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| 1 Timothy 2:12 |
But I suffer not a woman to teach,
nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in
silence.
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Note:
before doing a study on any
single verse, read all the verses from the beginning
of the chapter to this point and maybe a verse or
two beyond. Do this so you have the verse in context
before you begin.
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Let us begin the second half of 1st Timothy 2
with a reading from the Barclay Commentary.
"The second part of this passage deals with the
place of women in the church. It cannot be read out
of its historical context, for it springs entirely
from the situation in which it was written "It was
written against a Jewish background. No nation ever
gave a bigger place to women in the home and in
family matters than the Jews did; but officially the
position of a woman was very low.
"It was written against a Greek background. The
Greek background made things doubly difficult, as
the place of women in Greek religion was low.
Further, in Greek society there were women whose
whole life consisted in elaborate dressing and
braiding of the hair.
"In any event, there is much on the other side. In
the Genesis story, it was the woman who was created
second and who fell to the seduction of the serpent
tempter; but it was Mary of Nazareth who bore and
who trained the child Jesus; it was Mary of Magdala
who was first to see the risen Lord; it was four
woman who of all the disciples stood by the stake.
Priscilla with her husband Aquila was a valued
teacher in the early church, a teacher who led
Apollos to a knowledge of the truth (Acts 18:26).
Euodia [o'dia] and Synthche
[syn'ca thee], in spite of their quarrel, were
women who laboured in the gospel (Philippians
4:2-3). Philip, the evangelist, had four daughters
who were prophetesses (Acts 21:9). The older women
were to teach [the young women] (Titus 2:3-4). Paul
held Lois and Eunice in the highest honor (2 Timothy
1:5), and there are many women's names held in honor
in Romans 16.
"All the things in this chapter [1 Timothy 2] are
mere temporary regulations to meet a given
situation. If we want Paul's permanent view on this
matter, we get it in Galatians 3:28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for
ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
~ Barclay's
Commentary
It is important here that we understand that none
of this verse or lesson is about putting women down
or making them second class to men. Points to
keep in mind:
1] We are talking about public worship.
2] We are discussing the living metaphor of men and
women and Christ and the church.
3] We are talking about the procedure and conduct of
services before God which set themselves apart from
the worship of pagan idols elsewhere on the earth.
4] that the phrase, "keep silent in church" has a
specific and narrow meaning that has more to do with
decorum than just the subject of women. What
you will see is that women are not necessarily to
keep silent from the moment they arrive at church
until they leave the parking lot after services.
Now to the commentaries:
But I suffer not a woman to
teach - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 14:34.
1
Corinthians 14:34
Let your women keep silence in the
churches: for it is not permitted unto
them to speak; but they are commanded to
be under obedience, as also saith the
law.
Let your women
keep silence ... - This rule is
positive, explicit, and universal. There
is no ambiguity in the expressions; and
there can be no difference of opinion,
one would suppose, in regard to their
meaning. The sense evidently is, that in
all those things which he had specified,
the women were to keep silence; they
were to take no part. He had discoursed
of speaking foreign languages, and of
prophecy; and the evident sense is, that
in regard to all these they were to keep
silence, or were not to engage in them.
These pertained solely to the male
portion of the congregation. These
things constituted the business of the
public teaching; and in this the female
part of the congregation were to be
silent. “They were not to teach the
people, nor were they to interrupt those
who were speaking” - Rosenmuller.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul had argued
against their doing this in a certain
manner - without their veils 1
Corinthians 11:4, and he had shown, that
“on that account,” and “in that manner,”
it was improper for them to assume the
office of public teachers, and to
conduct the devotions of the church. The
force of the argument in 1 Corinthians
11: is, that what he there states would
be a sufficient reason against the
practice, even if there were no other.
It was contrary to all decency and
propriety that they should appear “in
that manner” in public. He here argues
against the practice on every ground;
forbids it altogether; and shows that on
every consideration it was to be
regarded as improper for them even so
much as “to ask a question” in time of
public service. There is, therefore, no
inconsistency between the argument in 1
Corinthians 11: and the statement here;
and the force of the whole is, that “on
every consideration” it was improper,
and to be expressly prohibited, for
women to conduct the devotions of the
church. It does not refer to those only
who claimed to be inspired, but to all;
it does not refer merely to acts of
public preaching, but to all acts of
speaking, or even asking questions, when
the church is assembled for public
worship. No rule in the New Testament is
more positive than this; and however
plausible may be the reasons which may
be urged for disregarding it, and for
suffering women to take part in
conducting public worship, yet the
authority of the apostle Paul is
positive, and his meaning cannot be
mistaken; compare 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
~Barnes Notes
To be under
obedience - To be subject to
their husbands; to acknowledge the
superior authority of the man; see the
note at 1 Corinthians 11:3.
1 Corinthians
11:3
But I would have you know, that the head
of every man is Christ; and the head of
the woman is the man; and the head of
Christ is God.
But I would have
you know - “I invite your
attention particularly to the following
considerations, in order to form a
correct opinion on this subject.” Paul
does not at once answer the inquiry, and
determine what ought to be done; but he
invites their attention to a series of
remarks on the subject, which led them
to draw the conclusion which he wished
to establish. The phrase here is
designed to call the attention to the
subject, like that used so often in the
New Testament, “he that hath ears to
hear, let him hear.”
That the head
... - The word “head,” in the
Scriptures, is designed often to denote
“master, ruler, chief.” The word ro'sh
is often thus used in the Old Testament;
see Numbers 17:3; Numbers 25:15;
Deuteronomy 28:13, Deuteronomy 28:44;
Judges 10:18; Judges 11:8, Judges
11:11; 1 Samuel 15:17; 2 Samuel 22:44.
In the New Testament the word is used in
the sense of Lord, ruler, chief, in
Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 4:15;
Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 2:10. Here it
means that Christ is the ruler,
director, or Lord of the Christian man.
This truth was to
be regarded in all their feelings and
arrangements, and was never to be
forgotten. Every Christian should
recollect the relation in which he
stands to him, as one that is suited to
produce the strictest decorum, and a
steady sense of subordination.
Quoted verses:
Numbers 17:3
And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon
the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be
for the head of the house of their
fathers.
Numbers 25:15
And the name of the Midianitish woman
that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter
of Zur; he was head over a people, and
of a chief house in Midian.
Deuteronomy
28:13
And the LORD shall make thee the head,
and not the tail; and thou shalt be
above only, and thou shalt not be
beneath; if that thou hearken unto the
commandments of the LORD thy God, which
I command thee this day, to observe and
to do them:
Deuteronomy
28:44
He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt
not lend to him: he shall be the head,
and thou shalt be the tail.
Judges 10:18
And the people and princes of Gilead
said one to another, What man is he that
will begin to fight against the children
of Ammon? he shall be head over all the
inhabitants of Gilead.
Judges 11:8
And the elders of Gilead said unto
Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to
thee now, that thou mayest go with us,
and fight against the children of Ammon,
and be our head over all the inhabitants
of Gilead.
Judges 11:11
Then Jephthah went with the elders of
Gilead, and the people made him head and
captain over them: and Jephthah uttered
all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
1 Samuel 15:17
And Samuel said, When thou wast little
in thine own sight, wast thou not made
the head of the tribes of Israel, and
the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
2 Samuel 22:44
Thou also hast delivered me from the
strivings of my people, thou hast kept
me to be head of the heathen: a people
which I knew not shall serve me.
------------------------------
Ephesians 1:22
And hath put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all
things to the church,
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ:
Ephesians 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife,
even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the
body.
Colossians 2:10
And ye are complete in him, which is the
head of all principality and power:
Of every man
- Every Christian. All acknowledge
Christ as their Ruler and Master. They
are subject to him; and in all proper
ways recognize their subordination to
him.
And the head of
the woman is the man - The sense
is, she is subordinate to him, and in
all circumstances - in her demeanor, her
dress, her conversation, in public and
in the family circle - should recognize
her subordination to him. The particular
thing here referred to is, that if the
woman is inspired, and speaks or prays
in public, she should by no means lay
aside the usual and proper symbols of
her subordination. The danger was, that
those who were under the influence of
inspiration would regard themselves as
freed from the necessity of recognizing
that, and would lay aside the “veil,”
the usual and appropriate symbol of
their occupying a rank inferior to the
man. This was often done in the temples
of the pagan deities by the priestesses,
and it would appear also that it had
been done by Christian females in the
churches.
And the head of
Christ is God - Christ, as
Mediator, has consented to assume a
subordinate rank, and to recognize God
the Father as superior in office. Hence,
he was obedient in all things as a Son;
he submitted to the arrangement required
in redemption; he always recognized his
subordinate rank as Mediator, and always
regarded God as the supreme Ruler, even
in the matter of redemption. The sense
is, that Christ, throughout his entire
work, regarded himself as occupying a
subordinate station to the Father; and
that it was proper from his example to
recognize the propriety of rank and
station everywhere.
~Barnes Notes
As also saith the
law - Genesis 3:16, “And thy
desire shall be to thy husband, and he
shall rule over thee.”
Nor to usurp
authority over the man - notes, 1
Corinthians 11:3 [see above].
1 Corinthians
11:3
But I would have you know, that the head
of every man is Christ; and the head of
the woman is the man; and the head of
Christ is God. |
In John Wesley's Explanatory
Notes and for the phrase, "nor to usurp
authority over the man" it simply says, "By
public teaching."
Now notice this from the Matthew Henry's Concise
Commentary:
Commentary for 1 Timothy 2:8-15:
Under the gospel, prayer is not to be confined
to any one particular house of prayer, but men
must pray every where. We must pray in our
closets, pray in our families, pray at our
meals, pray when we are on journeys, and pray in
the solemn assemblies, whether more public or
private. We must pray in charity; without wrath,
or malice, or anger at any person. We must pray
in faith, without doubting, and without
disputing. Women who profess the Christian
religion, must be modest in apparel, not
affecting gaudiness, gaiety, or costliness. Good
works are the best ornament; these are, in the
sight of God, of great price. Modesty and
neatness are more to be consulted in garments
than elegance and fashion. And it would be well
if the professors of serious godliness were
wholly free from vanity in dress. They should
spend more time and money in relieving the sick
and distressed, than in decorating themselves
and their children. To do this in a manner
unsuitable to their rank in life, and their
profession of godliness, is sinful. These are
not trifles, but Divine commands. The best
ornaments for professors of godliness, are good
works. According to Paul, women are not
allowed to be public teachers in the church; for
teaching is an office of authority. But good
women may and ought to teach their children at
home the principles of true religion. Also,
women must not think themselves excused from
learning what is necessary to salvation, though
they must not usurp authority. As woman was last
in the creation, which is one reason for her
subjection, so she was first in the
transgression. But there is a word of comfort;
that those who continue in sobriety, shall be
saved in child-bearing, or with child-bearing,
by the Messiah, who was born of a woman. And the
especial sorrow to which the female sex is
subject, should cause men to exercise their
authority with much gentleness, tenderness, and
affection. ~Matthew
Henry's Concise Commentary
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