1 Timothy 2:11-12, 14-15 TPT
Now, we see here Paul telling women not to speak in church.
Should they want to know anything, they should ask their husbands
A woman should learn while listening quietly and being completely willing to obey. I don’t allow a woman to teach a man or tell him what to do. She must listen quietly, because Adam was made first. Eve was made later.
1 Timothy 2:11-13 ERV
This particular part of scripture causes a lot of problem. First, context and cultural background
We must first understand the times these instructions were given. Was the instruction given with respect to the culture of those days? How does it apply to us, in our own time
G2271Greek: ἡσυχία
Transliteration: hēsychía
Pronunciation: hay-soo-khee'-ah
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Description: feminine of ἡσύχιος(G2272); (as noun) stillness, i.e. desistance from bustle or language:
Translation: quietness, silence.
KJV usage: silent (3x), quietness (1x).
So here is the meaning and usage of the word Silence in this verse
Note that a similar word is used in verse 2 also
You should pray for rulers and for all who have authority. Pray for these leaders so that we can live QUIET AND PEACEFUL lives—lives full of devotion to God and respect for him.
1 Timothy 2:2 ERV
Definitely, Paul could not have been saying women should be totally silent. Women prayed in church back then. In fact, Paul's first convert in Europe was a woman.
Paul had been in women dominated gatherings. He had seen women actually prosper the gospel
And did not frown upon these things. So definitely, he didn't mean silence as in "keep your mouth shut. I don't want to hear pim"
Like I said the last time, to understand this we have to got back to the beginning
This particular letter was addressed directly to Timothy in response to problems being faced in the church at that time.
Back to context again..
Paul's major theme in his letter to Timothy is False teaching
But somehow he moves to conduct in church.
Note that he was addressing situations in this body domestically led by Timothy (don't forget this part). So to address conduct, most likely that there was misconduct
Teaching women weren't common in those days. So we can assume that the leadership of the church was men
So the take is the women then were not as learned as the men in those days and in that particular church (in the faith). And it is very possible that they were part of those advancing false teachings in the church
Learning requires submission to a teacher.
The teachers were majorly men. Tell the women in your church to submit to the authority of those who teach in stillness/quietness. To not try to exercise authority over the men leading. Respect and honor the leadership of the men God had called to lead the church.
The passion translation breaks in down also, but I prefer not to quote directly from it, as people might not understand how they got to their conclusion.
So what now does Paul mean by this
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.
1 Timothy 2:12 NIV
Again, remember there were cases where women taught in the bible and it wasn't condemned:
Priscilla and her husband teaching Apollos (Acts 18:26). Paul reminding Timothy of where he learned the word (his mother and grandmother). This should be in 2 Timothy
Our focus in this verse is authority over a man. As it expands the meaning of the woman don't teach Paul shared.
Now, who has authority in the church in the template given by Paul? Elders in the church actually
And we know that Elders in the church according to 1 timothy are men. Not just men, married men with families and also possessing some strong characteristics
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
1 Timothy 3:1-6 NIV
So what Paul is saying in essence is: I, Paul, do not permit women to assume the office of an elder in church. As this position of authority is open to heads of household who are proven and meet other requirements
In our world today, women actually speak in church. They teach and some are even pastors but I've seen and noticed some things. Women are usually allowed to lead only under the leadership of a male pastor.
In my stay in Macedonia, I've been led by 2 female Pastors (being assistant to both). Before the first female head pastor, the former pastor was a man and when the new pastor (woman) was ordained, people actually left the church. Some stayed but to them she wasn't pastor enough. I see it in Nigeria too. A woman is head Pastor over a church and people are wondering if God is there. This is as if God's presence is tied to male leadership only
We want to involve women o, but we also want to determine the extent to which we can involve women. If I were to start a church today, a lot of people will stand against it (probably people on here too 😁)
Everyone is okay with Remi teaching o but not okay with Remi being conferred head of a church
"It's just bible study group, so we don't mind". "It's just deacon position. They are not really in charge"
I've seen this everywhere. And it is not just for our generation. This talk has been here long before now.
Now, the question for our time is. Should women lead churches? Senior pastors and elders, should it be for men alone?
First, Paul asking women to ask their husbands is because in those days, the men were more knowledgeable. The women had little or no education. Most could probably not read and write. How then do they teach if they can't?
Now, to our time.
We have educated women everywhere. I can read and write as much as the man next to me. I have the same measure of the Holy Spirit as every man to help with scripture interpretation and divine wisdom. Why then can't women still lead a church?
We go back to this word authority. This is the root cause of all the problem. There is really no danger in women dictating generally to men, domineering or usurping authority over men. There is no danger at all in this!
Not understanding this as caused a lot for our world (not just in the church).
I once heard of someone who said he won't work somewhere because boss is a woman. A woman cannot be head over him bla bla
The only person a woman does not have authority over is her husband and that is because Christ made Him head of their home.
[39]Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hill country of Judea.
[40]She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
[41]When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
[42]In a loud voice she said to Mary, “God has blessed you more than any other woman. And God has blessed the baby you will have.
ERV Bible. Luke 1:39-42
[44]While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening to his speech.
[45]The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the Holy Spirit had been poured out as a gift also to people who were not Jews.
[46]They heard them speaking different languages and praising God. Then Peter said
ERV Bible. Acts 10:44-46
We see Elizabeth here ( Woman), filled with the spirit and she began to prophesy. Note that she spoke after the spirit came upon her
[8]But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses. You will tell people everywhere about me—in Jerusalem, in the rest of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”
ERV Bible. Acts 1:8
This was a direct promise from Jesus. That after the spirit comes upon us, we will become witnesses
What will we do as witnesses?
We will tell people about God EVERYWHERE. In every part of the world. No limit whatsoever!
When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
Acts of the Apostles 1:13-14 NLT
Inside the church and outside the church, all that have received the spirit will witness in accordance with the gifts this same spirit gives.
So if the spirit gives leadership gifts to a woman? She leads!
Teaching gifts? Teach she must
There is another myth that the leadership of women is restricted to only women. "Women can teach o, but let them gather their fellow women and discuss 999 ways to keep their men". Or they teach young girls only. These things are all around us subtly
When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.
Acts of the Apostles 18:26 NLT
When Apollos (a man) started teaching and he wasn't teaching so accurately cos he knew only of John's baptism.
Guess who took him in to teach him? Priscilla and her husband
So yes, women can teach men. Women can teach their husbands. Women can also lead men
Anyone the spirit enables can lead the body of Christ, for the spiritual doesn't recognizer genders/sexes.
If women can teach in Sunday school, bible study, women meeting etc. Why can't they head or lead as teachers/pastors?
Here are all the reasons I've seen and noticed
1. Culture and Time
2. Insecurity and fragile masculine ego
3. Fear that the leader (woman) will usurp authority over her husband as a reason of this position, thereby disobeying Christ's will for their home
I think the 3 is the most valid.
I personally believe there are ways to address problem 3. Everyone has the tendency to abuse authority/position.
Yet we still give access to certain people. Train your women to understand exactly their role as leaders and their role as wives. Equip them properly for ministry. Then continue to pray for them
And for us women, the husband being head of home is not up for question. I might be his boss at work or pastor in church. I might earn more than him
None of these makes him less head. His headship is as conferred by God, so we respect this.
For point 1, culture will keep evolving with time. We will all fall in line laslas
For point 2, I believe men generally should find their security in the word of God not in their ability to Lord themselves over women. Note that this comment is not restricted to church.
Most men usually do not respect women, they believe they are more than every woman they meet.
If Uber driver is not telling you he has your type at home, it is a random man getting angry over a simple question.
A question they won't have issues with if a man asked o. A lot of us women can actually relate to this
Driver resigning when he saw his boss is a woman. According to him he cannot work under a woman
Saw another post where the driver resigned cos madam did not ask nicely when she gave description. According to him she ordered him around 😂
In fact, this particular driver before then would greet madam's younger brother as friends "Yes sir" but cannot use such terms for his madam because woman.
I have heard and seen a lot. Believe me, these things are ridiculous and definitely not the wish of God. God doesn't see any gender as less.
You are not more than anybody. Even the leaders in church, you are not more anything
You have been called to SERVE.
When it comes to the church—when it comes to spiritual things—when it comes to the body of Christ—there are no distinctions between men and women. As far as God is concerned, there are none. That's where many have missed it. They've made it a man-and-woman proposition—when it is not. It is a husband-and-wife proposition. The man is not the head of the woman in the church. The husband is the head of the wife in the home.
E. Robinson
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26-28 NLT
Every dividing line is erased. No segregation
Everyone is child enough. Can be used to whatever extent and in any capacity as deemed fit by God. As believers, we should accept and understand this.
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