ACC ~ 1 Timothy 2 v8 - 15

OVERVIEW:

Men should pray in every place (ORIGEN), not in the temple only (CHRYSOSTOM), and with pure hands (TERTULLIAN) and with a good conscience (AUGUSTINE), with body, soul and spirit in tune (JEROME), praying with uplifted hands so as to bear the sign of the cross (MAXIMUS OF TURIN). Yet “every place” does not imply places designated for shameful human deeds (BASIL). Meanwhile we ought to be trying to be the kind of people whom we wish God to find when we pray (JOHN CASSIAN). We pray modestly, remembering our faults (AMBROSE).

Equally with men, women are called to approach God without anger or doubt. Modesty, however, requires something more of women—that they adorn themselves fittingly (CHRYSOSTOM, AMBROSE). Women are not by ostentation to deprive the poor. Gems do not adorn the soul (CHRYSOSTOM). In her original relation with Adam before the Fall, woman was not called into a state of submissiveness; only after the Fall did that become pertinent (CHRYSOSTOM). The prohibition in the law against a man wearing female garments refers not so much to clothing as to social manners, habits and actions, since one act is becoming to a man, another to a woman (AMBROSE). Women retain authority in the home as teachers of virtue (THEODORE). As woman was the first one in the revolt against God, she became the first witness of the resurrection that she might retrieve by her faith the overthrow caused by her disobedience (GREGORY OF NYSSA). That woman played such a decisive role in bringing forth the Redeemer must be seen as the work of divine providence (AMBROSE). Adam yielded to Eve, as husband to wife, as the only man in the world to the only woman. Eve accepted the serpent’s word as true, whereas Adam refused to be separated from his partner even in a union of sin. This does not imply that Adam was any less guilty (AUGUSTINE). When Paul speaks of the salvation that comes through childbearing, he refers to the baptism and rebirth to which their children are led by the believing mother (PELAGIUS, THEODORE, AMBROSIASTER). The calling to virginity is viewed in relation to our dying in Eve and being reborn as a result of the Savior to whom Mary gave birth (GREGORY OF NYSSA). The church is united with its heavenly bridegroom Christ, desiring to be mingled with him through the Word so that she may conceive from him and be enabled to be saved through the chaste bearing of children (ORIGEN).

2:8a | Men Everywhere Should Pray

WHERE SHOULD MEN PRAY? ORIGEN: Now concerning the place, let it be known that every place is suitable for prayer if a person prays well. For “in every place you offer incense to me … says the Lord” and “I desire then that in every place men should pray,” But everyone may have, if I may put it this way, a holy place set aside and chosen in his own house, if possible, for accomplishing his prayers in quiet and without distraction. ON PRAYER 31.4.

IN EVERY PLACE? BASIL THE GREAT: Certainly, the Lord gives the authority for praying in every place, in the words: “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” And the words of the apostle are legitimate, because the word every does not include places designated for human usage or for unclean or shameful human deeds, but it does take in the regions from the confines of Jerusalem to every place in the world duly appointed, in conformity with the prophecy of sacrifice, that is, consecrated to God, for the celebration of the glorious mystery. CONCERNING BAPTISM.

JEWISH TEMPLE WORSHIP DISTINGUISHED FROM CHRISTIAN PRAYER. CHRYSOSTOM: The object of Paul is to distinguish the Christian from the Jewish prayers. Therefore observe what he says, “In every place lifting up holy hands,” this being something which was not permitted the Jews, for they were not allowed to approach God, to sacrifice and perform their services elsewhere. Rather, assembling from all parts of the world in one place, they were bound to perform all their worship in the temple. … Henceforth the consideration is not of the place but of the manner of the prayer. “Pray everywhere,” but, “everywhere lift up holy hands.” That is the thing required. And what is “holy”? Pure. And what is pure? Not washed with water, but free from covetousness, murder, rapacity, violence, “without wrath and doubting.” HOMILIES ON 1 TIMOTHY 8.

2:8b | Lifting Holy Hands

HANDS LIFTED UP IN PURITY. TERTULLIAN: But what reason is there in going to prayer with hands indeed washed, but the spirit has become fouled?—inasmuch as to our hands themselves spiritual cleansing is necessary, that they may be “lifted up pure” from falsehood, from murder, from cruelty, from poisonings, from idolatry and all the other blemishes which, conceived by the spirit, are effected by the operation of the hands. ON PRAYER 13.

HOLY HANDS. AUGUSTINE: He must be quite cognizant, certain and confident of his own innocence who stretches out and extends his hands to God. Hence the apostle says, “I wish then that men pray everywhere, lifting up pure hands.” He rightly lifts his hands to God, he pours forth prayers with a good conscience, who can say, “You know, O Lord, how holy, how innocent, how pure from every fraud, injury and plunder are the hands which I lift up to you; how unstained and free from all deceit are the lips with which I pour forth prayers to you so that you may have pity on me.” Such a person deserves to be heard quickly and can obtain what he asks even before he has finished his prayer. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 11.

PRAY WITH HANDS UPLIFTED. MAXIMUS OF TURIN: But the good farmer also, when he prepares to turn the soil in order to plant life-sustaining foods, undertakes to do this by nothing other than the sign of the cross. For when he sets the share beam on the plough, attaches the earthboard and puts on the plowhandle, he imitates the form of the cross, for its very construction is a kind of likeness of the Lord’s suffering. Heaven, too, is itself arranged in the form of this sign, for since it is divided into four parts—namely, east, west, south, and north—it consists in four quarters like the cross. Even a person’s bearing, when he raises his hands, describes a cross; therefore we are ordered to pray with uplifted hands so that by the very stance of our body we might confess the Lord’s suffering. SERMONS 38.3.

2:8c | Without Anger or Quarreling

IN PERFECT TUNE. JEROME: Whenever we lift up pure hands in prayer, without diverting distractions or contention, we are playing to the Lord with a ten-stringed instrument. We play, as the psalmist wrote, “with ten-stringed instrument and lyre, with melody upon the harp.” Our body and soul and spirit—our harp—are all in harmony, all their strings in tune. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 21.

NOURISHED BY CONTINUAL CONTEMPLATION. JOHN CASSIAN: Whatever the mind has been thinking about before it prays will certainly come to it while it is praying. Therefore, before we begin to pray, we ought to be trying to be the kind of people whom we wish God to find when we pray. The mind is conditioned by its recent state. In prayer, the mind remembers recent acts or thoughts and experiences, sees them dancing before it like ghosts. And this annoys us, or depresses us, or reminds us of past lust or past worry, or makes us (I am ashamed to say) laugh like fools at some absurdity or circumstance, or go over again some recent conversation. Whatever we do not want to creep into our time of prayer, we must try to keep out of the heart when we are not praying. St. Paul’s words were, “Pray without ceasing,” and “In every place lifting up pure hands without wrath or controversy.” To obey this is impossible, unless the mind is purified from sin, is given to virtue as its natural good and is continually nourished by the contemplation of God. CONFERENCES 9.3.3.

2:9a | Women Should Adorn Themselves Modestly and Sensibly

PARTICULARLY AT PRAYER. AMBROSE: In our prayers, too, modesty is most pleasing and gains us much grace from our God. … A noble thing, then, is modesty, which, though giving up its rights, seizing on nothing for itself, laying claim to nothing and in some ways somewhat retiring within the sphere of its own powers, yet is rich in the sight of God, in whose sight no one is rich. Richness is modesty, for it is the portion of God. Paul bids that prayer be offered up with modesty and sobriety. He desires that this should be first, and, as it were, lead the way of prayers to come, so that the sinner’s prayer may not be boastful but veiled, as it were, with the blush of shame. Indeed, it may merit a far greater degree of grace, in giving way to modesty at the remembrance of its fault. DUTIES OF THE CLERGY 1.18.70.

ESPECIALLY FOR A WOMAN. AMBROSE: Let us then hold fast modesty and that moderation which adds to the beauty of the whole of life. For it is no light thing in every matter to preserve due measure and to bring about order, wherein that is plainly conspicuous which we call “decorum,” or what is seemly. This is so closely connected with what is virtuous that one cannot separate the two. … This seemliness which we offer to God we may believe to be far better than other things. It befits also a woman to pray in an orderly dress, but it is especially fitting to her to pray humbly covered and to pray giving promise of purity together with wholesome conversation. DUTIES OF THE CLERGY 1.45.218, 220.

WHAT MORE IS REQUIRED OF WOMEN. CHRYSOSTOM: Equally with men, women are called to approach God without wrath or doubting, lifting up holy hands, not following their own desires, nor being covetous or rapacious. … Paul however requires something more of women, that they adorn themselves “in modest apparel, with self-effacement and sobriety” … such attire as covers them completely, and decently, not with superfluous ornaments, for the one is becoming, the other is not. HOMILIES ON 1 TIMOTHY 8.

2:9b | In Seemly Apparel

DO NOT BY YOUR OSTENTATION DEPRIVE THE POOR. CHRYSOSTOM: For what reason will you be able to state, what defense, when the Lord lays these pearls to your charge and brings the poor who have perished with hunger into your midst? On this account Paul said, “not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls or costly raiment.” For these would be a snare. … Take off all ornament and place it in the hands of Christ through the poor. INSTRUCTIONS TO CATECHUMENS 2.4.

2:10a | Good Deeds Befit Women Who Profess Religion

WHAT ADORNS THE SOUL. CHRYSOSTOM: Gems and gold and costly garments and lavish, embroidered flowers of various colors and anything else perishable in nature in no way adorn souls. But the following do: fasts, holy vigils, gentleness, reasonableness, poverty, courage, humility, patience—in a word, disdain for everything passing in this life. ON VIRGINITY 63.1.

2:11 | Let a Woman Learn in Quietness

WOMEN RETAIN AUTHORITY IN THE HOME. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: While Paul forbids women teaching in church, he very much wants them to exercise their authority in the home as the teachers of virtue. COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY.

SUSTAINING THE VIRTUE OF QUIETNESS. AMBROSE: I think the prohibition in the law against a man wearing female garments refers not so much to clothing as to manners and to our habits and actions, since one act is becoming to a man, another to a woman. Therefore, the apostle, as the interpreter of the law, says, “Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be submissive, as the law says. But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home.” And to Timothy he says, “Let a women learn in quietness in all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or have authority over men.” How unsightly it is for a man to act like a woman! LETTERS 78.

2:12 | I Permit No Woman to Have Authority Over Men

HOW WOMEN EXERCISE POWER. CHRYSOSTOM: The divine law indeed has excluded women from the ministry, but they endeavor to thrust themselves into it. And since they can effect nothing of themselves, they do all through the agency of others. In this way they have become invested with so much power that they can appoint or eject priests at their will. Things in fact are turned upside down, and the proverbial saying may be seen realized—“Those being guided are leading the guides.” One would wish that it were men who were giving such guidance, rather than women who have not received a commission to give instruction in church. Why do I say “give instruction”? The blessed Paul did not suffer them even to speak with authority in the church. But I have heard someone say that they have obtained such a large privilege of free speech as even to rebuke the prelates of the churches and censure them more severely than masters do their own domestics. ON THE PRIESTHOOD 3.9.

GOD SAYS NOTHING ABOUT SUBMISSIVENESS PRIOR TO THE FALL. CHRYSOSTOM: For with us indeed the woman is reasonably subjected to the man, since equality of honor causes contention. And not for this cause only, but by reason also of the deceit which happened in the beginning. You see Eve was not subjected in her original condition as she was made. Nor was she called to submission when God first brought her to the man. She did not hear anything from God then about submissiveness. Nor did Adam originally say any such word to her. Rather he said indeed that she was “bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh,” but of rule or subjection he mentioned nothing. This occurred only after she made an ill use of her privilege. She who had been made a helper was found to be an ensnarer. Then the original relation was ruined, and she was justly told for the future: “your turning shall be to your husband.” HOMILIES ON FIRST CORINTHIANS 26.2.

2:13 | Adam Was Formed First, Then Eve

NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE. AMBROSE: It was said, moreover, that it was not good for man to be alone. Yet we know that Adam did not commit sin before woman was created. However, after creation, she was the first to disobey the divine command and even allured her husband to sin. If, therefore, the woman is responsible for the sin, how then can her coming be considered a good? But, if you consider that the universe is in the care of God, then you will discover this fact, namely, that the Lord must have gained more pleasure for himself in being responsible for all creation than condemnation from us for providing the basis for sin. Accordingly, the Lord declared that it was not good for man to be alone, because the human race could not have been propagated from man alone. … For the sake therefore of the successive generations of men it followed that woman had to be joined to man. Thus we must interpret the very words of God when he said that it was not good for the man to be alone. If the woman was to be the first one to sin, the fact that she was the one destined to bring forth redemption must not be excluded from the operations of divine Providence. Although “Adam was not deceived, the woman was deceived and was in sin.” Yet woman, we are told, “will be saved by childbearing,” in the course of which Christ became born of woman. PARADISE 10.47.

THE TYPE OF THE CHURCH. ORIGEN: But you should not be surprised that she [the church] who is gathered out of the dispersion of the nations and prepared to be the bride of Christ has sometimes been guilty of these faults. Remember how the first woman was seduced and was in the transgression and could find her salvation, so the Scripture says, only in bearing children, which for our present purpose means those who continue in faith and love with sanctity. The apostle, therefore, declares what is written about Adam and Eve thus, “This is a great mystery in Christ and in the church.” Christ so loved her that he gave himself for her, while she was yet undutiful, even as he says, “When as yet we were ungodly according to the time, Christ died for us”; and again, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS 2.3.

2:14a | Adam Was Not Deceived

ADAM EQUALLY GUILTY. AUGUSTINE: So, too, we must believe that Adam transgressed the law of God, not because he was deceived into believing that the lie was true but because in obedience to a social compulsion he yielded to Eve, as husband to wife, as the only man in the world to the only woman. It was not without reason that the apostle wrote, “Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived.” He means, no doubt, that Eve accepted the serpent’s word as true, whereas Adam refused to be separated from his partner even in a union of sin. This does not imply that he was on that account any less guilty, since he sinned knowingly and deliberately. THE CITY OF GOD 14.11.2.

2:14b | But the Woman Was Deceived

FIRST TO BEHOLD THE RESURRECTION. GREGORY OF NYSSA: And the fact too that this grace was revealed by means of a woman agrees with the interpretation that we have given. For since, as the apostle tells us, “the woman, being deceived, was in the transgression,” and was by her disobedience foremost in the revolt from God, for this reason she is the first witness of the resurrection. This is so that she might retrieve by her faith in the resurrection the overthrow caused by her disobedience. Indeed, by making herself at the beginning a minister and advocate to her husband of the counsels of the serpent, she brought into human life the beginning of evil and its train of consequences. Therefore, by ministering to his disciples the words of him who slew the rebel dragon, she might become to men the guide of faith, whereby with good reason the first proclamation of death is annulled. AGAINST EUNOMIUS 12.1.

2:15a | Woman Saved Through Bearing Children

THE WOMAN IS EVE. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The claim that she will be saved by childbearing is said of all women, not just of Eve. COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY.

TO THOSE REBORN IN CHRIST. AMBROSIASTER: The salvation that comes to women through childbearing applies only to the children who are reborn in Christ. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

REBORN CHILDREN LED BY A BELIEVING MOTHER. PELAGIUS: When Paul speaks of the salvation that comes through childbearing, he refers to the baptism and rebirth to which their children are led by the believing mother. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

2:15b | Continuing in Faith, Love and Holiness

JOINED TO THE BRIDEGROOM BY FAITH. ORIGEN: The present book of Scripture, then, speaks of this love with which the blessed soul burns and is on fire with regard to the blessed Word of God. And she sings this wedding song through the Spirit, by which the church is joined and united with its heavenly bridegroom Christ, desiring to be mingled with him through the Word so that she may conceive from him and be enabled to be saved through this chaste bearing of children. COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS, PROLOGUE 2.46.

VIRGINITY A HIGHER CHILDBEARING. GREGORY OF NYSSA: Therefore, just as the power which destroys what is born is begotten along with physical birth, so it is clear that the Spirit bestows a life-giving power upon those born through it. What, then, can be deduced from what we have said? That separating ourselves from life in the flesh, which death normally follows upon, we may seek a kind of life which does not have death as its consequence. This is the spiritual significance of the life of virginity. That this is true will be clearer if we explain a little further. Everyone knows that the function of bodily union is the creation of mortal bodies. But life and incorruptibility are born to those who remain united in their participation in the Spirit. It is not having children as such that is important but this spiritual regeneration. Excellent is the apostolic saying about this, that the mother blessed with such children “will be saved by childbearing,” just as the psalmist utters in the divine hymns, “He establishes in her home the barren wife as the joyful mother of children.” ON VIRGINITY 14.