CHAPTER 2

(((Let me tell you, before we get into today's commentary,
about the perfect pastor!
The perfect pastor preaches exactly 20 minutes.
He works 8am to midnight and also serves as janitor.
He makes $100 per week.
He wears nice clothes and donates $70 per week to the church.
He is 29 years of age and had 40 years experience.
He makes 20 house calls each day, and is always in the office.

Now, if your pastor doesn't measure to these criteria, here is a
suggestion.
Send the list above to 6 other churches.
Then, bundle your pastor up, and send him to the first church
at the top of your list.

In one week you will receive 1,643 pastors!
Surely ONE of them will be perfect.)))

Remember: have faith in this letter.
One church did not and got their old pastor back in 3 months!

Vss 1-2
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead
a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Vss 1-2

PRAYER is to be MADE!
Get alone with God, and commune with Him.

The MANNER of prayer is similar to the following:
1) SUPPLICATION - petition with humility to a superior;
2) SPEAKING - openly verbalizing;
3) INTERCESSION - prayers on behalf of others;
4) GIVING THANKS -being grateful for what God has done
for you;
5) FOR WHOM - ALL in AUTHORITY: for instance:
President, Congress, Federal, State and local authorites;
6 WHY - "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty."

Vss 3-4
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth.

Vs 3-4

Prayer is "good and acceptable in the sight of God.."
Our Lord desires that ALL would be saved. (2Pet. 3:9)

God wants ALL people to know the TRUTH and be saved!

Vss 5-7
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
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.

Vss 5-7

The REAL TRUTH is: there is ONE God, ONE Mediator - JESUS!

Jesus came and GAVE HIMSELF as a ransom for ALL mankind!

Therefore, ANY Christian is to be a PREACHER!
He/she may not take the pulpit; but EVERY Christian is made
capaple of sharing the Gospel with ANYONE!

An APOSTLE, by definition is generally known as one who has
SEEN Jesus.
Not EVERYONE is ordained an apostle.

But ALL Christians are taught and able to TEACH Jesus!
(See John 14:26 and Rom. 10:13-14)

Therefore, Christians should LEARN and GROW to be
proclaimers of the good news of Christ.

Vs 8
8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting.

Pray ANYWHERE or EVERYWHERE!
Be in a ATTITUDE of prayer ALL day! (See 1Thess. 5:17)

Lifting of hands signifies one is praying.
One thing about that: hands do not necessarily be lifted above
the head; just lifted above the normal place where they hang
down by the hips.
Some people have paralysis, and cannot lift their hands high.

Note that the Scripture says "without wrath and doubting."
I have heard some prayers which invoke harshness.
And, some prayers express doubt.
NEITHER are CORRECT!

(((ILLUSTRATION:
One pastor and chairman of the deacons became involved in
a rather heated argument about a minor worship detail.
The pastor said, "I suggest we go home and pray about this
asking God to give us peace."
Next day, the chairman of deacons came and said, "I prayed
about it."
The pastor said, "Yes. I did also, and asked God to grant
us peace."
The deacon answered, "Well, I prayed God would give me
grace to PUT UP with YOU!")))

Pray KNOWING you have the ear of Almighty God!
Pray KNOWING He hears, and KNOWS your HEART!

Vss 9-10
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;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good
works.

The main idea in these two verses is stated in verse 10.
Women in the church exhibit "professing godliness with good
works."
Their dress should be with "modest apparel."
Their character should be to have respect for God.
Their manner should be of "sobriety," having soundness
of mind and self-control.

Now, the Scripture states they should NOT have plaited hair.
At that time that referred to braiding and adorned with ribbons,
bows, and jewels which attracted attention.

The dress and hair should be expressing GODLINESS not
SHOWINESS!

Vs 11-12
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over
the man, but to be in silence.

Vs 11
The woman in church should learn in silence.
Questions concerning the teaching should be asked of the
husband.
If there is no husband, she should refer her questions to the
pastor privately.
(See Eph. 5:23)

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

Note that the words "suffer not a woman to teach," are
COUPLED with "not to usurp authority over the man."
Titus 2:4-5 says, "that they (older women) teach the young
women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their
own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

In other words there IS a place for women to teach: younger
women and children.
But, she is NOT to teach men.

Vss 13-14
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived
was in the transgression.

Adam was created before Eve.
Eve was created to COMPLETE Adam.
Adam was not deceived in the first sin - he KNEW better!!
Eve did use her charm to ENTICE Adam.
((A pastor came home panting and exhausted.
The wife asked about it.
He said, "I came upon a revelation how to save money!
Today, I ran behind the bus all the way home and saved $1.50!"
She asked, "Well, why not run behind a taxi and save $10.00?"))

Vs 15
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they
continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

The Scripture, here, shows the EXONERATION of the woman.

"Shall be saved in childbearing" does not necessarily
mean women cannot be saved unless they have a child!
The word in the Greek is teknogonia (tek-nog-on-EE' ah).
It means peforming maternal duties, and implies education.

And, the Scripture adds, "CONTINUES in faith and love
and holiness with sobriety."

Now, isn't that a requirement for ALL Christians?
(See John 8:31)

When we receive FAITH, as a gift from God upon our
repentance, then faith begins to WORK IN us.

Faith works PERPETUALLY inspiring us to cling to Christ,
and learn from His Word.