1 Timothy 2

Notes

Ver. 1. As some judaizing Christians, through prejudice against the Gentiles, reject the authority of heathen magistrates, I therefore, as the apostle of the Gentiles, insist on it, as a matter of high importance, that Christians, in all their prayers, public, private, or secret, deprecate evils inflicted or feared; plead for every necessary mercy; and give thanks for favours received or promised—through Christ; with respect to all sorts or ranks of men—Jews or Gentiles, high or low; 2. Particularly for emperors, kings, or other magistrates, though heathens, — that their persons and ministrations may be blessed, that they may be enabled to rule in the fear of God; that, under their protection, and encouraged by their example and influence, we may safely and peaceably exercise ourselves in public, private, and secret acts of piety towards God, and of honourable honesty and virtue towards every man. 3. For thus to pray, and live in a manner becoming Christians, is agreeable to the good and holy nature and will of God, and through Christ well pleasing in his sight, who has manifested himself to us sinful men under the endearing character of a Saviour; 4. Who, for the more illustrious display of the goodness, blessedness, variety, and abundant riches of his grace under the gospel dispensation, seeks effectually to save men, of all sorts and ranks, greater or lesser sinners; and has for this purpose appointed that the gospel of salvation be preached to every creature under heaven. 5. And it is the more proper that prayers and thanksgivings be made for all sorts of men through Christ, in whom all nations shall be blessed, since God now manifests himself equally the one only God of both Jews and Gentiles, and Jesus Christ, God-man, is set forth as the only Mediator, able, willing, and appointed to make up the breach between God and sinful men; 6. Who having an infinite dignity in his person, and being lord of his own life, offered up himself, soul and body, an atoning sacrifice and to keep for men the broken law of God, in the room of men of all sorts and ranks, to deliver them from the bondage of sin, Satan, the law, and death, that their salvation might be published to them, especially under the gospel; 7. For the publishing of which, I solemnly avow myself a faithful and sincere teacher, chiefly of the Gentiles, manifesting to them the infallible truths and faithful promises of God for their salvation. 8. And therefore, in the name of my glorious Master, the Saviour of mankind, I insist that ministers and Christians, without regard to any ceremonial sanctity of places, pray for all sorts of persons, as above directed, with fervour, purity, and elevation of heart to God, without any wrathfulness of temper against either Jews or Gentiles, and without doubting of or disputing against his fulfilment of his promises to all them that believe.—9. I moreover insist upon it, that women at all times, and especially in your religious assemblies, appear in a garb suitable to the modesty of their sex, and with an air of reverence to God and sacred things; and not after the manner of lewd women, with curiously plaited hair, or in showy deckings of embroidered, rich, or gaudy apparel, which mark the vanity and pride of their own heart, and tempt the beholders to frothiness or unchastity. 10. But let them, as women who profess godliness, and a superlative regard to the things of another world, labour to adorn themselves with such graces, tempers, and practices as fulfil God's law, honour his name, and prove useful to others. 11, 12. And let no woman dare to preach in public assemblies, or in any case usurp authority over her husband or his sex, but learn, according to the dictates of nature and the law of God, to be duly submissive and obedient: 13. For the woman being at first formed after and out of the man, plainly intimated that she was made for him, not he for her; and that she ought to depend on and be subject to him, not he to her. 14. And being first seduced by the devil, that old serpent, in paradise, and made the primary instrument in the ruin of mankind, is a further reason for her humility and subjection. 15. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the particular threatenings issued forth against them immediately after the fall, women are generally preserved in the agonies of childbirth, and shall be saved as well as the man, yet generally in the endurance of this superior effect of the curse; yea, through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the promised one, all of them shall be saved, with an everlasting salvation, who exercise themselves in true faith in God through Christ, and in love to him, his people, and cause, and in a holy, chaste, sober, meek, and temperate behaviour.

Ver. 1. Supplications for the averting of evil.—Prayers for obtaining blessings.—Intercessions on behalf of others.—All men, both believers and unbelievers—in opposition to the narrow bigotry of the Jews. C.

Ver. 4. All men. Men of all nations and of all ranks—Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, without 'respect of persons.' C.

Ver. 5. One God. In opposition to the many idols and false gods of the heathen.—One Mediator. In opposition to angel and saint mediation. C.

Ver. 8. That men. Rather, 'the men,' as distinguished from 'the women,' ver. 9.—Everywhere. In opposition to the Jewish doctrine that confined acceptable prayer to the temple, synagogue, or oratory. C.—The leading idea in this passage is, that wherever and whenever public prayer is offered up, it is the province and duty of the men (not the women) to offer it. I do not think there is any reference to Jewish ideas or prejudices regarding special places for prayer. That point does not seem to have been before the apostle's mind here at all. P.

Ver. 9. Broidered hair, or gold. The Greek has 'plaits and gold,' doubtless in allusion to a mode of adorning the hair still common in Syria. It is trained down the back in numerous long, thin plaits, each plait having fastened upon it a row of small gold coins. P.

Ver. 15. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child-bearing. The Greek of this difficult passage seems to me to convey the idea that her salvation, whatever may be implied in it, was to be by the agency of (not through or during) child-bearing. The noun has also the article, so that the proper rendering is, 'Yet she shall be saved by means of the child-bearing.' I agree with Ellicott that this has reference to the birth of the Messiah. The first Messianic prophecy was—'It (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head.' By the relation in which the woman stood to the Messiah, therefore, in giving birth to him, and thus being more closely related to him than man, she should be saved. P.

Reflections.—Nothing can more testify our love to men than much fervent prayer for them. And none ought to have a more certain share in our prayers than the rulers in church and state. It is greatly advantageous for the success and honour of the gospel when magistrates rule well, and are a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well. The extent of God's grace, and of Christ's mediation, to all sorts and ranks of men, should excite us cheerfully and powerfully to pray for them. And infinite is the mercy that in God's grace and Jesus' merit there is room for us all. The gospel and ordinances of God are now confined to no place in the world; but faithful ministers may preach it to every creature; and men may everywhere have full access to God in his worship. But let us always remember the holiness and reverence with which we ought to approach him.—Since sin entered by a woman, what reason have women to be remarkably holy and humble, and to avoid all ostentation of dress, which is but a badge and memorial of sin! And there is need of faith and love, and a holy conversation, in order to their safe and sanctified endurance in childbirth.