Picture of A Godly Woman in 1 Timothy 2:9-15

Last time I wrote about 1 Timothy 2:8-10 and explained what it is teaching about godly adorning. This week, I want to address 1 Timothy 2:11-15:

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. (1 Timothy 2:11-15).

I still have many unanswered questions about this passage and I will make sure to point them out; but looking at it in the light of Paul’s other writings, the bible, and the Gospel as a whole, helped to explain much of it.

Teaching or Exercising Authority Over Men

First, let’s consider that Paul is not commanding women never to have any kind of teaching role over men. In Acts 18:26, Priscilla and her husband Aquila, who were Paul’s co-workers in Christ (Romans 16:3), take a man aside and explain ‘to him the way of God more accurately’. This is an actual doctrinal and theological education of a man by a woman (and her husband). The difference with what Paul is forbidding in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 is most evidently that Priscilla’s teaching of the man happened privately or not in the public assembly of the church. In Romans 16:1, we learn about Phoebe a ‘servant of the church’. The Greek word for servant in this passage can simply refer to the act of serving or to the official position of Deacon in the church. Many scholars agree that it most likely refers to the office of Deacon in this context because it specifies that Phoebe is a servant ‘of the church’. Using Priscilla’s example (and maybe Phoebe’s - see paragraph below for the reason for my hesitation), we can conclude that there is a context in Paul’s mind for women to exercise some teaching or leadership authority over men; but there is also a context in Paul’s mind where that is not appropriate.

In chapter 3 of the same letter (1 Timothy), Paul gives a set of qualifications for those who desire to hold the offices of Pastor/Elder and Deacon in the church (1 Timothy 3:1-13; see also Titus 1). These positions are clearly to be held by men (I still have unanswered questions about Phoebe, a woman, being a Deacon).

Some have used 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13 to argue that women cannot hold any kind of leadership roles in the church at all (e.g. worship leader, small group leader, etc.). I think it is a stretch to come to this conclusion using these passages. It seems clear to me that what Paul is forbidding is for women to hold the main pastoral and teaching roles in the public assembly of the church. I am open to correction.

Reasons for the Charge

1 Timothy 2:13 and 14, Paul gives two main reasons to support his charge of women not to teach or exercise authority over men:

• Reason 1: Adam Was Formed First, Then Eve (1 Timothy 2:13)

According to Paul, the reason for this leadership order in the church is grounded in the very order of creation. God made man, then women out of man (Genesis 2). Paul is arguing that the public assembly of the church must follow this same order. Does it mean then that men have more value than women; that women are somehow inferior to men?

No. Look at 1 Corinthians 11 for example, we see Paul making a similar argument about the creation order of man and women (1 Corinthians 11:8-10) but in the same breath, he says ‘Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God’ (1 Corinthians 11:11-12) as if to clarify that he is not elevating one gender over the other. Again, in Galatians 3:27-29, Paul states: ‘For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.’ We often equate authority or leadership with personal value (in Christ). God has established roles and authority in his church and in marriage for order and harmony, not because he considers men more valuable than women.

• Reason 2: Adam was not deceived, but Eve was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. (1 Timothy 2:14-15)

This is a tough one! I must admit that I am not entirely sure what Paul means here. I know what he does not mean:

• He is not claiming that Adam is guiltless or less guilty than Eve (Romans 3:9:18; Romans 5:2)

• He is not claiming that Eve’s (and Women’s) salvation come by having Children. Anyone who has ever read any of Paul’s letters should be giggling at the absurdity of such a conclusion. Paul passionately preached that both women and men are saved only by faith in Christ.(Romans 3:20; Romans 3:21; Acts 13:39; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2:8-9).

So what is he saying? Here are a few suggestions or interpretations that some trustworthy bible teachers have given. I am not saying that they are correct or that I agree. I am just giving you some things to think about as you continue to ponder this difficult passage:

• 1 Timothy 2:14: Women are in general more emotional/vulnerable than men. This is why the serpent tempted Eve first and she fell first.

• 1 Timothy 2:15, Interpretation 1: In becoming biological or spiritual mothers/mentors to younger generations and teaching them the way of the Lord, women are, in a sense, participating in undoing the work of Satan.

• 1 Timothy 2:15, Interpretation 2: This is only referring to Eve (‘she’). God promised that her seed would destroy the serpent’s work. Salvation for all humanity came through one of the children she bore, generations later: Jesus The Christ.

There are more interpretations out there on 1 Timothy 2:14-15 and I honestly am not sure where I stand. There are also all sorts of other questions attached to this scripture such as: must all women submit to all men or just wives to their husbands? Are women in Pastoral positions grounds to leave a church? I have opinions on many of them, but not enough biblical grounds to back them up so I won’t go there just yet. I am certainly glad this passage is not a matter of primary importance. It is not a matter of spiritual life or death if we do not get it right.

I hope this was helpful to you. Let me know your thoughts!