1 Timothy 2:1-7 Part #2
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Start with Prayer:
Read the Text:
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is 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), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
So, as we kicked things off last week as we began verses 1-3 we were able to see that this young church had either forgotten about those who did not know the Lord or they just stopped praying for them. We also discussed how the false teachers were promoting this false teaching by saying that only salvation could be obtained by the Jewish people and that Gentiles or any one else for that matter were on the outside looking in.
Verse 3 = Paul now begins to elaborate aspects of what is commanded here in verses 3-7 before returning to his original exhortation in verse 8. First of all he notes this phrase, “This is good and pleasing.” So What is good and pleasing? It is good and pleasing to pray for those who are in authority over us and even more importantly to pray for their salvation. Regarding the good here in verse 3, Paul later on affirms that it is pleasing to God to care for one’s parents and even grandparents. To take care of our families is a good thing men. But the bottom line is that we should be praying.
4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
As we saw in the opening verse of chapter 1 God is identified as our Savior. He is our savior God.
Verse 4 = We now come to a rather difficult part of this text. It is difficult because there is much debate as to the all people. “Who desires all people to be saved”
There are 2 different camps or views. There is an Arminian side that believes salvation is for all which would mean universalism. This belief is where some would say that God died for all, and that everyone will eventually come to know the Lord. So, all will be saved. The other side to this is a Reformed view that says God died for His elect or for those he knew would come to a saving knowledge. Pastor and Commentator John MacArthur says here, that there is a distinction between God’s desire and His actual eternal saving purpose, which must transcend his desires. He says of course God does not want people to sin but they do. God hates sin and because of our sin there can be eternal consequences. So, if you believe that God is sovereign and in control then you come to understand that God has in His wisdom chosen His elect for His purpose and His desire.
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
God knew from the very beginning of time who would be saved and come to place their faith and trust in Him. So, yet God is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance and yet everyday there are people who die in their sin with a hardened heart and go to hell. This may sound harsh and unfair until we consider how awful our sin truly is and what we all deserve. There is none righteous no not one.
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
But God, being rich in His mercy showed us just that.
Paul goes on to tell us this about salvation.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
God alone is the one who does the saving.
Verse 4 = Notice the phrase here, “And come to the knowledge of truth.” Salvation or conversion is what this phrase helps us to see. We also know elsewhere that the church is called the pillar and foundation of the truth.
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
And the truth is contrasted with the false doctrine that is being pointed out. Christ is the truth and His words are truth that bring light and salvation to our path. Such salvation requires that mankind repent of their sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The heretics and false teachers during this time we always learning but never able to understand the truth of who Jesus was and what He did. Paul helps us to see here that the calling centers on the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.
Verse 5 = We now come to verse 5. Notice the phrase, “There is one God and there is one mediator.”
Who is this, and what is a mediator? The existence of one God was affirmed by a monotheistic Jewish nation and also had implications for Gentiles. Unfortunately, first century Jews frequently defended their historical privilege with a narrow view that salvation was still only for the Jews. This ethnic view was strongly opposed by Jesus and the early church including Peter here. However since, there were other religions who believed that there gods were the true gods Peter wants us to see that there is only one God and only one mediator. Christ who was fully God and yet fully man came to this earth and took on flesh so that he could be our mediator and gave himself as a ransom for all men. In Hebrews, Jesus is presented as the mediator of a new covenant replacing the Old Covenant. So, there is none others that will do.
-Not the angels.
-Not great men like Moses.
-Not any of the Jewish High Priests or now days the Pope or a Pastor.
-And no other religious figure for that matter. The Catholic church has a way about making people into saints but even those folks can not match up.
The importance here is that there is a reference to the Lord’s humanity. First, Christ lived a sinless life, then he went to the cross and died, and finally he rose from the grave to conquer sin and death. Christ redeemed us from death and stands as our mediator between man and God the Father.
Verse 6 = Let’s jump to verse 6. “Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all people” Again what does the all mean here? The ransom here means that the Lord’s substitutionary death for believers was voluntarily. We know that clearly not all will be saved or ransomed but only the many who come to a saving knowledge for whom God’s atonement was made. Jesus ransomed us from the bondage of sin and death in order that we may have eternal life.
So, Paul tells us that this testimony was given at the proper time. Testimony about what??? Christ was bearing witness through His act of self-giving love and sacrifice. The same phrase, “in it’s proper time,” recurs in 6:15
15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
In the Lord’s time which helps us to see God’s sovereignty over history. (Galatians 4:4 and 6:9 help us to see this)
Verse 7 = Begins with the phrase, “For this” For what??? For the proclamation of the good news about Jesus. This was Paul’s calling and we know from chapter 1 that he has already affirmed that he was entrusted with the glorious gospel.
11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
And he has been appointed to the Lord’s service. Paul says here that he was appointed 3 things. He was appointed a preacher, an apostle and a teacher. What does these mean???
-The word for preacher here would mean someone who is to herald the good news.
-Apostle includes the aspects of evangelistic proclamation.
-Teaching would also carry with it the meaning of heralding or teaching good news. Paul is using all three terms here to present himself as a model for Timothy who is likewise exhorted to preach the word and teach the word.
Heralds were a common feature in Ephesus, proclaiming various kinds of messages and news. Paul’s message was the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul was a teacher of the Gentiles which again emphasizes that salvation was not just for the Jews but also for Gentiles.
The phrase here, “I am telling the truth, I am not lying” helps us to see that Pauls calling was from the Lord and not from man. So, there may have been some people questioning the apostles authority there in Ephesus. The bottom line here is that he was telling the truth about who he was and that the Lord has called him to teach and preach.
Why is it important that Jesus is fully God?
Why is it important that Jesus was also fully Man?
How would you describe God’s Sovereignty?
What other questions do you have?