1 Timothy 2
Summary for 1Tim 2:1-3:13: 2:1–3:13 a Paul moves to the areas of conduct in God’s household that were affected by the false teachers (3:15 b). Community life had been corrupted in worship and gender roles (2:1-15 c) and leadership (3:1-13 d).Summary for 1Tim 2:1-15: 2:1-15 e This unit deals first with prayer (2:1-7 f) and with the deportment of men and women (2:8-10 g). It closes with the question of women and teaching (2:11-15 h).
Summary for 1Tim 2:1-7: 2:1-7 i Here, prayer focuses on the church’s mission, which suggests that the false teachers had brought the church into disrepute in the wider society (cp. 3:6-7 j; 6:1 k; Titus 2:5 l) and hampered its mission to the Gentiles. 2:1 m all people: The prayers of the false teachers and their disciples were evidently not consonant with God’s will to save all kinds of people (2:3-4 n).
2:2 o all who are in authority: Those who had the power to persecute or to protect the church (see also Rom 13:1-7 p; 1 Pet 2:13-17 q).
• live peaceful and quiet lives: The point was not for Christians to blend in and be unnoticed, but to display the beauty of the Good News and allow the church’s mission to proceed without unnecessary complications (cp. 2 Tim 3:12 r; 1 Pet 3:13-17 s).
• The word godliness and its cognates (also at 1 Tim 3:16 t; 4:7-8 u; 5:4 v; 6:3 w, 5-6 x, 11 y) sum up the beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyles that accord with right and reverential knowledge of God, obedience, and authentic worship.
Summary for 1Tim 2:5-6: 2:5-6 z Compact teachings, as in this passage, occur throughout the letters to Timothy and Titus (see also 1 Tim 3:16 aa; 2 Tim 1:9-10 ab; 2:8 ac, 11-13 ad; Titus 3:4-7 ae). They might be adapted bits of creeds, hymns, or prayers that were known to the churches. The doctrines referenced probably relate to Paul’s trouble with the false teachers; it appears that their teaching undercut the universal appeal of the Good News and the effectiveness of the Gentile mission. The false teachers also had a deficient understanding of Jesus and his salvation. 2:5 af There is one God and therefore one mission encompassing all people (Rom 3:29-30 ag; Gal 3:26-29 ah). Using the phrase one God suggests a fundamental declaration of Christian faith, analogous to the basics of Jewish faith (Deut 6:4 ai).
• There is one Mediator of God’s covenant, the man Christ Jesus. He is fully human and fully God, and thus able to reconcile God and humanity (see 1 Cor 8:6 aj; Eph 4:5-6 ak).
2:8 al Genuine prayer had evidently deteriorated among the Ephesians due to the false teachers’ influence (see 1 Tim 6:4-5 am; 1:4 an; cp. 2 Tim 3:1-5 ao; Titus 3:9-11 ap).
• holy hands lifted up: Cp. Isa 1:15-17 aq. An ancient posture of praise and supplication (see Exod 9:29 ar; 1 Kgs 8:22 as, 54 at; Neh 8:6 au; Ps 28:2 av; Luke 24:50 aw).
• free from anger and controversy: Cp. Jas 3:8-12 ax.
Summary for 1Tim 2:9-10: 2:9-10 ay The subject is still community prayer.
• to be modest in their appearance: Christian women must praise God rather than seek to be praised by people (cp. 1 Pet 3:3-5 az). They are to do good deeds for others, not focus on enhancing their appearance or being sexually seductive. Jewelry and expensive clothes imply wealth (see 1 Tim 6:5-10 ba, 17-19 bb), which might have played into the power struggles Timothy had to combat (2:11-15 bc).
Summary for 1Tim 2:11-15: 2:11-15 bd Paul is still talking about women in the assembly—here, in their relationship to public teaching (cp. 1 Cor 11:2-16 be; 14:33-36 bf; 2 Cor 11:3 bg).
2:12 bh teach men or have authority over them: The relationship between teaching and authority depends on how both are understood. Women did teach (Titus 2:3-5 bi), but there are no clear New Testament examples or endorsements of women teaching men in church meetings (cp. Acts 18:26 bj; 1 Cor 14:34-35 bk; Phil 4:3 bl). We know it was happening in some of the churches only by way of Paul’s opposing responses. Women did prophesy (Acts 2:17-18 bm; 21:9 bn; 1 Cor 11:5 bo), but some types of prophecy might not have been seen as authoritative teaching (Acts 11:28 bp; 21:10-11 bq; 1 Cor 14:29 br).
• have authority over them (or usurp their authority): This verb can denote either a domineering attitude or simply the exercise of authority.
2:13 bs The most common understanding of this verse is that Paul believes social roles are attached to the man being created first (Gen 2:7 bt, 22 bu; 1 Cor 11:8-12 bv). Paul’s logic has usually been tied to the leading role of the firstborn son in the Old Testament. However, there are exceptions to the rule of firstborn even in Scripture (see Gen 27–28 bw). And while gender retains its distinctions in the New Testament, there is also an element of equality in Christ (Gal 3:28 bx; see also 1 Cor 11:11-12 by; 12:13 bz; Eph 5:21 ca; Col 3:11 cb).
• It is also possible that the heretics asserted a reversal of gender status in Christ relative to the surrounding culture, giving what would have been viewed as objectionable dominance to women. Paul’s allusion would then function to discredit this assertion and reestablish balance.
2:15 cc will be saved through childbearing (or will be saved by accepting their role as mothers, or will be saved by the birth of the Child): The most likely explanation for this statement is that the false teachers had stirred up trouble in households (see 1 Timothy Book Introduction, “Setting”), and Paul was calling these women back to proper relations within their homes, in keeping with the truth of the Good News (see 1:4-5 cd; 4:1-5 ce). In so doing they would be saved in the ultimate sense (see 4:16 cf; cp. 3:13 cg). This verse might allude to Gen 3:15-16 ch, suggesting a reversal of the curse, either through normal childbirth or the birth of the Messiah.
1 Timothy 3:1-13
Summary for 1Tim 3:1-13: 3:1-13 ci The topic shifts to church leadership by elders (3:1-7 cj) and deacons (3:8-13 ck). Timothy’s role in the appointments is less clear than that of Titus (see 5:17-22 cl; Titus 1:5 cm), possibly because the church in Ephesus was more mature and thus better able to manage the process (cp. Acts 6:2-6 cn). The criteria listed here pertain to character rather than function and are partly a response to the local heretics. Reading this letter in the churches would make the criteria public and demonstrate the unfitness of the heretics for leadership. 3:1 co trustworthy saying: See study note on 1:15.• a church leader: The translation assumes that “overseer” and “church leader” (see study note on 5:17-18) are the same office (see Titus 1:5-7 cp). In the Greco-Roman world, an overseer was a religious, civic, or military supervisor.
3:2 cq whose life is above reproach: This is the most general prerequisite for a community leader and public representative (see 3:7 cr, 10 cs; 5:7 ct; 6:14 cu; Titus 1:6-7 cv; 2:8 cw).
• must be faithful to his wife (or must have only one wife, or must be married only once; literally must be the husband of one wife; also in 1 Tim 3:12 cx): This assumes but does not require a married male. It mainly addresses purity and faithfulness in the marriage relationship, something that could not be taken for granted in the surrounding culture; it probably does not prohibit remarriage after the death of a spouse (see 5:9 cy), nor does it address the issue of polygamy. See also 3:12 cz; Titus 1:6 da; cp. 1 Tim 5:9 db.
• enjoy having guests in his home (literally be hospitable): Hospitality was an important duty and a respected virtue in the ancient world. Any traveling Christian would seek out and probably stay with fellow believers (see 2 Jn 1:10-11 dc; 3 John dd). In addition, first-century churches often met in private homes (see Col 4:15 de; Phlm 1:2 df).
Summary for 1Tim 3:4-5: 3:4-5 dg The church as a household (3:15 dh) overlapped with the family household. An overseer’s capacity to manage in one sphere reflected his capability in the other (see also 3:12 di; 5:17 dj; Rom 12:8 dk; 1 Thes 5:12 dl).
• The Greco-Roman household was united by familial bonds characterized by mutual responsibilities, roles, and stewardship. The household included the blood relatives living together along with other dependents, such as household servants.
3:7 dm Paul expected Christians to live in a way that could be respected by people outside the church (see also 6:1 dn; Titus 2:5-10 do).
• The trap might pertain to the false teachers (see 1 Tim 1:20 dp; 5:14-15 dq; 6:9 dr; 2 Tim 2:26 ds).
Summary for 1Tim 3:8-13: 3:8-13 dt The Greek word translated deacon (“servant, assistant, courier, agent”) and its cognates (“service, to serve”) are commonly used for service of any kind (e.g., 4:6 du; Matt 22:13 dv; John 2:5 dw; 12:26 dx; Rom 13:4 dy; 1 Cor 3:5 dz). As designating an office in the church, it occurs only in 1 Tim 3:8-13 ea; Phil 1:1 eb; and (maybe) Rom 16:1 ec. This passage concentrates on character rather than activities. See also study note on Acts 6:2-6. 3:8 ed must not be ... dishonest with money (3:3 ee): Greed is disreputable and improper (6:6-10 ef, 17-19 eg; Eph 5:3 eh; Col 3:5 ei), especially for those who lead in the church (1 Tim 3:9 ej; see Titus 1:7 ek).
3:11 el their wives (or the women deacons): The Greek word can be translated women or wives. In favor of their wives, 3:8-13 em is a discussion of male deacons; switching to “women deacons” would disrupt the flow of thought. However, there might have been women deacons in the early church (see Rom 16:1 en). In that case, this verse might parallel 1 Tim 3:8 eo.
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