1 TIMOTHY STUDY
3
GUIDELINES FOR WORSHIP 1 Timothy
2:1-15
The
apostle Paul now commences his instructions to Timothy concerning the way in
which the local church is to be organised.
In this section he deals with worship.
It is not intended as an exhaustive treatment; apparently the issues
raised were areas calling for special attention – points that needed
emphasising, either because of ignorance among the worshippers or because of
abuse. Paul raises other matters that
relate to worship in 1 Cor. 11 and 14.
As is
often the case, Paul also leaves his main theme to elaborate on subsidiary
issues which the subject makes relevant.
We will see how this works out.
1.
Prayer and what to pray
for.
a. There are various aspects of prayer (v.1). Think about the different emphases that are made here. See also Phil. 4:6. Every prayer need not necessarily have all these elements: see, for example, Matt. 6:9-13 and Acts 4:24-30. How are these prayers made up? The Psalms contain many prayers. Recall some which record praise or thanksgiving.
Make a list under three headings of current matters
for thanksgiving, request and intercession.
Use them later in the prayer session and at home.
b.
Paul outlines some important
topics (v.2). What are they? Are they still relevant? How would you fill this out to apply to our
current situation in the UK generally and in Caterham in particular? Why are such prayers good and pleasing to
God (v.3)? Note that Paul writes that
prayers should ‘be made for everyone’ (v.1).
That gives us plenty of scope!
Why should we pray for ‘everyone’?
We’ve already seen two reasons in v. 3, but how about v.4? Rather than praying generally for
‘everyone’, it is good to particularise.
So, in addition to Kings etc, for whom should we, as a church and
individually, be praying? Another list
for present and future use!
The New Testament gives pretty wide coverage, e.g.
Matt. 5:44; 9:38; Luke 23:34; Phil. 1:9-11; Eph. 6:18-20. How do you understand 1 Thess. 5:17?
c.
The subsidiary issues here are
in vs. 5-7 and are included because of v. 4 and its emphasis on God’s desire
that all should be saved. Yet, under
the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Paul includes in vs. 5,6 one of the most
important theological statements in the N.T.
In what way does it provide a very succinct summary of the good news?
Using these two verses, how would you explain the good
news to a non-Christian?
Note: Paul understands very clearly what God has
called him to be and to do (v.7). How
can we discover what God wants us to do with our lives?
2.
How to pray
a.
See v. 8. Jews normally, it seems, raised their hands
in prayer – as do all Muslims, and some Christians today. The emphasis here though, seems to be on the
life of the person who prays. What do
you understand by ‘holy hands’? Think
about Ps. 24:3-5. What makes prayer
ineffective? How does this tie in with
James 4:2,3? Why are ‘anger’ and
‘disputing’ (quarrelling) particularly destructive to God’s people? Why should they inhibit prayer? Think about the implications of Matt.
5:21-24.
Verse 8 refers particularly to men; their
unholiness is often expressed in anger and
quarrelling – violence.
b.
But vs. 9,10 refer particularly
to women, and their weakness seemed to be in the similarly divisive tendency to
outdo one another with the latest styles and fashions!
The Holy Spirit reminds us that both sexes have their
Achilles heels: when we meet for prayer, our intercessions are not to be marred
by anger and bitterness on the one hand or by personal conceit or the desire to
impress on the other.
What ‘good deeds’ (v.10) are particularly appropriate
for the women folk today?
c.
The subsidiary issue here is
how women should behave when the church comes together for worship, and the
reasons for doing so (vs.11-15). Verse
11 deals with learning, and v. 12 with teaching and exercising authority. A similar passage is found in 1 Cor.
14:33-36. In all probability, after the
synagogue style, men and women sat separately in the congregation. The good order of the meeting could easily
be disrupted by women calling out to their husbands across the congregation,
perhaps asking a question etc. (the problem recurs in Asia today where the
sexes are divided.) Therefore Paul
makes the point very clearly in 1 Cor. 14:35.
Quietness and orderliness are the objectives, not merely the silence of
women. 1 Cor. 11:5 shows clearly that
women prayed and spoke in church.
Paul also emphasises the biblical doctrine of
submission (vs. 11,12), citing the Adam and Eve situation as its reason (v.14,
Gen. 3:6,7). See also the same
principle with its cultural overtones in 1 Cor. 11:3-16. A commentary will be helpful here; see ‘A
Commentary for Today’ on this passage (pages 1443,4).
Verse 15 (1 Tim. 2:15) has been much debated. Again, see the same or other commentaries
(e.g.Tyndale N.T. Commentary).
Note: In this passage and in 1 Cor. Paul has married
women in mind.
These subsidiary issues which Paul raises are
obviously important, but remember that the main thought of his message in this
chapter is the importance of prayer in the context of worship. The final question is therefore, what
attitudes and practices are there which will be most conducive to worship for
both men and women in church? What help
does all this provide for our own times of corporate prayer?