then Eve;—The reasons for this teaching are here given, which show the reach or extent of the principles. Adam had priority in creation. He was the original human being. Eve was from him and subordinate to him, and was formed a help suited to him. The argument here based on priority of creation is much strengthened by the following statement: “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.” (1 Corinthians 11:9.) This teaching of Paul respecting the public position of woman as regards man, in which he shows that she is to hold a subordinate place, is based upon no arbitrary human speculation, but upon God’s original order in creation—that divine order which first created man and after man’s creation formed woman as his helpmeet.

Verse 14

1 Timothy 2:14

and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being be­guiled, hath fallen into transgression:—Priority in creation was the ground alleged by Paul as the reason why the woman was never to exercise authority over man. Paul now refers to the general basis of his instruction concerning the exclusion of woman from all public praying and teaching contained in the preceding verses, Adam, and Eve both sinned, but Adam was not beguiled. He followed Eve into sin with his eyes open. Eve, on the other hand, was thoroughly deceived. She fell into Satan’s deceit. Both were involved in the sin. but only Eve allowed herself to be deluded. It would be difficult to find a more vivid illustration of the essential difference be­tween the masculine and feminine nature. If there be this distinction between the sexes, that distinction furnishes the basis of an argument and a reason for the instruction here given. The catastrophe of Eden is the beacon for all genera­tions when the sexes repeat the folly of Eve and Adam, and exchange their distinctive position and functions. So, accord­ing to inspired teaching, she is not to be the leader, but to be in subjection.

Verse 15

1 Timothy 2:15

but she shall be saved through her child-bearing,—Child­-bearing here embraces not only the act of childbearing, but the life of caring for and training children that the bringing of them into the world necessitates. This domestic life of child rearing is placed in contrast with the forward public life in which she had blundered, and she is told that in this quiet life women shall be saved.

if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.—If they continue in faith in God and love to hu­manity and holiness of life, coupled with a modest, retiring behavior. Sometimes women and men, too, think this is assigning women to an inferior position. Inferior in the sense that she is not by nature, physically or morally, suited to public posi­tions or to counteract the rougher elements of the world. But she is of finer texture physically and morally than man. and is better fitted (superior to man) for work of nursing, training children, and keeping home attractive and cheerful. She is the trainer of children and the companion of man in the home, becomes the conservator of virtue, morality, and religion and of all the purifying and elevating influences shed by them. No more sacred and no higher office did God ever lay on mortals than that he has laid on woman—to bear and train children and subjects for his everlasting kingdom. The woman who neglects the duties she owes her children and her home for the public life that God has created for man leaves her work, her character, and her mission.