Therefore, I determine that men worship in every place, lifting pious hands apart from wrath and disputing (1 Timothy 2:8).
Although many English translations use the generic word “prayer,” Paul said that he determines that all men should worship. Worship directed at God is giving Him credit for who He is and what He has done. In every place, men are to give God credit by lifting their pious hands. Pious is holiness in action. Jesus is called the Pious one of God because He lived a life of separation unto God (Acts 2:27). Lifting hands is not gathering together in a “worship service” to lift your hands. It is hands that do things that both relate to being separated unto God and give Him credit for who He is.
When we lift our pious hands, we do not lift them in wrath or doubt. Wrath is an explosion of anger. We are to put away wrath (Ephesians 4:31), because the wrath of man does not work out the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Our anger is not to work out sin in our lives (Ephesians 4:26). God is the One who brings His righteous wrath upon those who are ungodly and unrighteous; those who hold the truth down in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18).
Disputing describes the process of thorough reasoning. Although sometimes rendered as “doubt”, it does not convey the sense of thoroughly judging for the purpose of justifying an action that is contrary to what is known to be God’s standard. Thorough reasoning, when used negatively, refers more to a heated discussion or disagreement. In Romans 14:1, Paul tells the stronger brother in the faith not to accept the weaker for the purpose of disputing. Both are to have their faith to themselves (Romans 14:14). The weaker is not to judge the stronger, and the stronger is not to despise the weaker (Romans 14:3). This is the type of disputing Paul refers to in 1 Timothy 2:8.
In like manner, women are to adorn themselves in a manner that shows their godliness, not using an exterior appearance to outwardly display their faith over their actions (1 Timothy 2:9). Paul is not restricting the use of makeup, jewelry, or nice clothing. It is about conduct over appearance, for she is not godly just because she looks attractive.
Men are to lift pious hands to do works that give God credit, and women are to focus on their conduct more than their appearance so that through our actions we all express a proper opinion of God to those around us.
