THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY
Lesson 2
Chapters 2:8-4:16
The Role of Men and Women in the Liturgy of Worship and
the Qualifications for Various Ministers
Holy and Righteous Lord,
St. Paul's counsel to Timothy concerning his ministry to
the faith communities of Ephesus remains good advice for those in ministerial
service today. Our bishops and priests and the communities they serve must not
deviate from the true Christian message despite changes in the social attitudes
of our times. Sin is still sin, righteous behavior that pleases God is still
righteous behavior, and there is no other path to Heaven except through Jesus
Christ. Send Your Holy Spirit, Lord to guide us in our lesson as we read of
Paul's warnings concerning false asceticism and the dangers of apostasy and
hypocrisy. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, Amen.
+ + +
Gems and gold
and costly garments and lavish embroidered flowers of various colors and
anything else perishable in nature in no way adorn souls. But the following
do: fasts, holy vigils, gentleness, reasonableness, poverty, courage, humility,
patience; in a word, disdain for everything passing in this life.
St. John
Chrysostom, On Virginity
Select for
yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord ... for they also perform the
services of prophets and teachers for you. So do not despise them, for they
are the persons who are honored [by God] among you, together with the prophets
and teachers.
The Didache, 15.1-2
In Chapter 2, Paul advises Timothy on the conduct of the community in the liturgy of worship. In 2:1-4, Paul addressed the need for the liturgical prayers of the community to be concerned with the needs of everyone, whether or not they are Christians.
Question: How will prayers for non-Christians,
specifically Gentile rulers, aid the Christian community?
Answer: Prayers for non-Christians will help in
several ways:
Paul followed his request for prayers with a profession of faith that was probably part of the liturgy of worship within the community (2:5-6). Paul then swears that giving this testimony of faith is the reason he was appointed a herald (keryx, one who delivers the message of a king) and an apostle (apostolos, one sent out as an official emissary) of Jesus Christ, the King of kings. He then adds the statement: "I am speaking the truth, I am not lying..." This typical Pauline declaration is intended to reinforce his statement concerning God calling everyone to salvation and his divinely appointed mission in that plan (see Rom 9:1; 2 Cor 11:31; 12:6; Gal 1:20). He affirms that he is Christ's divinely appointed apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15-16; 1 Tim 3:16; 2 Tim 4:17). He is also the "teacher of the Gentiles," emphasizing that he understands the message and is gifted in revealing its meaning "in faith and truth" (verse 7). "In faith and truth" is Paul's way of saying "in the truth of the faith."
Chapter 2 Continued: 2:8-15
1 Timothy 2:8-15 ~ The Role of Men and Women in the
Liturgy of Worship
8 It
is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy
hands, without anger or argument. 9 Similarly,
[too,] women should adorn themselves with proper conduct, with modesty and
self-control, not with braided hairstyles and gold ornaments, or pearls, or
expensive clothes, 10 but
rather, as befits women who profess reverence for God, with good deeds. 11 A woman must receive instruction
silently and under complete control. 12 I
do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be
quiet. 13 For Adam was
formed first, then Eve. 14 Further,
Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. 15 But she will be saved through
motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and holiness, with
self-control.
In the Sinai Covenant, for the first time in salvation history, God established a corporate covenant with a united people, an ordained priesthood, The Law, and a liturgy of worship. It the desert Sanctuary and later in the Jerusalem Temple, the God-ordained liturgy of worship and sacrifice continually renewed and strengthened God's relationship with His covenant people generation after generation.
The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ fulfilled and transformed the institutions of the Sinai Covenant entrusted to Israel. This fulfillment and transformation included the hierarchy of religious leadership. In the Sinai Covenant, God established three tiers of ordained ministry to lead the offering of sacrifice and praise in the Sanctuary and later in the Jerusalem Temple (Ex 28:1-3; Lev 21:10; Num 3:9-10). Babylonians destroyed the Jerusalem Temple in the 6th-century BC and exiled the people to Babylonia. During the covenant people's 70 years of captivity in Babylon, they continued to meet in their communities to study the Scriptures. After they returned from the Babylonian exile, they rebuilt the Temple. The people went to live in their villages throughout the land and continued the custom they started in Babylon of established local Synagogues where they could study the Scriptures. The prescribed liturgical sacrifices, however, were only offered in the Temple (Ex 29:38-43; Lev 23; Num 28-29; Dt 12:4-14). Both the Temple and the Synagogues reflected a three-part hierarchy:
| Temple Hierarchy | Synagogue Hierarchy |
| High Priest | President of the Synagogue |
| Chief Priests (descendants of Aaron) | Elders |
| Levitical ministers | Servants |
The early universal Church of Jesus Christ and the local church communities also adopted the traditional three-part hierarchy:
| Universal Church | Local churches |
| Vicar of Christ (Pope) | Episcopal (overseer) |
| Apostles and their successors (Magisterium) | Presbyters (elders) |
| Lesser ministers (presbyters and deacons) | Deacons (servants) |
Question: How does the liturgy of worship in the Mass
reflect both the Jewish Synagogue and the Jerusalem Temple?
Answer: The liturgy of worship in the New Covenant
Church reflects both the study of the Word of God in the Synagogue and the
sacrifice offered to God in the Temple. The Christian liturgy of worship in
the Mass divides into the study of Scripture in the Liturgy of the Word
followed by the sacrifice in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
It was a plan for liturgical worship established by Jesus on Resurrection Sunday in His encounter with the Emmaus disciples when he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures and then revealed Himself to them in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:27, 29-32). In a letter St. Justin Martyr wrote in c. 150 AD, he described the Christian liturgy of worship following this custom: "The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits. When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things. [...] When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss. Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren. He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek eucharistian) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts... those we call deacons give to those present the "eucharisted" bread, wine and water and take them to those who are absent" (Apologies, 1.65-67; for the full text see CCC 1345).(1)
8 It
is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy
hands, without anger or argument.
Verses 8-15 concern the attitude of men
and women during liturgical worship. In verse 8, the raising of the
hands in prayer (as we see our priest's hands raised in prayer in the liturgy
of worship) was an ancient and revered practice observed while praying in the
Synagogue and in Temple worship. In Latin it is the orans posture, but
evidence of this posture appears in the Old Testament (see Ps 141:2;
Is 1:15;
Sir 50:20/22).(2)
Question: What is Paul's point concerning the
posture of prayer and one's internal condition?
Answer: He calls for reverent posture coupled with
the inward desire for personal holiness and peace with brothers and sisters in
the community.
In another sign of holiness from women, Paul calls for them to not be preoccupied with their outward appearance. Elaborately braided hairstyles were popular at this time and reflected the status of the woman together with her gold jewelry and clothing. Paul is asking for modesty in dress and appearance that does not emphasize the differences in the wealth and status of the worshipers. His point is that good deeds are the true adornment of a righteous woman. St. Peter gives similar advice: Your adornment should not be an external one: braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes, but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God (1 Pt 3:3-4; also see CCC 2521-24).
11 A woman
must receive instruction silently and under complete control. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to
have authority over a man. She must be quiet.
Paul has received extensive criticism for this
instruction. A similar teaching appears in 1 Corinthians 14:34-36. However,
it is necessary to remember the topic concerns the conduct of women in the liturgy
of worship. Paul warns that women in the community must not interrupt the
liturgical worship with comments or other disruptions.
Women held important positions within the communities of the early Church and were active in the spread of the Gospel. However, women were not ordained to ministerial service like men. Paul's point is that women should not teach from the pulpit, nor should they lead a congregation in offering the sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist, or have authority over the men in religious leadership roles. Jesus continued the same plan for a male ministerial priesthood established by Yahweh in the Sinai Covenant. You may recall in Numbers 12:2-10 that Moses' sister Miriam, a prophetess of Israel, challenged Moses' authority because she was jealous of his superior position, saying: "Is it through Moses alone that the LORD [Yahweh] speaks? Does he not speak through us also?" In response, Yahweh severely punished Miriam by giving her leprosy. God will ordain to ministerial service who He will ordain, and we should, in obedience, accept His decrees.
Christ established the hierarchy when He ordained twelve men as the leaders of His Church, and we are bound by what He set in place, unlike pagan religions that had both men priests and women priestesses. Nor does Paul mean that women should never teach. His dear friend Pricilla helped to instruct the gifted Christian orator Apollos when he had not received instruction in the fullness of the Gospel of salvation and only knew the baptism of John the Baptist (Acts 18:24-26; notice in that passage that Luke names Pricilla before her husband as Apollos' instructors in the faith).
13 For
Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 Further,
Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.
Paul bases his teaching concerning gender roles on
Genesis Chapters 2-3. God created Adam first (Gen 2:7), and Eve was formed
from Adam's body (Gen 2:21-22). Paul then writes that it was Eve who was
deceived by the serpent and sinned (see her confession in Gen 3:13), but Adam
"was not deceived." Some accuse Paul of blaming Eve for mankind's fall from
grace, but actually, he is stating the opposite. Eve was deceived and
transgressed, but Adam knew his free-will choice to sin was a rebellion against
the commands of God (Gen 3:6). Therefore, Adam's guilt was greater. Then too,
Paul point is that the subordination of woman to man is part of Eve's curse
judgment in Genesis 3:16 ...and he shall be your master.
We cannot judge Paul according to the social practices of our times but only on the accepted social customs for men and women in the 1st-century AD. Paul befriended many women for whom he had high regard, like Priscilla and Lydia. Lydia was a single (perhaps widowed) businesswoman, she was Paul's convert, and she opened her home to St. Paul to continue his ministry (Acts 16:11-15).
St. John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople (344/354-407), wrote: "The divine law indeed has excluded women from the ministry, but they endeavor to thrust themselves into it. And since they can effect nothing of themselves, they do all through the agency of others. In this way they have become invested with so much power that they can appoint or eject priests at their will. Things in fact are turned upside down, and the proverbial saying may be seen realized: Those being guided are leading the guides.' [...] The blessed Paul did not suffer them even to speak with authority in the church. But I have heard someone say that they have obtained such a large privilege of free speech as even to rebuke the prelates of the churches and censure them more severely than masters do their own domestics" (On the Priesthood, 3.9). On the same subject, Theodore, Bishop of Mopsuestia in Cilicia (392-428) wrote: "While Paul forbids women teaching in church, he very much wants them to exercise their authority in the home as the teachers of virtue" (Commentary on 1 Timothy).
15 But she
will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love
and holiness, with self-control.
From the time of the mankind's fall from grace, a woman's pain in
childbirth became symbolically related to the defeat of Satan and the promise
of humanity's restoration. Concerning Genesis 3:15, the Church teaches: "...God
calls him [mankind] and in a mysterious way heralds the coming victory over
evil and his restoration from his fall. This passage in Genesis is called the
Protoevangelium ("first gospel"): the first announcement of the Messiah and
Redeemer, of a battle between the serpent and the Woman, and of the final
victory of a descendant of hers" (CCC 410; also see CCC 70 and 498). And on
this subject, Dr. John Sailhamer writes: "The pain of the birth of every
child was to be a reminder of the hope that lay in God's promise. Birth pangs
are not merely a reminder of the futility of the fall; they are as well a sign
of an impending joy" (The Pentateuch as a Narrative, pg. 108).
St. Paul understood this connection when he wrote to the Christians in
Rome: "We are well aware that the whole creation, until this time, has been
groaning in labor pains. And not only that: we too, who have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we are groaning inside ourselves, waiting with eagerness for
our bodies to be set free"(Rom 8:22-23).
In verse 15, Paul announces that the willingness of a woman to cooperate in a partnership with God in perpetuating humanity through her motherhood will count towards her sanctification and salvation. Her sanctification in this role depends on her perseverance in faith in God, in deeds of love, and in demonstrating a life of both holiness and self-control. However, Paul does not see marriage, child-bearing, and motherhood as the only roles for woman. He also praises the decision of women who seek a life of chastity in service to the Lord (1 Cor 7:39-40; CCC 1652-53).
Chapter 3: Qualifications for Ministerial Service
1 Timothy 3:1-8 ~ The Qualifications for Bishops
1 This
saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop [episkopos] desires
a noble task. 2 Therefore, a
bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled,
decent, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not
a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well,
keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; 5 for if a man does not know how to
manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God? 6 He should not be a recent convert, so
that he may not become conceited and thus incur the devil's punishment. 7 He must also have a good reputation among
outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, the devil's trap.
Paul now addresses the co-workers Timothy will need to accomplish his mission to the Church in Ephesus and their necessary qualifications. At the end of this chapter, Paul presents what could be considered the doctrinal centerpiece of the letter: a hymn that is a beautiful summary of the mystery of salvation in Christ Jesus.
The word Paul uses in the Greek is episkopos (singular) and episkopoi (plural), meaning "overseer." Our word "bishop" derives from the Old English word bisceop. The leadership in the early local churches appears to have been modeled on the organization in the local Jewish Synagogues while the Universal Church hierarchy was modeled on the Temple hierarchy and the Davidic Kingdom. Jesus is both the High Priest and the Davidic King while His second in command is His chief minister and the Vicar, high steward, of His earthly Kingdom.
In the Synagogue, a board of elders had the authority to administer the congregation. The word presbyteros (literally "elder") also expresses a leadership role in the communities. We cannot assume that the term episkopos means the same as bishop in today's Church. In the Pastoral Letters, there is not always a clear distinction between the episkopos and presbyteros. In Titus 1:5-7, the terms appear to be synonymous. However, in Philippians 1:1, Paul addresses the "overseers" (episkopoi), or bishops of the Philippian church without mentioning "elders" (presbyteros). The overseer/bishops appear to be members of a board of elders who supervise the communities.(3)
Paul begins by repeating what must have been a saying in the early Church: whoever aspires to the office of bishop [episkopos] desires a noble task.
Question: What are the qualities Paul lists as
necessary for a bishop with an irreproachable character?
Answer:
Paul provided similar lists in Romans 12:8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28 where he put pastoral oversight as the second to the last in his lists and Ephesians 4:11 where he placed that qualification last. For Paul, the most valued gifts were pastoral and not administrative.
1 Timothy 3:9-13 ~ The Qualifications for Deacons
8 Similarly,
deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for
sordid gain, 9 holding fast
to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 Moreover, they should be tested first;
then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 Women, similarly, should be dignified,
not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in everything. 12 Deacons may be married only once and
must manage their children and their households well. 13 Thus those who serve well as deacons
gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
The word "deacon" in Greek is diakonos
(diaconus in Latin) and means "servant." The Church's first
"deacons" were selected for service to assist the Apostles. The Apostles
ordained them by the Apostles by the laying on of hands in Acts 6:1-7.
Question: What are the necessary qualifications for deacons?
Answer:
He concludes his list by advising: they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11 Women,
similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in
everything.
It is unclear if this verse refers to the wives of
deacons or the women who held the office of deaconess. In Romans 16:1, Paul
identifies his co-worker Phoebe as a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae (the
harbor city of Corinth). Women in service to the Church never had in a
ministerial role but assisted in the baptism of women and children and in
caring for the sick and the poor. The Council of Nicaea in 325 counted deaconesses
among the laity and not among the ordained clergy (Council of Nicaea, canon
19).
1 Timothy 3:14-16 ~ Serving in the Household of God
14 I am
writing you about these matters, although I hope to visit you soon. 15 But if I should be delayed, you should
know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and foundation of truth. 16
Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion,
Who was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed to the Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.
Paul still plans to join Timothy in Ephesus; however, he
has confidence that, should he be delayed, Timothy will know what is expected
of him as a member of God's "household" of the Church.
Question: In what two ways does Paul define the Church?
Answer:
The terms pillar and foundation refer to the structural support of a building. Christ established His Kingdom of the Church and set it firmly in place to support the edifice of the Gospel of truth (who Christ is) and salvation (what He does). The Holy Spirit secures the Church's future through the disciples and successors of the Apostles, like Paul and Timothy. The Holy Spirit enables them, beyond their limited human capacity, to preserve the apostolic faith from the distortion of false doctrine and corruption from forces outside and within. Paul also refers to the Apostles Peter (Kephas) and John Zebedee and St. James the Just, first bishop of Jerusalem, as pillars of the Church:
Verse 16 is probably an ancient Christian hymn that Paul may have taught the congregation. The verse focuses on the key moments in the life of Christ. Notice that Paul uses the Jewish tradition of paring contrasts:
The household of God is the Church of the living and resurrected God the Son. God built the Church upon the mystery of His Divine Plan concerning humanity's salvation revealed in Jesus Christ:
Chapter 4
1 Timothy 4:1-5 ~ Warnings of Apostasy and False Asceticism
1 Now the Spirit
explicitly says that in the last times some will turn away from the faith by
paying attention to deceitful spirits and demonic instructions 2 through the hypocrisy of liars with branded
consciences. 3 They forbid marriage
and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with
thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and
nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the invocation of God
in prayer [word of God and petition]. [...] literal Greek, IBGE, vol. IV,
page 567; NAB note 4.5, page 336.
Question: When can we
expect "the last times"?
Answer: We are living in
"the last times" and have been ever since Christ's Ascension.
Paul preached that those of us living in the Age of the Messiah and His Church stand at the "end of the ages" (also see Peter's declaration in Acts 2:17). The historical ages of humanity have been moving toward this last period in time, and the divine judgments in the Old Testament should serve as warnings: These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come (1 Cor 10:11; CCC 672).
In this passage, Paul refers to Christian apostates who abandon the true faith to follow after demonic false teaching. He says the Holy Spirit has warned the Church concerning these doctrinal deviations, although he does not identify the origin of the prophecy.
Question: What are some
of the false teachings that these apostates, hypocrites, and liars with bad
consciences endorse in their false asceticism?
Answer: They forbid
marriage and require abstaining from certain foods.
Paul firmly upholds the sanctity of marriage (Eph 5:21-33), even though he encourages celibacy (1 Cor 7:25-26) for those in service to the Church. The abstaining from certain foods sounds like the old covenant regulations forbidding certain foods (Lev Chapter 11). The ritual restrictions of the Sinai Covenant were necessary to set the people apart from the Gentile world and to preserve the Israelites as a unique people until an Israelite woman gave birth to the promised Messiah. Now the goal is not to remain separated from the Gentiles but to include them in the new and universal Covenant of Jesus Christ. The restrictions against marriage may indicate an early form of the Gnostic heresy that gained popularity in the second century where everything material was considered evil and only what was spiritual was good. Paul's argument that everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, suggests this is the demonic philosophy threatening to infect the community.(4)
There are those who criticize Latin Rite Catholics for having a celibate clergy and condemn it as an apostate practice citing 1 Timothy 4:3. They forget that Jesus Himself proposed a celibate clergy in Matthew 19:12. However, the Church does not ban marriage but celebrates marriage as a Sacrament. Also, in 1 Timothy 5:9-12, Paul describes a community of widows who take a vow of celibacy, and Paul could hardly have been warning against the practice of priestly celibacy since he was himself a celibate Catholic priest (1 Cor 7:32).
5
for it is made holy by the invocation of God in prayer [word of God and
petition].
The absence of an article in the Greek suggests that it
refers to the name of God invoked in a petition and not to the "word of God"
proclaimed to the community. The foods Christians eat are consecrated by the
prayers of thanksgiving offered to God before meals.
1 Timothy 4:6-16 ~ Paul's
Counsel to Timothy
6 If
you will give these instructions to the brothers, you will be a good minister
of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching
you have followed. 7 Avoid profane and silly myths.
Train yourself for devotion, 8 for, while physical
training is of limited value, devotion is valuable in every respect, since it
holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future. 9 This
saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. 10 For
this we toil and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who
is the savior of all, especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one have contempt for your
youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love,
faith, and purity. 13 Until
I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of
hands of the presbyterate. 15 Be
diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be
evident to everyone. 16 Attend
to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you
will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Question: Paul urges Timothy to remain faithful in
what two ways as he leads the Ephesian Christian community and looks only to
God for his salvation?
Answer: He is to remain faithful both in his
teachings and in the practices of his personal life.
7 Avoid
profane and silly myths. Train yourself for devotion [eusebeia]...
Paul is probably referring to myths and speculations
about Old Testament heroes and the Parousia of the Christ. He referred to the
same problem in 1:4. The word translated as "devotion" in 4:7 is eusebeia which
means "piety," "goodness," "devotion," or "holiness." Paul uses this word ten
times in the Pastoral Epistles (1:2; 3:16; 4:7, 8; 6:3, 5, 6, 11, 2 Tim 3:12;
Titus 2:12) to express the sense of serious devotion for the things of God. For
Paul, it sums up what should be the Christian attitude connected with the
knowledge of faith that is the core of Christian life.
8 for, while
physical training is of limited value, devotion is valuable in every respect,
since it holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future.
Paul is not dismissing the importance of a healthy body,
but he is making the point that spiritual health is more important than bodily
health. However, Paul, who likes sports analogies, would be the first to agree
that the training, discipline, and commitment that one needs to compete in a
sporting event are even more important to advance a spiritual life.
10 For this
we toil and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is
the savior of all, especially of those who believe.
Some ancient manuscripts and quotes in the writings of
Church Fathers render this verse "For this we toil and suffer reproach." Paul
is not suggesting that everyone will be saved and no one will be condemned to
divine judgment that leads to damnation. While it is true that Christ is the
Savior of all and God wants everyone to be saved, not all will accept Christ's
gift of salvation. All who, however, respond to Christ in faith and baptism
will find eternal life (Acts 10:34-35;
Gal 3:28; CCC 1058, 1261). Also see the
commentary on 2:4.(5)
11 Command
and teach these things. 12 Let
no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Paul warns Timothy, who is probably in his thirties, not
to be intimidated by older presbyters or members of the community, who are in
need of correction, but, because of his youth, might not give him the proper
respect he deserves. Paul advises that Timothy's attitude of love, faith, and
purity will help "those who believe" to accept his leadership. The real
troublemakers will probably not respond favorably.
13 Until I
arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Paul is referring to liturgical worship in the reading of
the Scriptures and in exhorting and teaching the community in the homily.
14 Do not
neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic
word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate.
The "elders" (overseers/bishops) at Timothy's ordination
probably included Paul and other assembled elders of the Ephesian church (2 Tim 1:6) who invested Timothy in his office by the "laying on of hands." In the
Bible, the imposition of hands was an act initiated for various purposes:
Timothy's consecration as elder/bishop of Ephesus gave him the fullness of priestly and apostolic authority to ordain others in service to Christ (see 1 Tim 5:22; CCC 1573-76).
Questions for discussion or reflection:
How do motherhood and fatherhood contribute to our
journey to salvation? Do we have an obligation to raise Christian children?
If so, what does this obligation require from us? What about single people?
How can they increase their sanctification concerning the next generation of
Christian children?
Endnotes:
1. The "water" added to the wine is the water the priest
added to the chalice of wine in the preparation of the gifts that signifies the
water and blood that flowed from the side of Jesus on the Cross (Jn 19:34).
The action also probably observed the custom of mixing a little water into each
of the four communal chalices of wine at the sacred meal of the Passover victim,
as Jesus must have done to each of the cups including the third cup, the Cup of
Blessing (1 Cor 10:16), that became the cup of His Blood at the Last Supper (Mishnah
Pesahim, 10:2 I; 10:4 II; 10:7 III, IV).
2. Orans, a loanword from Latin, also translated orant or orante, is a posture of prayer that is made usually standing, with the elbows close to the sides of the body, and with the hands outstretched sideways with the palms facing up. It is a posture in prayer dating back to worship in the Sinai Covenant (Sir 50:20) and continued in the early Church. Early Christian art, including images of Christian saints in the Roman catacombs, portrays people praying in this posture. In modern times, the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches preserve the orans position in their liturgies of worship.
3. Groups or councils of "elders" played an important role as leaders of the faithful early in Israel's history. They governed the tribes of children of Jacob-Israel in Egypt (Ex 3:16-18). Seventy elders were present at the ratification of the Sinai Covenant and took part in the sacred meal to seal the covenant in God's Presence (Ex 24:9-11). God ordained that seventy elders should help Moses govern the tribes of Israel (Num 11:16-17). The council of elders later evolved into the Synedrion in Greek and Sanhedrin in Aramaic. In the New Testament, the council was also called the synedria/synedrion (Mt 5:21- 10:17; Mk 13:9), the gerousia/senate (Acts 5:21), or the presbyterion (Acts 22:5). The Sanhedrin was an assembly of elders appointed to sit as a tribunal in every city in ancient Israel to hear judicial cases and in Jerusalem to establish the highest court of justice and supreme council under the leadership of the reigning high priest. It was the court that tried Jesus and found Him guilty of blasphemy and deserving death (Mt 26:57-66; Mk 14:53-64; Lk 22:66-71).
4. The heresy is similar to the heresies of Gnosticism, Marcionites, Manicheans, Encratites, and the Albigensian heresy or Catharism that took hold in the 12th century in southern France. In all cases, these heresies espoused false spiritualism.
5. Vatican II affirmed the possibility that the grace of Jesus Christ may still save those who never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, provided they seek God sincerely, follow the dictates of a righteous conscience, and cooperate with the mercy of God in divine Providence (Lumen Gentium, 16). However, once one has heard the Gospel of Jesus and the promise of salvation through Him alone, that person will then be held accountable for either accepting or rejecting Jesus' gift of eternal salvation.
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2018 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.
Catechism references for this lesson (* indicates Scripture is either quoted or paraphrased in the citation):
2:5-8 (CCC 2634*)
3:1-13 (CCC 1577*)
3:1 (CCC 1590)
3:9 (CCC 1794*)
4:1 (CCC 672*)
4:3-9 (CCC 2518*)