A difficult passage to interpret is that of 1 Timothy 2:8. At first, it appears to be a clear-cut directive from the desires of Paul that worshipers are to be holy. But a closer look into Paul’s first century context and social nuances reveals that there is much to be learned behind our English translations.

My own translation reveals some details of the original intent, and commentary is required to hear the passage as Paul would have meant it and as his original audience would have received it.

“Therefore, I want men in every place to prepare themselves for ministry without impurities in their hearts or minds.”

Philip Towner brings up a significant understanding from Paul’s first century world that is required by modern readers, if we are to correctly interpret his message to the Christian worshipers in Ephesus. In his commentary, New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Letters to Timothy and Titus, Towner shares that “ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ” (Engl. In every place) was heard as an echo of Malachi 1:11 by the ancient Jews of Paul’s first century world.

In their ancient Jewish tradition, Malachi 1:11 and 14 go together to form one cohesive thought as a quote from God that quarrels were to be settled before one begins to pray. That teaching was based on the ancient practice of the Israelite priests who were required to purify themselves with water before they could enter the Temple and minister to God’s people (see Leviticus 16). The ritual hand washing of a priest was a public act that symbolized the purifying of the priest’s inner self, giving the message to the worshipers that the priest was purified of any emotional or mental strains including anger or feelings of dissension toward another child of God. 

Further insight to this passage includes the historical understanding that the citation of Malachi 1:11 and 14 specifically symbolized God’s turning toward the nations with mercy, and the pronouncing of his judgment upon impure worship in the temple, thus teaching the importance of how men and women are to conduct themselves, not simply as worshipers, but as ministers in worship.

Like the Jewish priests, if a Christian minster’s behavior was carried out with a backdrop of negative thoughts and resentment, the negative effect would impact those inside and outside the place of worship. 

One final important note: Pauline worship gatherings were primarily done in house churches. And, because the atrium of a house, where the worship was done, was considered a public domain, house-worship was considered a public activity. Any negativity in worship, which was a public event, would have posed a problem for Paul, as he was concerned, not only with the effective and God-honoring worship of Christians, but also with the public perception of Christians. 

The intention of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:8 are to remind the leaders of Christian worship to forgive and be forgiven (to present themselves pure) before they attempt to lead God’s people in worship.

In His dust,
Johnny

Works Cited:

Philip H. Towner, New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Letters to Timothy and Titus(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), p. 203.

Carolyn Osiek and David L. Balch Families in the New Testament World: Households and House Churches (Louisville, Kentucky:Westminster John Knox Press), pp. 16-7.

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

The list of passionate differences among the people of this world seems to be limitless. We all have our soap boxes and points of frustration that we have a hard time not talking about. I’m as guilty as the next person, though I have begun to purposely avoid many conversations and subjects in these days of exaggerated tempers and disagreements.

Topics of public opinion have always been important to humanity. They are the discussions of our hearts, though not always rooted in our most compassionate thoughts toward the one(s) with whom we are speaking.

Wherever there is a television, radio or internet connection, heated monologues and dialogues of religious and political differences are being discussed, even by Christians. The political atmosphere is filling pulpits and facebook pages with followers of Jesus humiliating themselves and their family (the Church), over their political opinions.

Jesus’ monarchy was misunderstood by many, including Jews and non-Jews. Jews argued with Jews, non-Jews argued with non-Jews, and Jews and non-Jews had their arguments as well over the subject of Jesus’ kingdom and how he should run it. But Jesus made it a point to remind those who questioned his kingship that his kingdom was not a part of this world’s politics.

When Jesus’ kingship was questioned, he said to Pilate,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John　18:36　NIV).

In this statement, Jesus is not saying that the Kingdom of God cannot be found in the world. He told his disciples, “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick that are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you’” (Luke 10:8-9).

The point of Jesus’ claim that his kingdom is not of this world was to say that his kingship was not received by way of votes, assignment, or human birth. The kingdom of Jesus was one that was not of a divided kingdom or a bickering nation, but a kingdom of unity and peace. It is not the loudest or the richest or the greatest number that made him a king, but by the hearts and minds of those who desired peace in their world, not more divisiveness. And yet, many of us who call ourselves Christians speak of and to our brothers and sisters with disgust and disdain.

I agree that many subjects that involve citizens within a nation are important to discuss and even vote on. But the way in which we discuss and the purpose for which we vote, must have the Kingdom of God always before us, if we call ourselves Chrsitians. We cannot claim to be Christians and hurt others with our heated words, no matter how important and personal the oponion or view.

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness” (James 3:9 NIV).

Jesus’ is the King of a kingdom that makes no sense to the world. He is a King who only divides those who refuse to come together and love one another in a world full of confusion and turmoil.

As followers of the Messiah, we are called Christians; people whose kingdom is built on a system that did not come from this world. When we get involved in the hate-mongering and verbal bashing that is so common to the politics of this world’s system, we should not call ourselves Christians and prove ourselves to be poor examples of godly images.

I think we should separate ourselves from the confused believers who dive head-first into the painful and stress-filled bloviating of useless political banter by calling them “Polichristians.”

Now that sounds like a kingdom that is of this world.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Ibelieve that it is important for believers to have a sound theology, though I’m not sure that a sound theology can be clearly defined.

In other words, in my personal opinion, a person’s theology is a lot like a tree; it is always growing, either up or out, adding branches and losing branches, ebbing and flowing through the seasons, while maintaining its identity as a tree.

A sound theology requires a teachability that is not always welcomed by many who boast an anti-intellectual, Evangelical faith, as the ongoing study required to develop a “sound” theology calls for the willingness to unlearn as often as he or she learns. The seasons have positive and negative effects on the tree, but after the Winter, the Spring is sure to return for the tree, if it is determined to survive the cold.

It is the Winter that many Christians find too threatening to enter, therefore they attempt to develop a theology of Summers where they do not dare even dip their toes in the snow of deeper study.

In order to transition theology into doxology, a person must have a confidence in God that surpasses his or her theology. In order to praise God no matter the season in which we are currently living, we must be willing to accept the reality that only God sees with perfect clarity. Doxology is the ability to express one’s faith as positively during the cruelest Winter as he or she does during the sunniest Summer.

Knowing that the tree benefits from all seasons, including the Winter, keeps the tree from giving up and dying before the new growth in the Spring. For those whose faith is only sustained during the happiest days, the most positive ministry experiences, and the easiest-to-accept learning opportunities, their theology will fall short of the transition to genuine praise.

For those of us who are able to sustain all the seasons of developing a sound theology, one that is able to ebb and flow without dying, the ability to pass on the gratitude and praise of which God is so worthy, comes easy. Those who many refer to as “the lost looking for God” are not those who come to God by way of melancholy, miserable, doubtful theologians; they are seeking godly men and women who are able to sustain their joy and praise during the worst and best of ministry experiences and study.

In His dust,

Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Among the greatest fears of man and woman is the fear of falling. For some, the fear of falling physically may not be as scary as falling spiritually.

Growing in the wisdom of the Scriptures can be a challenge to many people. And the challenges are varied. Some find that they are considered heretics when they discover that their long held views of some Scriptures are debatable. Others run into the danger of losing their faith.

Bart D. Ehrman, a textual critic who has written powerful books that aid seminary students and scholars toward a deeper understanding of the sacred texts of the Bible, became an agnostic. Dr. Rollin Grams said that he was encouraged by Professor Gordon Fee, author and renowned textual critic, that he should pray one hour a day as he studied textual criticism, because of the danger of one losing his or her faith in the process.

The danger of critically studying the holy texts comes from seeing the human element of these writings. The journey to recognize what does and does not come from the original writings of biblical authors can be fascinating and perilous for the student of such works.

For example, it is a bit unsettling to learn that those dastardly translators of the New International Version are correct when they tell us that the entire story of the “Woman Caught in Adultery” is found nowhere in the original texts (see John 7:53-8:11).            

It is a story that simply “shows up” after the creation of the King James Version in A.D. 1611. Of course there are other portions of the text which have been added by later scribes and redactors as well.

Some ask why we continue to study the Scriptures so deeply, even suggesting that learning the original languages has already been done by scholars, and future students need not waste their time. But the continuous discoveries of ancient writings make this argument void.

The true goal of a first century disciple was to be like his rabbi. And our rabbi, Jesus, was not one to be satisfied with what others had already learned and taught, but he was a student who grew in his knowledge of Scripture. Luke’s gospel tells us that Jesus advanced in his wisdom just as he grew physically (2:52). The same must be true of those who follow him, no matter where the progression of knowledge takes us.

As one person so wisely stated, “We are supposed to grow old and wise, but sometimes we just get old.”

Although study will take us to dangerous places that threaten the very fabric of our faith at times, we must continue to delve into the things of God for the sake of advancing in wisdom, despite our fear of falling.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved