1 Timothy 2:1-2a - Pray for WHO?

(1-2a) First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions…

Paul begins here to give Timothy some specifics on how the Gospel should work itself out in the life of the local church. And here he commands that prayers be made! Now, this probably includes both public prayer in the church and private prayer wherever a Christian might go, since verse 8 says that men should pray everywhere.

But he exhorts us to pray. And he exhorts the pastors to exhort us to pray.

Notice all these words for prayer, by the way. We’re praying for the benefit of people. We’re praying for earthly things they need help with. We’re giving thanks for them. And ultimately, we’re praying – asking God to save them, since part of the reason God gives us for these prayers is in v. 4 – that God ‘desires all people to be saved…’

So we’re to pray for people. Who? Everybody. Really? Actually, no. The command to pray for everybody in existence is silly.

The word ‘all’ in Greek usually means ‘all of a particular group’ or ‘all types’ or ‘all without exclusion, yet not all without exception.’ In other words, it doesn’t mean ‘all universally’ most of the time.

So what does Paul mean here? We’re supposed to love people and therefore pray for them – but who?

Here’s the basic idea: we’re not to exclude people from our prayers, both public and private, based on their position. And in this day, those in positions of authority would have hated Christians.

What Paul is saying here is this: love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. That should sound familiar (Matthew 5:44).

How often do we respond to those who hurt us with complaint. With whining. We in America are not really persecuted; yet, we whine. And we whine instead of loving people through prayer.

Christ came into his creation to rescue rebels like us. And our public and corporate lives as the Church, and our private lives as disciples of Jesus, should reflect a love for people without exclusion. They, in rebellion, may hurt us. And we, in rebellion, used to live to blaspheme God.

But Christ saved us. So we should pray.

In sum,
1) Pastors need to exhort churches to pray.
2) We need to pray in public and private.
3) Those prayers should be for the earthly benefit and salvation of people, regardless of how they treat us – and even with thanksgiving.
4) And this is all a result of Christ’s love for us who hated him. If we remember the Gospel, we’ll pray for sinners like ourselves.

Prayer:
Father, thank you so much for rescuing me from the penalty of my own sins. Thank you for sending Christ to suffer in my place. I confess that I have loved poorly. I’ve loved those who love me poorly, and I’ve loved those who hurt me poorly. But you have loved me perfectly, even though I hurt you. Grant me as an individual and us together a desire for and a discipline in prayer for all types of people – not excluding anyone – but especially including those who hurt us. Thank you for them.

In Christ’s blood and righteousness we ask these things – amen.