1 Tim 2:11-15 Notes (also see 1 Cor 11:2-16; 14:33-36; 2 Cor 11:3), compiled by David Brewer
Is this passage “cultural” or not? It depends on how you define “cultural.” My personal opinion is that this passage is “cultural” only in the sense that there was something happening in Ephesus with the women and the false teachers which led to Paul to bring this up in the 1st place. But, it’s NOT “cultural” in that the principles underlying Paul’s words are not to be applied to the 21st century (Paul’s appeal to the creation of Adam and Eve argues against those explanations). I believe that Paul’s prohibition is not to be restricted to the church situation in 1st century Ephesus, but his prohibition is universal and permanent.
Equality in Personhood
Just as the members of the Trinity (see next paragraph) are equal in their importance, so men and women have been created by God to be equal in their importance and personhood. Both male and female are equally important and equally valuable to God. Both men and women are equally important, should and do depend on each other and are worthy of honor.
Each member of the Trinity has distinct roles or functions. Differences in roles and authority among the members of the Trinity are thus completely consistent with equal importance, personhood, and deity.
v. 11 – “let a woman learn/receive instruction” – is a command; Paul rejected myths in his day that women were incapable of learning. Paul’s words here are radically different from the Jewish view that women were not to learn the law. He did not mean that women should surrender their
minds and consciences to men, but that they should voluntarily take the position of learners in church meetings.
“in silence” – the manner/attitude she should have when learning; doesn’t mean she couldn’t speak in the local assembly (1 Cor 11:2-16).
Rank has to do with order and authority, not personal superiority and inferiority. Another illustration of willing submission is Jesus Christ, who is superior to every other human being yet submitted to other human beings (Luke 2:51; Phil. 2:5-11).
(1 Cor 11:2-16 and 1 Tim 2:11-15) — Paul permitted women to pray and prophesy in Corinth and elsewhere because these activities did not involve exercising as much authority in the church as teaching and ruling did. Teaching involved providing normative instruction from Scripture whereas prophesying in New Testament times involved only sharing something God had brought to mind.
v. 12 (this verse explains v. 11) – women should exercise their spiritual gifts under the appropriate leadership of men. Women did teach (Tit 2:3-5), but there are no clear NT examples or endorsements of women teaching men in church meetings (cf. Acts 18:26 – in this case a woman was teaching a man privately); 1 Cor 14:34-35; Phil 4:3).
Many women had positions of responsibility in the church: Phoebe worked in the church (Rom 16:1). Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis were the Lord’s workers (Rom 16:6, 12), as were Euodia and Syntyche (Phil 4:2).
“exercise authority” — according to BDAG 150 s.v. αὐθεντέω this Greek verb means “to assume a stance of independent authority, give orders to, dictate to” (The NET Bible).
Important note: the two verbs (“teach” and “exercise authority”) in this verse are in the context of the assembled congregation. I don’t think his passage has in view the role of women in leadership situations outside the church (e.g., business or government).
NOTE: I don’t think the verb “exercise authority” means the “usurp/abuse authority” as some attempt to argue.
Women did prophesy (Acts 2:17-18; 21:9; 1 Cor 11:5), but this not have been seen as authoritative teaching (1 Cor 14:29; Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).
Ancient inscriptions and literature speak of a number of well-educated women in that area of Asia Minor at that time (cf. also Luke 8:1–3; 10:38–41; John 11:21–27; Acts 18:2–3, 11, 18–19, 26; 2 Tim. 4:19).
I personally think Paul is forbidding women to holding the office/title/role of a pastor/elder/overseer. He is not prohibiting them from teaching in other appropriate conditions and circumstances (cf. Acts 18:26; Tit 2:3-4; 2 Tim 1:5). Evidently the women were especially susceptible to the false teachings (2 Tim 3:1-9), because they did not have enough biblical knowledge to discern the truth (remember: in 1st century Jewish culture, women were not allowed to study).
“remain quiet” — Paul means “quiet” with respect to the teaching responsibility that is limited in the assembled church.
vv. 13-14 – Paul offers reasons (biblical basis) for his directives of vv. 9-12. He supported his instructions for men and women upon a theological structure which reaches back to the order of creation and sin’s entrance into human affairs.
Paul’s argument indicates that gender roles in the church are not simply the result of the fall but are rooted in creation and therefore apply to all cultures at all times.
“Adam was formed first” – an implied reference to the privileges that a 1st born received in ancient society (though there were exceptions – see Gen 27-28); not inherent superiority, but authority given by God Himself.
“Adam was not deceived” – he sinned w/ his “eyes open,” in full awareness of what he was doing. His sin was conscious and willful.
By nature, Eve was not suited to assume the position of ultimate responsibility. By leaving Adam’s protection and usurping his leadership role. she was vulnerable and fell, thus confirming how important it was for her to stay under the protection and leadership of her husband. Plus, I think Adam was there the entire time when Eve was being tempted (see Gen 3:6); he should have “stepped in” and assumed the leadership role (so he violated his leadership role by following Eve and sinning).
So, it seems likely Adam stood by passively and allowed the deception to progress without helping Eve. Eve was deceived but Adam forsook his responsibility.
In Gen 3:17 seem to be a rebuke to Adam for his failure to carry out his God-ordained leadership role, not simply a reminder to Adam that he had listened to bad advice from Eve
v. 14 – the two words for “deceived” in this verse — this phrase uses a compound form of the same verb as in v. 14a: “deceived” vs. “deceived out, completely deceived.” The two verbs could be synonymous, but because of the close contrast in this context, it seems that a stronger meaning is intended for the second verb (The NET Bible).
Paul’s point was that men, including those in Ephesus, are more susceptible to mistake and error when they carelessly surrender leadership to the woman. It is not because Eve had a greater guilt than Adam that women were subjected to men in the way outlined by Paul, but rather because both male and female were more vulnerable when the female was allowed to take the lead. It is for the protection of both, and not the glory of one over the other, that Paul’s commands are given in the way they are” (G. L. Bray, “The Fall Is a Human Reality,” Evangelical Review of Theology 9 [1985]: 338).
v. 15 – “saved” probably here is “sanctification” – Paul could be referring to being delivered from the desire to dominate by recognizing one’s appropriate place in God’s creation order.
“Saved” could also mean progressively coming to experience all the aspects of salvation. In that sense, “salvation” is ongoing (see note on Phil. 2:12–13).
In my opinion, this is the best explanation (from the NET Bible notes) for this tough verse: “It is not through active teaching and ruling activities that Christian women will be saved, but through faithfulness to their proper role, exemplified in motherhood” (Moo, 71). In this view τεκνογονία is seen as a synecdoche in which child-rearing and other activities of motherhood are involved. Thus, one evidence (though clearly not an essential evidence) of a woman’s salvation may be seen in her decision to function in this role.”
Also, this may be a somewhat veiled reference to the curse of Gen 3:16 in order to clarify that though the woman led the man into transgression (v. 14b), she will be saved spiritually despite this physical reminder of her sin. The phrase is literally “through childbearing,” but this does not necessarily denote means or instrument here. Instead it may show attendant circumstance (probably with a concessive force): “with, though accompanied by” (cf. BDAG 224 s.v. δία A.3.c; Rom 2:27; 2 Cor 2:4; 1 Tim 4:14).
John MacArthur makes an interesting comment in his Study Bible: “Paul is also teaching that even though a women bears the stigma of being the initial instrument who lead the race into sin, it is women through childbearing who may be preserved or freed from that stigma by raising a generation of godly children (see 1 Tim 5:10).”
And also when he says, “In childrearing, because mothers have a unique bond and intimacy with their children, and spend far more time with them than do fathers, they have far greater influence in their lives and thus a unique responsibility and opportunity for rearing godly children. While a woman may have led the human race into sin, women have the privilege of leading many out of sin to godliness. Paul is speaking in general terms; God does not want all women to be married (1 Cor 7:25-40), let alone bear children.”
Paul employed the term “childbirth” as a synecdoche (a figure of speech in which a part is put for the whole, a whole is used for a part, or the species is used for the genus (for that part of the woman’s work that describes the whole. Paul’s words are a reminder that a woman’s deepest satisfaction comes from her accomplishments in a Christian home. Paul was teaching that women prove the reality of their salvation when they become model wives and mothers whose good deeds include marriage and raising children (1 Tim 5:11, 14).
Paul was again assuming a typical situation (cf. vv. 11-12): most women bear children. Even though a woman may not be able to bear physical children she may have spiritual children and so find great fulfillment (cf. 1:2; 5:10-11, 14).
It’s possible that the false teachers had stirred up trouble in households, and Paul was calling these women back to proper relations within their homes, in keeping w/ the truth of the Good News (see 1 Tim 1:4-5; 4:1-5).
Maybe some of the women in Ephesus overreacted to the cultural denigration they had typically suffered and took advantage of their opportunity in the church by seeking a dominant role in leadership.
“If they continue” – suggests this sanctification is conditioned upon women’s continued walk in the faith, in love, in holiness, and in self-control.
The Ministries of Women in the Context of Male Leadership (from chapter 11 in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood)
• Women participated in ministry in the Scriptures, but their ministry was a complementary and supportive ministry, one that fostered and preserved male leadership in the church.
• Man sometimes have gone farther than Scripture and suppressed the valuable ministry contributions of women.
• Women have had a very significant impact in the area of missions. I think women can proclaim the gospel to men in those cultures (I don’t know of any Scripture that prohibits this), but men should assume leadership roles in the governance and teaching ministry of the church as soon as it is established.
• According to the opinion of Thomas R. Schreiner in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, there are also some ways in which women can instruct both men and women, if the function of authoritative teaching to men is not involved. Therefore, it is appropriate for women to travel as speakers to talk to a mixed audience as articulate and thoughtful representatives of a feminine perspective on many of life’s experiences. A good example is the significant impact of Elisabeth Elliot’s speaking and writing ministry.
• Many women have been used in a vital way in the writing of curriculum, fiction, non-fiction, scholarly writing about Scripture, and editing.
• Some other ministries today in which women can make an indispensable impact: personal witnessing, joining campus organizations dedicated to sharing the gospel, ministering to the sick and elderly, fighting against abortion, fighting against pornography, helping with literacy, writing to government leaders to support the cause of righteousness, helping the disabled, aiding the poor, ministering in prisons, counseling and praying with the troubled and confused, supporting missionaries and the church financially, visiting new people to the church, showing hospitality to the lonely, using artistic and creative gifts by ministering in music, the visual arts, drama, theater, helping in youth ministry, and many more.
• Women can and do have a wonderful ministry to children in the church.
• Does the Bible prohibit a woman from giving her testimony in a church meeting or offering the Scripture reading, or making announcements, or leading songs, or offering a public prayer? This question can be answered with another question. Are any of these ministries an expression of authoritative, elder-like teaching over men? Probably not, and therefore they should not be excluded from the ministry opportunities available to qualified and godly women of God (from p. 361 in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood).
Sources Used
Constable, Tom. Notes on 1 Timothy
ESV Study Bible
Larson, Knute. Vol. 9, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Holman New Testament Commentary
Lea, Thomas D. and Hayne P. Griffin. vol. 34, 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary, 101 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001).
Life Application Study Bible
The MacArthur Study Bible
NKJV Study Bible
NET Bible Notes
NIV Study Bible
NLT Study Bible
Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism (John Piper and Wayne Grudem, eds)