Homilies on First Timothy — Homily 8

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

[[1 Timothy 2.8]]-10

I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.

When you pray, says Christ, you shall not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father, which is in secret; and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly. [[Matthew 6.5]]-6 What then says Paul? I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. This is not contrary to the other, God forbid, but quite in harmony with it. But how, and in what way? We must first consider what means, enter into your closet, and why Christ commands this, if we are to pray in every place? Or whether we may not pray in the church, nor in any other part of the house, but the closet? What then means that saying? Christ is recommending us to avoid ostentation, when He bids us offer our prayers not only privately, but secretly. For, when He says, Let not your left hand know what your right hand does [[Matthew 6.3]], it is not the hands that He considers, but He is bidding them use the utmost caution against ostentation: and He is doing the like here; He did not limit prayer to one place, but required one thing alone, the absence of vainglory. The object of Paul is to distinguish the Christian from the Jewish prayers, therefore observe what he says: In every place lifting up holy hands, which was not permitted the Jews, for they were not allowed to approach God, to sacrifice and perform their services, elsewhere, but assembling from all parts of the world in one place, they were bound to perform all their worship in the temple. In opposition to this he introduces his precept, and freeing them from this necessity, he says in effect, Our ways are not like the Jewish; for as Christ commanded us to pray for all men because He died for all men, and I preach these things for all men, so it is good to pray everywhere. Henceforth the consideration is not of the place but of the manner of the prayer; pray everywhere, but everywhere lift up holy hands. That is the thing required. And what is holy? Pure. And what is pure? Not washed with water, but free from covetousness, murder, rapacity, violence, without wrath and doubting. What means this? Who is angry when he prays? It means, without bearing malice. Let the mind of him that prays be pure, freed from all passion. Let no one approach God in enmity, or in an unamiable temper, or with doubting. What is without doubting? Let us hear. It implies that we should have no misgiving but that we shall be h