1 Timothy 2:8-15
The topic of women's role in ministry is one that is highly debated today. Paul takes this issue head on when writing to Timothy and since this is the Word of God, we must take this issue head on also.
Paul starts off this section by dealing with men. He commands men to pray but he specifies how they are to do so. First they are to do so with holy hands. Paul does not use the usual word for holy here. The word "hagios" is usually used for "holy" in the New Testament. It speaks of the utter separateness of God from sin. Instead, Paul used the word "hosios" which denotes more of being "devout, pious, pleasing to God, holy" (BDAG) Paul also talked about them lifting their hands. This was a popular posture for prayer and the time and should not be taken as a prescription for body posture during prayer. The Bible portrays other postures for prayer. The emphasis is on one being ready to come before God. In all of this, they were not to quarrel with one another while they were praying. It is not probable that Paul was saying it was alright for them to quarrel at other times. This is something they should get right before worship.
Next, Paul moves to the topic of women in worship in the church. There is some ambiguity here. In the last verse Paul used the word for "men" exclusively, not for mankind. Does this mean that only men are allowed to pray in the worship service? The ambiguity lies in the word "likewise." Does this mean that Paul is likewise delivering another command to women, or is he addressing how they should likewise pray? I don't think that Paul is saying here that women can not pray in public. Paul addresses women praying in 1 Cor. 11:2ff. He says that they are to pray with a head covering which later he equates with hair. This was a sign of her submission, but yet she was allowed to pray. (There is a whole lot going on in that passage but I'm not going to get into it here.)
Paul instructed women, specifically, here on the topic of apparel worn in worship. Basically, he tells them that it should be respectable, show self-control, and show modesty. It should not be something showy. Paul names braided hair, gold, pearls, and costly attire. These things are not wrong in themselves. It seems that women were dressing to impress others with themselves rather than their God. Paul was not necessarily speaking out against dressing up, but against attention seeking which is why he said her beauty was to come from her good works which pointed to God. Paul was speaking of extremes here which even the secular writers of the time frowned upon. Paul did not want them to distract from the real reason they were there, which was to worship the holy God.
Paul moved from dress to the issue of authority. He states that women were to learn quietly. This does not mean silently. Basically, her demeanor was to show submission. Paul did not permit women to teach men or to exercise authority over a man. Therefore, a woman was not allowed to serve the church as a pastor. A woman could teach, and was encouraged to, just not men in the public worship service where this would be authoritative teaching. Paul, in his letter to Titus, tells the older women to teach the younger women. Timothy's mother and grandmother both taught him about God from a young age. Priscilla taught Appolos, along with her husband, what Christianity was all about since he only knew about John the Baptist. Paul was not saying that women were too dumb to teach, he was speaking about God's created order.
Paul supports his position from Scripture. He bases this on the creation and fall narratives given in Genesis 2-3. First of all, Adam was created first and functioned as the head of the human race. When Eve sinned, she not only disobeyed God's command regarding eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, she stepped out of the given order of Creation. It was she that gave her husband the fruit to eat. When God confronted them in the Garden, He said, among other things, that Adam had listened to his wife in this matter. Adam was to be the leader and he abrogated that responsibility. Adam fell with his eyes wide open. Eve was deceived by Satan into eating. Adam chose to do so. Again, this isn't saying that women are stupid, but just following the narrative as it happened.
Next Paul gives us a very difficult verse to interpret. What does he mean that women will be saved through childbearing. We know that Paul is not saying that a women is saved because she has a baby. That would contradict other Scripture. There are several solutions given, but the one that makes most sense to me is that Paul was speaking of one specific birth. This would then be an allusion to Gen. 3:15 and Gal. 4:4. God's Son came into the world by means of a birth. It is only by faith in this Child that anyone can be saved. Paul makes this clear at the end of the sentence when he mentions that she must continue in faith, love, holiness, and self-control. These are evidences that she is saved.
How then does this apply to us? We must remember to function in the role which God has given us. We must remember to honor God with how we pray, both in dress and attitude. Worship of God is very important and we must make sure we are in sync with how God wants us to worship Him.
Until next time. . .
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