1 Timothy 2:8-15

Well today we find ourselves in one of those segments of scripture that many would find controversial. We will be looking at 1 Tim 2:8-15. Go ahead and open your Bibles now to 1 Tim 2:8-15. Let's Pray. Read 1 Tim 2:8-15 Before we begin, let me first say, I thank God that we are Calvary Chapel where we teach the Bible Chapter by Chapter and Verse by Verse. If we did not exposite God's word in a chapter and verse style, we would certainly skip these verses...especially verses 11-12. Many a Preacher today will not dare venture into these waters, but today we will brave the deep. Just as Paul declared to the Ephesian Elders, "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God," today we will look at these verses because they exist in the Bible, and we will not skip them just because they seem unpopular to our culture today. A.W. Tozer had a lot to say about the church and culture, here's just one of his quotes near to this subject... * "To be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men." * "Modern Christians hope to save the world by being like it. But it will never work. The church's power over the world springs out of her unlikeness to it. Never from her integration into it." * "Not wanting to appear judgmental, we mistakenly try to make biblical truth fit the culture around us." * "Worship is no longer worship when it reflects the culture around us more that the Christ within us." Let me say something about the Bible and culture. Let me ask you a question... * Which is more constant?...which is more consistent?...more steadfast? Our culture or the word of God? * Culture is a bad litmus test to the Bible's relevance. * What's not relevant is today's culture, and what I mean by that is today's culture is not relevant because today's culture will change in 10 years...culture is fluid...think about how different our culture was from the 50's to the 60's to the 70's to the 80's all the way to today. * People are relevant, but what's popular in the culture today is not so relevant, but what's popular will change like the blowing of the wind. * And, culture is greatly influenced by Satan... * Whoa, that's harsh... * No, that's biblically consistent... * Eph 2:1-3: "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." * In contrast to our culture that is inconsistent and influenced by the Devil, here's a couple verses on the Bible... * Ps 19:7-8 "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;..." * 2 Tim 3:16-17 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." * So, in this church, you can expect us to not be influenced by popular culture. What is popular to me is what does God say?...what does God approve of?...what does God's word teach? * Line upon line, precept upon precept...we will teach the word of God chapter-by-chapter verse-by-verse...the whole counsel of God. So, let's get into it... Verse 1 As Paul continues to instruct Timothy on Church Conduct, he will now discuss Men and Women in During Public Church Assembly, which is a good outline title for verses 8-15. * It is helpful for your interpretation of Chapter 2 and 3 to keep in mind that we are discussing Church Conduct, and instructions we find in these chapters pertain to when the church gathers. If you apply these verses to all situations in life, like the work place for example, you will get an inaccurate interpretation of these chapters. * Last week, when Paul said to pray for all men, he used the word anthrōpos (human, mankind). * In today's segment of scripture, verses 8-15, everytime you see the word man or men it is... * anēr; a man or husband and * And, every time you see women or woman it is...gunē; a woman:-bride or wife * So, today Paul is being very gender specific, there is a gender distinction here which is controversial in our culture today. Many people today do not want there to be gender differences, but there are. The Bible clearly teaches there are role expectations for the man, and role expectations for the woman. They are different, and one is not superior than the other, but they are different. Paul begins addressing an expectation on the men in the church. * And, this is a strong expectation...Paul begins saying "I desire" or in the KJV "I will therefore..." which is a strong emphasis by the power of Paul's apostolic authority...and this strong language will apply to everything Paul discusses in this entire segment...for men and women. * We have a tendency to focus on what controversial segments of scripture says about women, but notice this segment begins with an expectation on the men. * Men are to pray everywhere- There is an expectation upon men to pray . * Men should be able to lead the church in prayer in all locations where people gather together as a congregation. * Men are to consistently lead the church in seeking the Lord in prayer. This is an expectation upon men. * I do not think this verse is forbidding women to pray in public gatherings, for Paul even speaks about women praying and prophesying in the church in 1 Cor 11:5. * So, in this verse of 1 Tim 2:8, I don't see where Paul forbids women to pray, but what I do see is he has a clear expectation that men are to pray. The emphasis of this verse in on the men. * And, there is an expectation that all men, not just leaders or elders, are to be leaders of prayer in the church, so if you are a man and you are not praying it's time to start. Paul adds 3 qualifications to prayer... * 1. Reflects of the man's personal life: Lifting up holy hands was a posture of prayer for the Jews, just like how we today bow our hands and hold our hands. However, the emphasis is not on the posture of prayer, but moreso on the word Holy. * We have the freedom to pray with hands raised, hands folded, on your knees, standing up, eyes open or shut...just no eyes shut while praying and driving..or if you are praying for someone hostile, you may want to keep your eyes open as well...I heard a story of a Pastor who got punched in the face while praying for someone who was hostile, and now he prays with his eyes open. * The physical posture of prayer does not matter so much, but the posture of the heart does matter. * James said, "The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (Jas 5:16b) or, as paraphrased: "The prayer of a man whose heart is right with God works wonders." * The man who was leading in prayer was to lift Holy hands (hosious, "devout, undefiled"). His inward life should be clean. He should have a pure conscience before God and fellow mankind. You don't want someone coming up to lead public prayer who is living in rebellion against God and not living a clean and pure life. And, you shouldn't expect prays to be answered readily from someone living in hypocrisy. * 2. Reflects of the man's interpersonal life: Without wrath- this man is not subject to outbursts of anger where he is creating tension with relationship around him. * 3. Reflects the man's relationship with God: without doubting- or praying without faith. This man pray in faith that God will hear the prayer and has the power and willingness to answer prayers. * One scholar summed this up by, "a man should exhibit holiness and purity selfward, love and peace manward, and unquestioning faith Godward." -William MacDonald continue to verse 9 Verse 9 Paul now shifts the focus to how women are to conduct themselves in public church gatherings... * "...in like manner also..." refers back to how men should conduct themselves in church gatherings, and now centers this same idea on the women. * Keep in mind, Paul put strong emphasis on these instructions...in verse 8 he said, "I desire" or in KJV "I will therefore..." His apostolic authority card is being played not just for the men, but also for the women too. Women are to adorn themselves (lit. "to put in order or arrange") the idea is how they "dress themselves"... * I don't think this verse is that difficult. And, I don't think most people would disagree with it, because most people have good sense of what is appropriate dress. * Modest Apparel: modest meant "decent and orderly". Women (and this easily could apply to men as well), are to dress properly or appropriately. * Propriety and Moderation help us to understand what is modest. * With Propriety: Propriety means "modesty, the avoidance of extremes; having a sense of shame or decency." Does what I am wearing draw inappropriate attention to myself? This is a "middle of the road" idea when it comes to dress- not too fancy, and not too frumpy. * And Moderation: Moderation is also translated as sobriety, and means "having a sound mind and good sense." This encourages a person to have inner self-control and to know what is good and proper. * Not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing: the Greek word here is "bling bling." Actually, it's not, but it carries the same idea. Wikipedia, and you know I'm getting scholarly now, defines bling as "flashy, ostentatious, or elaborate jewelry"... * From a cultural context of Paul's day, in Ephesus, the flashy dress, hair and a lot of jewelry was associated with local temple prostitutes, also * Ephesus was a wealthy city and "some women competed against each other for attention and popularity" (Wiersbe) ...kind of a "keeping up with the Jones' mentality. There was also a growing trend for wealthy and influential women to dress in a Graeco-Roman style which flaunted physicality and thus the women of the Ephesian church may have been tempted to follow suit with the latest fashion trends. * Today, for the most part, braided hair, gold, and pearls is not a distraction in the church, but it was an issue for the church of Paul's day. Women, today, are fine to wear jewelry, makeup, look nice, dress nice, if they are appropriate. A key is just use good sense. Ladies today could still go overboard with jewelry and make up... * The big point is in our dress, we should not come to church with a huge emphasis on the external... we come to church to emphasize the internal; to draw close to God. We should not rob God from the attention and focus He should be getting when we gather because we are over-dressed, under-dressed, or inappropriately dressed. * When our inner spirits are centered on God, our outer adornments should reflect that as well. When we look at difficult passages like this, it is important to understand the heart or the spirit of the passage. * For example, in this verse, Paul addresses the outward appearance of a woman when she comes to a public church gathering. And, there is wisdom in what he says, but you have to look deeper at the main point. * Remember how the Pharisees would interpret the law so literally, miss the heart of the law, and in turn became hypocrites? And Jesus would give them the correct interpretation of the law...He taught them the spirit of the law. For ex, the Pharisees would interpret adultery in a strict physical sense, and murder as specific to killing someone. But, it was deeper than that. Jesus would explain the true sin was what was happening in the heart. If you look at someone you're not married to and lust after them, that's adultery. * These tough passages in scripture must also be viewed in a manner where we understand the heart of the passage, and what does it say about a person's heart or their motivations if they are not following these guidelines. * If a man won't pray in his home and during church, what does this say about the man's leadership. I know prayer can be awkward in a group setting, but if you are spending time with God and spending time in prayer it becomes second nature. It should be second nature to pray, because the man of God should be connected to God. * And, what does it say about a women who comes to a public church service dressed inappropriately? What's the heart issue? Is she coming with the wrong motives? Is she there to get attention or to give God attention? * Why do we come to church? For dating? To find our next boyfriend or girlfriend? Some do, but that is not why we gather. Church is a time for us to give glory to God, to pray, to learn about Scripture, to praise God, to fellowship, and so forth. * There very likely will be a day when someone walks through the doors of our church dressed inappropriately, or even having wrong motives... on that day I would expect us to exhibit grace. * New Christians especially need to be mentored and to be shown the way. Someone needs to take them under their arm and to love on them, but to also speak truth and help them out. People who walk through the doors of the church looking and acting like the world are that way because the world is likely all they know. And, they are coming to church to find hope of a new way...to learn about spiritual things, because the worldly things are failing them. * It's our place to meet people where they are, just like Jesus met people living in sin where they were. * We don't want to be Pharisees and shun people from religious gatherings because they are living in a sinful way. * Right after Jesus called Matthew to follow him, Matthew had a great feast at his house and there were a lot of tax collectors and sinners present. * "And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"31 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Lk 5:30-32 * A good reminder for us in how we should receive people. * We also don't want to compromise...Jesus did not join in sinful behaviors... we don't want to compromise having a clean conscience and clean hands. We should also be discerning. If there is a person who is a wolf in sheep's clothing, we must protect the flock of God from injury. continue to verse 10 Verse 10 Verse 10 tells us how a woman should adorn herself... * This is honestly a beautiful verse and what most parents desire especially for their daughters. Parents want their daughter to be seen for her inner beauty as displayed by how she treats other people and by her deeds. * The appropriate adornment for a woman proclaiming reverence towards God is seen not by what they wear, but by their demonstration of good works. * Listen to the simple translation of the NLT on verses 9-10... * "And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do." 1 Tim 2:9-10 * You can't wear "Good Works" like it's a dress, but when you are known by your character, people see your character and know you by your Godly reputation and they see far deeper than your clothing. They see you and admire you for being a Godly woman of character. * Proverbs 31 describes the virtuous wife and uses comparable language... * "Strength and honor are her clothing..." * Peter instructed women "Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God..." 1 Pet 3:3-4 * Young ladies, these are important instructions for you especially as you enter into High School and College Years. You will observe girls who dress inappropriately and are physically flirtatious...they may even seem to get all the attention from the guys. These girls will gain physical attention, but they will never be cherished or respected by the same guys. * Listen to the wise words of Warren Wiersbe, * "A woman who depends only on externals will soon run out of ammunition! She may attract attention, but she will not win lasting affection." continue to Verse 11 Verses 11-14 Verse 11 Well, we have officially entered the land of controversy. This verse now addresses women, and there are some verses in the Bible that address women and they sound really harsh at face value. * When my daughter read this verse, she said, "Oh." * When my wife tries to pick worship songs that reflect the passage of scripture, and when she read this segment, she said, "Great, I can sing about clean hands, head coverings and sit down and shut up." * Let's talk about this verse... First of all it says, "Let a woman learn..." * The public assembly of church was a place of learning. We often overlook this, but it is important. Church was not a place for entertainment, but a place where we can be educated and instructed in matters pertaining to God. For these things to be accomplished, there must be order. Paul continues and instructs the women to "learn in silence..." * And I my wife keenly observed, this verse does sound like it is saying, "Women, sit down, shut up, and submit." * And...it kind of is...well, except it doesn't say "sit down"...I'm just joking...don't leave...I'm trying to bring some humor to a tough verse... * "Silence" here is the Greek word hēsuchia and is defined as "stillness or quietness." The idea is "without contention," "the absence of disorder," or "settled down, undisturbed, not unruly." * The translation of "silence" is perhaps not the best translation. In Chap 2 verse 2, we see the root word in Greek, a very similar word translated at "peaceable." I think less people would see this as a problem verse if "peaceable" were the word used here instead of "silence." * This is not teaching "total silence." There is a different Greek word (sigaō) which means "to be silent, to say nothing." * If a Pastor is teaching during a public assembly, and you are being disruptive...doesn't common sense say there is a problem with this behavior? God is a God of order and the public assembly of the church was to be a time of order just like it is today. Order in public gatherings is an expectation. * Haven't you ever been annoyed when someone is talking... * at the movie theatre in the middle of the movie? * or during a speech that you really want to hear? * or if you are getting instructions in a group setting like a college classroom? * Church is one of the places where there should be an absence of disorder. * If a man was talking obnoxiously or being disruptive in the middle of a church service, someone would address the man. * In 1 Cor 14, Paul addresses Order in Church Meetings...he would write... * "God is not the author of confusion but of peace." 1 Cor 14:33 * "Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Cor 14:40 * In that same segment, he addressed a few topics that were causing disorder... * Too many people speaking in tongues in public assembly and without an interpreter * Too many people prophesying and in and disorganized fashion. * And, women (it seems married women) were calling out to their husbands for clarity on the teaching. * Some scholars have suggested men and women sat in different sections, and the women were calling out to their husbands. The crazy thing is that is wasn't so much the calling out that was disruptive, but it was because women were calling out and women did not have the same rights as men. * Commentator Clarke said, "It was lawful for men in public assemblies to ask questions, or even interrupt the speaker when there was any matter in his speech which they did not understand; but this liberty was not granted to women." * So, in the cultural context of Paul's day, women did not have equal rights like they do today. Today, if a woman wants to ask the Pastor a question or if a man wants to ask the Pastor a question, it is acceptable...just neither should ask in the middle of a teaching...it would be offensive to call out in the middle of a sermon, but in the early church cultural context, this was normal. * People who hate on the Bible for coming against women greatly overlook what Jesus did for equal rights. Some people even come against Paul accusing him of hating women, but this same Paul, and the same Holy Spirit that inspired Paul to write all of these words inspired Paul to write, listen to this... * Gal 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." * So, contextually, one issue here was order in the church service, and Paul addressed issues relevant to that culture that were creating disorder. * If we eliminated gender in this segment, I think we would all agree that we appreciate coming to church to be taught, and to not be in a chaotic environment. How could we learn if the environment was like a circus? * The issue people take is that gender is introduced. This verse also addresses another topic that is very controversial...submission. * "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission." * There is it...I said the "S" word. Women submit... It's like I just cussed in church. * Submission is a military term and means to "be under in rank" and this ties right back into the same idea of order. continue to verse 12 Verse 12 "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence" The idea of rank/ order/ authority is seen in verse 12 * Authority defined is "usurp authority over," or "to govern, exercise dominion over." * God is a God of order and has designed an order in two specific places...leading the home and leading the church. God's appointed order of authority is the main principle starting in verse 11 and he gives us several applications that apply to women... * Learning in silence (which as mentioned is a good application all around, male and female, to not be disruptive in public gatherings; the same definition for silence is in verse 12 as well) * Submission...which is adhering to the authority * And, women not teaching or having authority over a man...which was specific to the role of congregational teaching because this is an exercise of spiritual authority. The spiritual leader of a church is the Pastor/Teacher. He is a shepherd and he is a teacher of doctrine. Doctrinal teaching on the congregational level is reserved for person of spiritual authority over the church. * And, then Paul will give us some explanation that goes all the way back to Genesis and God's original design. * It is important to note that God's order of authority and submission is not a value statement for men and women...it has nothing to do with one gender being inferior, less spiritual, less intelligent, or anything like that. This is not about ability, but about assignment. * In the military, there are Privates with more intellect and ability than their Sergeants, but the rank still holds and the private submits to the Sergeant. * Authority and order, and submission to authority and order, greatly reduces confusion and chaos. Imagine a society, or an army, or even your workplace if there were no leaders. There would be confusion on who to follow, dissension, and chaos. This is not God's design. * So, in God's wisdom, He assigned a leader in the home and in the church, and that role was assigned to the man. * The idea of authority and submission is one we should actually embrace, not resent. * Even Jesus embraced authority and submission. We talked a little about this last week...in His person, Jesus was equal to Father God, but Jesus did not have the same positional authority as the Father. If Jesus has no issue with being under authority or in submission to a loving Father, ladies, being under authority and submission should also be reasonable for you as well. Frankly, we are all under authority and submit. Men are under authority and submit to God Himself. * This is important...Being under authority does not make one inferior and does not degrade that person. Women are not less than men because God called men to spiritually lead the home and church. * Jesus was not inferior to the Father, but He was under the Father's authority. God is a God of order, and He is not a God of chaos. Authority and submission give us order. * I also want to point out and emphasize...The home and the church are the only two places we biblically see male authority. * We do not see this standard for: * Ruling Nations...There is no restriction for a female President or the leader of a country. Or, other Political offices. * Leading Companies. * Being a Principle at a school. * The Bible does not teach General Submission of women to men. Women, in general, are not to submit to men, in general. * For example, it would be wrong and weird to go a women in the church, that is not your wife, and tell that woman what to do. And, frankly, if you are not loving and respectful to your wife and you tell her what to do, it's probably wrong too. * It is not biblically wrong to have a female boss at you place of employment. * There are two institutions God ordained male leadership: the home and the church. * And, God has a lot to say to males, in other passages of how they are supposed to lead, and gives men tall orders. For ex. * Eph 5:25 says, "Husbands, love (agapao root of agape- self sacrificial and unselfish love)...Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her..." If all men led this way, most women wouldn't have an issue with male authority. * Not all churches agree on this principle of order of authority. And, other churches agree on the principle, but don't agree with all the applications, such as congregational teaching. * I know of several churches where congregational teaching is led by a woman, and this is an example of how not all churches agree on this application. Often, in these churches you will also see where they will bend on other biblical principles. While I would not agree doctrinally in several points with these churches, I would likely agree with the major doctrinal teachings. And, these Pastors would likely not agree with us on all points, but would likely agree with us on major doctrinal teachings. In circumstances like Ministerial Associations, I would not break fellowship or create division with people I disagree with unless they are in total apostasy and absolute false teachers. * There are biblical examples of women leadership in the Bible, and some people use these examples as proof texts for why women should be Pastors. * In the Old Testament there were Prophetesses, such as Miriam (sister of Moses), Deborah (the Judge), and Huldah (who prophesied in the time of Josiah). These women had special roles and certainly served the Lord. * There are a couple issues with using these women as an argument as a proof text...overwhelmingly, we see a male dominated leadership roles Biblically. These women are more of an exception than a norm. * The High Priest was always male, all but one Judge was male, most of the Prophets were male, and the kings were all male (except for one female...Athaliah, daughter of king Ahab and Jezebel (red flags) and she usurped the throne, was very wicked and lived in a time of wickedness). * In the New Testament, even Jesus, who is God incarnate, came in the form of a man. * God, in His essence is neither male nor female, He is spirit, but in his identity... The first person of the Trinity is the Father, and the Second person is the Son. Both are in the masculine. "The Holy Spirit is referred to in the masculine throughout the New Testament, although the word for "spirit" by itself (pneuma) is actually gender-neutral." -GotQuestions.org * In the OT and NT, "references to God use masculine pronouns. Specific names for God (e.g., Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, Kurios, Theos, etc.) are all in the masculine gender. God is never given a feminine name, or referred to using feminine pronouns."- GotQuestions.org * Jesus had both male and female disciples, but his 12, who we call the Apostles, were all male. * It's just not a good argument to cite a few exceptions of women leaders as a proof text that females are called by God to be the spiritual authority over the home and the church. * Sometimes in history, and I do believe our present age is one of those times, there is a state of decline in men stepping up to lead spiritually. Deborah was in one of those times. In times of decline we do see women step up to lead. God has an ideal, but will work with us when we are less than ideal. If there is no qualified male to lead...and qualified is a key word, and just because you are a man, that doesn't qualify you to be a Pastor... So, in times when there are no qualified males and a qualified women steps up, the Lord's will be done. * Another issue with these OT women as a proof text, is that the New Testament role of Pastor is relevant to the Church Age, versus these women of the Old Testament who were in a different covenantal period. I would also add that the role of the Prophetess was also not the same as the role of a Pastor/Teacher. * On the flip side, We do see examples of good ways women are teaching...and this is an important point. There is no general rule biblically that a woman cannot teach, just not congregationally. * We see Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18, teach Apollos. Acts 18:26 states, "When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." This was not a congregational setting, nor was Priscilla teaching over Apollos individually, which would draw other concerns such as the appearance of evil and a married person meeting with a person of the opposite gender in private. It's not wise. * Titus 2:3-4 urges older women to teach younger women. * 2 Tim 3:15 tells us Timothy knew the scriptures from his childhood..Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice were saved and very likely taught Timothy, a young man spiritual matters. * We see women like Phoebe who had a special role in the church as a deaconess. * Mary brought forth the Savior of mankind, Jesus and she was called blessed among women. * Jesus had several women in His group of disciples that travelled with His group of disciples. * I believe women should serve in many ways, more ways than they shouldn't serve. * Lead women in Bible Studies * Lead children in Bible Studies * Co-lead mixed groups with your spouse * Be a worship leader * Serve as a deaconess * Exercise spiritual gifts * etc. etc. * But, there are 2 positions that the Bible is teaching where women shouldn't serve...just 2. The spiritual authority of the home, and the spiritual authority of the Church. * Don't shoot the messenger. It's God's order and design, and let's take a look at His reasons why... continue to verses 13-14 Verses 13-14 Paul explains that God's design for authority originated in the beginning...he takes us all the way back to Genesis. * In some verses, cultural context is important to understand, and in other verses, we go back to original design and God's ideal design. It's important to note when we go back to Genesis, especially pre-fall. * When Jesus was questioned about divorce by the Pharisees, "They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so." Mt 19:7-8. * One commentator said, "God's ideal was that there be no divorce. But God often tolerates conditions that are not His directive will." -BBC * God has His ideal, but mankind often will mess up the ideal, so He accommodates us...He stoops down to us. * So, in Paul's explanation, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit, about authority and order, he goes back Genesis. * The 1st Reason given why God assigned man authority: Verse 13 cites the Order of Creation and Original Authority. * God created man first, and from man He created woman from man. * A more complete picture of the order of authority is in 1 Cor 11:3 "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." * The Divine order of Authority is God the Father, Christ the Son, man, woman. * In the Genesis account of creation, the order of creation was significant, and indicates God intended man to be the head of the marriage as the woman was dependent upon the man's body for creation. * In Gen 2:7, which was pre-fall, God created Adam, forming Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him. In Gen 2:22, God created Eve and He created her from one of Adam's ribs, which indicates God's intention of unity and fellowship between male and female in marriage. They were of the same flesh, just as in marriage we become one flesh. * The rib was significant as it indicated Eve would be at Adam's side to help him. Not created from his head to have authority over him, and not created from his feet to be trampled on. * This union was also a picture of the relationship and order of Christ and His bride, the Church. Jesus loved and would die for His bride, but also is the Lord over the church. * A good support verse for the order of authority, is Gen 2:16-17, and pay attention to this verse because this is the command God gives to Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil...we are going to look at the fall next, so listen closely "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." * Adam was commanded directly by God, not Eve. Eve received command from Adam. * The 2nd Reason given why God assigned man authority: Verse 14 cites the Danger of Authority Reversed. * The fall of man is the second reason why Paul instruct Timothy that women are not to have teaching authority over the men in the church. * Go ahead and turn to Gen 3. Let's take a look at this account. * Read Verses 1-7 * 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' "4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate." * In verse 6, we see that Eve transgresses God's command, not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. * Notice she did not know God's command well, for she said they were not to "touch" the fruit, but that was not the command...they were not forbidding to touch, they were forbidden to taste. * Remember, God gave the command to first hand Adam, not to Eve. Eve would have receive the command from Adam...so either he was bad at the telling, or she was bad at the listening or the remembering. * Back in 1 Tim 2:14, What is Paul's point that "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." * One interesting observation is Paul cites Adam and woman...not Adam and Eve. * Some take this note as an indicator that womankind, not just Eve, has been denied doctrinal teaching authority in congregational setting because womankind is more susceptible to deception, as Eve was deceived, and Adam was not deceived. Other people reject this as chauvinistic. I understand the point, but I have also known many very wise women, and we see from scripture and just living in the world today that men have also been deceived by Satan. So, I hesitate on this interpretation. * I believe a better interpretation here is the Creation order or Authority was reversed. * Eve clearly eats first, and there is no indication that she consults with Adam, thus usurping his headship, his authority. Some think this is an indicator of the danger when man abdicates his authority to the woman, and thus there remains a danger if man abdicates his teaching authority in the public gathering...simply because this is the order God-ordained in the beginning. It has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority, and everything to do with what God set in place in the beginning. * Adam rejected the God-given order. Eve was deceived, and Adam listened to Eve and ate the fruit with full knowledge he was disobeying God. * This out of order issue is supported by Gen 3:17, when God pronounced judgment on Adam, "Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'..." * I would also like to note that Paul does not blame Eve for the fall of mankind, even though she ate first...this supports Adam's headship since he is deemed responsible. In Rom 5:12-21, the responsibility falls clearly on Adam, the head. This is the passage in Romans that begins with, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin..." * Adam knew that he and Eve were transgressing, and did not flee this lust. The blame of the fall squarely lands on the shoulders of Adam because he was the leader. * There are other observations and discussions around this subject, that I am not going to venture into this morning because of time and because they are a little off topic to this passage, but they are fascinating...if you want to on your own, you could dig deeper into looking at why... * Satan tempted Eve, not Adam...some tie this to the idea of woman being the weaker vessel in 1 Pet 3:7...not intellectual weakness, but some would say more spiritually or emotionally sensitivity. * You could compare Eve's temptation in Eden and Jesus' temptation in the desert. Look at how Satan tempts both with the threefold temptation (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life) and how Eve succumbs, but Jesus overcomes. Eve is banished from the garden and suffered judgments, Jesus was ministered to by Angels and approved for ministry. * In Gen 3:9, God addresses Adam alone to give an account of what happened, suggesting Adam's headship. * In Gen 3:12-13, The responses of Adam and Eve as they give a response...Adam seems to blame both God and Eve; and Eve admits to being deceived. * In Gen 3:16, God reiterates that the husband shall "rule over" or have dominion over the wife. * In Gen 3:14-19, the order in which the Judgments are pronounced. Satan first who was the primary offender, Eve second who was deceived, and Adam last who deliberately rebelled against God. And, the retaliatory justice delivered to them based on the nature of their crimes. * Like many things biblically, there are rabbit trails you can go down that are long and winding, but are an amazing journey. finish in verse 15 Verse 15 * Many scholars consider this verse one of the most difficult verses in the whole Bible. * This verse begins with the Greek word "de" which we see translated as "Nevertheless" literally this word means "But" and in some versions we see "Notwithstanding" or "Yet." This participle is being used in an adversative sense here, meaning it is opposed to the preceding statement. * So, even though Eve was deceived, she will be saved in childbearing...whatever that means. * When you are taking a multiple choice test, and you come to a difficult question, good test taking strategies teach you to use the process of elimination, and I think that would be helpful here. Let's eliminate what seem to be the wrong answers first. Wrong Interpretation #1 * Women in general are not saved by having babies. This interpretation would contradict scriptures that salvation is through faith in Christ alone, and would teach works based salvation. Wrong Interpretation #2 * Women will be saved in physical childbirth if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. * I can't see this being a correct interpretation because many faithful Christian women have died in childbirth, and what about women who are not able to give birth? In finding a probable interpretation, and I'm not so bold as to say the correct interpretation, because many scholars much smarter than I are not sure, but in getting closer to a good interpretation, there are 4 considerations to note: 1. The context of this passage, 2. What is meant by being saved? 3. Who are the "they" referred to in verse 15? and... 4. The conditional clause "if" at the second half of the verse. * Let's talk quickly about these 4 considerations and wrap up with some probable interpretations. 1. The Context: * Paul had previously focused upon spiritual authority in the church, and 2 reasons man was assigned the teaching authority congregationally, because of the Order of Creation or Original Authority being assigned to Adam & the Danger of Authority Reversed. So, it's important to not forget about this context when trying to tackle verse 15. 2.What is meant by being saved? The woman will be saved in childbearing. * Is saved here referring to eternal salvation? * Or, is saved here referring to her position in the church? * Some Bible versions use the word "preserved" instead of "saved" if that helps any. 3.Who are "they" in verse 15? * Some scholars believe "they" refers to women in a general sense. Other scholars, believe "they" are the Husband & Wife. * I lean towards "they" are women in general..the context seems to favor this interpretation, but I see the argument either way. * I do hope you all Be as the Bereans were...study...fact check. Don't take anything I say for certain. 4.The Conditional Clause "if"... * Whatever is meant by the first half of verse 15, is qualified by "if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control." * So, the qualifier seems to indicate that women will be saved if she abides in four virtues: * Faith- an essential for salvation * Love- agapē * Holiness- consecration, sanctification * Self-Control- the word for self-control in Greek is sōphrosunē and is the same word translated as "moderation" in vs 9. means "having a sound mind and good sense." This encourages a person to have inner self-control and to know what is good and proper. * In some versions it repeats "AND"... "Faith and Love and Holiness with Self-Control" * You see a similar structure in Psalms sometimes. * So, it would seem that these virtues point to how the woman lives her life. And, if this was for Husband & Wife, it is solid for us to live our lives by these virtues. Ok, drum role... Top 2 Interpretations...in my opinion... 1. Top Interpretation 1: Women are saved in childbearing because through the woman came the Messiah in birth. * If you see the word "saved" as referencing eternal salvation, this interpretation is for you... * Contextually, this has some merit, because in the previous 2 verses, Paul spoke about the Genesis account, * So, what does the Genesis account have to say about childbearing? * Well, in Genesis 3:16, when God pronounce judgment on Eve, which would translate to all women, God said, "To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." * So, the curse upon women was pain in childbirth and she would be under the authority of her husband whom she would desire. * One verse prior in Genesis, God pronounced judgment upon Satan, and listen to verse 15: * "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." * This is the first time the Gospel is shared in the Bible. The seed of the woman who would bruise the head of Satan (meaning a fatal blow would be struck), that seed was none other than Jesus. * So, this interpretation of 1 Tim 2:15 has merit. It fits with other Genesis accounts previous mentioned. It would then look back at the curse, and the redemption offered in Jesus which was brought forth in childbirth through the woman. * The curse began with the deception of Eve, and redemption came through the childbearing of women in that from womankind the Messiah was birthed. * This is a probable interpretation. * The problem area I see in this interpretation are: * 1. It's not just women that are saved from the Messiah, but all mankind that looks to Jesus in faith, and... * 2. I'm not sure how this fits into the greater context that teaching authority in the church setting has been assigned to the man. So, I like this interpretation, but I see some challenges that I don't have an answer fo 2.Top Interpretation 2: Woman are positionally preserved in the public church setting through the sacred role God has entrusted the woman in childbirth. * If you see the word "saved" as referencing positional salvation, well this interpretation may make more sense to you... * With this interpretation, we see better contextual adhesion whereby the man has been assigned authority of leading the church and the home, but the women have the sacred duty of bringing forth children and will have a significant influence on the influence of their upbringing and the spiritual quality of the home. Her position as assigned by God is not less important than the role assigned by God for the man. In many ways, this position of influence may have a more significant impact on the kingdom of God. * in 1 Cor 12, Paul spoke about what we call "Hands and Feet." The unity of the Body of Christ and the Diversity in that one body. Just as we have various spiritual gifts as God assigns, we also have various positions as God assigns. * The scholar Lilley summed this interpretation up by, "She shall be saved from the results of sin and be enabled to maintain a position of influence in the Church by accepting her natural destination as a wife and mother, provided this surrender is further ratified by bringing forth the fruit of sanctified Christian character." This is a tough passage of scripture. But, we got through it, and what are some edifying applications we can pull from it? 1. God is a God of order. Order is from God and it is good. To go against order, is to go against God, and there are consequences when we do. 2. God has given us His design for authority in the church. Paul wrote this Epistle to Timothy instructing him on church conduct, and we see from these verses that God's ideal is for male church leadership in prayer and public teaching. Men, if you are not stepping up to lead spiritually, get on it. 3. Women, let people see your beauty by how you conduct yourselves, not by how you physically present yourselves...and I think this is so important for our young girls, especially as they are facing the pressures of being in the world and in school. There are so many worldly influences... 4. And, Mom's, set the example in the home. Be a light and teach truth to your kids. Many women have a greater platform of influencing their kids than the father's do. I recognize that is a generalization. Regardless, both men and women have a responsibility in the home to set a spiritual and Godly standard in raising their children. God has entrusted much to us, and many people are failing and walking away from raising their families in the fear and admonition of the Lord, and being salt and light in their communities. I praise God for all of you...we have a lot of work to do in our community. Let's pray.