Read with Me
1 Timothy 2:8-10 (HCSB)
Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument. Also, the women are to dress themselves in modest clothing, with decency and good sense, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive apparel, but with good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God.
Listen with Me
Paul is addressing divisions in the Church in Ephesus. The divisions were being caused by those who were teaching false, non-biblical doctrines that contradicted the clear words of Scripture and the reliable teachings of Jesus passed down through the apostles (1:3).
Instead, Paul wanted the Christians to focus on what was most important: standing before God with holy hands lifted in prayer. That could only happen when people’s lives were being lived in conformity with everything that Jesus had commanded (Matthew 28:19). And anger and disputing would only get in the way of that.
There was also a tendency among the women of the Church in the city to push themselves forward, especially those women who were of high social status. They were well-respected out in the world, and they wanted that same status and ability to influence afforded them in the structures of the Church.
To that end, many of the women engaged in a not-so-subtle competition among themselves, showing off their status with their fancy clothes cut in the latest styles, their gold jewelry adorned with pearls and precious stones, and their elaborately braided hair. They did this in order to be admired, and to have their opinion well thought of simply because of their social standing.
But Paul pushed back against that whole paradigm. He well knew that in God’s kingdom there were no social hierarchies, and it didn’t matter how wealthy someone was, or what luxuries they might possess. The ground was completely level at the foot of the cross, with kings and beggars both having to approach the feet of Jesus as wretched sinners, without any hope except in God’s mercy and Jesus’ grace.
For that reason, Paul urged the women to cease the competition for recognition of their social standing, and instead to see themselves as all equal in God’s eyes. If there was any area that they should excel in, it was not in external adornment, but in internal holiness, demonstrated by good deeds, works of piety that would advance God’s kingdom agenda.
Pray with Me
Father, I wish I could say that we have outgrown this need in the Church to be recognized and held up for our social position or our possessions. But we have not. Both men and women in the Church can very easily fall into the trap of pushing themselves forward based on “who they are”, and they can quickly grow frustrated or even angry if they are not appropriately deferred to. But this is completely antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. When we come to Jesus, we die to our old life, and we take up instead the life of Jesus himself as our own. That is why Paul was able to write so clearly to the Galatians (3:26-28): “for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Lord, help us all to see ourselves as You see us, and to lose our need for status and approval by others, simply keeping our eyes focused on You at all times. Amen.