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In this chapter Paul treats, I. Of prayer, with many reasons for it, 1Ti 2:1-8. II. Of women's apparel, 1Ti 2:9,10. III. Of their subjection, with the reasons of it, 1Ti 2:11-14. IV. A promise given for their encouragement in child-bearing, 1Ti 2:15.

Analysis Of The Chapter

This chapter 1 Timothy 2:1-15 is occupied mainly in directions about the mode of conducting public worship. Timothy had been left at Ephesus to complete the plans which the apostle had commenced in reference to the church there, but from completing which he had been unexpectedly prevented (see the Intro.), and it was important to state the views which he entertained on this subject to Timothy. It was important also that general directions on these subjects should be given, which would be useful to the church at large. The directions in this chapter relate to the following subjects:

I. Public prayer; 1 Timothy 2:1-8.

(1) It was to be offered for all classes of people, without distinction of rank, sect, party, country, or name, especially for all that were in authority; 1 Timothy 2:1-2. The reasons for this were:

(a) That God desired all people to be saved, and it was acceptable to him that prayer should be offered for all; 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

(b) There is but one God over all the human race, and all are alike his children; 1 Timothy 2:5.

(c) There is one and the same Mediator between God and all people; 1 Timothy 2:5.

(d) The same atonement has been made for all; 1 Timothy 2:6-7.

(2) the way in which prayer should be offered. It should be with holy hands, and without the intermingling of any bad passion; 1 Timothy 2:8.

II. The duties of women; 1 Timothy 2:9-15.

(1) Modesty in their demeanor and apparel; 1 Timothy 2:9.

(2) good works - the chief ornament of women professing piety; 1 Timothy 2:10.

(3) the duty of learning from others with a gentle and quiet spirit; 1 Timothy 2:11.

(4) the duty of a proper subordination and submission to man; 1 Timothy 2:12.

(5) the reasons for this subordination and submission are then stated. They are:

(a) That Adam was first formed; 1 Timothy 2:13.

(b) That the woman had been deceived, and should be willing to occupy a subordinate place, as she was first in the transgression and was the means of leading him into sin; 1 Timothy 2:14.

(6) yet, as if to make a kind remark in favor of woman - to show that he did not intend to teach that she was degraded and abandoned of God - the apostle says that she would be under the divine protection, and that in the special sorrow and peril which had been brought upon her for her transgression, God would sustain her if she continued in faith, and evinced the spirit of a Christian in her life; 1 Timothy 2:15.

Prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving, must be made for all men; because God will that all should be saved, 1 Timothy 2:1-4. There is but one God and one Mediator, 1 Timothy 2:5-7. How men should pray, 1 Timothy 2:8. How women should adorn themselves, 1 Timothy 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:10. They are not suffered to teach, nor to nor to usurp authority over men, 1 Timothy 2:11-14. How they may expect to be saved in child-bearing, 1 Timothy 2:15.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 Timothy 2

In this chapter the apostle exhorts to prayer for all sorts of men, gives rules and directions about the dress of women, and their subjection to their husbands; and concludes with some comfort to them. The apostle exhorts to prayer in the first place, directs to the several parts and branches of prayer, and points to the persons to be prayed for, and what should be prayed for on their account, 1 Timothy 2:1. And next follow the reasons or arguments engaging to it, which are taken from the agreeableness of it in the sight of God; from the will of God, that all men should be saved: from there being but one God of all, and one Mediator between God and men; from Christ's giving himself a ransom price for all; and from the apostle being a preacher of the Gospel to the Gentiles, as well as Jews, 1 Timothy 2:3 wherefore he concludes and determines, according to his apostolical power and authority, that prayer be made in any place, provided there were faith and purity, and wrath and doubting were laid aside, 1 Timothy 2:8. Also, he exhorts women to appear, especially in public service, in a modest and becoming dress, and to adorn themselves with good works, 1 Timothy 2:9, and that they should be silent learners, and not teachers, and be in subjection to their husbands, 1 Timothy 2:11. The reasons of which subjection are taken from the formation of Adam before Eve, and from Eve's being deceived, and not Adam, 1 Timothy 2:13. However, for the comfort of women, it is observed, that though in sorrow they bring forth children, yet through the birth of a Son, the promised Messiah, they shall be saved, who continue in faith, charity, and holiness, with sobriety, 1 Timothy 2:15.

CHAPTER 2

1 Timothy 2:1. παρακαλῶ] Instead of this, D* F G, Sahid. Clar. Boern. Hilar. Ambrosiast. ed. Cassiod. (alicubi) Or. (ter ut Rec.) have the imperative παρακάλει, which is manifestly a conjecture for the purpose of giving to the words the form of a commission to Timothy.

πάντων] is omitted in some codd. (G, G, Boern. Or. [semel]); it might easily be overlooked as merely strengthening the πρῶτον.—1 Timothy 2:3. In A 17, 67** א, Cop. Sahid. γάρ is wanting, and is therefore omitted by Lachm. Buttm. and Tisch. 8; it is retained in Matthaei and Tisch. 7.—1 Timothy 2:6. τὸ μαρτύριον καιροῖς ἰδίοις] Some codd. have the reading οὗ τὸ μαρτ. κ. ἰδ. ἐδόθη (D* F G, Clar. Boern. Harl.* Ambrosiast.; while some cursives have the reading οὗ, but without ἐδόθη). This reading has only arisen out of a desire to connect the words more closely with what precedes. The omission of the words τὸ μαρτύριον in A is to be considered merely an error in copying. Lachm. in his large edition (so also Buttm.) left them out; in the small edition he retained them. א has the reading καί for τό.—1 Timothy 2:7. The words ἐν Χριστῷ were rejected from the text even by Griesb. (so also Scholz, Lachm., and others), because they are wanting in the most important authorities, in A D* F G 3, 6, 23* 31, al., Syr. utr. Arr. Copt. etc.; on the other hand, they are found in א. Matthaei, however, has retained them with the remark: adhuc maneo in ea sententia, ut credam, ab Praxapostolis et Euchologiis exclusum esse in fine lectionis. If they are compared with Romans 9:1, it is easy to explain how they came into the text.

Instead of ἐν πίστει, א has ἐν γνώσει. Buttm., following A, reads ἐν πνεύματι.—1 Timothy 2:8. Instead of the singular διαλογισμοῦ, F G 17, 47, 67** al., Syr. utr. Boern. Or. (ter sed ter ut Rec.) Eus., etc., have the plural διαλογισμῶν (Tisch. 7); Matthaei remarks on this: hujusmodi lectiones plerumque placent viris graece doctis; verum in N. T. contraria ferenda est sententia. Most authorities, including א, have the singular (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8). The plural is with Reiche to be considered a mere correction, all the more that the singular of the word does not occur elsewhere in the N. T. (except in Luke 9:46-47); comp. especially Php 2:14.—1 Timothy 2:9. καὶ τάς] are wanting in A 71; καί alone is wanting in א, and τάς alone is wanting in D* F G 67** 73, al., Or. Lachm. and Buttm. omitted both words, Tisch. only τάς.

ἢ χρυσῷ] Instead of the Rec. ἤ (in D*** K L, etc.), Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. rightly adopted καί, following A D* F G, etc. Tisch. retained the Rec. χρυσῷ, following D K L, etc.; Lachm. and Buttm., on the other hand, read χρυσίῳ, following A F G, etc. As both forms are used in the N. T., we can hardly decide which is right here.—1 Timothy 2:10. The reading ὡς instead of ὅ, found in some cursives, Arm. and Cypr., is manifestly a correction to facilitate the interpretation.—1 Timothy 2:12. Instead of γυναικὶ δὲ διδάσκειν (Tisch. 7), we should follow A D F G א, al., Arm. Vulg. It. Cypr. Jer. Ambrosiast., and read διδάσκειν δὲ γυναικί, which has been received into the text by Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8. Hofm., for the sake of his exposition, prefers the Rec.—1 Timothy 2:14. Instead of the Rec. ἀπατηθεῖσα, Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. read the compound ἐξαπατηθεῖσα, on the testimony of A D* F G 17 28, al., Mt. K., Bas. Chrys. If the compound had not such weighty authorities in its favour, we should be inclined to account for it out of Romans 7:11 and 2 Corinthians 11:3.—1 Timothy 2:15. On the reading γάρ for δέ, found in some codd., Matthaei rightly remarks: ita centies istae particulae … praesertim in principio pro arbitrio mutantur.

1Ti 2:1-15.

PUBLIC WORSHIP. DIRECTION AS TO INTERCESSIONS FOR ALL MEN, SINCE CHRIST IS A RANSOM FOR ALL. THE DUTIES OF MEN AND WOMEN RESPECTIVELY IN RESPECT TO PUBLIC PRAYER. WOMAN'S SUBJECTION; HER SPHERE OF DUTY.

1. therefore--taking up again the general subject of the Epistle in continuation

(2Ti 2:1).

"What I have therefore to say to thee by way of a charge

(1Ti 1:3, 18),

is," &c.

that, first of all . . . be made--ALFORD takes it, "I exhort first of all to make." "First of all," doubtless, is to be connected with "I exhort"; what I begin with (for special reasons), is . . . As the destruction of Jerusalem drew near, the Jews (including those at Ephesus) were seized with the dream of freedom from every yoke; and so virtually "'blasphemed" (compare

1Ti 1:20)

God's name by "speaking evil of dignities"

(1Ti 6:1; 2Pe 2:10; Jude 8).

Hence Paul, in opposition, gives prominence to the injunction that prayer be made for all men, especially for magistrates and kings

(Tit 3:1-3)

[OLSHAUSEN]. Some professing Christians looked down on all not Christians, as doomed to perdition; but Paul says all men are to be prayed for, as Christ died for all

(1Ti 2:4-6).

supplications--a term implying the suppliant's sense of need, and of his own insufficiency.

prayers--implying devotion.

intercessions--properly the coming near to God with childlike confidence, generally in behalf of another. The accumulation of terms implies prayer in its every form and aspect, according to all the relations implied in it.

I exhort, therefore - Margin, "desire." The word exhort, however, better expresses the sense of the original. The exhortation here is not addressed particularly to Timothy, but relates to all who were called to lead in public prayer; 1 Timothy 2:8. This exhortation, it may be observed, is inconsistent with the supposition that a liturgy was then in use, or with the supposition that there ever would be a liturgy - since, in that case, the objects to be prayed for would be prescribed. How singular would it be now for an Episcopal bishop to "exhort" his presbyters to pray "for the President of the United States and for all who are in authority." When the prayer is prescribed, do they not do this as a matter of course?

First of all - That is, as the first duty to be enjoined; the thing that is to be regarded with primary concern; compare Luke 12:1; 2 Peter 1:20. It does not mean that this was to be the first thing in public worship in the order of time, but that it was to be regarded as a duty of primary importance. The duty of praying for the salvation of the whole world was not to be regarded as a subordinate and secondary thing.

Supplications - It is not entirely easy to mark the difference in the meaning of the words used here, and it is not essential. They all relate to prayer, and refer only to the different parts of prayer, or to distinct classes of thought and desire which come before the mind in pleading for others. On the difference between the words supplications and prayers, see notes on Hebrews 5:7.

Intercessions - The noun used occurs only in this place and in 1 Timothy 4:5, of this Epistle. The verb, however ἐντυγχάνω entungchanō, occurs in Acts 25:4; Romans 8:27, Romans 8:34; Romans 11:2; Hebrews 7:25. See the meaning explained in the Romans 8:26 note; Hebrews 7:25 note. There is one great Intercessor between God and man, who pleads for our salvation on the ground of what he himself has done, but we are permitted to intercede for others, not on the ground of any merit which they or we possess, but on the ground of the merit of the great Advocate and Intercessor. It is an inestimable privilege to be permitted to plead for the salvation of our fellow-men.

Giving of thanks - That is, in behalf of others. We ought to give thanks for the mercy of God to ourselves; it is right and proper also that we should give thanks for the goodness of God to others. We should render praise that there is a way of salvation provided; that no one is excluded from the offer of mercy; and that God is using so many means to call lost sinners to himself.

For all men - Prayers should be made for all people - for all need the grace and mercy of God; thanks should be rendered for all, for all may be saved. Does not this direction imply that Christ died for all mankind? How could we give thanks in their behalf if there were no mercy for them, and no way had been provided by which they could be saved? It may be observed here, that the direction to pray and to give thanks for all people, showed the large and catholic nature of Christianity. It was opposed entirely to the narrow and bigoted feelings of the Jews, who regarded the whole Gentile world as excluded from covenant mercies, and as having no offer of life. Christianity threw down all these barriers, and all people are on a level; and since Christ has died for all, there is ample ground for thanksgiving and praise in behalf of the whole human race.

See Supplementary note, 2 Corinthians 5:14.