This chapter has two themes: (1) advice to pray for everyone; (2) behavior of men and women during common worship.
The simple request to pray for everyone is supported by ‘heavy’ theological statements.
There are four types of prayer:
Praying for everyone springs from love (Matt 5:45). The statement is even more interesting when we consider the context in which it was written - it was often a time of persecution.
Among all, kings and government officials are singled out. As in a prayer of a rabbi for an emperor: “Lord, bless him and keep him far away from us”.
In the Bible the examples of prayers for all and leaders see (Ezra 6:9–10; Jer 29:7).
Prayer for those in authority brings with itself enormous benefits for Christians - instead of persecution, peaceful life. But, peaceable life of Christians should characterized itself in godliness and honesty.
Praying for all pleases God, because He wants all people come to the truth. 1 Tim 2:4 is a very important theological statement.
Prayer has a powerful effect. Even if people forbid you to tell them about God, they cannot forbid you to tell God about them.
There is only one God-Savior, who wills the salvation of all humanity, and there is also one, who mediates this will of God, the Father, Jesus Christ.
Humanity tends to divide themselves into groups, countries, tribes, and so on. But, in reality we are all one - human beings - created by one God and redeemed by one Savior. The word “one” is here the key.
Jesus Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all. That means that all are in need of being ransomed - all are enslaved (Mk 10:45). Christ’s death for all is in itself a testimony (Rom 8:3–4).
The fact that Christ’s death is a ransom for all, not just for the Jews, moved Paul to proclaim the Gospel to all - the Gentiles.
By proclaiming to them the Gospel Paul is their teaching in faith and in truth.
It is interesting, how Paul supports a simple statement about a prayer for all with a theological statement about the universality of salvation.
Paul is back to the issue of prayer, but now from a practical aspect. The instructions to men and women are also meant to overcome the influence of false teachers.
Conflicts leads to wrath and debates; it should not be like that within a Christian community (Matt 5:21–26).
Men should imitate Moses (Ex 17:11–12).
Regarding women, Paul stresses the inner, not the outer beauty of a person.
Modesty and sobriety, and good works - these are the three quality of a Christian woman in Paul’s view.
Not allowing women to teach, must also have relations with false teachers.
Subordination of women to men is supported with two conclusion drawn from the story of Creation and the story of the Fall.
Another interesting thing, is the fact that the salvation of women is connected with childbearing and education of the children.
The values that are mentioned and should be passed on to the children are: faith, love, sanctification with sobriety.