Dear Paul part 2

Jeremiah 30:1-31:26
1 Timothy 2:1-15
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 25:18-19

OK, here's the Dear Paul commentary on 1 Timothy Chapter 2

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I think my personal concerns about my own authority and my right to be the pastor of these people has been reflected in a general lack of respect for authority within the congregation itself.  Once or twice when someone has prayed for the Roman Governor or the Emperor in our meetings there have been unhelpful remarks made by people to the effect that there is no point in praying for someone so obviously lost in sin as they are.

Not only is this personally worrying (it wouldn't be the first time that we have had Imperial spies in our midst reporting on what we are doing) but it also seems to weaken the power of the Gospel to change anyone, even Caesar himself.  What advice would you give for how to pray for our leaders in our meetings and is it right to pray for men who are as obviously sinful as the Governor?

By the way, the presence of the Governor's palace in our city is having it's effect in more ways than one.  As you well know we are a very mixed church with some noble gentile women worshipping alongside traders and slaves of every nationality.  This harmony has been a little stretched of late, especially by the fashions of the noble women.  Some of our people have barely enough to eat while a few of our women arrive with ten years wages of gold in their hair.  Some arrive in clothes that barely cover their nakedness because of poverty while some do the same because of the latest Roman fashions!

To be fair almost all of these women come to our meetings to learn but a few seem unable to do anything else but gossip at the back.  One particular woman is the main ringleader in this and she talks while at the same time plaguing her husband (and therefore everyone else!) with questions about things she has missed.  Have you ever encountered this and what do you do in this regard?  I do feel very sorry for her however, she is in the middle of a very difficult and troublesome pregnancy, please pray for her that she would be kept safe in the coming months.

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Chapter 2 for comparison

Instructions on Worship

 ¹I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. ⁷And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.  ⁸I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
 ⁹I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
 ¹¹A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. ¹²I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. ¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. ¹⁵But women^[a] will be saved^[b] through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Timothy 2:15 Greek she
2. 1 Timothy 2:15 Or restored

This has been a difficult chapter because verses 11-15 are so controversial and the translation of then varies so widely with the more "conservative" versions of the Bible in English being the least literal.  (How ironic is that!)   Taking the chapter as a whole it seems to be about authority and how it should operate within the church and between the church and wider society.  Taken literally 11-15 seem to be about one particular woman in Timothy's church rather than women in general.  I think some kind of footnote would be required to show that there is disagreement over this passage.