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Paul's Charge on Public Worship: Intercession and Qualifications in 1 Timothy

This text explores Paul's exhortation for efficacious public prayer in worship and the role of intercession in the Orthodox perspective. It also discusses the involvement of women in public worship and the qualifications of bishops and deacons.

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Paul's Charge on Public Worship: Intercession and Qualifications in 1 Timothy

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  1. 1Timothy PartIII

  2. Paul’s charge concerning public worship (chapters 2) • Efficacious public prayer should be a part of worship. • “1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, andgiving of thanks be made for all men, 2for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. • Two types of intercessions. Paul talked about both in this chapter.

  3. Intercession in the Orthodox Perspective: Christ the mediator • In our Orthodox Church, we do not accept any mediator between God and man except Lord Jesus Christ, the Chief High Priest and the Sacrifice by whose blood we receive the reconciliation and remission of sins: • “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). • “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus…” (1 Tim 2:5). • “We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 Jn 2:1).

  4. Intercession in the Orthodox Perspective: human intercessions • As the soul moves closer to God, in a deeper union with Lord Jesus Christ, it becomes more attached to others and hence prays for them asking for their salvation. • We all pray for one another, each of us is a mediator of grace for others: “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.” (1 Tim 2:1). • God, the lover of mankind, gives generously and longs to see us like Him loving the others and asking for them more than for ourselves.

  5. Intercession in the Orthodox Perspective: human intercessions (cont.) • Once again, if human intercession between the communion of the saints does actually exist on earth, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, then surely it is even more valid for those who enter paradise that they do not cease praying for their brethren. • If while on earth and tied down under the burden of flesh they ask more for the others than for themselves, then how intense would their prayers be for those who are still living on earth when they are close to the author of Love Himself.

  6. Women in public worship • Paul emphasizes the importance of the inner quality of godliness. • He himself did not disapprove of women praying and prophesying in public provided they were properly attired (1 Cor. 11:4,5). • Also, he freely acknowledged his debt to a considerable group of women who helped in the NT church (Rom. 16:1-15).

  7. Women in public worship (cont.) • Public teaching, which involves making authoritative statements of doctrine, is another matter. • It is improper for a woman to exercise such authority over males who have reached the age of religious responsibility “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control”. • During that time, pagans used to have women priests who practiced sexual immorality as part of pagan worship.

  8. Qualifications of bishops & deaconsChapter 3 • 1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop,[a] he desires a good work. 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,[b] but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. • A bishop=episkopos=overseer

  9. Qualification of deacons • Deacon=diakonos=servant • “Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus”.

  10. The mystery of godliness • Paul ends this chapter by one of the greatest verses that declares Jesus Christ as God: “and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh”.

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