1 Timothy 2:11-15 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Timothy 2:11-15, which read,
We start with context of God's plan from creation. God first created man and then He created woman. Paul speaks of that in verse 13 of this passage. God brings that order into the relationship between the two in the scope of marriage. He also extends that order when speaking of Christ as the groom and the church being the bride. Christ is the head of the church as the husband is to be like Christ and be the head of the family. Now we are in the context of the local church as Paul writes to Timothy as he leads the church in Ephesus. God's consistent order is being played out within the structure of the church.
The men are spoken of first to be men of prayer, worship, and confession. The men are to lead in these areas. Likewise, the women are to follow suit with holy living seen through what is within rather than external adornments to draw attention to themselves rather than God above. Paul continues on with instruction on this order of God within the local church.
v.11 - A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.
This verse and the following have brought about a lot of discussion, sometimes very heated discussions. In the context of the local church where the men are leading in the areas of prayer, worship, and confession resulting in holy leadership, the women are to receive instruction.
In a time when women did not have the opportunity to receive religious instruction, this was revolutionary. Paul is saying to Timothy to make sure the women get instruction just as the men are. They are not to be excluded but included. As the local assembly gathers, the women are included under the leadership of these men following God's practices. They are to do this quietly and with entire submissiveness. They put themselves voluntarily under the leadership of another to hear instruction from God's Word.
v.12 - But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
In the context of the local church, Paul gives Timothy the instruction to have the men lead in spiritual leadership. Paul upholds that order that God has set up all through the Bible to be played out in the church. He does not go against that order and structures the churches he has started to have male spiritual leadership with women giving a supporting role just as in creation. This is God's ideal.
The woman is not to desire to be the teacher of men or the desire to exercise authority over men because her desire should be that the men of the church fulfill their God given responsibilities within the home and within the local church. She follows this practice with a quiet life that focuses more on bringing attention to God rather than herself.
v.13, 14 - For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
Paul states God's order, Adam first and then Eve. Adam was given headship, the lead position. In the fall, it was not Adam who was deceived but Eve. The focus for me is that Adam didn't fulfill his spiritual leadership to protect and instruct Eve in that situation. Eve didn't speak to Adam as her earthly spiritual leader to know what do with the temptation of the serpent, Satan, in the garden. Adam, instead of showing spiritual leadership, sat back and watched it all happen and then participated in the deception. The result was the fall of man into sin. Many things went wrong here.
v.15 - But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
Women in this submissive role to godly male leadership are not unimportant in what they do. They have such an influence over the children that they bear and also the children of the church. They have played a significant role in my life through my mother, to my wife, and the women Sunday school teachers I had growing up. That one act of Eve being deceived by Satan did not negate their role to give spiritual instruction in a very significant way in the life of the home and the church.
We start with context of God's plan from creation. God first created man and then He created woman. Paul speaks of that in verse 13 of this passage. God brings that order into the relationship between the two in the scope of marriage. He also extends that order when speaking of Christ as the groom and the church being the bride. Christ is the head of the church as the husband is to be like Christ and be the head of the family. Now we are in the context of the local church as Paul writes to Timothy as he leads the church in Ephesus. God's consistent order is being played out within the structure of the church.
The men are spoken of first to be men of prayer, worship, and confession. The men are to lead in these areas. Likewise, the women are to follow suit with holy living seen through what is within rather than external adornments to draw attention to themselves rather than God above. Paul continues on with instruction on this order of God within the local church.
v.11 - A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.
This verse and the following have brought about a lot of discussion, sometimes very heated discussions. In the context of the local church where the men are leading in the areas of prayer, worship, and confession resulting in holy leadership, the women are to receive instruction.
In a time when women did not have the opportunity to receive religious instruction, this was revolutionary. Paul is saying to Timothy to make sure the women get instruction just as the men are. They are not to be excluded but included. As the local assembly gathers, the women are included under the leadership of these men following God's practices. They are to do this quietly and with entire submissiveness. They put themselves voluntarily under the leadership of another to hear instruction from God's Word.
v.12 - But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
In the context of the local church, Paul gives Timothy the instruction to have the men lead in spiritual leadership. Paul upholds that order that God has set up all through the Bible to be played out in the church. He does not go against that order and structures the churches he has started to have male spiritual leadership with women giving a supporting role just as in creation. This is God's ideal.
The woman is not to desire to be the teacher of men or the desire to exercise authority over men because her desire should be that the men of the church fulfill their God given responsibilities within the home and within the local church. She follows this practice with a quiet life that focuses more on bringing attention to God rather than herself.
v.13, 14 - For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
Paul states God's order, Adam first and then Eve. Adam was given headship, the lead position. In the fall, it was not Adam who was deceived but Eve. The focus for me is that Adam didn't fulfill his spiritual leadership to protect and instruct Eve in that situation. Eve didn't speak to Adam as her earthly spiritual leader to know what do with the temptation of the serpent, Satan, in the garden. Adam, instead of showing spiritual leadership, sat back and watched it all happen and then participated in the deception. The result was the fall of man into sin. Many things went wrong here.
v.15 - But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
Women in this submissive role to godly male leadership are not unimportant in what they do. They have such an influence over the children that they bear and also the children of the church. They have played a significant role in my life through my mother, to my wife, and the women Sunday school teachers I had growing up. That one act of Eve being deceived by Satan did not negate their role to give spiritual instruction in a very significant way in the life of the home and the church.
As
women of faith continue in a life of faith, a life of love, and a life
of sanctity of God's order, they will rescue many children from the
snare of the devil who is roaring about our homes and churches. God's
order, when played out, shows a church where the men are lifting up holy
hands and the women are supporting their spiritual efforts with raising
children to love the God that is being displayed by their fathers.
This is God's ideal. This is God's order. Has it always been followed? The answer is no. Some situations, their has been no godly male leadership. The men have set back in their spiritual responsibilities of spiritual leadership in the home and in the church. Do we throw out God's order and ideal just because we have times when it has not been followed or do we strive to see it fulfilled as it is written? I choose to strive for God's ideal. I strive to see churches where the men are truly fulfilling their God given roles so that the women can fulfill theirs that bring up another generation of men and women who love the God who gave us Jesus.
This is why I believe that in the context of the local church the men are to have the head leadership role in the church following Christ's example as the head of the church, His bride. It is in no way a power play or male chauvinist move but just a following of Scripture that is challenging no matter what era we live in. Each role, the male's and the female's within the local church, is a role of humility to follow God's orders of how we are to be in the glorifying of Him. Let's pray.
"Lord, help us to understand Your order and why You set it up this way throughout the Bible. Help us to better understand our roles within the family and the church. Help us to inspire to see our church fulfill these roles in humility but also with the depth of what You are requiring of us in our respective roles. Am I a man of God who lifts up holy hands in prayer? Am I a woman of God who supports God's order with instruction and lived out faith, love, and sanctity? Thank You for giving clarity of how we are to be within the local church and our homes. Amen."
Pastor Adam
This is God's ideal. This is God's order. Has it always been followed? The answer is no. Some situations, their has been no godly male leadership. The men have set back in their spiritual responsibilities of spiritual leadership in the home and in the church. Do we throw out God's order and ideal just because we have times when it has not been followed or do we strive to see it fulfilled as it is written? I choose to strive for God's ideal. I strive to see churches where the men are truly fulfilling their God given roles so that the women can fulfill theirs that bring up another generation of men and women who love the God who gave us Jesus.
This is why I believe that in the context of the local church the men are to have the head leadership role in the church following Christ's example as the head of the church, His bride. It is in no way a power play or male chauvinist move but just a following of Scripture that is challenging no matter what era we live in. Each role, the male's and the female's within the local church, is a role of humility to follow God's orders of how we are to be in the glorifying of Him. Let's pray.
"Lord, help us to understand Your order and why You set it up this way throughout the Bible. Help us to better understand our roles within the family and the church. Help us to inspire to see our church fulfill these roles in humility but also with the depth of what You are requiring of us in our respective roles. Am I a man of God who lifts up holy hands in prayer? Am I a woman of God who supports God's order with instruction and lived out faith, love, and sanctity? Thank You for giving clarity of how we are to be within the local church and our homes. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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