“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.