1 TIMOTHY LESSON 3


     We will begin this lesson in I Timothy 2:1 "I exhort therefore,
that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and]
giving of thanks, be made for all men;"

     Paul is now giving some last minute instruction to Timothy.
"Supplications" in the verse above, means prayers, or requests. In
this particular usage, "intercessions" means prayers. Intercessory
prayer is generally when you are praying for someone else, not
yourself. This would be the proper usage here, since the prayers were
for all men.  There are many different types of prayer, and perhaps,
that is what is intended here. There is prayer of adoration to God,
there is prayer for a specific request, and there is prayer for
others. There are many other prayers. I think I love the prayer where
I do not want anything from God, but just to visit with Him. These are
usually the sweetest times. Paul, possibly, is telling Timothy here,
that the church will be just as strong as the prayers that are prayed
for it.

     I Timothy 2:2 "For kings, and [for] all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
honesty."

     It is especially important to pray for those who rule over us. If
the leader of the country is a tyrant, it is not very likely that you
would live a peaceable life. Pray for the Lord to lead the king to
peace in the country. A godly king makes it pleasant for all of his
subjects. At the time this was written there was much persecution of
the Christians. Leaders, who were led by every little whim of
circumstance, could make it very difficult to be a Christian. It was
important to pray for the king to be fair and godly in his dealings
with the Christians. Paul would know of the hardships of kings who
were influenced by ungodly people. He had been imprisoned several
times. Some times he was held for a long time in prison because the
ruler would not make a decision to release him, fearing the people or
rulers over them. Paul used the fact that he was a Roman to save
himself several times.

     I Timothy 2:3 "For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of
God our Saviour;"

     We had said in an earlier lesson, that even though we could not
respect the man in office, we must respect the office. Really men are
in office, because God allowed it for a reason.  We should not speak
against those God has put in power.

     I Timothy 2:4 "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth."

     We will see from the following Scriptures just how important it
is to the Lord for all to be saved.  John 3:17 "For God sent not his
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through
him might be saved." II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-
ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance."  What is the knowledge of the Truth? It is to know Jesus
Christ who is the Truth.  It is God Himself who wants all men to be
saved.

     I Timothy 2:5 "For [there is] one God, and one mediator between
God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"

     Before the cross of Christ, there was no way for man to go
directly to the Father God. The temple curtain was closed, and no one
could enter in except the high priest. He could enter only when he was
accompanied by the blood of the sacrifice. God was away from man, and
it seemed impossible to reach God. When Jesus was crucified on the
cross, the veil of the temple was torn from the top to the bottom
opening the way to the common Christian to God. Jesus is the door. He
is the Way. He is the only thing we need to reach the Father. We can
pray directly to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and God will
hear our prayer. The man Christ Jesus is mentioned here because the
veil of separation in the temple was symbolic of the flesh of Jesus.
It is the crucifixion of the flesh of Jesus that opened the way for
you and me. Jesus is our Mediator. He is our High Priest, He is
our intercessor. Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore he is able also to save them
to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to
make intercession for them."  Hebrews 8:6 "But now hath he obtained a
more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a
better covenant, which was established upon better promises."  It is
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that puts us in right standing with
the Father.

     I Timothy 2:6 "Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified
in due time."

     "Ransom" in the verse above, has to do with Jesus being the
substitute for our sin. He purchased our salvation for us with His
precious blood. We were captive of sin, until He took our sin upon His
body on the cross and sin for us died on the cross. To "testify" means
to tell something, because you know it to be a fact. All who have been
saved can testify of Jesus. Paul could definitely testify of Jesus. He
met Him on the road to Damascus. Paul was to testify to the Gentiles
of the fact that Jesus had purchased all who would receive Him with
His precious blood.

     I 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."

     Paul was ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the gospel
message to the Gentiles. Acts 9:15 "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy
way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"  "Verity" means
truth. This then is saying, that Paul brought the Truth to the
Gentiles. Paul teaches them that faith alone, and not works, will save
a man.  Possibly, the reason that Paul is saying this again, is
because the Judaizers were not pleased with the message that Paul
brought.  They wanted the Christians to keep the old Mosaic law, even
though they were believers in Christ. Paul was reminding Timothy, the
message of salvation through faith was the Truth.

     I Timothy 2:8 "I will therefore that men pray every where,
lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

     To lift the hands up to heaven when you pray, is an humbling
experience. It is just recognition of where the answers to prayers
come from. We humble ourself to God in this process, and accept the
answer He has for us. To receive answers to prayer, we must not have
wrath in our life toward anyone. We must forgive to be forgiven. We
must, also, believe that we receive when we pray, and we shall
receive.  Look, with me, at what Jesus had to say about this. Mark
11:24 "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye
pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]."

     I Timothy 2:9 "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves
in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided
hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;"

     Church is a place to go and worship God. It is very important for
women to dress in a manner not to draw attention to themselves. A
woman's beauty should not be her outward appearance of gold, or
pearls, or fancy clothes. Her beauty should be from within. Women, who
are modest in apparel and in their behavior, are a blessing in the
church.

     I Timothy 2:10 "But (which becometh women professing godliness)
with good works."

     Godly women are a real blessing to the church. They generally are
eager to work in the church. In our churches today, we would be in a
terrible mess without the women. There are about three women to every
man in the church today. Without the work and the financial support of
the women in the church, many churches would not be able to operate.
It is wonderful to have working men in the church, but if they do not
come, the women must keep it going.

     I Timothy 2:11 "Let the woman learn in silence with all
subjection."

     The word that silence was translated from means quietness.
Subjection has to do with being subordinate to her husband. We must
remember in all of this, that this was not what Jesus did. Jesus
appeared first to the women at the tomb, and gave them instruction to
go, and tell the others. The others included men. Then, why in the
world is he making this statement here? We must remember that Timothy
and Paul are dealing with people here who are Judaizers. Paul tried
very hard to conform to the customs of the people he was ministering
to.  This has to be what this is, because Paul knew that with God
there is no male, or female. Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."  We, also, know that Paul
ministered with women. Philippians 4:3 "And I intreat thee also, true
yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel,
with Clement also, and [with] other my fellowlabourers, whose names
[are] in the book of life."  Different societies have different
customs pertaining to their women. We know this to be true with the
Moslems today as one example.  For any custom to be taken as general
doctrine for the church, there has to be two witnesses. Paul is just
one witness.  Matthew 18:16 "But if he will not hear [thee, then] take
with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established."  II Corinthians 13:1 "This [is] the
third [time] I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established."  The only thing this
Scripture is really saying, is for the woman not to try to be the
husband in their marriage. Women should never do anything that would
embarrass their husbands.

     I Timothy 2:12 "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence."

     This is not really what Paul believed in the truest sense,
because Eunice and Lois taught Timothy. Priscilla and Aquilla {husband
and wife} taught together. Paul was very good friends with them. This
is really saying, that women should not try to rule over their
husbands in the flesh. The word "usurp" means to dominate. As we have
said before, Jesus set the woman free, when He set the man free, but
this does not eliminate the relationship of husband and wife. In the
flesh {not the spirit}, the husband is the head of the woman. In the
spirit, Jesus is the head of husband and wife. Married women who
preach and teach, should do it with full approval of their husbands,
so they will not embarrass the husband. In Christianity, women become
free, equal with their husbands. It is so difficult for people to
separate the flesh and the spirit. Verse 12 above is to accommodate
the custom of these people, not for all churches. One thing that is
important in all churches, is that women should not appear to be men,
and men should not appear to be women.

     I Timothy 2:13 "For Adam was first formed, then Eve."

     Here, again, we are looking at the flesh. It is true that Eve was
made to be a companion for Adam. When a man and a woman get married,
they are one flesh. As Jesus and the Father are one, so are husband
and wife.  In the husband wife relationship, the husband is the head.
We will see throughout the Bible that this is symbolic of Jesus and
His church.  The wife being the church. This whole thing has to do
with women being modest and not wearing clothes that will draw other
men's attention to them.

     I Timothy 2:14 "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being
deceived was in the transgression."

     The sad thing is that Adam was not deceived. He sinned in full
knowledge. Adam actually symbolizes the law, and Eve symbolizes the
church. The church is saved by the grace of God, not by the keeping of
the law.

     I Timothy 2:15 "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in
childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with
sobriety."

     The Saviour of the world is the seed of the woman, Genesis
chapter 3 verse 15. Paul has associated the punishment placed on Eve
for being beguiled, as the way to salvation. Then the work of the soil
by the sweat of the brow would be the salvation of the man. You can
see that this Scripture is not to be taken literally, because the toil
of the land does not save the man, and the bearing of children does
not save the woman. Jesus Christ, who is seed of the woman, is the
Saviour of us all, whether male or female. The church and its members
must stay in charity and holiness to receive the kingdom of God.






































                        1 Timothy 3 Questions


1.  What are several different words that all mean prayer in verse 1?
2.  Who did Paul instruct Timothy to pray for?
3.  What makes the church strong?
4.  What kind of life should we live?
5.  What is the difference between serving a godly king, and one who
    is not godly?
6.  Quote 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 3.
7.  Who does God want to be saved?
8.  Quote John chapter 3 verse 17.
9.  Why is the Lord delaying His coming?
10. What is the knowledge of the Truth?
11. Who is the mediator between God and man?
12. When was the veil of the temple torn from the top to the bottom?
13. Quote Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25.
14. Quote Hebrews chapter 8 verse 6.
15. What is "ransom" in verse 6 speaking of?
16. What does "testify" mean?
17. What 2 things did Paul call himself in verse 7?
18. What does "verity" mean?
19. Which message was Paul telling Timothy was the Truth?
20. In verse 8, Paul said to do what when you pray?
21. Quote Mark chapter 11 verse 24.
22. How are the women to dress?
23. What beauty should the woman have?
24. About what is the ratio of women to men in the churches today?
25. Why does the author believe verse 11 was given to Timothy here?
26. Quote Galatians chapter 3 verse 28.
27. Quote Philippians chapter 4 verse 3.
28. Quote 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 1.
29. Why do we know that Paul really did not believe what he said to
    these people in verse 12?
30. Then why did Paul say this?
31. Adam was first formed , then ______.
32. Adam was not deceived, he _________ in ______ _________.
33. Eve was __________.
34. What does Adam symbolize here?
35. What does Eve symbolize?
36. Who is the Saviour of the world?
37. How do we know that verse 15 is not to be taken literally?