A Woman's Role

I Timothy 2: 9-15

Paul is giving Timothy guidelines for how he is to pastor this congregation in Ephesus, and now he's tackling the thorny subject of women.

(9) Likewise

This refers to the last section on public prayer, that applies equally to both men and women.

I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,

In addition, he is concerned about the way some of the Christian women were displaying their bodies. He tells them to consider what they're wearing, that their clothing would not draw attention to their female attributes, as a street-walker would. The purpose of clothing is to cover, not display (Genesis 3: 7, 21).

(10) but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

Instead of accentuating their bodies, as women claiming to be Christians, the focus should be on the practical acts that display the spiritual fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23).

(11) A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

Paul tells the Corinthian church that the women should not interrupt the service, but if they have questions they are to ask their husbands at home, listening to them rather than arguing with them. It looks like he is giving the same advice to Timothy here, "as in all the churches" (I Corinthians 7: 17; 14: 33; 16: 1; II Corinthians 11: 28).

When Paul writes, he is writing for "all the churches" of all time; in other words, the Universal Church. That's why God put these of his letters into Holy Scripture. Not all of his letters have this honor, but these do.

We need to take care that we are not offended by God's order of authority, because our culture grants "more" freedom than Paul seems to be giving here.

(12) But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

Here he is again, "putting down" women. But is he really? Paul's understanding of God's order of authority should be taken seriously by the churches today. He is not saying that a woman is inferior to a man in any way, but she is part of God's creation, and He is a God of order.

Some may accuse me, a woman, of violating this rule with this very blog. My defense is that I have been deprived of my own husband, who I did sit under before he died, and I am merely sharing what God has been teaching me. If there is a man who has put himself as sitting at my feet as his teacher, that is not my intent. I would rather he take what I have written and do his own research, as I claim no authority in myself, only what the Spirit is teaching me.

(13) For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.

(14) And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression.

Now Paul is looking at the order of creation and the Fall for authority in what he is commanding.

We read that the Lord God created Adam directly from the dust of the Earth and Eve from Adam's rib. And we notice that God gave his command to Adam, who then relayed it, second-hand to Eve.

That made Eve more susceptible to the serpent's guile. She didn't know what a lie was, and when she ate, she thought she was doing a good thing. If she could know for herself, she wouldn't have to "bother" God or anyone else.

We are not told why Adam ate. There is speculation, but there is no doubt he ate in full awareness of disobeying God's direct command.

So, Eve became a sinner, committing a personal sin. Adam's eating changed his DNA, to pass on this damaged gene to all of his progeny, the whole human race. This is what we call "original sin," or "the sinful nature," or "sinful flesh." Sin is "missing the mark" in not being perfect, and this broken DNA causes us all to have a bent toward sin.

That's why God told Eve that "her seed" would bring forth the Savior. We know enough about genetic traits to understand how some genes are passed by the father and other genes are passed by the mother, with the rest of the genes passed on by both. We get that damaged "sin gene" from our fathers. (Mary didn't have to be "sinless" to bear Jesus without sin, His father was God.)

(15) But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

So, Paul's conclusion is that a woman's most noble role is to bear and raise the next generation of children. It has always been the wife and mother who sets the tone of family life in the home, and our children are our most precious resource, who will "carry the torch" after us in their segment of the "relay of life" in this world.

The word preserved is sozo, "saved," and is used throughout the New Testament for both physical and spiritual healing and salvation. Paul is saying here that a woman who is under the authority of her husband as well as, with everyone else, under her pastor, will tend to have good physical and psychological and mental and spiritual health. And we all are to "be subject to one another in the fear of Christ" (Ephesians 5: 21), so he's not "picking on" the feminine gender.

Paul was given authority by God to relay Divine standards to all of God's people who will need that guidance throughout the whole Church Age. We do well to pay attention to these standards, and not chafe against them because our culture does not understand them.

O my Father, please help us to understand Your order in everything You made. Your purposes for all of Your creation will be fulfilled, and You will reward us for promoting Your ways, both in Your church and in this world.

My Father, use us to demonstrate Your great love for all of us in showing how Your order brings peace and sweet fellowship to all of our relationships with one another.

O Father, send us out as Your messengers and missionaries to share Your great love with every living person in the world. Help everyone to have the awareness of You and Your ways to make informed choices when deciding the events of their lives, and to seek You for all the answers. Let them know that You are their Source of everything they need.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!