1
TIMOTHY 2:5-10
ONE
MEDIATOR, ONE MESSAGE,
PROPER
PRAYER,
ATTITUDE, AND ATTIRE
1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all,
to be testified in due time.
Susan: A
mediator is a go-between, an advocate speaking on someone else’s behalf.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation2434
for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Susan: Let’s
look into that word “propitiation” which is one of those that we understand
from context but may not fully comprehend.
The
New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:
2434 –
hilasmŏs – atonement, i.e. and expiator—propitiation.
Webster’s
1828 American Dictionary of the English Language:
Expiate
- To atone for; to make satisfaction for; to extinguish the guilt of a crime by
subsequent acts of piety or worship, by which the obligation to punish the
crime is canceled. To expiate guilt or a crime, is to perform some act which is
supposed to purify the person guilty; or some act which is accepted by the
offended party as satisfaction for the injury; that is, some act by which his
wrath is appeased, and his forgiveness procured.
Propitiation
- 1. The act of appeasing wrath and conciliating the favor of an offended
person; the act of making propitious.
2. In
theology, the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his
wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the
sins of men. Romans 3:25. 1 John 2:2.
Susie: So,
both verses are indicating that Jesus satisfied God’s wrath when He stood
between us and the consequence of our sin by dying as our substitute on the
cross.
Susan: Jesus
was the Seed the Father sowed to satisfy the debt humanity owed. Jesus died to
form a bridge between sinful, depraved people and a holy God.
Susie: Jesus
death covered the sins of all who would trust in Him for that salvation. His
death was sufficient for all but only those chosen by the Father and drawn by
the Holy Spirit who surrender their lives to Jesus reap the benefit of His
atonement.
John
6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and
I will raise him up at the last day.
Susie: Jesus
was the only one who could pay the ransom to release us from the bondage of
sin.
Susan: Jesus
is also the only qualified, acceptable, advocate or mediator between God and
people.
Susie: Jesus
is fully God and when on earth was fully man. As the only God/Man, He bridges
the gap between sinful man and a holy God. No other person, no other saint, can
serve as a mediator between me and God.
Susan: Jesus
is the bridge of flesh between the Father and humanity.
1 Timothy 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and
an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the
Gentiles in faith and verity.
Susie: 1
Timothy 2:5-6 is the main points of the Gospel in a nutshell. Our sin was an affront to a Holy God. We
needed a Mediator. Jesus died to appease God on our behalf. Now Paul says,
“Whereunto” or “For this purpose” which would be proclaiming the truth of the
Gospel he was made a preacher, teacher, and apostle.
Susan: Paul
gave the message of the Gospel to the Jews first though most of them rejected
it. God specifically appointed Paul to minister Jesus’ message to the Gentile
world (those were not Jewish by birth or conversion to the Jewish faith).
Susie: Paul
emphasized this fact by saying that he spoke the truth and was not lying.
1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every
where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Susie: By
everywhere Paul was indicating public prayer and may have meant that he taught
this not only for the Ephesian believers but everywhere that he ministered.
Susan: Paul
was consistent in teaching this basic principle in every church he founded or
encouraged such as in Corinth, Philippi, Ephesus, etc.
Susie: Susan
researched and wrote a paper about women’s roles in the church titled
“Redemption: The Reestablishment of Equality” when she was at Oral Roberts
University. We will include portions of it in our discussion. For example, were
only “men” to pray?
Susan: Both
men and women are called to pray. Paul initiates guidelines for appropriate
demeanor in lifestyle and public prayer for both men and women. “I will that
men pray” (vs. 8), and, “In like manner also,” (vs.9) denotes that both men and
women pray everywhere and be reverent in demeanor and attitude. “Everywhere”
refers to public prayer, which may have been an activity in which the men of
Ephesus did not take part as they should. The apostle thus encourages the men
to participate in public prayer.
1
Timothy 1:9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with
good works.
Susan: The Living Bible accurately translates
Paul’s will concerning men and women in public prayer:
1
Timothy 2:8-10 So I want men everywhere to pray with holy hands lifted up to
God, free from sin and anger and resentment And the women should be the same
way, quiet and sensible in manner and clothing. Christian women should be
noticed for being kind and good, not for the way they fix their hair or because
of their jewels or fancy clothes.
Susie: The Complete Jewish Bible makes it clear
that this passage is addressing women when
they pray in public which assumes that can and should pray in public.
1
Timothy 2:9-10 Likewise, the women, when they pray, should be dressed modestly
and sensibly in respectable attire, not with elaborate hairstyles and gold
jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes. Rather, they should adorn themselves
with what is appropriate for women who claim to be worshipping God, namely,
good deeds.
Susan: There
were strong reasons that Christian women should dress modestly. Ephesus was the
location of the temple of Diana (Artemis), the fertility goddess. Thousands of
temple prostitutes enticed men with expensive clothing and hair braided with
gold. Paul was urging Christian women to go out of their way to not look like
these pagan women.
Susie: I
believe this admonition applies today as well, for both men and women. Our
modesty, our attire, should set us apart from the world. Despite what one
friend once told me, I do not think we should all dress as the Amish. However,
I believe both men and women should refrain from provocative apparel and
behavior. We should not flaunt our wealth with extreme opulence on a daily
basis. We should be modest.
Susan: Paul
was exhorting Christian men and women to be different from the world and its
imagery.
QUESTIONS
1.
Who is
the only mediator between God and people?
2.
What
does propitiation mean?
3.
Write
out how you would briefly share the gospel with someone. Use verses 5 & 6
to help you.
4.
Should
public prayer be spoken by men only?
5.
What
should be the demeanor of one who is praying publicly?
6. According to this passage, what is one way that
Christians need to be different from the nonbelieving world around us?
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