1 Timothy 2 11-15 Restoring God's order

Be Courageous

1 Timothy 2:11-15

11 A woman is to learn quietly with full submission. 12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. 15 But she will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with good sense.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 represents one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament.

Why is it controversial? It begins with how the world philosophies have infiltrated the church. As a former elder, I have seen how the world quietly reaches the minds of the congregation. It is very noticeable when you pay close attention. What I notice the most is how the world philosophies target Christian women in the church. You know what I am speaking of. The messaging through music, TV series, and movies. They teach that women are to be assertive, to be independent, exert authority, and rise above the level of men (Homer Simpson; The Simpsons). The world’s teachings have permeated the evangelical churches, Christian colleges, and seminaries.

How did this happen? No courage!

Biblical Eldership Book by Alexander Strauch:

“What is the most important quality for a national leader to possess?” His answer: Courage. This is not true for political leaders, but for church elders. Without courage to fight for the truth and the lives of God’s people, the local church would be washed away by every new doctrinal storm or internal conflict.

Where is this doctrinal storm or internal conflict?

Its not hard to find, when there a widespread of divorce, sexual immorality, and gender confusion. It is not hard to find, Christians debating with one another over homosexuality and same-sex marriage. It is not hard to find, that the world places heavy amounts of pressure on the church to compromise the Word of God.

Do I need to go any further on the topic? Brothers and sisters, we must be extremely careful not to accommodate our culture by discarding truth that the Bible addresses clearly and repeatedly. For instance, homosexuality is identified in the Bible as a part of man's rebellion against God regardless of one’s culture (Lev 18:22; Romans 1:26-27).

In case you noticed, Paul encourages Timothy to be courageous in this epistle. The elders before Timothy arrival were by no means courageous because they allowed new doctrine to storm and there is much internal conflict in the church of Ephesus.

So far, what we have learned in Chapter 1 that Timothy needs to be courageous against the false teachers. Chapter 2:1-7 Timothy needs to be courageous to whole local congregation pertaining to their gospel witness to everyone outside of the church. In verse 8, Timothy needs to be courageous specifically to the men in the church about holding grudges. In verses 9 and 10, Timothy needs to be courageous about the women wearing improper clothing. Now, Paul continues his discussion concerning the women about their role in the church.

Main Idea: Restoring God's proper authority in the church.

Verse 11

11 A woman is to learn quietly with full submission.

There are two principles in verse 11:

A woman’s right to learn in the local church.

Women are to line up under God’s design.

Let us start with: A woman’s right to learn in the local church.

11 A woman is to learn quietly

In the Old Testament women have a spiritual status equal to that of men as learners of God’s Word and participates in the life of the church.

Deuteronomy 1:1

“These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel”

The Mosaic law was given to all Israel, men, and women alike. It reveals a woman’s right to learn God’s Word in the Old Testament.

Next, In the Old Testament, reveals women participated in the life of the church.

Ex. 12:3; Deut. 16:9–15 = Men and women alike joined in the Jewish religious feasts

Num. 6:2 = The Nazarite vow was accessible to both men and women

Ex. 38:8; Neh. 7:67 = Women were participating in spiritual service

Women along with the men, had the right to learn the commandments of God and to teach them.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up.

Again, in the Old Testament women have a spiritual status equal to that of men as learners of God’s Word and participates in the life of the church. However, spiritual equality between men and women did not do away with the difference in their roles in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament, none of the authors were women. No woman had ministries compared to Elijah, or other prophets. Even though, Deborah (Ex. 15:20) and Miriam (Judg. 4:4) are called prophetesses in the Old Testament. Their position was never a permanent calling to that office. In fact, Deborah refused to lead the military crusade against the Canaanites, instead she deferred to Barak (a man). Furthermore, in Old Testament no woman served as priests. No woman had an on-going role of preaching and teaching.

The New Testament, like the Old, teaches spiritual equality and different roles between men and women. It is part of God’s design! Unfortunately, there is still on-going debate today concerning women serving as pastors-teachers. In their defense, they quote Galatians 3:28 to justify their actions.

Galatians 3:28

28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male, and female since you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Clearly, Galatians 3:28 is taking out of context!

Galatians 3:22-28 (CSB)

22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin’s power, so that the promise might be given on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.

Sons and Heirs

27 For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. 28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Reading verses 22-28 Paul is speaking of salvation in Christ.

Paul uses “male” and “female” to teach the spiritual equality not functional roles between man and woman in the church. Anytime Paul addressed functional roles, the term “man” and “woman” or “husband” and “wife” would appear.

Believers using Gal 3:28 to justify women pastors clearly do not understand scripture.

As in the Old Testament, men and women shared separate roles in the New Testament. None of the authors in the New Testament were women. There were no women pastor-teachers or elders. No recordings of women’s sermon and teachings. What about Acts 21:9 a man with four virgin daughters prophesied in the church. None of his daughters had on-going ministries, or that his daughters taught during the public worship.

Does it mean that in the New Testament women are considered spiritual inferior? No!

Acts 1:13-14 = Men and women were involved in prayer services.

Galatians 5:21-22 = Fruit of the Spirit are for both men and women.

Mark 5:25-34 = Jesus healed women.

John 4:25-26 = Jesus revealed Himself as the messiah to first a woman.

Mark 16:9 = Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus appeared to first a woman.

All Through the New Testament, men and women are equally given all blessings, commands, and promises. Women have the same right to learn and be participates in the life of the church.

What about the Jews in the first century regarding their treatment of women?

I recognize the Jews in the first century did not believe women have the same rights as men. Judaism did not hold women in high reverence. In fact, the Jews thought of women as second-class citizens. Their status was on the level of slaves and even beneath the level of animals. The rabbis had no concerns whether women learned anything at all. The rabbis believed the teaching of God’s Word was to be the men, and the men were responsible for passing on the truth.

Church, the rabbi’s way of thinking and treatment of women are not line up with scripture. It is sinful! We read in Duet 1:1 that reveals a woman’s right to learn God’s Word. How do you bypass that God dealt directly with women in the Old Testament? For instance, God appeared to Hagar Gen 16:8-13? What about Nehemiah 7:67 women led the people through music to praise God?

1 Timothy 1:7

7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they do not understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.

In Ephesus, the false teacher’s treatment of women in the church was sinful.

In Chapter 4, false teachers were urging men and women not to marry.

In chapter 5, women were not getting married, in its place spent majority of their time gossiping in the church.

2 Timothy 3 we find out that a group of women were living according to worldly passions due to false teaching.

Paul penned in verse 11“let a woman learn.”

Stating for us the equality of spiritual rights that each and every woman can learn from God.

It results in godly behavior.

A woman is to learn quietly with full submission.

Second principle: Women are to line up under God’s design.

Paul’s purpose in using this phrase is not that a woman must remain “absolutely quiet.” Rather, she must have an orderly, and teachable spirit in full submission.

“Full submission” means “to line up under.” In the military, I had “to line up under” my commanding officer.

In the context of the worship, women are to be silent and content in the role as a “learner.”

Biblical example regarding full submission, Trinity:

The Father is fully God. And Jesus, the Son, is fully God. However, the Father and the Son have different roles: the son submits to the Father (Philippians 2:8), and the Father instructs the Son.

John 14:31 - 31 On the contrary, so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do as the Father commanded me.).

Jesus in His full submission to the Father never complains about His subjection (to line up under) to the Father. Although, there are different roles among the persons of the Trinity each one has equal value. Likewise, God has designed men and women with equal dignity and complementary roles.

Subjection is not a punishment rather it is a privilege. Jesus submitted to the Father’s will. Jesus’ submission to the Father brings about the greatest peace, the greatest joy, and greatest satisfaction. In the same way, when a woman submits to their current leaders it will bring the greatest peace, the greatest joy, and greatest satisfaction.

Verse 12

12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet.

Verse 12 is Paul interpretation of verse 11. Paul defines what he means by women staying quiet in public worship.

Paul begins with an aggressive introduction in verse 12.

There are some women in the church who are not content with their God-given role as learners. Paul prohibited women from taking the authoritative pastor-teacher role in the church.

Unfortunately, some Christians have taken a negative reaction regarding verse 12. They have understood this to mean that women should not be involved in any kind of teaching in the local church. Their interpretation is surrounded by the one word “quiet” in both verses 11 and 12.

“Learn quietly” (v. 11) and “remain quiet” (v. 12) are translations of the same Greek word, “Ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ.” (En-Hesychia)

“En-Hesychia” does not always mean to be “silent” but can also be describe as being at rest or at peace in one’s mind, leading to a quiet or peaceful life. In this context, it means an attitude of obedience.

I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet

Should women teach at all?

It is important to understand Paul was not making a blanket statement about teaching. Outside of elder leadership, there are all sorts of teaching possibilities for women. In fact, the Bible reveals several instances where women played a significant teaching role. Consider the following:

Titus 2:3–4 older women are told to teach the younger ones.

2 Timothy 1:5 Paul reminds Timothy who first taught him the Scriptures: his mother, Eunice and grandmother, Lois.

Acts 18:26 Priscilla teamed up with her husband Aquila to help Apollos understand the gospel more accurately.

There are also more general teaching roles to both men and women. For example:

Matthew 28:19-20 men and women are involved in making disciples, and teaching people to obey everything Jesus have commanded.

Colossians 3:16 men and women are to be “teaching and admonishing one another.”

All through the New Testament, you see women teaching, serving, equipping, and spreading the gospel. Therefore, Paul cannot be saying that every kind of teaching is forbidden to women. The Lord gives women opportunities to use teaching in a setting that does not violate His designed roles for them. Women who are gifted at teaching should teach to build up the body of Christ in accord with elder instruction.

“To have authority over a man.”

To further understand Paul’s point relating to authority. In 1 Timothy 3 Paul talked about the qualification of eldership.

How do elders demonstrate their authority in the church? By teaching.

1 Timothy 3:2 tells us that each elder must meet the qualification to teach, so that elder directs the church through the teaching of God’s Word.

Eldership is role given to men in the church since 1 Tim. 3:2 states they must be “the husband of one wife.” Scripture makes it clear men are given the authority by God to fill the position of eldership not women. When women ignore this truth, they rebel against the leadership of qualified, Christlike men in the church and rebel against God’s design.

It is why Paul points to God’s design in His creation:

Verses 13 & 14

13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.

Verses 13 and 14, Paul traces the root of verses 11 and 12 to the order of creation. We find here that Paul’s teaching is based on God’s order of creation.

13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

God created Adam first, then God created Eve to be his helper (Genesis 2:18). Paul goes back to creation, showing us that God made men to be head of the family.

1 Corinthians 11:8-9

8 For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man. 9 Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man.

Eve was created to follow Adam’s lead (To line up under) and find safety in Adam and find protection through in Adam through his courage.

Verses 13 and 14 reveals to us what Paul is saying here is not just cultural expression rather it is based on God’s authority through His creation. It is why Paul goes to Genesis 1-2 not basing on human opinion instead on divine revelation, which never changes. Furthermore, by taking us back to Genesis it breaks the argument that this teaching is only restricted to the culture of his era (only to Ephesus).

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.

After pointing to God's design in creation, Paul then points to the second reason for his teaching about gender roles. Paul said in verse 14 that it was the woman and not the man who was deceived. By no means, Paul was not stating women should not lead because they are gullible.

Paul is directing us back to the picture of sin entering the world when Satan undermined God design by approaching Eve instead of Adam. Likewise, not only Satan undermined God’s design for men and women but Satan undermined Adam’s responsibility to lead his home.

Paul makes it clear that it was Eve who was deceived not Adam.

Genesis 3:17

17 And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, “Do not eat from it.”

Adam listened to his wife instead of obeying God.

Adam allowed Eve to assume his role as the head and to lead him into something he knew God had forbidden. Adam violated his leadership role and followed Eve. Eve was not suited by nature to assume Adam’s responsibility. Headship was part of God’s design from the beginning and Adam bears the responsibility. Sin entered the world because Adam acted in disobedience to the created order (Rom 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:21-22). The whole human race plunged into wickedness and judgment. Adam wasn’t courageous for God, and Adam wasn’t courageous for his wife.

Paul used this truth to say to us, the church, that God’s design in the church and in the home is good. God’s design for men to lead as elders is good.

Verse 15

15 But she will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with good sense.

What should we make of the statement? Verse 15 is not the easiest verse to understand (many interpretations).

“She will be saved” refer to?

This is not talking about Eve’s salvation, but the salvation of the women in Ephesus. In 2:14 the singular noun “the woman” who was deceived (aorist tense = referring to action in the past) refers to Eve, but now the tense is changed to “she will be saved” (future tense) referring to women in general.

Next, “she will be saved through childbearing” Paul does not intend to teach that childbearing is another means to attained salvation. That would contradict the Bible since salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

Considering what was going on in Ephesus. The men who had been bringing the new teaching into the church looked down on marriage and motherhood

In Chapter 4, false teachers were urging men and women not to marry.

In chapter 5, women were not getting married.

2 Timothy 3 we find out that a group of women were living according to worldly passions due to false teaching.

In verse 15, Paul is saying that a Christian woman, wife, and mother can live out her salvation by being godly. When we learned throughout Chapter 2 is about living out the gospel. Living out our salvation in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:9-15 was written so that women would honor God in the church with their appearance, their attitude, their testimony, their role, and church involvement.

When a person claims to be a Christian, he or she is claiming to worship and serve God. Anyone who claims to serve, and worship God should conduct themselves in godliness. To do otherwise, would dishonor the name of Christ Jesus! Be courageous!

Gospel

Admit that you are a sinner

“For all have sinned…” Romans 3:23. “The wages of sin is death...” Romans 6:23. Admit it, none of us are perfect - We have all done wrong. No sin can enter heaven before a holy God. So how do we get there?

Believe (or Trust) that Christ died for you

“...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. “9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9. Place your full trust in what Christ did for you & ask for Him to change your desires to His. This is called Repentance - desiring His direction for your life now.

Trust Jesus Christ as your Savior

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13. “but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. If you call on the Lord Jesus Christ and trust that He is your only hope of salvation, He will save you from your sins and give you eternal life.