Chapter Two

On the order of things in public worship (1–15).

1 Timothy 2:1. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, In the first chapter the Apostle placed the obligation on Timothy, as a good soldier of Christ, to spread sound evangelical teaching. But not Timothy alone is obligated to care for the establishment of the Gospel, but the entire Christian community. Throughout its life it should pave the way for the spread of the Gospel, and above all it should have this in view in the performance of public worship. That the speech here is about public worship is evident from the fact that the participants or performers of worship are represented here as only men (1 Tim 2:8). Thus the second chapter has a close connection with the instructions contained in the first chapter, and therefore the Apostle begins his discourse with the expression: “first of all” — that is, of all the admonitions with which the Apostle wishes to address Timothy, he considers it necessary to place first the admonition about the proper performance of public prayers. “Supplications” — (δεήσεις) — a request in general. “Prayers” (προσευχάς) — any prayer, both petitionary and thankful, even a vow. “Intercessions” (ἐντεύξεις) — a request for a particular case. “Thanksgivings” (εὐχαριστίας) — prayers of thanksgiving, in contrast to all the prayers designated by the three preceding expressions. To clarify the meaning of all these terms, let us take the Lord’s Prayer. All of it can be called a “prayer” (προσευχή), but in it are found separate petitions (δεήσεις). As soon as these petitions are directed at individual objects, they become intercession (ἐντεύξεις — in Russian inaccurately: “supplication”). “Thanksgiving” meanwhile represents, for example, the doxology found at the end of the Lord’s Prayer.

1 Timothy 2:2. For kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. “So that we may lead a quiet life...” This is not the goal of the prayer — the prayer is performed, properly speaking, for the salvation of kings and rulers, this is its direct goal — but the result, the fruit of such prayer. But in any case the Apostle does not forbid Christians to have in mind in the performance of this prayer such a beneficial result for themselves. The fifth commandment also requires honoring parents partly with a view to the benefit it will bring to the one honoring: “so that your days may be long” (cf. 1 Pet 3:9). “In all godliness and dignity.” Christians should not only achieve a life of quiet and peace, but also strive for their life to be godly and worthy of their high calling (dignity — in dignity, with dignity — σεμνότης).

1 Timothy 2:3. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, “This” — that is, such prayers for all people. “Good” — (καλόν), that is, beautiful from a moral point of view and generally beautiful (cf. 1 Tim 1:8 etc.).

1 Timothy 2:4. Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. “To be saved” — not only in the future life, but also here on earth, by accepting the evangelical teaching (cf. 2 Tim 1:9). “Of the truth” — the saving, true teaching offered to people by the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 2:5. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, From the fact that God is one, it follows that he is the Savior for all people (cf. Rom 3:29 and following). In the same way, there is one mediator between God and people — “the man Christ Jesus,” and this again confirms the thought of the necessity to pray for the salvation of all people. The force of the expression here is undoubtedly in the word “man.” If the mediator is a man, then his service obviously concerns all people who are close to him by human nature. It is clear that this passage cannot serve as any evidence for the idea that the Apostle considered Christ to be only a man. In the epistle to the Galatians the Apostle Paul says that he is an apostle chosen not by men and not through a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father (Gal 1:1). If one understood this passage in a literal, limited sense, one would have to draw from it the conclusion that Christ was not a man at all… Furthermore, the Apostle in the Pastoral Epistles clearly states that Christ was not only a man but also God. Thus he ascribes to Christ preexistence (1 Tim 3:16), calls him “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13).

1 Timothy 2:6. Who gave himself as a ransom for all. This is the testimony given at the proper time, What further compels us to pray for all people is the circumstance that Christ gave himself as a ransom for all people (cf. Matt 20:28), namely, according to the interpretation of the holy John Chrysostom, delivered himself to death for all people. “This is the testimony given at the proper time.” Not all even among the Jews found in the prophecies a prediction of the Messiah, and pagans knew nothing of these predictions. Therefore it was timely that it was revealed or testified that Christ is the Savior of all mankind, having brought redemption for all people.

1 Timothy 2:7. for which I was appointed a preacher and an Apostle—I speak the truth in Christ, I am not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. For the proclamation of this great truth Paul himself was called. In order to convince readers of this, the Apostle swears an oath (cf. Rom 9:1). He swears that God indeed sent him to proclaim universal salvation; this oath was necessary in view of the fact that some still believed that salvation would be given only to Jews or proselytes. “In faith and truth.” These words relate to the expression “a teacher of the Gentiles” and show the character of Paul’s activity as a teacher of the Gentiles. He acted as a faithful and true servant of Christ. Thus the Apostle Paul’s own activity, directed toward proclaiming salvation to all people, gives the Ephesian Christians reason to also pray for all people, without exception.

1 Timothy 2:8. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; The Apostle has proved the necessity of praying for all people. Now he turns to instructions regarding the order of prayer performance in public worship. “Therefore,” that is, in view of the fact that he, Paul, is a guide and teacher of believers, which he has stated in 1 Tim 2:7. “I desire” — more precisely: I want (βούλομαι), I express my will decisively (cf. the distinction between θέλω “I wish” and βούλομαι “I want” in the Gospel Matt 1:19). “In every place” — that is, in all places where Christians gather for public worship. “The men should pray” — as is evident from the whole course of thought, prayers on behalf of the whole Church. “Men” — that is, males. The Apostle forbade women to actively participate in public worship (1 Cor 14:34). “Lifting holy hands.” The lifting of hands during prayer was customary not only among the Jews but also among pagans. “Holy hands” — a symbol of the holiness of human actions and conduct in general. “Without anger” — Christians of that time naturally sometimes harbored angry resentment against the Jews and pagans who persecuted them. “Without quarreling” — and regarding the success of the prayer, and regarding the people who might seem to be praying but not deserving of prayer.

1 Timothy 2:9. 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, 1 Timothy 2:10. But with good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. The Apostle wishes that women both when attending prayer appear in respectable clothing and always in their lives adorn themselves not with braided hair (cf. 1 Pet 3:3-6) but with good works, with modesty and self-control proper especially to the female sex. Under “good works” are meant generally good deeds and, in particular, charitable works.

1 Timothy 2:11. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 1 Timothy 2:12. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. These instructions repeat almost the same thoughts which the Apostle expressed in 1 Cor 14:34 and following. “To exercise authority over a man” (αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός), that is, to take the place of a man in a worship assembly.

1 Timothy 2:13. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 1 Timothy 2:14. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Why a woman should not rise above a man — the Apostle clarifies this by pointing to two facts from the history of mankind. Adam, as created before woman, was naturally her teacher and guide: so too now man should be the guide of woman. Further, the Bible reports that it was the woman who was deceived by the serpent’s persuasion, not the man. Thus woman by nature is very weak-willed, susceptible to deception, and therefore of course it is not fitting for her to come forward as the guide of man. If in the epistle to the Romans (Rom 5:12) the man is called the first cause of sin, this is explained by the fact that the man appeared in the eyes of the Apostle as the main one responsible for all that occurred as the head of the family.

1 Timothy 2:15. Yet she will be saved through childbearing — if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. In “childbearing,” according to the Apostle, is the possibility of salvation for woman, and not in her pursuits toward teaching in the church. One could think that here the Apostle is alluding to the suffering that accompanies childbirth for women and which constitutes for her as it were a punishment for her sin and reminds her of the necessity of repentance and self-improvement. But the following expression “if they continue” also contains the thought of self-improvement, and therefore in the preceding expression “through childbearing” there is some other thought. It is therefore more natural to believe that the Apostle is here pointing out to woman that she can find salvation or happiness in family life, bearing and raising children, and should always preserve the purity, faith and Christian love.