Untitled Sermon (29)

1 Timothy 2:11–14 – Policy #3: Gender Roles

Overcoming the “Control” Curse

Read Passage.

This is one of the more controversial passages in Paul’s letters. Let’s look at this in context. Culturally, religiously, and theologically, Jews and Gentiles held differing worldviews on female authority. Gentiles held more progressive views. Jews held more conservative views.

Paul had big task in front of him to bring together these two groups on gender policy issues. He made two truth-assertions. He then grounded them, theologically, in the Genesis account of creation:

I. Exercise a Submissive Spirit (vv. 11–12)

II. Honor God’s Created Order (vv. 13–14).

1 Timothy 2:11–12. Exercise a Submissive Spirit. Paul’s first truth-assertion is

in verse 11: Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. The word, “quietly” (ἡσυχία) is used only four times in Scripture.[1]It sometimes means complete silence. Other times it means to say very little.[2]The KJV and HCSB both translate it as “silence.” Most other versions translate it as “quietly” or “quietness.” It is unlikely Paul meant total silence here. In a house congregation, that would be impractical, as well as awkward, for women to take a vow of silence each time they entered the home. More likely, it means a respectful lack of disturbance. This is confirmed when Paul adds, “with all submissiveness.” The word, “submissiveness” (ὑποταγή) refers to a “state of subordination.”[3]In this letter, Paul used the word in 3:4 regarding a father keeping children submissive. Here, the woman’s submissiveness is her own responsibility, and it results in an orderly and quiet spirit, a term which Paul will emphasize again in verse 12.

Paul’s second truth assertion is in verse 12: I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. When Paul used the phrase, “I do not permit . . .,” he is not offering a personal preference unique to Paul. Rather, Paul is issuing an apostolic mandate: women are not to teach or exercise authority over men when the congregation is assembled. He makes this clear in his earlier letter to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 14:33–35:

1 Corinthians 14:33–35 ESV

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

The phrase in 1 Timothy 5:12, “to exercise authority over” (αὐθεντεῖν), is one word in Greek and, it means, “to give order to, to dictate to.” The Jerusalem Bible renders it, “[to] tell a man what to do.”[4]Paul closes the thought by iterating the quiet spirit mandate; i.e., “she is to remain quiet.”

Obviously, women in Ephesus (as in Corinth) were causing disruptions or else Paul wouldn’t have addressed this issue. Both of these truth assertions appeal to women to quell their desires for control and authority by exercising the Spirit-granted grace of submission.

1 Timothy 2:14. Honor God’s Created Order. Paul appeals to the creation account in Genesis 2-3 as justification. Verse 14: For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. The actual creation account is found Genesis 2:21–23 and is consistent with Paul’s summary.

Next, Paul summarizes the fall of mankind from Genesis 3:1–7. He noted, “. . . and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” Adam wasn’t deceived. Yet, Genesis 3:6 states Adam was “with her” when she transgressed. He willingly followed Eve into transgression. Based on Paul’s summary statement here, some speculate that women are more prone to deception than men . . . or that women think more on emotion than fact . . . or that women are more easily manipulated than men. None of those can be verified. The most we can say with certainty is this: Satan chose to work through the woman in the Garden, and the man saw, knew it, and did nothing to stop it. Both men and women should learn from that tragic example.

Yet, the repercussions don’t stop there. By Genesis 3:16, the woman’s curse for her sin is revealed:

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.

The key Hebrew word is “desire” (root word, תְּשׁוּקָה). The construction is a bit unclear in Genesis 3:16, but the same word in Genesis 4:7 clarifies, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It’s desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Woman’s sin-curse is a desire to rule over or control her husband (or men, in general). Paul recognized that sin-curse was revealing itself in the Ephesian congregation. Women were being loud, rebellious, and authoritative—which was how the prevailing culture had trained them to act.

Genesis 4:7 ESV

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Objections

Now, let’s pause, and address several objections.

Objection #1: Paul was liberating women, not limiting them. Walt Kaiser, one of my heroes in biblical interpretation, takes an entirely different view than mine.[5]Basically, he takes the phrase, “I do not permit,” as Paul’s personal opinion, but not an apostolic mandate. Further, he suggests Adam being formed first means Adam had a head start on Eve in education. That is, she was deceived because she had not been taught. Kaiser’s conclusion, then, is: women must be quiet while learning, but once taught, they “likewise” can teach men. Respectfully, I believe my exegetical conclusions, above, stand on grounds of grammar, syntax, historical context, and Paul’s theological foundation in Judaism.

Objection #2: God used female prophets in both testaments. Eleven female prophetes are mentioned in the Bible, two of which were false prophets (Noadiah and Jezebel).[6]Five are mentioned in the Old Testament. Six are mentioned in the New Testament. As well, in Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, he points to Joel’s prophecy of women prophesying in the latter days. Joel said in Joel 2:28–29:

Joel 2:28–29 ESV

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Peter states this occurred at Pentecost (Acts 2:16ff). How do we reconcile this with Paul’s clear directives? As for Pentecost, that was a unique, extraordinary, and temporary season in which God bypassed the priests and scribes to speak directly to common people. This season of time began with Anna when Jesus was an infant, but saw its fullest expression post-Pentecost, as Peter confirmed. None of the female prophets taught in the Christian congregations because the congregations had not been established. Some might argue Phillip’s daughters did, but the text never states as much. Even if they did, it was transitionary. Paul made clear, as the Christian congregations later developed, that men were to assume the leadership and teaching roles (see 1 Corinthians 14:34–36; 1 Timothy 2:11–12). Women can teach, however, in other contexts. They can teach other women and children (Tit. 2:3–5; 1 Tim. 2:15).

Objection #3: This no longer applies because women have rights now they did not have then. The argument is that, like slavery, the times have changed. Therefore, this command no longer is necessary. However, unlike slavery, Paul grounds this command in three unchangeable truths: (1) God’s created order;[7](2) the relationships within the Trinitarian Godhead;[8]and, (3) established Jewish Law.[9]In fact, Paul’s mandate for women to learn at all would have challenged the Jewish traditions. The Gentile society was more open to women learning. As mentioned in our background study (above), Gentiles accepted female priestesses, and we have documented evidence of female business owners,[10]female politicians,[11]lawyers,[12]authors,[13]ambassadors,[14]and actors.[15]Women also were allowed to attend the world-famous theater in Ephesus.[16]

Timeless Principle

Women: submissive surrender is a heart issue.

Present Age Use

Let’s talk about what that does not mean. First. God is not saying women cannot teach at all. Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, taught him.[17]Paul will encourage women to teach children in the next verse (v. 15), and he will encourage older women to teach younger women in his letter to Titus.[18]

Second, God is not saying women cannot share truth with men in private settings. In Acts 18:24–28, an eloquent teacher named Apollos came to Ephesus. He knew only of John’s baptism, and therefore his doctrine was imprecise. A husband and wife, Priscilla and Aquila, took him aside privately and explained certain things to him more accurately. However, this was not in the gathered assembly, and Aquila was with her husband.

Paul’s directives were addressed in the gathered assembly which, in those days, was in someone’s home. His concern was that there was order and clarity to promote edification. This requires something of women and of men. Of men, it requires them to step up and lead in godly ways. Of women, it requires a submissive heart. The prevailing culture today trains us to think the exact opposite.

Closing

My college roommate asked me to attend his Methodist church one Sunday. His “newlyweds class” had gotten into some controversy the week before over these very verses. The women had reacted strongly against Paul’s commands. The class leader decided to ask the Senior Pastor to teach the class what that verse meant.

The pastor said this verse no longer applies today. Paul wrote it when women had less rights and privileges than they do today. I remember he said, “Women couldn’t even vote in those days. We’ve come a long way, baby.” To my embarrassment, my roommate informed the class that I was a Baptist, and I had a differing view. The Senior Pastor asked if I’d share view. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted. So, I explained that Baptists feel this verse still applies today. We don’t believe cultural norms change Scriptural commands. Paul’s justification in verses 13–14 were rooted in God’s created order, not the culture’s created order. Adam was created first. Eve was created to be his help-mate. Once they fell, Eve’s curse was a desire to have authority over her husband, but her husband still held the God-granted authority in that relationship. The genders have been in conflict to this very day, which is why we all were there to discuss it.

Once I finished, I expected to be stoned to death! The Senior Pastor was not convinced. However, to my surprise, several of the wives ended up agreeing with me. It is the natural reading of text even if it is an unpopular one, and it simply makes sense of the empirical evidence of Scripture, sin’s curse, and Satan’s world system.

The only remedy to this disorder for men to lead responsibly and for women to surrender to their leadership with a submissive heart.

[1]Acts 22:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Timothy 2:11, 13. [2]See BDAG, 440. [3]See BDAG, 1041 (brackets added for smoother flow). [4]See BDAG, 150 (brackets added for smoother flow). [5]Walter C. Kaiser, “Correcting Caricatures: The Biblical Teaching on Women,” in Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. website, April 30, 2005. Available online here: http://www.walterckaiserjr.com/women.html. [6]Miriam (Ex. 15:20); Deborah (Judg. 4:4); Huldah (2 Kgs. 22:14; 2 Chr. 34:22); Isaiah’s wife (Is. 8:3); Noadiah (Neh. 6:14); Anna (Lk. 2:36–38); Phillip’s four daughters (Acts 21:8–9); and, Jezebel (Rev. 2:20). [7] Both here and in 1 Corinthians 11:11–12. [8] 1 Corinthians 11:2–3. [9] 1 Corinthians 14:34–35. [10]Lydia of Philippi, Acts 16:14. [11]Regilla of Corinth. [12]Maisia of Sentinum. [13]Pamphile of Corinth. [14]Junia Theodoria of Corinth. [15]Volumnia Cytheris. [16]The world famous theater in Ephesus. [17] 2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15. [18]Titus 2:3–5.