Prayer and Public Worship

Paul began the epistle with instructions specifically for Timothy. He now proceeds with instructions that Timothy should use in his exhortation to the believers. These instructions concern the prayer mission of all believers and the order in worship.

1. “For kings” (2:2): Paul wrote these words during the reign of the cruel and wicked emperor Nero, who later put Peter and Paul to death.
2. “Godliness” (2:2): “A key word (along with “godly”) in the Pastorals, occurring eight times in 1 Timothy (here; 3:16; 4:7-8; 6:3,5-6,11), once in 2 Timothy (3:5) and once in Titus (1:1), but nowhere else in the writings of Paul. It implies a good and holy life, with special emphasis on its source, a deep reverence for God.” ¹
3. “There is one God” (2:5): “The basic belief of Judaism (Dt 6:4), which every Jew confessed daily in the Shema.” ²
4. “Preacher” (2:7): The term, translated as “herald” in NIV, denotes “one who with authority makes a public proclamation” ³
5. “Doubting” (2:8) is better translated as “disputing” (cf. Rom 14:1; Php 2:14).
6. “Adam was not deceived” (2:14): Eve sinned because she was deceived by the serpent. Adam sinned not because he was deceived, but because he chose to go along with Eve’s decision even though he knew it was against God’s command.