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Lift Up Holy Hands and Posts
Lift Up Holy Hands and Posts
In 1 Timothy 2, Paul doesn’t just discuss men praying, he wants them to lift holy hands without anger or argument. Why “without anger or argument”? Are the Ephesian men being corrected for some local problems within their spiritual church family? Is Paul addressing the false teachers? Nothing here suggests Paul is correcting wannabe teachers (1:3,4,7) or those who have shipwrecked their faith (1:19-20).
Therefore, I looked for a contextual reason beyond speculation concerning the unknown. Connect (chiastically as bookends):
A – 2:1 – “I urge petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings, and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quite life in all godliness and dignity.”
A’ – 2:8 – “therefore…pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument”
Praying for an ungodly, pagan, government that is imprisoning people like Paul and others, cannot be easy. In fact, if told to pray for such troublers of spiritual Israel, one might get angry and argue against such!
The lessons are profound:
1. Holy hands include living what we pray.
2. Holy hands include knowing it is hypocritical to want from others what we are not willing to give ourselves.
3. Holy hands include praying for those others would consider the enemy.
4. Holy hands include obeying even when our natural tendency is the opposite.
5. Holy hands include setting a public and private example for all.
Therefore, lift up holy hands and holy posts without anger and without argument about a governement that is not holy.
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