WORSHIP INSTRUCTIONS (1Tim 2)
Continuing our studies in the Pastoral epistles. 1 Timothy chapter 2 today.
I remember, the first ever dress long pants I owned were the pair my mum made for me to wear to the Sunday School anniversary in about 1958, just before I turned 7. Wearing new clothes to Church made me feel like a million dollars (or pounds as it was back then). From then onwards, I had instilled into me to always wear my best clothes to church on Sunday. This was reasoned to me by my grandmother, who said, “you don’t give God what’s left over or second best”. So, my clothes for church were all nicely pressed, even if mum and dad could not afford to buy me new clothes, the ones I wore to Sunday school were always neat and tidy. The same was true for my older sister. Mum made her nice dresses to wear to Sunday school. The new ones were always finished the night before the Sunday school anniversary on the old treadle Singer sewing machine. At the anniversary, we, along with the other kids had to learn Christian poetry or verses of scripture which we recited to the packed church. I can remember the line of poetry about Christian behaviour I learned: “Never loiter, never shirk. Let your heart be in your work”. I was learning about the Christian’s life at worship.
In the same way, the Apostle Paul gives teaching to Timothy about the ordering of worship, and we look at these things this morning as we examine 1 Timothy 2.
V.1 ‘First of all’ is not to be understood in terms of ‘first place’ or first in a sequence of events, but rather of priority and importance. The utmost priority of worship is prayer in all its forms. There there are 4 words used to describe prayer in worship. NIV: requests, prayers, intercessions, & thanksgivings. These are to be made for all people, not just for ourselves. This reminds us of the importance and range of prayer in worship.
V2. We are to pray for the leaders of our nation, even if they are unpopular. In the first century, Paul was informing the Ephesian Christians to pray for Emperor Nero who was openly hostile towards Christians in Rome. If Christians in Rome are encouraged to pray for a hostile Emperor Nero, how much more should we be encouraged to pray for our political leaders.
V. 3. Public prayer is good, and it pleases the Saviour. Prayer is good because it is communication with God.
V.4. Prayer pleases the Saviour because God loves the world and wants to save the world through His Son (3 times in the Bible: Joel 2:21; Acts 2: 21; & Romans 10:13 – “Everyone who calls …). Also: John 3:16-17: “For God …
V.5. Provision is made to save the world only by faith in Jesus. He is our mediator. A mediator is a person who helps two separated parties come together. Jesus is the only mediator across the chasm of sin. Prayer is the communication in the process of our salvation and prayer also flows out of our gratitude for what Jesus has done for us in his death on the Cross.
V.6. “Ransom” is a word from the slave market = 2 parts: Buying a slave back, and setting him or her free. Our ransom is found in a relationship with God in Christ. His life was laid down so that we might be welcomed into God’s presence: we were bought with a price and set free by his blood.
V.7. The good news about Jesus is trustworthy and true. The apostle Paul’s reputation is staked on it.
V.8. “Men should lift up holy hands in prayer”. This was the way that people in the first century prayed. Raising hands is something tangible we can do in worship, especially as we sing worship songs. The words, “without anger or disputing” remind me sadly, that the biggest disputes I have seen have been in Church. This should not be. Rather, Paul encourages unity in prayer. We are to be in full agreement on the important issues, but we also need to learn to “agree to disagree” when we have disputes about non-essentials.
V.9. Now I have nothing against wearing nice clothes to Church. As I said before, I was taught to always wear my best clothes to Sunday School & church. But, Paul addresses the issues of worldly glamour and the distraction it causes. In the first century, in both Jewish and Greek cultures, extravagant and flamboyant female clothing was symbolic of sexual promiscuity. So basically, Paul is saying, don’t let the clothes you wear to church distract others from worship.
V.10. The issue is: give more thought to your conduct and how you behave, than to what you wear, or how you do your hair.
Now we come to the tricky bit. V.11-14 The easiest way to interpret the verses about silencing women in Church is to conclude that we are to understand the verses literally. In fact the literal interpretation seems to be what Paul supports with his argument that Adam was created first, and that Eve was the first to be deceived. Some churches do interpret these verses this way, and as a result, they forbid women to take any role that might require them to think or make rational decisions. So, all women in those places regardless of their gifting and ability, are relegated to work solely in the kitchen, in the crèche, or behind a broom.
But, I cannot support this view. My reason is that in Paul’s other letters he actually recognises the God-given gifting and authority given to women. These are in terms of both teaching and preaching the gospel (Romans 16:1-3 & Philippians 4:2-3). Paul even mentions Junia as a female apostle in Romans 16:7. Apostleship was not just preaching, teaching, and planting churches, but also apostleship in the early church carried the full weight of authority to keep the Church free from heresy.
So, how do we reconcile that Paul encourages women in ministry in some Scriptures, while in other Scriptures he tells them to shut up. Well, its as simple as this. All of the letters in the NT (perhaps with one exception) are occasional letters – written to address particular problems, in particular places, at particular times. So the instructions that Paul gives for one congregation dealing with a particular problem, will not automatically work for another (especially if it is facing a different problem).
Here in 1 Timothy 2, Paul was trying to help Timothy deal with a pastoral problem. It appears that false teachers were targeting women (especially younger widows) and deceiving them. So, Paul instructs Timothy to restrict the women from teaching in order to undermine the work of the false teachers. This would have another spinoff as it would help the Ephesian church to regain the respect of its own community.
Today, there is widespread disagreement about how far these restrictions on women can be applied. But, we need to know that in the first century, the Christian message upgraded the status of women. As Paul says in Galatians 3:26-28.
You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Furthermore, I do not believe that God intended for either gender to take over the church, as both women and men are equal in God’s sight. That’s why the Uniting Church ordains women, recognising that the gifting and the call of God surpasses gender. I believe that the best scenarios for Church leadership are when a husband and wife work as a team in ministry together.
So, Paul’s word here is relevant to us today; firstly, (as I learned for that Sunday school anniversary: “always loiter, never work, let your heart be in your shirt!” Oops! Thanks dad for the extra lines you taught me). Two things: Firstly, Be conscious of your conduct, and don’t go mad about what you wear; and secondly, a word to both men and women, don’t be sexist or lord it over the opposite sex.
V.15. In the last verse of this chapter, Paul could never have meant that women could win eternal salvation by giving birth to children. But this is what it seems if take this verse out of its context. But if we look in verse 5, there is only one way – Jesus. Maybe salvation through childbearing is the reference to Mary the mother of Jesus, who gave birth to the Saviour of the world.
So friends, the basis of worship is prayer, right behaviour, and focussing on Jesus Christ our Saviour. We will do well to focus on these things, and not let other things distract us.
