Pray for All People: Devotional 08/23/23

Background on 1 Timothy:

Author: Paul

Date: about AD 64

Location: from Rome or Macedonia or possibly Philippi

Audience: Timothy (who Paul met on his first missionary journey when Paul preached in Lystra in Acts 14:6-7; Acts 16:1) and the church at large in Ephesus and the surrounding areas

Purpose: false teachers and potential divisions at Ephesus and a possible delay in Paul’s arrival to the area so he was encouraging and instructing Timothy about the organization of a local church and to help him deal with false doctrines.

In response to the false doctrine that was being taught.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NASB95)

1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

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.

Types of in verse 1:

i. Supplication/entreaties is simply asking for something.

ii. Prayers is a broad word, referring to all communication with the Lord.

iii. Intercessions/petitions refer to the requests we make on behalf of others.

iv. Giving of thanks is an essential part of our walk with God and a Christian virtue.

Kings/authority: Paul was writing this when Christianity was illegal and they were treated harshly – even publicly butchered, burned or fed to the lions - and Nero was the emperor (who destroyed much of Rome in AD 64 and blamed the Christians) and denied Christians certain privileges in society!

Praying this way is good and acceptable in the sight of God. Why? Because He wants everyone to be saved!

And how can this happen? Vv5-6

Anyone and everyone can be saved because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross and that He is still standing in the gap for us!

Think of that neighbor who don’t like; co-worker who rubs you the wrong way, etc.

Matthew 5:42–48 (NASB95):

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.