Survey
of the Letters of Paul: 1 Timothy 2:8
1 Timothy 2:8
I will therefore that men pray every
where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and
doubting.
Since each verse is a stand-alone lesson, I want
to begin this lesson of 1 Timothy 2:8 with the same
commentary from Barclay's Commentary as verse 8 is
continuing the thought began in verses 1-7.
In Barclay's Commentary for 1 Timothy 2:1-7 we read,
'Few passages in the New Testament so stress the
universality of the gospel. Prayer is to be made for
all; God is the Saviour who wants all to be saved;
Jesus gave his life a ransom for all. As Walter Lock
writes in his commentary: 'God's will to save is as
wide as his will to create.'
"The end and intent of the Scripture is to declare
that God is benevolent and friendly-minded to
mankind; that he that declared that kindness in and
through Jesus Christ, his only Son; the which
kindness is received by faith. That is why prayer
must be made for all. God wants all men and women,
and so, therefore, must his Church."
The first 8 verses of Chapter 2 are clearly speaking
to everyone getting an opportunity at Salvation and
the admonition that we should be looking at everyone
we encounter knowing they will have this opportunity
and treating them accordingly.
Now to the commentaries on this verse and the
meanings thereof:
I will therefore - The Greek word here is different
from the word rendered “will” - thelō - in 1
Timothy 2:4. The distinction is, that the word there
used - thelō - denotes an active volition or
purpose; the word here used - boulomai - a mere
passive desire, propensity, willingness. Robinson’s
Lexicon The meaning here is, “it is my will” -
expressing his wish in the case, or giving direction
- though using a milder word than that which is
commonly employed to denote an act of will.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 2:4
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth. ~Barnes Notes
From the Adam Clarke:
I will therefore - Seeing the apostle had his
authority from Christ, and spoke nothing but what he
received from him, his, I will, is equal to I
command. ~Adam Clarke
That men pray everywhere - Not merely in the temple,
or in other sacred places, but in all places. The
Jews supposed that there was special efficacy in
prayers offered at the temple in Jerusalem; the
pagan also had the same view in regard to their
temples - for both seemed to suppose that they came
nearer to God by approaching his sacred abode.
Christianity teaches that God may be worshipped in
any place, and that we are at all times equally near
him; see the John 4:20-24 notes; Acts 17:25 note.
The direction here given that men should pray, in
contradistinction from the duties of women,
specified in the next verse, may be intended to
imply that men should conduct the exercises of
public worship.
Quoted verses:
John 4:20-24
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye
say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought
to worship.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour
cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor
yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
2 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we
worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship
him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth.
Acts 17:25
Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he
needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and
breath, and all things; ~Barnes Notes
From the Adam Clarke for, "That men pray.":
That men pray - That is, for the blessings promised
in this testimony of God. For, although God has
provided them, yet he will not give them to such as
will not pray. See the note on 1 Timothy 2:1, the
subject of which is here resumed.
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 2:1
I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men. ~Adam Clarke
From Adam Clarke for "Everywhere.":
Every where - In every place. That they should
always have a praying heart, and this will ever find
a praying place. This may refer to a Jewish
superstition. They thought, at first, that no prayer
could be acceptable that was not offered at the
temple at Jerusalem; afterward this was extended to
the Holy Land; but, when they became dispersed among
the nations, they built oratories or places of
prayer, principally by rivers and by the seaside;
and in these they were obliged to allow that public
prayer might be legally offered, but nowhere else.
In opposition to this, the apostle, by the authority
of Christ, commands men to pray everywhere; that all
places belong to God’s dominions; and, as he fills
every place, in every place he may be worshipped and
glorified. As to ejaculatory prayer, they allowed
that this might be performed standing, sitting,
leaning, lying, walking by the way, and during their
labor. Beracoth, fol. xi. 1. And yet in some other
places they teach differently. ~Adam Clarke
Lifting up holy hands - To lift up the hands denotes
supplication, as it was a common attitude of prayer
to spread abroad the hands toward heaven; compare
Psalm 68:31; Exodus 9:29, Exodus 9:33; 1 Kings 8:22;
2 Chronicles 6:12-13; Isaiah 1:15. “Holy hands”
here, mean hands that are not defiled by sin, and
that have not been employed for any purpose of
iniquity. The idea is, that when men approach God
they should do it in a pure and holy manner.
Quoted verses:
Psalm 68:31
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon
stretch out her hands unto God.
Exodus 9:29
And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of
the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the
LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall
there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how
that the earth is the LORD'S.
Exodus 9:33
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and
spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the
thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not
poured upon the earth.
1 Kings 8:22
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in
the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and
spread forth his hands toward heaven:
2 Chronicles 6:12-13
12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the
presence of all the congregation of Israel, and
spread forth his hands:
13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five
cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits
high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and
upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees
before all the congregation of Israel, and spread
forth his hands toward heaven,
Isaiah 1:15
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide
mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers,
I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
~Barnes Notes
From the Adam Clarke:
Lifting up holy hands - It was a common custom, not
only among the Jews, but also among the heathens, to
lift up or spread out their arms and hands in
prayer. It is properly the action of entreaty and
request; and seems to be an effort to embrace the
assistance requested. But the apostle probably
alludes to the Jewish custom of laying their hands
on the head of the animal which they brought for a
sin-offering, confessing their sins, and then giving
up the life of the animal as an expiation for the
sins thus confessed. And this very notion is
conveyed in the original term, from to lift up, and,
upon or over. This shows us how Christians should
pray. They should come to the altar; set God before
their eyes; humble themselves for their sins; bring
as a sacrifice the Lamb of God; lay their hands on
this sacrifice; and by faith offer it to God in
their souls’ behalf, expecting salvation through his
meritorious death alone. ~Adam Clarke
Without wrath - That is, without the intermingling
of any evil passion; with a calm, peaceful,
benevolent mind. There should be nothing of the
spirit of contention; there should be no anger
toward others; the suppliant should be at peace with
all people. It is impossible for a man to pray with
comfort, or to suppose that his prayers will be
heard, if he cherishes anger. The following
exquisite and oft-quoted passage from Jeremy Taylor,
is a more beautiful and striking illustration of the
effect of anger in causing our prayers to return
unanswered than was probably ever penned by anyone
else. Nothing could be more true, beautiful, and
graphic. “Anger sets the house on fire, and all the
spirits are busy upon trouble, and intend
propulsion, defense, displeasure, or revenge. It is
a short madness, and an eternal enemy to discourse
and a fair conversation; it intends its own object
with all the earnestness of perception or activity
of design, and a quicker motion of a too warm and
distempered blood; it is a fever in the heart, and a
calenture in the head, and a fire in the face, and a
sword in the band, and a fury all over; and
therefore can never suffer a man to be in a
disposition to pray. For prayer is the peace of our
spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, the evenness
of recollection, the seat of meditation, the rest of
our cares, and the calm of our tempest; prayer is
the issue of a quiet mind, of untroubled thoughts;
it is the daughter of charity and the sister of
meekness; and he that prays to God with an angry,
that is, with a troubled and discomposed spirit, is
like him that retires into a battle to meditate, and
sets up his closet in the out-quarters of an army,
and chooses a frontier garrison to be wise in.
Anger is a perfect alienation of the mind from
prayer, and therefore is contrary to that attention
which presents our prayers in a right line to God.
~Barnes Notes
From the Adam Clarke:
Without wrath - Having no vindictive feeling against
any person; harbouring no unforgiving spirit, while
they are imploring pardon for their own offenses.
The holy hands refer to the Jewish custom of washing
their hands before prayer; this was done to signify
that they had put away all sin, and purposed to live
a holy life. ~Adam Clarke
From the Geneva Bible Translation Notes:
without wrath - Without the griefs and offences of
the mind, which hinder us from calling upon God with
a good conscience. ~Geneva Bible Translation
Notes
And doubting - This word, as used here, does not
mean, as our translation would seem to imply, that
we are to come before God without any doubts of our
own piety, or in the exercise of perfect faith. The
word used dialogismos means, properly, computation,
adjustment of accounts; then reflection, thought;
then reasoning, opinion; then debate, contention,
strife; Luke 9:46; Mark 9:33-34; Philippians 2:14.
This is the sense evidently in this place. They were
not to approach God in prayer in the midst of
clamorous disputings and angry contentions. They
were not to come when the mind was heated with
debate, and irritated by strife for victory. Prayer
was to be offered in a calm, serious, sober state of
mind, and they who engaged in polemical strife, or
in warm contention of any kind, are little fitted to
unite in the solemn act of addressing God. How often
do even good people, holding different views on the
disputed points of religious doctrine, suffer their
minds to become so excited, and their temper so
ruffled, that they are conscious they are in an
unfit state of mind to approach the throne of grace
together! That theological debate has gone too far;
that strife for victory has become too warm, when
the disputants are in such a state of mind that they
cannot unite in prayer; when they could not cease
their contentions, and with a calm and proper
spirit, bow together before the throne of grace.
Quoted verses:
Luke 9:46
Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of
them should be greatest.
Mark 9:33-34
3 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house
he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among
yourselves by the way?
34 But they held their peace: for by the way they
had disputed among themselves, who should be the
greatest.
Philippians 2:14
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
~Barnes Notes
From the Adam Clarke:
And doubting - reasonings, dialogues. Such as are
often felt by distressed penitents and timid
believers; faith, hope, and unbelief appearing to
hold a disputation and controversy in their own
bosoms, in the issue of which unbelief ordinarily
triumphs. The apostle therefore wills them to come,
implicitly relying on the promises of God, and the
sacrifice and mediation of Jesus Christ. ~Adam
Clarke
The Geneva Bible Translation Notes:
and doubting - Doubting, which is against faith;
(James 1:6).
Quoted verse:
James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed. ~Geneva Bible Translation
Notes
Let us finish in the Treasury of Scriptural
Knowledge:
For, "I will therefore that men":
1 Timothy 5:14 ...a command
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear
children, guide the house, give none occasion to the
adversary to speak reproachfully.
For, "pray everywhere": ...these
scriptures making note of the places one could
pray...everywhere
Psalm 130:1-2
1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications.
Lamentations 3:55-56
55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low
dungeon.
56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at
my breathing, at my cry.
Jonah 2:1-2
1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the
fish's belly,
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction
unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of
hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
John 4:23-25 ...this verse speaking to why we
can pray anywhere
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship
him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias
cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he
will tell us all things.
Acts 21:5
And when we had accomplished those days, we departed
and went our way; and they all brought us on our
way, with wives and children, till we were out of
the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and
prayed.
For, "lifting up holy hands":
Psalm 26:6
I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I
compass thine altar, O LORD:
Psalm 66:18
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not
hear me:
Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the
LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 21:27
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much
more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
Hebrews 10:22 ...showing how we make our
hands holy.
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your
hearts, ye double minded.
1 John 3:20-22
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than
our heart, and knoweth all things.
3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have
we confidence toward God.
3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him,
because we keep his commandments, and do those
things that are pleasing in his sight.
For, "without wrath":
Matthew 5:22-24
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with
his brother without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his
brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council:
but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in
danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar,
and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought
against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy
way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and
pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you;
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
1 Peter 3:7
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to
knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the
weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the
grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
For, "and doubting":
Matthew 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto
you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not
only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also
if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed,
and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Mark 11:23-24
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall
say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou
cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart,
but shall believe that those things which he saith
shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he
saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye
desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them,
and ye shall have them.
See the sermon, "Tell
It to the Mountain"
James 1:6-8
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive
any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.