1 TIMOTHY 2:5-10 - ONE MEDIATOR, ONE MESSAGE, PROPER PRAYER, ATTITUDE, AND ATTIRE

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?