Therefore, I exhort, first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, (2)for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  (3)For 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.  (5)For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, (6)who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time, (7)for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle – I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying – a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

(8)I desire therefore, that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting;

The Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to Timothy.  Paul had left Timothy in charge of the Christian church at Ephesus thinking that he would return soon but Paul’s plans (God’s plans for Paul) changed.  Timothy was a young Christian convert who was facing error -perhaps early Gnostic heresy – compromise and confusion; questions challenging his authority; bitter hostility of the Jews in Ephesus and dangers from pagan worship, (Ephesus was the location for the temple of Artemus, not just a prominent heather goddess but also a valuable commercial attraction).

In chapter two of this pastoral letter and in the verses we study today,  Paul addresses the subjects that led to writing of this letter:  respecting christian worship and the duty of intercessory prayer and thanksgiving to God.  Prayer should pervade our lives – all kinds of prayers for all kinds of people.  God can do anything – no one is too far gone  True prayer as a sense of need and involving a deep desire.  Paul implies that prayer should be a conversation with God and involves access to God.  Thanksgiving should always be a part of prayer – thankful for favors in the past and confidence in the future.  Paul urges us to pray for those in authority that we might live in peace and quiet in godliness and honesty.  Such a life pleases God who wants all men to be saved.  Christ died for all and salvation is for all but only those who accept it are saved.

There is but one God – remember in ancient days there was much polytheism.  Belief in one God is a basic tenet of Christianity and Judaism.  Christianity contines this and teaches that Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man.  Christ is the bridge between God and humanity.

Today’s verses don’t mean that the church at Ephesus was neglectful of the duty of prayer, just that Paul placed prayer in a position of prominance.  Paul reminds the readers of this letter that he was appointed by God as an apostle and he has the authority to convey this message.  It was not his opinion but God’s word.  Paul also meant for the Christians at Ephesus to accept Timothy’s authority as Paul’s appointed man.

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, (13) although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.  (14) And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.  (15) This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  (16) However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.  (17) Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.

The letter we study today is a  letter written by the Apostle Paul as a pastoral letter to a young beloved convert, Timothy, who was the pastor of the church Paul founded in Ephesus. The pastoral letters written by Paul addressed the duties to defend sound doctrine and maintain sound discipline in the early church.  It is believed that Paul wrote this prior to his final imprisonment in Rome and toward the end of his life on earth.  Clearly Paul loved Timothy dearly and the letter is full of insights into Paul’s life and character but it is also clear that Paul intended this letter to be shared with/read to, the people of the church in Ephesus.  This letter was to show Paul’s apostolic authority as commanded by God and also Timothy’s authority in Ephesus, as Paul’s appointed pastor.

The verses we study today begin with a thanksgiving to God and then Paul’s authority appointment.  Paul tells us he cursed the name of Jesus as Paul was a pharasitical Jew and now he realizes that Jesus is divine – hence blasphemy.  Paul was a persecutor in his zeal to protect Judaism and tried to destroy the early Jewish Christians.  In spite of this Paul was shown mercy – he was ignorant and actually believed that he acted in the service of God through violence against the Christian movement.  Paul tells us he received more than mercy:  he also received grace and faith with his rebirth.

In the ancient world the phrase “a trustworthy saying” was attached always to a maxim on which full reliance could be placed, in relation with either a practise or doctrine.  Paul uses the phrase here for the heart of the gospel – “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”.  Paul felt that he was the worst sinner because of his persecution of Christ’s followers but in his own conversion, Paul was a powerful demonstration of what divine grace can accomplish.  Think of that ancient world – this utterly novel new covenant introduced in the face of centuries of accepted religious wisdom.  What powerful spiritual upheaval occurred in the first century for Christianity to have expanded so quickly – a completely new, unique in history, powerful upheaval of world thinking.

Paul then breaks out spontaneously into a praise of God for the glory of all done in, by and for us.  Beautiful.

yet for love’s sake  I rather appeal to you – being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ – (10) I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains

(12) I am sending him back.  You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, (13) whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.   (14) But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

(15) For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,  (16) no longer as a slave but more than a slave – a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

(17)If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.

The Apostle Paul wrote his friend Philemon, a Gentile convert to Christ, to ask forgiveness and gentle treatment for his runaway slave, Onesimus.  This letter focuses on eithical responsibilities of redeemed individuals in a Christian community.    Philemon was a truthful and important Christian iin Colosse and Paul, in prison himself, appeals to him as his brother in faith, not as one with authority.  Paul states in the letter that Onesimus, a slave,  is also a brother in Christ and should be received as such.

Slaves in first century Rome were either taken as spoils from war or because they sold themselves into slavery – as a bond servant.  Masters generally had absolute authority over their slaves – Paul often in his letters refers to himself as slave to Christ Jesus.  Slaves could marry, accumulate wealth and purchase their own freedom in many cases and Roman law accomodated freedom for slaves.  Slaves were between 25% and 40% of the population of the Roman Empire at that time.  The implications of all this impacted the New Testament authors strategy on slavery as pagan masters would not be responsive to Christian thinking.  Indeed, the gospel preached change from within and not imposition from without on social structures.

This letter does not attack the institution of slavery but teaches – yet again – that all men and women are equal in God’s eyes and as Christians, both master and slave are brothers.  Paul brought the message of faith to both Onesimus and Philemon.  It is apparent from this letter that Onesimus was transformed by this message and Paul is clearly expecting that Philemon has also accepted the Christian truth of equality and love and will act accordingly.

For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness, and tempest, (19) and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.

(22) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, (24) to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

In today’s reading the author draws a contrast between the Old Covenant given by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai and the New Covenant of grace through the shed blood of the Messiah.  The emphasis is on believers possessing privilege of access to God the Father through Christ, the High Priest forever.  The law – the Old Covenant – was only a shadow of good things to come.  The Law provided no power to overcome sin: it was a revelation of God’s righteous requirements and the purpose of the law was not to provide the knowledge of salvation but to produce the knowledge of sin.  It speaks of the distance between God and man because of sin.

The letter to the Hebrews was written by an unknown author to Jewish Christians who were in danger of reverting to their Jewish faith because of isolation and persecution.  The author is emphasizing the importance of perfection which should cause any Jew to realize his/her utter hopelessness to attain perfection under the Old Covenant compared to the worth of Christ.  In Hebrews the ceremonial law could not save the believer – it was always short of completeness.  Think of the “Hebrew Christian – an outcast from the Temple with it’s ancient and magnificent rites and psalmody  with the large numbers who obeyed the law and participated in rites and rituals.  Now they are told that they are not the lonely isolated handful of Jewish Christians that they thought.  They are joined by spirits of the perfected just with numberless holy angels and holy spirits.

The writer’s point in this section is that instead of returning to Mt. Sinai and the law given to Moses – a real mountain – they are urged to continue their approach to Zion, the spiritual mountain and city – where God dwells and reigns.  The author by contrasting the two mountains contrasts the Mosaic covenant with the New Covenant and exhorts his readers not to reject Christ and His offer of salvation.  We are arrived in principle where in full reality we shall be forever.  On earth we own heaven but we must run the race toward the goal, with endurance.  The intended readers of this letter were urged not to listen to the voices of old friends still pursuing the futile attempts to live the Law given at Sinai but rather walk the straight path, eyes on Jesus, to Zion (the heavenly Jerusalem) and grace.