1 Timóteo 2
William Hendriksen · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Timóteo 2
Hendriksen says: Paul has something to "urge" upon Timothy. He is, as it were, "calling him aside" in order to exhort him with respect to a matter of utmost significance (note "first of all"). (Borrow Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles) First of all, then, I urge (parakaleo - present tense - continually encourage) that entreaties (supplications - deesis) and prayers (proseuche), petitions (intercessions - enteuxis) and thanksgivings (eucharistia), be made (poieo in present tense ~ ongoing) on behalf of all men - First (protos) is first not in time as much as in importance (aka priority). First things first as the saying goes and thus prayer is to be among those "first things!" In ministry it is easy to let the horizontal (manward) trump the vertical (Godward), but prayer sets the "compass" back "due north" (aka "upward" toward God!) Then (or therefore in some versions) connects the present exhortation with the preceding section, especially the charge to fight the good fight (1Ti 1:18+) "Since the subject of foolish teachers has been concluded, "then" takes us to the next subject." (Lenski) Urge (which repeats the same verb in 1Ti 1:3+) is singular calling on Timothy to take the lead in the prayer initiative of the church and this verb parakaleo could even convey a sense of urgency (especially in light of the infiltration by false teachers just warned about in 1Ti 1:3, 4, 6, 7, 19, 20). (THOUGHT - When the pastor leads out in prayer, it increases the likelihood that the sheep will follow! Dear shepherd, are you leading, lagging or even lacking?). As noted above, in the immediate context Paul had just called Timothy to fight the good fight (1Ti 1:18+) and now he focuses on prayer stacking up several words for prayer (4 of the 7 Greek words used here) which clearly has an emphatic effect. Prayer is important! I hear people say the spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10ff+ has only one offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17+). I disagree and feel that prayer is also a mighty weapon God has given us to fight the good fight (cf Eph 6:18+). And here having just described the spiritual warfare waged with false teachers, Paul calls first of all for prayer. Is not prayer one of the primary ways to fight the good fight? As noted above the phrase first (protos) of all conveys the idea that prayer is of primary importance. Most consider Paul's instruction in this section as referring to public prayer (suggested especially by following context), but clearly it also applies to private prayer. Paul is calling for continual (made is present tense) prayers of all varieties (all the synonyms for prayer are plural). Behalf of (huper) means on their behalf, which is a picture of interceding for others, to step up and pray for their sake (intercession is a privilege we only have on earth not heaven - cf intercessory prayer). All men (and women of course) would include sinners (even Hymenaeus and Alexander who would be in special need of prayer!) and saints. The lost need prayer that they might be saved and the saved need prayer that they might be sanctified. All men are always standing in the need of prayer (play)! Note that all is a key word in this section (6x in 4v - 1 Ti 2:1 - 2x, 1Ti 2:2 - 2x, 1Ti 2:4, 6) One other point to remember is that no man is outside of the influence of the "energetic" prayers of righteous men and women! One other point is that all men does NOT include those who are dead! (See what the Bible says about praying for the dead) Telling God about men is our great privilege and our great obligation! Duane Litfin - Paul began with what he considered most important: prayer. What too often comes last in a church’s priorities should actually come first. (SEE The Bible Knowledge Commentary - Page 160) Prayer is not preparation for the great work. It is the great work. John Newton's great hymn Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare (listen to this vocal and be blessed!) Come, my soul, thy suit prepare: Jesus loves to answer prayer; He Himself has bid thee pray, Therefore will not say thee nay; Therefore will not say thee nay. Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring; For His grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much; None can ever ask too much. With my burden I begin: Lord, remove this load of sin; Let Thy blood, for sinners spilt, Set my conscience free from guilt; Set my conscience free from guilt. Lord, I come to Thee for rest, Take possession of my breast; There Thy blood bought right maintain, And without a rival reign; And without a rival reign. While I am a pilgrim here, Let Thy love my spirit cheer; As my Guide, my Guard, my Friend, Lead me to my journey’s end; Lead me to my journey’s end. Show me what I have to do, Every hour my strength renew: Let me live a life of faith, Let me die Thy people’s death; Let me die Thy people’s death. Expositor's on first of all - “The most important point in my exhortation concerns the universal scope of public prayer” (Expositors). The Gregory Brown on first of all - The early church devoted themselves to prayer, and the apostles prioritized it even over serving needy widows. They needed to give attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word. This must be our priority as a church and as individual believers....In many churches the announcements take up more time than the public prayer. And, our individual prayer often doesn’t fare much better....There is a tremendous power in corporate prayer; God meets with us in a special way when we participate in it. This reality should provoke spiritual leaders to add more corporate prayer into church services and gatherings. Leaders should incorporate prayer into the praise and giving times, as well as before, during, and in response to the preaching of the Word—in the midst of Paul’s doctrinal letters, he at times bursts into prayer and praise (cf. Ro 11:33–36). We should also set aside time for prayer in our casual meetings with believers. When meeting with fellow brothers and sisters for coffee, lunch, or dinner, we should take time to share prayer requests and lift one anther up. Prayer should be the priority in worship services and our individual lives. When it is not, God’s will does not get done (cf. Ezek 22:30–31). (Becoming a Praying Church) Acts 2:42+ They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 6:3-4+ “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Charles Swindoll adds "Prayer must be the first priority of any vocational minister for the sake of any ministry he or she may serve. Prayer reminds the minister that God is in charge, not people—not the congregation, the senior pastor, the staff, or the elders. The minister serves God first and people second. Furthermore, prayer releases the minister from the tyranny of the urgent and the demands of the immediate to focus on his or her calling. (See Insights on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) Hiebert points out: The word here rendered "urge" is translated "beseech" in Romans 12:1. In such connections it carries the meaning "to beg, entreat, urge." What follows is not presented as a command but as an appeal to their conscience and their love to do what is asked of them. The practice of prayer cannot be forced by an outward command but must be prompted by an inner conviction of its need. (Borrow First Timothy- Everyman's Bible Commentary - excellent resource) Entreaties (deesis) speaks of prayer for personal needs (of others in this context = "on behalf of all men" - and God desires "ALL MEN to be saved" so pray towards that end!), but of course does not exclude prayer for our individual needs. Mention the needs of others first, then mention your own needs (it is easy to invert this pattern). Ralph Earle says entreaties (deesis) "basically carries the idea of desire or need. All true prayer begins in a sense of need and involves a deep desire, although it should never stop there. God wants us to bring our "requests" to him, and he always has a listening ear." (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) William Barclay on entreaties (deesis - requests) - It is not exclusively a religious word; it can be used of a request made either to a fellow-man or to God. But its fundamental idea is a sense of need. No one will make a request unless a sense of need has already wakened a desire. Prayer begins with a sense of need. It begins with the conviction that we cannot deal with life ourselves. That sense of human weakness is the basis of all approach to God. (1 Timothy 2 Commentary) Let not conscience make you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream; All the fitness He requireth Is to feel your need of Him. POSB has a convicting note - Just think what a different world this would be, what a different community we would have if we really took the names and needs of people before God and pleaded for them in an intense brokenness and in tears. Just think... how many more loved ones would be saved and helped, how many more within our community and state and country and world would be saved and helped, how fewer problems would exist within society, Scripture emphatically declares: "Ye have not, because ye ask not" (James 4:2). (BORROW The Preacher's outline & sermon Bible) "The failure of the church to pray in accordance with this exhortation is one of its great sins today." -- Ralph Earle Prayers (proseuche) is the most general word for prayer and always refers to praying to God, whether private or public and here the context suggests these are instructions to Timothy regarding public prayers. Note the "Disciple's Prayer" begins with a call to prayer using the related (cognate) verb proseuchomai and first acknowledging God's great Name (representing all His attributes) as we declare "Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed (hagiazo) be Thy Name." (Mt 6:9+) Petitions (enteuxis) when compared to the root verb entugchano gives a definite sense of intercession (cf used of Spirit in Ro 8:27+ and Christ Himself in Ro 8:34+, Heb 7:25+). The thought is to approach God on behalf of others and ask Him to take action in favor of (sometimes against) a third party. As Brown says petitions "is not only a word of advocacy, “but also of empathy, sympathy, compassion, and involvement.” We should constantly engage in others’ problems and lift them up." Petitions "points to the fact that we can go freely before God at any time or in any place to talk with Him on behalf of others." (Cole) Pulpit Commentary - It may, however, perhaps be said that every deesisis a proseuche, though every proseuche is not a deesis. The deesis is a "petition" — a distinct asking something of God, which a proseuche need not necessarily be. It may be merely an act of adoration, of confession, of recital of God's mercies, and so on. (1 Timothy 2 Commentary) THOUGHT - Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray - they did not ask Him to teach them “how” to pray, they asked Him to teach them to pray. There is no Christian who has not needed to go to the Lord and ask for help with prayer. I know “that” I need to pray; I know “How” to pray; and I know “why” I should pray. Then why is it that I become distracted just at the time I know I need to be spending time with my Lord in prayer? (Johnny Sanders 1 Timothy - A Charge To Keep)
1 Timóteo 2
Hendriksen says: In explanation of the expression "in behalf of all men" the apostle continues: in behalf of kings and all who are in high position. How necessary, this admonition! Even today! The apostle is probably thinking, first of all, of sovereign rulers of states, as they succeed one another in the course of history; and of all other functionaries subject to them. He must have had in mind the then-reigning emperor Nero, and further: the proconsuls, Asiarchs), the town-clerk (a rather influential position), etc. Litfin comments that "With Nero’s growing resentment toward Christians—which came to full bloom after the fire in Rome in July, A.D. 64—and the general disintegration of the Roman Empire due to Nero’s profligacy, Christians began to suffer persecution from the Roman authorities. Having recently been released from his Roman imprisonment, Paul was greatly aware of the deteriorating political atmosphere. Thus he urged prayer for the salvation of all men, but especially rulers, so that the stable, non-interfering environment of previous days might be recovered." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) How necessary, this admonition! Even today! -- William Hendriksen An early church father Tertullian wrote "We pray for all the emperors, that God may grant them long life, a secure government, a prosperous family, vigorous troops, a faithful senate, an obedient people; that the whole world may be in peace; and that God may grant, both to Caesar and to every man, the accomplishment of their just desires.”
1 Timóteo 2
Hendriksen adds "Of course, this merely “hints” at the real purpose of praying for the rulers. Paul certainly does not mean to encourage a life of ease. His aims are never selfish. Rather, the idea is this: freedom from disturbances, such as wars and persecutions, will facilitate the spread of the gospel of salvation in Christ to the glory of God. One must read the present passage in the light of the immediately following context (verses 3 and 4), of other passages from the Pastorals (1 Tim. 1:15; 4:16), and of passages from Paul’s other epistles (1 Cor. 9:22; 10:31)." (New Testament Commentary) Utley on “so that they may lead a tranquil and quiet life” - This seems to mean “peaceful” in the sense of “free of outward trials” and “quiet” in the sense of “free from inner turmoils.” Believers must exercise their faith by calm living, which is so difficult in times of distress and confusion. THOUGHT - Do I pray for my government leaders, even when I see them making godless decisions? Steven
1 Timóteo 2
Hendriksen says: Just as the men must make the necessary preparations, so that with prepared hearts and without previous disposition to evil they "come to church," able to lift up holy hands, so also the women must give evidence of the same spirit of holiness, and must show this while they are still at home, getting ready to attend the service. Paul (inspired by the Spirit) expresses his desire for women and this first description is most reasonable especially in a culture like America in 2022 in which moral values have been significantly eroded. Proper dress in the house of worship and in public gives the immoral/amoral society a picture of godliness and thus of the glory of God. Dressing modestly and discreetly is more of a "fashion statement" (so to speak) about the spiritual condition of one's heart than one's physical appearance. In other words they dress the way they dress because they believe the way they believe, in this case God honoring, God glorifying belief.