1 Timothy 2:5-8

1 Timothy 2:5–8 (NASB95)

5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

One God

One Mediator

One Way

One Story

One Truth

One Mission/Ministry

VS 5 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

This is one of the most memorized, quoted, and useful verses in the Bible. Paul begins with the Old Testament truth that the God of the Bible is the only God who actually exists. This statement is the Shema, meaning "the saying," the foundational saying of the Law: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:4–5 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might). The second phrase transitions to the concept of a mediator. A mediator is a person who serves as an intermediary between two people or parties. Jesus serves to bring people to God (John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.) and is the only way to God (Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”). Hebrews 9:15 mentions this same theme, saying, "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant …" Similarly, Hebrews 12:24 uses the phrase, "Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant." Paul also highlights the humanity of Jesus, calling him "The man Christ Jesus." He is God in human form, one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man (John 1:1–14). This verse not only speaks to the reality of the Christian God, but also that Jesus Christ is the only way to be reconciled to God. No other being, spiritual or human, is needed as a go-between for us and God. The symbolism of the torn temple veil (Matthew 27:51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.) applies here: Jesus is the way we communicate with God, period. There is no additional step, and there is no other channel.

1 Timothy 2:6 mean? 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

Ransom, in this context, is the idea of a payment (a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity), something commonly mentioned in the Law (Exodus 21:30; 30:12; Leviticus 19:20; 27:29; Numbers 35:31–32). Jesus personally explained His role using this concept, saying "… the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”; . The prior verse pointed out that Jesus Christ is the one and only mediator—or reconciler—between God and men. This verse explains that Christ serves this purpose by becoming the payment for our sins. Paul also uses an interesting reference to timing and testimony. This difficult-to-translate transition most likely refers to Christ's death as a testimony of God's character and His desire for the salvation of men. This was explicitly mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:4. The Greek word translated "testimony" is martyrion, which can also be translated as "witness, or to reveal." Some commentators also see a connection between the "testimony" of the Ten Commandments and Jesus as the "testimony" of the new covenant (Exodus 25:16). This would again emphasize Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17). The phrase "the proper time" simply refers to the coming of Jesus to earth and His sacrifice on the cross at the "right" time.

1 Timothy 2:7 mean? 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Paul moves from speaking about salvation in Jesus to stating that he was "appointed" to share this message. Paul saw himself as chosen by God for the specific work of serving as a missionary to the Gentiles. His efforts included speaking and traveling to start new churches throughout the Gentile world. Paul started at least twenty churches, likely many more, during his approximately thirty years of ministry. In addition, thirteen of his letters became a part of the New Testament. Paul's sudden reference to truth seems strange, for someone proclaiming himself a servant of God. And yet, this is a device Paul used more than once in his other letters. In 2 Corinthians 11:31 and Galatians 1:20 he also makes a point of stating his honesty. The intent seems to be emphasizing the issue at hand. In this case, Paul is referring to his calling from God and to ministry as a preacher and apostle. In the Greek text, the same word for truth is used both for Paul's personal claim and the reference to what he was teaching the Gentiles. Throughout 1 Timothy, truth is a key theme (1 Timothy 3:15; 4:3; 6:5), standing contrast to the false teachers in Ephesus.

1 Timothy 2:8 mean? 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.

This verse concludes a section on prayer in Christian worship, which began in verse 1. Paul uses the Greek word oun in this sentence, meaning "therefore," to shift to his conclusion. In other words, the statement being made here is justified by the points Paul has just made. Just as God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), Paul desires that "in every place the men should pray." Men, as in males, are specified here by Paul, using the Greek word andras. In some cultures, prayer was often delegated to others, particularly to women. This, of course, is not how prayer is meant to be. Something as crucial as communicating with God is not meant to be passed to other people, or left out of a worship gathering. Paul is countering that cultural trend and specifically telling men to pray. This does not imply, at all, that women are not to pray, as the next verse will include them, by using the Greek word for "likewise." This follows an important principle of interpretation: telling one group to do something is not, necessarily, an indication that no other group is allowed to do that same thing. In this case, Paul seems to be applying the same general principles to both men and women, but with specific applications given where appropriate. Lifted hands, as a symbol of worship, is often seen in the Psalms. Psalm 134:2 states, "Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!" Psalm 88:9 says, "Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you." Paul's reference to avoiding arguments will be used again, later in the letter. A qualification for church leaders called elders—also known as pastors or overseers—was to be "not quarrelsome" (1 Timothy 3:3) Some church leaders in Ephesus may have been bickering during church gatherings. This would lead Paul to specifically mention this as a concern. Prayer during church gatherings is certainly not the time for an argument.

Paul mentioned in verse 8 that he wanted men to pray “in every place,” which is either a reference to the many homes that the church in Ephesus would meet in, or more broadly, the gatherings of believers across the world. Either way Paul wanted men to pray in all these places, and most importantly he wanted them to pray with purity before God. He spoke of “lifting up holy hands,” with the emphasis here not so much on posture as on purity. Two examples from the Psalms speak to the kind of purity God desires. The first one comes from Psalm 24:Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place?The one who has clean hands and a pure heart. (Ps 24:3–4)Psalm 26 says something similar:I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, LORD. (Ps 26:6)

Why is it important that Jesus was fully man? Why is it important that Jesus was fully God? (without the man/mortal being- he could not shed his blood and die a sacrificial death/ without God/diety- he could be live a perfect life without sin and be the perfect eternal sacrifice needed)

How does it encourage you to know that Christ is interceding for you right now?

Is there evidence in our life that we take the great commission seriously? Share why or why not.

If prayer is such a vital part of the body of Christ, the church, how can we keep our hearts pure before the Lord?

Have someone share the Gospel before ending your time in small group.