Paul’s Instructions Concerning Public Worship

Introduction:

Paul is instructing Timothy concerning public worship and the conduct of believing men and women when they gather for worship.

Some of Paul’s teachings reflect the social environment of the first century.  We need to use discernment to determine when that is happening.

Be assured that, even though the specific cultural behaviors of the time differ from ours, the Biblical principle Paul is teaching transcends culture.  The principle that Paul is teaching applies to us here today.

How do we apply those principles to our lives?

1 Timothy 2:8 NLT
⁸ In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.

Examine the Scriptures:

Paul’s Instructions Concerning Public Worship

• Paul is now giving instructions about how to pray.

Public prayer had evidently deteriorated among the Ephesians due to false teachers’ influence.

Review from a previous lesson:

Most likely, 1 Timothy was written around A.D. 62–66 (after Paul’s first Roman imprisonment).

The Ephesian church was well established by this time.

False teachers had come into the church in Ephesus.

1 Timothy 6:2-5 NLT
 ²…Teach these things, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. ³ Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. ⁴ Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. ⁵ These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.

False teachers were a reality in the early Christian church (and still are today).

Acts 20:29-30 NLT
²⁹ I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

False teachers are always a possibility in the Christian church.

After Paul established the church in Ephesus, Paul’s younger coworker stayed there to strengthen the church against false teaching.  It’s not clear what this false teaching was.

Paul instructed Timothy to confront false teachers and promote sound doctrine.

1 Timothy 2:8 NLT
⁸ In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God,

Paul moves from his teaching about prayer for all people in verses 1–7 to the manner in which believers should pray when the church gathers.

This resumes the call to prayer beginning at verse 1.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT
Instructions about Worship
^2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ² Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. ³ This is good and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

Paul specifically addresses the men here in the context of public prayer and church worship.

This does not mean that women are forbidden from praying.

In 1 Corinthians 11:5, Paul discusses women praying and prophesying.

1 Corinthians 11:5 NLT
⁵ But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.

Also:

Acts 1:14 NLT
¹⁴ They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

Acts 12:12 NLT
¹² When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.

• Lifting one’s hands is a biblical posture of prayer and worship.

Lifted hands:

An expression of praise and worship

An attitude of reverence before God.

Dependence upon God

Surrender to God

A plea for God’s help

Reverence before God

Longing for God’s presence

Holy hands lifted up was an ancient posture of praise and supplication.

Exodus 9:29 NLT
²⁹ “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord.  …

1 Kings 8:22 NLT
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven,

Psalm 28:2 NLT (David)
² Listen to my prayer for mercy
as I cry out to you for help,
as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. 

Psalm 63:4 NLT (David)
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,  lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 

Psalm 134:2 NLT (A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.)
² Lift your hands toward the sanctuary, and praise the Lord. 

Luke 24:50 NLT
The Ascension
⁵⁰ Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 

Note:

Prayer offered with lifted hands was also common in the pagan religions of the first century. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

There are many other biblical examples of positions for prayer:

Nehemiah 8:6 NLT
⁶ Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Luke 22:41 NLT (referring to Jesus on the Mount of Olives)
⁴¹ He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed,

Exodus 4:31 NLT
³¹ Then the people of Israel were convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Matthew 26:39 NLT (Jesus Prays in Gethsemane)
³⁹ He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

2 Samuel 7:18 NLT (David’s Prayer of Thanks)
¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

John 17:1 NLT (The Prayer of Jesus)
^17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.

• The Bible gives us many examples of postures for prayer. These examples include standing, kneeling, sitting, bowing, lying face down, looking up, or praying with hands raised.

Notice.

1 Timothy 2:8 NLT says
⁸ … pray with holy hands …, free from anger and controversy.

“Holy hands”

Who has holy hands?

James 5:16 NLT
¹⁶ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James is speaking in the context of praying for one another. The emphasis is on living rightly before God and then praying for others.

The idea is similar to Psalm 24:3–4:

Psalm 24:3-4 NLT
³ Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴ Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies. 

1 John 3:21-22 NLT
²¹ Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. ²² And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

Paul’s point is that prayer should come from people who are seeking to live in holiness before God.  (Living a life that is pleasing to God.)

Reflect on:

Isaiah 1:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
¹⁶ Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.

• We should not knowingly hold onto sin while approaching God in prayer.

Psalm 66:18 NLT
¹⁸ If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened. 

• Before interceding for others, examine your own heart, confess known sin, seek reconciliation where necessary, and come before God humbly.

free from anger and controversy.

• A person cannot sincerely pray to God while deliberately holding onto anger and hostility toward others.

James 1:20 NLT
²⁰ Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.’

A person may appear very spiritual while praying publicly, yet harbor anger, resentment, bitterness, or hostility toward another person.

Paul says that harboring anger, resentment, bitterness, or hostility toward another person is inconsistent with the character of Christian prayer.

Jesus taught something similar in Matthew 5:23–24: if a person remembers that another has something against him, he should first seek reconciliation with his brother.

Matthew 5:22-24 NLT
²² But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
²³ “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴ leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. 

1 Peter 3:7 NLT
⁷ In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 

• Broken human relationships affect one’s ability to pray.

Matthew 6:12 NLT
¹² and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

An important biblical principle:

What matters most is approaching God with faith, humility, sincerity, and reverence.

Psalm 19:14 NLT
¹⁴ May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

• God’s people should pray with a heart that is free from anger and controversy. 

There is a direct connection between our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationships with other people.