1 Timothy 2:8–15 (ESV)
8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
Let’s be honest—this is one of those passages that often sparks emotional responses from people. At its heart, this is great instruction from Paul to Timothy. Paul is helping Timothy to keep the focus on Christ alone and the things that are to be done in worship.
However, these instructions must be understood in their context if we are to correctly understand this passage and move beyond an emotional response as we sit here in the 21st Century.
Let me start by saying that in a devotional like this, it’s impossible to take the time to walk through all the issues and questions that are raised for us, and even then, it would be best if we could sit down together and have a conversation together so that we understand each other and don’t give into emotionalism or read with a negative presumption.
The core focus of this passage centers on instructions concerning worship. Verse 8 begins I desire then… The "then" in the passage draws our attention to what Paul just wrote in verses 1-7. In sum, verses 1-7 were focused on the Gospel and the desire of Paul for the Gospel to flourish in every circumstance.
Timothy is currently in Ephesus, and the circumstances that Timothy faced in Ephesus were difficult. There were problems in the church in Ephesus, and Timothy was sent there to help guide the church. People were doing whatever they felt like doing in worship. Specifically, there were false teachers leading some women astray. That’s why there are instructions to women in verses 11-15.
However, if you’re like me, then you are probably challenged by what you read in verse 12. I don’t want to avoid the conversation, but I also don’t want to dive into the weeds of what we find in this verse. Please allow me to explain my position briefly. The prohibition placed on women in this context is not something that is repeated elsewhere in Scripture. In addition, the Greek word that we translate as our common English word of “authority” is only used this one time in all of the New Testament, and it’s rarely used outside the Bible. The word is so rare that it has a special meaning which is lost to us; however, the most recent scholarship translates the meaning as “dominance.” So, Paul’s instruction is not to permit a woman to have dominance over a man—something that was common practice with the temple prostitutes in the temple of Artemis. The good news is that the gospel has spread to the temple of Artemis, and many are coming to faith in Christ. The additional good news is that many of these new believers are joining the faith community at Ephesus. The difficult bit is that they are bringing their old baggage and practices with them.
Here's the thing as it relates to Paul’s instruction. One can’t point to this passage and say that women need to submit and can’t have authority over or are not allowed to lead or teach men. There is something more here. The cultural context of the church in Ephesus at this time needs to be taken into consideration, as does the rest of Scripture as a whole, starting with Genesis and moving forward, if we are to understand this passage fully. I believe this passage fits a unique situation that Paul is addressing with Timothy and is not a generalization for the entire church and worship.
If you would like further reading on the subject of women in biblical leadership, I can certainly provide you with excellent papers from NT Wright and Ken Baily, just to name a few, who have helped change my mind on the subject.
But let’s bring the conversation back to the question of how we are challenged in our own walk with the Lord in this passage. I invite you to take a deep breath and look at the larger picture with me.
In the larger picture of the context in Ephesus, Paul is giving instructions on worship regarding prayer, dress, appearance, and focus. Men need to be devoted to prayer and not given to anger or quarreling. Women should not focus on outward appearances but adorn themselves with good works, which was the way people talked about the social obligation to use their time and resources to bless people less fortunate than themselves.
The point is, we need to make sure that our worship is focused on Christ alone and nothing more. It must be about Jesus. If not, it becomes something about us and our desires and agendas rather than Jesus.
Can you guess the two places where we most tend to lose our focus in worship? Hint: they’re things that we complain about the most after a worship service if things are not what we want (please note the phrase what we want).
When you come to worship with other believers, (by the way, worship is something that we do all the time everywhere. Our lives are to be an act of worship) remember your focus, Christ alone.
God bless you, and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott