Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | 1 Timothy 2:11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Timothy 2:11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with all submissiveness. |
Bible Question (short): WOMEN IN MINISTRY - PART 2 |
Question (full): WHAT WAS PAUL REALLY SAYING? In giving Timothy the admonition that we read in most of today's Bible translations, "...let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression..." what was it that Paul was really saying? We must remember that Paul was writing to Timothy in Ephesus. Given the common rules of interpretation, recognizing that this letter was written specifically to address the conditions in Ephesus is crucial to our correct understanding of this passage. For the most part, the translators ignored the cultural context of this letter. In this letter, Paul was speaking specifically to the false doctrine, the heresy that said the woman was the possessor of special knowledge that she received from the serpent and that she was the originator of the race. Paul was not saying that women "could never teach," or that he never permitted a woman to teach. Paul was saying, in the verb used, "ouk epitrepo," -- that what was really said was "I am not permitting, for this place, time, and circumstance." The verb used here emphasized the temporary nature of this particular instruction, the present active grammatical tense which indicates a "now" thing, or "at this time." Having come against the gnostic teaching and the "false doctrine" of Eve being the progenitor of the race, Paul was now instructing Timothy to not let the women teach "at this time," the heresy that was proliferating in Ephesus. They also were not to argue genealogies (1:4) or bring confusion based on their misunderstandings. A more accurate rendering of the New Testament Greek is in this passage -- "...Let a woman quietly learn, without interruptions and questions. Presently I am not permitting (present tense for that situation only) a woman to teach or proclaim themselves to be the originator (gk. authenteo) of man, but to be reverent and peaceful, coming into agreement with Scripture." The verse following confirms this. Why else would Paul even mention Adam and Eve in the context of this admonition to Timothy if his intention was simply to prohibit women from teaching? This following verse blew away the heresy that was being perpetuated in Ephesus. Continuing in vss. 13 and 14, Paul writes, "...For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression." Paul says Adam was formed first, then Eve. This statement comes against all the false doctrine that was present in Ephesus at the time. And he goes on to say that Eve was deceived, which comes against the Gnostic doctrine that Eve was the illuminator, the teacher of new revelation. In just two short statements, Paul literally pulled down the stronghold of Gnosticism in Ephesus. This translation, interpretation, and understanding, fits the context, is true to the Greek, it speaks to the situation, and it lines up perfectly with all of Paul's other teachings and his practice concerning women. Paul worked and traveled with Priscilla and Aquila. It was Priscilla who trained Apollos "in the Word of God more accurately." (Obviously she taught!) He also commends a woman in Romans chapter 16 as "a minister of the Gospel." She held the same position as Stephen the martyr and Philip the Evangelist -- she was an overseer. Paul also speaks of a woman in Romans 16:7 who is an apostle. He also mentions Mary, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis, all co-laborers in the Gospel. He closed this book by greeting twenty-eight different persons, ten of whom were women. Many women were also house church leaders, including Chloe, Lydia, Nympha, and Priscilla. Paul was the one who broke the Rabbinic tradition in which he himself was raised, and declared that women are to learn the Word of God, just like men, with humility of heart in full submission to the Truth of Jesus Christ. Paul was looking for women who would teach the truth, not the false doctrine of men and demons.Did He not send Moses, Aaron -- Miriam to be your leaders? Barak dared not meet the enemy unless Deborah led the van. The Lord raised up men, women, and children of His own choosing -- Hannah, Hulda, Phoebe, Narcissus, Tryphena, Persis, Julia, the Marys and the sisters who co-labored with Paul. Is it less becoming for women to labor in Christ's kingdom and vineyard now than it was then?" (From "Can Women Teach" by Bill and Barbara Cassada of Lion's Heart Ministries) |