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"Praying for Kings?"

How then, can he advise Timothy to pray for the very people who threaten their ministries, their freedom, and their very lives? Apparently, because he had been listening to Jesus.


[1] “A Little Prayer for Those Who Migrate” by Jake Prendez
[1] “A Little Prayer for Those Who Migrate” by Jake Prendez

1 Timothy 2:1-7

September 21, 2025

Dr. Todd R. Wright


As I mentioned last week, in this letter Paul is trying to teach his young protégé how to be a good pastor to the congregation in Ephesus.


In today’s installment, he counsels: Pray … “for kings and all who are in high positions!”

For 17 centuries those words would not have raised any eyebrows. Ever since Constantine made Christianity the state religions across the Roman Empire in 323, our faith has had a cozy relationship with those in power. Setting aside centuries of catholic vs. protestant struggles, it would have been assumed in most of the West over that period that political leaders were Christian and wanted the best for their people, so of course their people would pray for them!


That assumption means that the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, in use in places like St. John’s downtown, contains a prayer for the President and all in civil authority:    


“O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.”[2]


We Presbyterians have our own, similar, version in our Book of Common Worship:


“O Lord, our governor, your glory shines throughout the world. We commend our nation to your merciful care, that we may live securely in peace and may be guided by your providence. Give all in authority the wisdom and strength to know your will and to do it. Help them remember that they are called to serve the people as lovers of truth and justice; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen”


You can hear in both prayers the inspiration of Paul’s words, right?

But Paul was not writing post-Constantine. The Jesus he proclaimed as Messiah had been crucified by those in power as a threat to the stability of Empire. Paul was often put in prison or beaten by those with authority to keep the peace. Ultimately, he and the rest of the Apostles would all die martyr’s deaths at the hands of various caesars and kings and those in high positions.


How then, can he advise Timothy to pray for the very people who threaten their ministries, their freedom, and their very lives?


Apparently, because he had been listening to Jesus.


The one who told his disciples to love their enemies. [3]


The one who taught his followers to pray,

“Our Father in heaven … may your kingdom come …”[4]

as if there was another kingdom, a holy one, as real as the Empire.


The one who prayed, hanging from a Roman cross,

“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”[5]

So if you are a follower of Christ, how should you pray?


Three things:

One, Paul says pray with every type of prayer at your disposal, every tool in your toolbox.


One scholar defines those types … “The author employs four partially equivalent Greek words for prayer, each of which conveys a different nuance:

the term deesis indicates an appeal for a particular need;

proseuche is a general word for prayer that frequently occurs in petitions;

enteuxis captures an urgent and bold request;

finally, eucharistia denotes an expressions of gratitude.”[6]


Two, pray for everyone.


As one scholar gushes – “EVERYONE! Friend … foe … stranger … family … oppressor … ally … people in power … Timothy … the false teachers [in Ephesus] … the people being led astray by [those] false teachers … EVERYONE!”[7]


But note that he says, pay for, not pray to. He knows, and wants Timothy to know, as pastor of the church in Ephesus, that those in authority are not gods, even though they may claim to be. They are human. Made of the same stuff as the rest of us. Subject to sniffles and pride like us.


So even when they threaten that they hold the power of life and death, the power to bless or to curse you, the power to give you sun-kissed fields or throw you in a dark dungeon, they do not have the power over your eternal fate. Only Christ does, because he gave himself as a ransom for us all.


Three, pray in order that you may live a quiet and peaceable life.


That is a hard concept for people in our time in this country to swallow.


As I was preparing this sermon, I saw a news alert that a nationwide “no kings” rally is being planned for October 18th.


I suspect that the people who gather will not be praying for the president or those in high positions in his administration, despite Paul’s advice. They are not seeking a quiet and peaceable life. They don’t have to – they live in a democracy with freedom of speech. Protest is their right.


That was not true for Timothy and his congregation. In his day, a no kings rally would have been suppressed by endless waves of Roman soldiers and those arrested would have died on crosses, just as Jesus did.


So Paul pleads that the Ephesians pray … for kings and people in high positions … so they might be able to live, not die; and so they might live out the faith for all to witness.

So what would such a prayer sound like in our day?


We could resort to the prepared prayers I mentioned earlier. They are suitable for this and every time, and true to Paul’s counsel. But they are a little bloodless. We can say them without investing with our blood and sweat and tears, our passion and hard-won faith.


In researching this scripture, I ran across an article written just over two years ago encouraging people to pray for the new king – King Charles. The Rev. June Freudenburg suggested that people pray for him as a person, as a spiritual being, and as a monarch.[8]


I think she was on the right track. If we were to apply that to our president, we might pray …

for his health, for his strength, for wisdom; for his roles as a husband and father;

and for his relationship with God, his prayer life, his growth in faith, and humility, and grace;

and, finally, for his work as president, his ability to cope with the stresses of the job, to sift through all the information presented to him, to hear good advice even when it runs counter to his preconceptions, a willingness to build relationships with allies and stand up to threats, to work for peace and for the good of all Americans, especially the most vulnerable.


I think Paul would approve of such a prayer … and remind us that the goal of praying for our president and those in high authority is so we might experience a quiet and peaceable life.


In this political environment, I would welcome a little more peace and quiet.


Can you even imagine such a thing? Paul can. I hope you can too! Amen


[1] “A Little Prayer for Those Who Migrate” by Jake Prendez
[3] See Luke 6:27 or Matthew 5:43-44
[4] See Luke 11:1-4 or Matthew 6:9-13
[5] See Luke 23:34
[6] From Christian Eberhart’s reflections on the text for workingpreacher.org, 9/22/13
[7] From Chelsey Harmon’s reflections on the text for cepreaching.org, 9/22/19

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