1 Timothy 1:1-7, part 5 for Oct 11, 2009

Reading: NRSV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.
This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind,Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself a ransom for all —this was attested at the right time.
For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Traditionally, the letters to Timothy were considered to be authored directly by Paul to his assistant Timothy, when Paul went on a missionary journey and left Timothy to care for and minister to the church at Ephesus. However, some scholars cite visible differences in language styles to suggest an author other than Paul (ie. Paul used middle-class koine Greek, the letter to Timothy uses upper class Hellenistic Greek).

The themes of this letter are themes of good leadership, teaching about prayer, avoiding false teachers, conduct towards widows, putting faith before material wealth. They reflect the concerns of a settled community rather than the seedling one that would have been tended by Timothy.

In today’s passage, the author urges the reader to pray at all times for all people. There is specific mention of supporting civic leaders with prayer, so that there might be stability and peace in the nation, and therefore stability in the church community. These were a people who knew the real cost of war and rebellion.

The author also defends Christians praying for non-Christian leaders by telling the reader that it is God’s will that all should be saved, even though it will be through Christ as mediator.

The author is preparing the Christian community and its leaders to live their faith IN the world, not to separate themselves or consider themselves above the wider community. They don't seem to be under the impression that Jesus would come again within their generation, and end life on earth, making the world disposable. They realized they would have to blend in and get along with both their neighbours and the authorities.

While we do not have to assume all the values of society around us, people of faith have much to accomplish in the midst of their neighbours and political structures.

Questions for reflection:

How do you understand your faith making you distinct from the wider community?

How do you understand your responsibility for supporting the wider community?