“1 Timothy 2” 

Saved from the Curse

1 Timothy 2:15

¹⁵ But women will be preserved through childbirth—if they continue in faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation.

This is a verse people tend to either avoid or simply fail to explain.  The Ephesian goddess, Artemis, was known as the goddess of midwifery.  One of the methods that were employed to keep women that joined the Artemis cult loyal to the goddess was fear.  Their fear was that any amount of disloyalty would be repaid with death while giving birth.  Throughout history, childbirth has presented a certain level of danger for women and some women were not able to survive the event.  Understanding this fact, when the goddess of your city is recognized for producing successful childbirths, there is an added motivation to appease her.  Women were encouraged to remain faithful to Artemis with the hope that she would show them favor by allowing them and their child to survive the birth process. 

As many men and women of Ephesus were becoming Christians and forsaking this false goddess to follow the true God, there was still a level of trepidation that the women would be punished for rejecting her and the vows that they had taken.  However, Paul extended them encouragement as he assured them that they would be spared during childbirth if they continued in faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation.  Paul made them confident in the fact that the God of all creation was greater than the goddess of childbirth. 

In conclusion, our dedication to Christ supersedes the curse of sin and the consequences for our previous alliance with satan.  Jesus has no rival and He has no equal, so there isn’t anything to hinder born again believers from experiencing the abundant life the Christ came to gift us with.

 

 

“1 Timothy 2”

The True Creation Story

1 Timothy 2:13-14

  ¹³ For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. ¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer. 

In Ephesus, Artemis was the ruling goddess and the Ephesians subscribed to her version of the creation story.  Artemis is the known as the daughter of Zeus and the twin sister of Apollo.  The story of Artemis’ beginning is that she was born first, and then assisted in the delivery of her twin brother.  As a result of this narrative, the women of Ephesus assumed a position of superiority over the men.  The Ephesians worshiped Artemis as the fertility goddess and the goddess that aided in successful childbirth.

Paul explains to the Ephesians, in his letter to Timothy, that Adam was created first and that woman came from man.  Jewish people would have responded to this information with looks of confusion because this was common knowledge among the Jews.  However, for the Ephesians, this was a new teaching.  The doctrine that had been taught to them was that woman was created first, and man came from woman.  Considering the fact that Artemis is a false god, the Ephesian account of creation was incorrect and needed to be changed.    

There is a famous quote that says, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”  So it was going to take more than a verbal teaching to get the people’s thinking on the right track.  Timothy was responsible for dispelling false teaching and Paul sent him the written ammunition that he would need to adjust the city’s incorrect understanding of the creation story. 

As Paul continued to write, he acknowledged that Adam was not the one who had been deceived by the serpent; Eve was.  Although the women of Ephesus were well educated, the level of superiority that they had over the men would have suffered a major blow as Paul reviewed the activity that had occurred in the garden.  History does not indicate that the Ephesians were teaching that the man was the one deceived, but Paul chose to highlight this bit of information.  The knowledge of this deception would have caused the women to develop a more humbling view of their position as well as the position of the men of Ephesus.

In conclusion, although cultural practices may change over time, the word of God is, has been, and will be a constant in the lives of believers.

   

“1 Timothy 2”

Proper Authority

1 Timothy 2:12

¹² But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

As we study the culture of Ephesus, we notice that the women were dominant in that culture, so it was necessary for Paul to address the position of authority in the church.  He deals with the conflict between their cultural practices and proper order within the church.

Paul gave specific instructions that women should not have authority over men in the church. Ephesus was a city where many women were highly educated and held prominent positions.  Since Ephesus, in many ways, had become a female dominated society, it was important for Paul to ensure that people who were being saved and joining the body of Christ, did not bring their societal worldviews into the church and dilute God’s standard.  When we get saved, we need more than a conversion in our actions; we need a conversion in our thinking. 

There have been many battles and debates over this Scripture within the last one hundred years.  Some believe that women in that culture were restricted from being in leadership positions in the Church because they did not possess enough intellect.  This is an incorrect assumption because many of the women’s education was on par with or exceeded many of the men’s education.  Others believe that the woman’s pastoral restriction do not apply for this present time.  This belief is also incorrect.  Some have decided to redact the second chapter of First Timothy and simply refuse to preach on it.  As believers in Christ, we do not avoid uncomfortable topics in the Bible; we embrace them and study and seek to know what God’s desire is in our individual lives as well as for the body of Christ.   God’s will is expressed in His word. 

Some may wonder, “Why is it necessary for us to follow the strict guidelines of the Bible if it disagrees with our modern way of doing things?”  Here is an example to illustrate why we cannot supersede God’s instructions.  Imagine that you decide to embark on a home improvement project and you decide to have the kitchen painted eggshell white and to have hardwood floors installed in the living room.  After meeting with the painter and selecting the paint of your choice, you go and pick out the floors that you want to be installed.  On the day that the work is to be done, you leave the floor installer and the painter in your house to do their work.  After being gone most of the day, you return home with the image of the completed job in your head, only to discover that the painter decided on his own accord to paint the kitchen burgundy because he feels that a darker color will hide the grease stains better.  While you’re in disbelief over the audacity of the painter to make changes without your consent, you look down and discover that the floor layer decided that it would be much easier and cost effective to lay some sticky back vinyl tiles instead.  Although your instructions were not followed by either worker, both individuals expect to be compensated for their efforts.  The painter tells you about another job that he did for someone else and how they loved the color burgundy.  Although others may have approved of the color that the painter chose, it is unacceptable to you that he would make a change without your approval. 

In like manner, God doesn’t care what the culture views as acceptable; He will only endorse us when we function in the capacity that He designed us to.  He is not impressed because we feel that we have developed a better way of doing things.

In conclusion, the Church has been founded on Christ and built by the prophets and apostles.  God has set the order for His Church and it is designed to function according to God’s will.  His will is found in the pages of His word.  If we believe that we are hearing from God, and the word that we hear conflicts with the written word; the voice that we heard did not come from God.  We can trust the word of God because God is never in opposition with His word.  Nations, cultures, and modern times are not qualified to override anything in the Bible, nor dictate the function of the Church.     

 

 

“1 Timothy 2”

Submissive Instruction

1 Timothy 2:11

¹¹ A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

What does it mean to quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness?  One example of this is with the relationship between a professor and a student.  The student is in a subordinate position to the professor who has been placed in that position by a higher authority.  As the professor teaches the assigned curriculum, the student listens and learns.  The student does not attempt to dictate what the professor teaches or how the professor gives instruction.   

In this verse, is Paul commanding that women should have absolutely nothing to say in the church?  Not at all.  When we approach the scriptures, there are three practices that we need to apply to properly interpret what is written:  1. We need to understand the context of what was written.  2. We need to be familiar with the culture of the people being discussed.  3. We need to be able to cross reference that text with other related text.    

To understand the context of a text, we need to understand how the statement is being used.  If you ever want to get a clear understanding of the importance of context, record yourself reading the Bible, send the recording to a news station, and watch what they do with it.  The media is famous for taking things OUT of context by means of using sound bites.  We run the risk of misunderstanding the Bible or incorrectly teaching when we separate a portion of Scripture from other passages that provide meaning to it.  

It is also important to understand the culture of the time period of the scriptures being read or used because if you don’t, you won’t understand the actions of the people being referenced.  For example, in Abraham’s day, it was acceptable for a wife who was unable to conceive, to allow her husband to impregnate her servant.  In doing so, this allowed the wife to lay claim to the child.  While many today would frown on this type of practice, this early form of surrogacy was acceptable during that time. 

The use of cross reference is also necessary because it allows us, in many cases, to gain a greater understanding of the message that is being conveyed in one passage by referencing another passage of Scripture.  For instance, 1 Timothy 2:12, disqualifies women from teaching men, but in Acts 18:26 the Bible reveals that Priscilla, along with her husband Aquila, gave Apollos a better understanding of the way of God.  Since her name is placed before her husband’s name, it stands to reason that Priscilla may have been the primary teacher in this case.  A more in-depth study of both scriptures allows us to understand that First Timothy 2 is referring to a position of authority in which direction and instruction are given; while Acts 18 is primarily dealing with expounding on Scripture or providing knowledge of a given subject.  

Cross referencing 1 Corinthians 11:5 with 1 Timothy 2:11 allows us to understand that Paul is not restricting women from praying and prophesying publicly.  He presents guidelines for how women are to perform these services. 

As we conclude, the lesson to take away from this verse of Scripture is that order is essential to the success of the Church.  Although societies change over time, the Bible remains constant.  Scripture will always provide us with consistency and stability.  Obedience to the instruction of God’s word gives us a secure foundation even when it conflicts with the cultural norms that we have been taught or have come to embrace.

 

“1 Timothy 2”

 

Hair and Apparel

1 Timothy 2:9-10

⁹ Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel, ¹⁰ but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 

First Timothy is a letter that is addressed to Timothy, who has been left in Ephesus and charged with teaching the Ephesians.  Paul has penned this letter to address issues within the church of Ephesus.  There were cultural practices and teachings that the Ephesians had brought into the church that were foreign to Church culture and needed to be uprooted and eliminated.

In this section of Scripture, Paul begins by addressing the apparel that the women were wearing as well as the hairstyle that they are displaying.  Ephesus, as a city, was known for its devotion to the goddess Artemis.  Artemis was the goddess of childbirth and her worshipers were extremely loyal to her.  It was believed that she would visit good health and illnesses on women and children as punishment for a lack of loyalty.  She was seen as the protector and defender of Ephesus as long as she was present.

Acts 19 reveals that many of the Ephesians were being turned away from the worship of Artemis and accepting Christ because of the gospel that Paul was preaching.  As a result of many of the citizens turning to Christ, businesses that made money from creating silver shrines of Artemis could see the threat of their prosperity diminishing.  When the realization that Artemis could become irrelevant within their culture, some of the people became enraged and began to yell, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”  This caused a lot of confusion and many of the citizens did not know what was going on, but joined into the chaos.  As one of their primary deity, Artemis was considered to have a significant role in the success of the city of Ephesus and the identity of many was tied into her. 

Ephesus contained female-led cults that were dedicated to this goddess and two of the things that were used to display their veneration to her were their apparel and their hairstyles.  Worshipers of Artemis dressed in expensive dresses and were adorned with gold and pearls when they came to worship her.  They would also braid their hair so that it would resemble the hair of the goddess.  It was important for Paul to make the women aware that, while their worship to Artemis was expressed by their extravagant appearance, their worship to God would be demonstrated by their good works.  Paul informed them that their actions would be the evidence of their declaration that they were now godly women.

In conclusion, the women of Ephesus were still displaying certain attributes from their days of worshiping Artemis.  There were certain practices that were acceptable in their former lifestyle that were either not acceptable in their new life with Christ, or no longer necessary to practice.  As in our society, there are practices or beliefs that are acceptable or promoted within the culture, but goes against the standard that we have as believers in Christ.  Our way of living is dictated by the word of God and will, in many cases, clash with societal norms.     

 "1 Timothy 2"

Introduction

1 Timothy 2:11-15

⁹ Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel, ¹⁰ but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 

¹¹ A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. ¹² But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. ¹³ For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. ¹⁴ And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer. ¹⁵ But women will be preserved through childbirth—if they continue in faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation.

In our day, First Timothy 2:12 is probably one of the most controversial scriptures in the Bible.  The reason this Scripture has become so controversial is, the church has dropped God’s standards and adopted the American culture’s standards.  The change in standards has produced two different responses toward this Scripture:  On the one hand, there have been men who have mishandled this Scripture, and have used it as a weapon with the intention of denigrating women.  That is a sin. 

On the other hand, weak men have completely avoided this Scripture for the purpose of avoiding conflict.  That is also a sin.  Titus chapter 1:9 says, “The man of God should hold firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.”

When we value the opinions of people more than we value what God has to say about a particular subject; that is idolatry.  Our personal opinions become subordinate to God’s design when we are teaching the Word of God.  There isn’t any point of view that supersedes the authority of Scripture.  The scriptures were inspired by God and written unapologetically.  In like manner, our teaching should be unapologetic.  The Word is the Word.

 

“Getting Back to Basics”

Attack on the Family

Jeremiah 29:4-6

⁴ “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ⁵ ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶ Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 

In Jeremiah 29, God instructed His people to marry and to reproduce while in captivity.  He also instructed them to find wives for their sons and to give their daughters away in marriage.  He gave this instruction to ensure that their numbers would not diminish while in captivity.  God wanted to make certain that there would be people to recoup when He came to set them free from their captors.  Marriage and reproduction would be the main component to ensure Israel’s success.  Today, however, the value of marriage and producing children has been devalued by many. 

As our nation continues to lower its standards, people increasingly place more value on careers, positions, wealth, and possessions rather than creating a family.  We are warned in 1 Timothy 4 that in the last days, many would be deceived and discourage others from getting married.  Unfortunately, as society is abandoning the institution of marriage, the church is slowly being indoctrinated to adopt this mindset as well.  However, God is still looking for His people to marry and create families because He does not expect our numbers to diminish.

God’s expectation for fathers is to be a tangible representation of God in the home.  When fathers discipline their children, it develops structure in them and provides an understanding that God has also created a standard for us to live by.  When fathers provide for the family, it illustrates that God is not only able to provide but He WILL provide for His children.  As a father protects his family, it establishes the foundation for the trust that is needed to rely on God to protect his own.

When the family is in order, the church will return to order.  When the church returns to order, it has enough power and influence to cause society to function in an orderly manner.  The devil has attacked the family relentlessly because he understands that if the structure of the family is unstable, everything else will become unstable.  God has created husbands, wives and children as a symbol of strength and in order to create destruction in society, the enemy of humanity must destroy the family.  Getting back to basics is essential to restoring order to society.