A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 1 Timothy 2:11-13 (NIV)
Here we have both an affirmation and a prohibition.
The affirmation
A woman should learn… (2:11)
Remember, Paul was writing in a culture where education was designed exclusively for men. So Paul is making a radically countercultural statement. Christian women became students of the Bible in the early church. It was absolutely liberating.
There’s only one way to learn and that is “in quietness and submission.” This is not unique to women. If you are distracted, it is very difficult to learn. Women and men are to be students of God’s Word together, submitting ourselves to the Scriptures with a humble, quiet, and teachable spirit.
The prohibition
I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man (2:12)
Paul is clearly prohibiting something here. What is it?
First, Paul is talking about the church. His words about teaching do not apply to education—a school or a seminary—or to pioneer evangelism. Second, Paul is talking about the church gathered for worship, so his words do not apply to a small group or to a Sunday school class. Third, the context is key. In chapter 2, Paul gives instructions for the public worship of the church. In chapter 3, he gives the qualifications for elders to lead the church.
It seems clear that the prohibition applies to: the teaching of the Word to the congregation gathered for worship, and the authority of the elders over the spiritual life of the church. The reason is not that men can do a better job, but that this was God’s order for creation.
What light does this shed on your understanding of these verses?
