1 Timothy 2 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 1 Tim 2:1-8

1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle – I am telling the truth, I am not lying – and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. 8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

A. Find Out:

1. How many sorts of prayer are mentioned? v.1
2. For whom and why are we to pray? v.2
3. What is God’s objective? v.3,4
4. How is that expressed? v.5,6
5. What is Paul’s threefold ministry? v.7
6. So what does he now want? v.8

B. Think:

1. What does this passage teach about prayer?
2. What does it teach about the purpose of God?
3. In what two ways, from this passage, may we harmonise with the purpose of God?

C. Comment:

     Paul still has the Gospel on his mind. He spoke about it in the first chapter and it is still in the background of his thinking, but it comes through prayer.

     First note HOW we pray: first petitions or simple requests, then prayer or sharing with greater understanding, then intercession or deeply sharing the heart of God and standing in the gap before God for others, and finally thanksgiving , the culmination of praying when we see or have the certainty of answered prayer.

     Second, note WHO we may pray for: leaders in the world, people in authority, the people who we perhaps so often write off as too hard. Why?

      Well third, see WHAT we pray for: that they might be saved and may lead us in godly wisdom to establish peace and holiness in society. That is quite clear from v.4 onwards. The end result of our praying, Paul insists, is that people get saved, for that is God’s desire and intention. That is at the heart of Paul’s ministry, for he is a proclaimer of the Gospel, a builder of church congregations and a teacher of the saints. Such is to be the heart of our praying.

D. Application:

1. Let your prayer life develop from simple requests through to standing in the gap.
2. Keep on praying for the salvation of those around you.

Passage: 1 Tim 2:9-15

9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

A. Find Out:

1. How didn’t Paul want women to dress? v.9
2. How and why did he want women to dress? v.10
3. What did he say a woman’s attitude should be? v.11
4. What did he say he didn’t allow? v.12
5. On what did he base this? v.13,14
6. How was a woman to work out her salvation? v.15

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise the point being made by Paul in v.9,10?
2. How does Paul distinguish between male and female roles here?
3. On what two things does Paul base his doctrine?

C. Comment:

     Paul’s teaching on male-female roles is quite clear and in a day when his teaching is unpopular in many quarters, we need to remember that ALL Scripture is inspired and profitable for teaching (remember, 2 Timothy 3:16).

     Paul’s first point is that women may have a natural tendency to be more concerned with dress and appearance. A glance at most women’s magazines will confirm this and there is nothing wrong with that, but when it comes to being women of God, Paul says he would rather want to see godly women clothed with godly deeds. The apostle Peter completely agrees with Paul in this (see 1 Peter 3:3,4).

     Next Paul speaks about general attitude and general roles of women, saying that a woman should submit to the authority of men (see also Ephesians 5:22 -24). In this the apostle Peter again completely agrees (see 1 Peter 3:1). This is not a Pauline bias. The reason Paul gives for this is that men were made first and was given authority over the earth, and woman was added as a helper (see Genesis 2:7,15,18). The role is to be seen as no way inferior to man’s but complementary to his. Both are equally important.

D. Application:

1. Will we side with the spirit of the age of with Scripture in these things?
2. What is more important, position or servanthood? That is the issue.