Chapter 2

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy — Chapter Two

¹ I urge therefore first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in positions of authority. First of all — that is, in the daily liturgy. For the priest, as it were the common father of the inhabited world, stands caring for all, just as the God whom he serves. See how broadly grace extends. For Jewish prayers were not of this kind. He did not say at once: for kings, lest he seem to be flattering them; but having first said: for all people, he then added: for kings. For even if the kings are unbelievers, one must pray for them — since at that time they were such. And two benefits result from our praying for all: the enmity we bear toward some is dissolved, for no one can be hostile toward the person for whom he makes supplications; and furthermore they themselves become better, both because their wickedness is changed through the cooperation of prayers, and because they are no longer driven to savagery against us. For how great a thing it was for those who were being slaughtered to hear that the very ones being slaughtered by them were praying on their behalf! “Supplication,” “prayer,” and “intercession,” as bearing the same meaning, are used by the Apostle for emphasis, demanding by the accumulation of terms that what he enjoins be done without fail. Some, however, have painstakingly distinguished among them: supplication is a petition offered for deliverance from some distress; prayer is an asking for good things; and intercession is a denunciation against those who act impiously, unjustly, or incorrigibly. Note also that we are commanded to give thanks even for the good things that come to others — that He makes His sun rise upon the evil and the good, that He fills all with His goods, both unbelievers and blasphemers. From this we are bonded together in brotherly love and united. For he who gives thanks for the blessings of his neighbor is compelled also to love him. Much more, therefore, ought we to give thanks for what comes to us.

² That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. Since the soul of a Christian might naturally be troubled if it is commanded, at the time of the mysteries, to pray for unbelieving kings, he adds the benefit, so that we may at least receive the exhortation in this way. Their salvation, he says, is our freedom from care, for they serve so that we may be free from anxiety. How then is it not unjust for them to face dangers for our safety, while we do not even open our lips to pray for them?

³ In all godliness and dignity. He added this because for many people the calm that follows from wars becomes an occasion for luxury and insolence, from which evil doctrines are also born. In order therefore that we may live not in luxury and insolence but in all godliness — “all,” not only in doctrine but also in life (for there is also impiety through one’s life, as when it is said: They profess to know God, but deny Him by their deeds) — and in that godliness which is the most pure and far removed from all heresies. So also in all dignity — not only in abstaining from licentiousness but in every virtue. We must therefore, when at peace outwardly, also be at peace within the soul, conducting ourselves in all godliness and dignity, for then truly we would lead a quiet and peaceable life. For there are three wars: the war of the barbarians, the war brought upon us by those who are personally hostile to us, and the war stirred up within by the passions. The war of the barbarians is ended by the vigor of the kings, and we must cooperate with them through prayers; the other two we ourselves must end — the war from those who hate us, by meeting afflictions with meekness and prayers (“With those who hated peace,” he says, “I was peaceable; they slandered me, but I prayed”); and the war within us, by all the armor of righteousness.

⁴ For this is good and acceptable before God our Savior. This — which thing? The praying for all, both Greeks and heretics. It is good by nature, for we all share the same nature; and it is acceptable to God.

⁵ Who desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. If He desires all people to be saved, you too desire it, and imitate God. And if you desire it, pray. But if He Himself desires it, someone says, what need is there of my prayers? They contribute greatly to those people, for they draw them toward love, and do not allow you yourself to become brutish toward them; and from this it is likely that they in turn will be drawn toward faith — understand salvation as the salvation of faith. And coming to a knowledge of the truth — that is, of faith in Him, for this alone is the truth.

⁶ For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Having said that God desires all to be saved, he makes this plain and says: for this reason He also sent His Son as Mediator, so that He might reconcile Him to mankind. How then were not all saved? Because they did not wish it. In saying “one God,” he said this not to the exclusion of the Son, but in contrast to idols. That He is God is clear from the fact that He is also the Mediator. For the mediator stands between two parties and must share in both. Since then the Son of God is the Mediator between God and men, He partakes of both, being both God and man — the same Person in two natures. He is not bare God, for those on whose behalf He was to mediate would not have received Him; nor is He bare man, for He needed to speak with God. He did not speak openly about the divinity of Christ, both because polytheism prevailed and so as not to seem to be introducing many gods himself; especially since not even the phrase “one and one,” when stated, is it fitting to add together and say “two,” but rather “one and one” — such is the reverence of Scripture. For this reason he also did not mention the Spirit, lest he seem to be polytheistic.

⁷ Who gave Himself a ransom for all. Including the Greeks. He then died for all, and yet you cannot bring yourself to pray for them? Note the phrase: who gave Himself. This is directed against the Arians, who say He was handed over unwillingly. What is a “ransom”? Human nature was liable to destruction, but He gave Himself in its place.

⁸ The testimony. That is: through the testimony the Son became the ransom. Or, glossing the word, he now says: by “ransom” I mean the testimony — that is, the suffering. For He came to bear witness to the truth unto death; and indeed He Himself revealed the Father and the true doctrine, and He Himself introduced the true and angelic way of life.

⁹ In its own times. That is, in the times appointed for it.

¹⁰ For which I was appointed a herald and an apostle. I was appointed a herald of this testimony, to proclaim it — that is, the cross and the death of Christ. And not merely as a herald, to preach in one place only, but also as an apostle, to go about everywhere. And besides, the dignity of an apostle is great, and for this reason he lays claim to it.

¹¹ I am telling the truth, I am not lying — a teacher of the Gentiles. He makes his word worthy of trust. For since the other apostles were reluctant in this regard, both because they regarded the Gentiles with aversion and because they did not think them receptive, he says: I myself from this point was set apart as teacher of the Gentiles. Since therefore the Son of God also died for the Gentiles, and I am their teacher, do not be reluctant to pray on their behalf.

¹² In faith and truth. See again the phrase “in faith.” Not in syllogisms, he says, or rational demonstrations, but in faith. Then, lest you suppose that the matter is some kind of deception, he added: in truth. For that which is taught and handed down in faith is not falsehood, he says, but is handed down in truth.

¹³ I desire therefore that the men should pray in every place. How then does Christ forbid praying in every place? For He discourages doing so in public squares and commands entry into the inner room. Yet Christ did not forbid praying in every place; rather, teaching by means of excess that this must not be done for show, He mentioned the inner room — just as when He says: Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, He is not speaking about hands but is expressing the extreme of giving alms without vainglory. Therefore Paul also desires the men to pray in every place, since Christ did not forbid this. He said this in contrast to Jewish prayer, which was confined to one place — namely, the temple in Jerusalem. But for us it is not so, for grace is unlimited; and just as the Christian prays for all, so also he prays in every place.

¹⁴ Lifting up holy hands. It is not the place of prayer that must be exact, but the manner. For he requires holy hands — that is, hands clean from covetousness, from plunder, from murders, from blows, hands that overflow with almsgiving.

¹⁵ Without anger or quarreling. That is, without bearing grudges and without passion toward one’s brother. By “quarreling” he means doubt — that is, one must not approach with ambivalence and hesitation, but with faith and without wavering, that is, without doubting whether or not you will receive what you ask. How then shall this be? If you ask for nothing contrary to His will, nothing unworthy of the King, but everything spiritual; if you approach with holy hands and without anger.

¹⁶ Likewise also the women. I desire, he says, that they too lift up holy hands without anger or quarreling, and without plundering or coveting. For when a woman compels her husband to procure stones and gold ornaments for her, and he covets to get them, she herself surely takes by plunder.

¹⁷ To adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control. He demands something more from women: to be dressed modestly, not elaborately — for the latter is unseemliness. By “apparel” he means to be completely covered and veiled on all sides, and not to be immodestly uncovered. For he goes on to say: with modesty and self-control.

¹⁸ Not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly clothing. For she comes to pray, not to dance in the chorus. How then do you devise elaborate plaits for your head, braiding your tresses, hanging some pearls here and wearing others there, and even wearing them on your feet — which is the utmost impudence? And all of this from the tears of widows and orphans and the poor? You strip the widow of her rag so that you may tread on pearls? Is the longsuffering of God not great indeed? You came to ask forgiveness for your sins, and you deck yourself out as though entering the theatre. A fine contrition this! God will surely hear you, wearing as you do the tears of the poor about your person. And if Paul forbids what are merely signs of wealth, how much more should he forbid what are signs of vanity — such as cosmetics smeared on the cheeks, eye-paint under the eyes, a mincing voice, a languishing glance, and the rest.

¹⁹ But with what is fitting for women who profess godliness — through good works. But let them adorn themselves with good works; then in the middle of his thought: for this befits Christian women, those who worship the true God. Or in another sense: since one may profess godliness through words, he added: through good works.

²⁰ Let a woman learn in silence, with all submission. Let the woman be modest not only in dress and apparel but also in her voice. She should not speak at all, he says — not even about spiritual matters — but only learn. And this will be better for her if she keeps silent.

²¹ I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain silent. He has removed every pretext for a woman to speak. For since he commanded her to be silent, lest they speak under the seemly pretext of teaching, he says: let them not teach, for that is for them to exercise authority over and to dominate the man. But the woman was commanded to be in submission: For your longing, he says, shall be for your husband. Therefore it befits her to keep silence, for through silence she will best display her submission. Know also that Paul does not forbid a woman to teach absolutely, but in the Church; for in private she is not forbidden, since Priscilla also taught Apollos, and a faithful wife teaches her husband.

²² For Adam was formed first, then Eve. Since, he says, the male sex enjoyed the prerogative of precedence in being formed, and Eve was fashioned second after him, all other women also ought to hold second place to men and to be in submission. For what occurred at that time with Adam and Eve pertained to the whole race of men and of women.

²³ And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. How was Adam not deceived? Because not even Scripture says so; rather, the woman says: the serpent deceived me, but Adam does not say: the woman deceived me, but that she gave to me. And it is not the same to be persuaded by a fellow-being and helper as to be persuaded by a beast that is a slave and subject. The latter is therefore deception. So, in comparison to the woman, he says that Adam was not deceived. Yet Adam too did not see that the tree was beautiful to eat; it was the woman who saw it and was deceived, and then gave it also to her husband. Thus she was led astray by desire, while he was persuaded by the woman. He says then: Once the woman taught and brought down everyone; therefore let the female sex not teach, for it is volatile and easily influenced and easily led astray. Note that he did not say: and Eve, having been deceived — but: the woman, speaking about female nature itself. For just as in Adam all human nature died, so also through Eve volatility passed over to all women; and it was on account of this volatility that the transgression first found place in Eve herself.

²⁴ Yet she will be saved through childbearing. Who? Eve? No, but the woman — that is, female nature. Do not be downcast, he says, O women; God has given you an occasion for salvation: childbearing — that is, the raising up of those born in a good way. For it is not enough merely to give birth; one must also educate the children. For this is truly childbearing; otherwise it is not childbearing but child-destruction for women. What then of virgins? What of the barren? Are they therefore lost? God forbid — he does not say this, that they cannot be saved by their own virtue, but that the rearing of children too will be for women an occasion of salvation. For it is obvious that a woman who is virtuous rears her children in virtue as well. So the virtue inherent in her produces also the virtue transmitted to the children. Therefore the virgin who possesses virtue will undoubtedly be saved. And it seems to me also that since he had forbidden the woman to teach, as if comforting her, he now gives her those whom she may teach. For if you desire to teach, teach your children. Some, however — I know not how — have understood “childbearing” as referring to the Theotokos. For she, by giving birth to the Savior, saved women, they say. But such an interpretation is wholly disconnected from what follows. Listen:

²⁵ If they remain in faith. The children — if they guard the pious faith and the doctrines.

²⁶ And love. That is, in right conduct. For faith alone does not suffice; the sum and fountain of right conduct is love.

²⁷ And holiness with self-control. By “holiness” he means the purity of the body. And since not all are virgins, he added: with self-control. For self-control is the term used of those who have engaged lawfully in marriage; or he simply means by self-control modesty in general. What then of the mother who, though herself evil, rears her children well? It is unlikely that this would happen. Nevertheless, if it does, she will also receive a reward for this. But what of one who, though good herself, rears them badly? If she is careless and gives in to them, she will suffer the fate of Eli. But if she does everything and takes care, and yet cannot improve them — which would rarely happen — she nonetheless will receive the wages of her toil, since even the Son of God, doing and saying all things, had but few who were persuaded by Him.