1 Tim. 2:11-14 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
God created both men and woman. He designed them both with honor and dignity (Psa. 8:1-9). They each have worth, value, and are respected by God their creator. However, by God’s own design they also have differing roles which glorify Him.
Male and females having different roles is biblical. While each is fully God, even the three member of the Trinity have differing roles. For instance, the Father ordained salvation, the Son went to the cross so his people would be saved, and the Holy Spirit applies salvation to His elect. Different roles, but still fully God. Likewise males and females each have different roles, however they are still each “one” in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28). So, men and women should treat each other as biblical equals but with differing roles.
In 1 Timothy 2:8 Paul first begins to inform us how men should behave. Paul then precedes to inform us how women should behave (1 Tim. 2:9-15). Then in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 he adds some other godly qualifications for men who seek to be an elder or deacon, most which should also be sought even by those not desiring office (i.e. the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, etc.). So, it seems that Paul is equally concerned about how both men and women should live.
In 1 Timothy 2:12, Paul forbids women from doing two very distinct but related things. Within the confines of church activity: (1) they may not teach the Bible to men and (2) they may not exercise authority over men. The context includes not only church worship (1 Tim. 3:15) but Bible Studies, Sunday School, etc. where there are men present as well. [1]
These facts are re-emphasized in the chiastic structure [2] observed in 1 Tim. 2:11-12.
A. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness (1 Tim 2:11)
B. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man (1 Tim 2:11a)
A’. rather, she is to remain quiet (1 Tim. 2:11b)
Notice that Paul’s two commands (B above) are sandwiched between A. and A’. Note that the word “quiet” [GK. hésuchia] is used twice for emphasis. Paul comments on a godly woman’s attitude as well, that being “with all submissiveness” (cf. Gen. 3:16). This is one of the roles a woman engages in to honor God.
This is similar to Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 which states:
the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
Paul limits several groups in the Corinthian worship setting – not just the activity of women (“keep silent,” 1 Cor. 14:28, 30, 34). He states that this specific command is established by “the Law” – that is the creation order established by the Trinity found in Genesis 2:18-24 where Adam was created first and then his helpmate, Eve.
It’s important to note that Paul does not prohibit women from teaching males in every situation. Women may biblically teach other women (Tit. 2:3-8), children (2 Tim. 1:5), and even evangelize men (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 8:4; 18:25-26). They may also speak at appropriate times, such as in prayer (cf. Acts 2:17; 1 Cor. 11:5).
Under the authority of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Pet. 1:21) the apostle gives two reasons for his commands in 1 Timothy 2:11; (1) the creation order and (2) the fact that Eve was deceived. As to the first, it wasn’t a cultural thing that Paul used to ground his divine commands. It wasn’t something unique that was happening at Ephesus. Paul grounded his argument in the creation order itself.
Paul states, “Adam was formed first, then Eve” (1 Tim. 2:13). In molding the first couple (cf. Rom. 9:20), God formed Adam first and then afterwards Eve. The Creator made Eve for the sake of Adam, that is to be his helpmate (Gen. 2:18-25) and his glory (1 Cor. 11:7-9, 11). Adam was made the head of his wife Eve (Gen. 2:18-24) and even today the husband is the head of his wife (Eph. 5:22-24), not only at home but in the Church as well (1 Cor. 14:34-35).
God said to Eve in Genesis 3:16, “… Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” In this way she may be considered a “weaker vessel” – in that she should be submissive to her husband (cf. 1 Pet. 3:7). [4] Biblically men were created to lead (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3, 8-9) and women to follow. All the covenant heads were male, the 12 tribes were named after men, the kings of Israel were all male, the 12 apostles were all men, etc. So, by God’s design leading His church is part of a godly man’s role. No one should attempt to usurp God’s given order.
As to the second, Paul says, “Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor” (1 Tim. 2:14). Paul’s argument concerns Eve’s being deceived in the Garden where the first sin took place (Gen. 3:1-6). Eve fell when she: (1) ignored her ruling position over the serpent (Gen. 1:26); (2) instead of remaining submissive to God she desired to be “like God” (Gen. 3:5); and (3) because Adam followed and did not take his rightful position as leader, Eve decided to lead (Gen. 3:6, “she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate”). Instead of following in the path of righteousness, Eve led in the way of sin and became a transgressor. Eve, not Adam, was deceived.
This said, men may be deceived as well. In context, Paul even mentions three male false teachers (Hymenaeus and Alexander [1 Tim. 1:19-20] and Philetus [2 Tim. 2:17-18]). All that’s meant by Paul’s statement is that Eve was deceived in original sin.
Some Unclear Texts Explained
Some biblical texts may seem at first glance to challenge the biblical interpretation above. For example: Miriam (Exod. 15:20); Deborah (Judg. 4-5); Priscilla (Acts 18:26); Phoebe (Rom. 16:1); and prophetesses in general. But Scripture agrees with Scripture. If anything the examples just mentioned highlight the truths of Paul’s commands.
Miriam
Miriam was prophetess. At the Red Sea she echoed Moses song and she sang and danced with other women – not men (Exod. 15:20-21). However, later we read in Numbers 12:1-9 that Miriam and her brother Aaron complained that they didn’t have the same prophetic relationship with God that Moses did. Moses had a “mouth to mouth” relationship with God and even saw His form (Num. 12:7-8) while Miriam had only visions and dreams as God ordained (Num. 12:6). Though Aaron’s and Miriam’s sin were similar only Miriam was struck with leprosy. Isn’t this strange? Not really.
In the Hebrew text, it is clear that Miriam was the instigator of the rebellion. Her name is mentioned first in Numbers 12:1 and the word “spoke” is feminine. [5] Moses had a different calling, that is a different role, than Miriam. At this point in redemptive history, Moses was the covenant head and leader of God’s people. So, God directed His righteous anger towards Miriam because she was attempting to take to herself a role that wasn't hers. Similar to Eve she was seeking to lead and not follow.
Deborah
Deborah appears in a unique period of redemptive history. Some context helps us understand how she became a judge. In the book of Judges, we observe a repeated cycle:
1. Israel fell into sin.
2. Israel would be overwhelmed by her enemies.
3. Then Israel would repent.
4. So, God would raise up a judge who brought Israel deliverance.
Israel repeated this cycle numerous times (Judg. 2:11-19). The normal way for God to select a judge is that He would “raise up” one. We observe this in numerous texts:
Judges 2:16 Then the Lord raised up judges…
Judges 2:18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them …
Judges 3:9 the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel …
Judges 3:15 the Lord raised up for them a deliverer …
Though such phrases aren’t used of Deborah we can be sure that she was called by God (Judg. 4:4-5). She was a judge over Israel; that is more or less a magistrate, handing down legal decisions.
Judges 4:5 states, “… the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.” Why did Israel go to a prophetess instead of the priest? The fact that the Israelites didn’t go to the priest may because they were corrupt (cf. 1 Sam. 2:11-12, see Daniel Block’s commentary on Judges, pgs. 229-253). Additionally, Judges 4 makes it clear that the men at that time failed to lead. They were more or less followers. This is demonstrated in our text by the person of Barak. He had been commanded by God to lead Israel’s army against Sisera and his army (Judg. 4:6-7). He was guaranteed victory! However, he refused to lead unless Deborah went with him (Judg. 4:8). She indeed did accompany Barak, but rebuked him for not taking his proper position as leader saying, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (Judg. 4:9). Indeed, Sisera did die at the hands of a woman (Judg. 4:21-22). So, Barak’s actions speaks to the fact that men were not following God’s creative order of leadership.
When men won’t preform their godly roles, God may divinely intervene and call whom or whatever he wills (cf. Matt. 3:9; Luke 19:39-40). “God, in his ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure.” WCF 5.3.
Priscilla
In Acts 18:24-28, we observe that Priscilla and Aquilla are said to have “explained” to Apollos “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). First, the text informs us that Apollos didn’t fully understand some of the gospel (“he knew only the baptism of John”). So, Priscilla and Aquilla had a private (“they took him aside”) – not public – conversation with Apollos. They introduced him to some more of the gospel – to Jesus (Acts 4:12). So, in essence Priscilla and Aquilla biblically evangelized Apollos. This is what all saints should do (cf. Matt. 28:18-20).
Phoebe and other helpers in the Church
Paul commends many individuals – including women – in his thirteen letters. For instance, in Philippians 4:2-3 he commends two women named Euodia and Syntyche. Paul doesn’t commend these faithful workers for holding an office, but rather as being “fellow workers” in that they that “labored side by side” with him. Absolutely nothing is said of them teaching or ruling over male members of any church.
Phoebe is mentioned in Romans 16:1. She is called a “servant” or in Greek diakonos. This Greek word is also translated as “deacon” in some texts. So, some assert the Phoebe was a deaconess. But was she?
The Greek word diakonos is masculine – not diakonia, which would be feminine. It was used in general by the church to mean “servant.” It was used of the servants that drew the water that Jesus shortly thereafter turned into wine (John 2:5). Paul uses the same term in Romans 13:4 (twice) of secular government. Of the twenty-nine times diakonos is used in the N.T. it is only translated five times as deacon (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 10, 12, 13). The Bible’s normal usage aside, Phoebe – a female – wasn’t qualified to be a deacon as she doesn’t meet the biblical qualifications given by the Holy Spirit and written by Paul himself (see, 1 Tim. 3:11, 12). If Phoebe was a deaconess, why would Paul by the Spirit later write [6], “Let deacons each be the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:12; cf. 1 Tim. 3:11)?
Prophetesses
Prophetesses are mentioned throughout Scripture. For instance: Miriam (Exod. 15:20); Hulda (2 Kings 22:11); Isaiah’s wife (Isa. 8:3); Anna (Luke 2:36); Phillip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9); those women that prayed and prophesied at Corinth (1 Cor. 11:5). This is simply a non-teaching office that the Lord ordained early in the life of the church. Such prophecy isn’t necessarily teaching. [7] Since Paul himself wrote 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy he is either disagreeing with himself and more importantly the Holy Spirit who inspired both books or Prophetesses didn’t teach or have authority over men.
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