Reflections on 1 Timothy 2:11-12

Ooh. The hard part. "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." (1 Timothy 2:11-12).

First of all, Paul is speaking to Timothy in the context of a church setting. While I believe that a woman's attitude in her general life should model what she is commanded in the church, the context here is the church. However, there are definitely some principles that are applicable to all of life.

Also, the one imperative in this group of verses is that a woman should learn. It's a third person imperative in the Greek, so it carries a strong force with it. And again, this was counter-cultural for the day. It was not wrong for women to learn. That's good news for a gal pursuing a PhD in New Testament!

But, the manner in which we learn as women is important: "quietly with all submissiveness." Quiet does not mean silent. The Greek word here is an unusual word hesuchios which means "quiet or still" It refers to an inner attitude of quiet and calmness in which you don't react to what someone is saying. It comes from a combination of two words that mean "keeping one's seat" and undisturbed or undisturbing.

"With all submissiveness" refers to obedience and knowing when to speak and when not to speak. Ultimately we are in submission to God, trusting that he is in control. Coming back from the previous post, remember that the woman trusts her God. Therefore, she does not have to jump up from her seat immediately when a man says something that she doesn't like. She does not have to respond in anger or frustration or control when those to whom she is submitting are not doing what they need to be doing. Yes, there is a time and a place for humble and gentle correction, but I think as women so often we are quick to respond in the moment. No one is doing anything, so I'll step up and do it, even if it's not mine to do. We want to see God's glory proclaimed to the world, but we'd rather do it our way.

We went to see the movie Courageous recently, and we were commenting on the end where the main character is making an appeal to the men to stand up. My friend mentioned that the sequel to Courageous should be called Submission with the question "Where are you women of submission?   Stand up...No... Sit down!" It made me laugh, but seriously, as women, we are so eager and ready to respond and do whatever we think is necessary, that in many ways, we may be taking over what God has rightly given the man to do. Instead of responding to the situation in the moment, shouldn't we rather seek the Lord in prayer asking what is his calling for in this moment?

That follows the next statement from Paul, which we so often want to dismiss as cultural. But what he says here is "but to teach, for a woman, I do not entrust." The main teaching office of the church is entrusted to the man. He is the one who is to teach and have authority over the church, the body of believers. It is a huge responsibility. It has been entrusted to the men to build the church. The twelve disciples were all men. Though there were women who followed Jesus and had very important roles in the church, the men were entrusted with that task of authority.

A very forceful debate is taking place in contemporary circles that this text was culturally specific and not applicable to today. As I've been studying these passages and the history of the church over the past six months, more and more, I'm understanding that our culture is outside of the biblical norm, and we are letting the culture dictate the organization of the church rather than allow the Bible to be our sole authority.

But, many say, women have rights too. Yes, we do, but we have to remember that the Christian life is not about rights; it's a call to come and die. We submit ourselves to God allowing his guidance to be our supreme authority. I submit to God when I surrender my life and my "rights" to Him and follow in obedience. Just because I am capable of leading a church does not mean that I should. And in surrender, we find our true lives.

I don't believe this passage excludes women from all teaching ministries because other passages like Titus 2 and Priscilla and Aquila teaching Apollos demonstrate otherwise. However, the main authority of the church is for the men to lead. And I want to do whatever I can to "help" the men, to be an azar, whether I am single or married. My role may not ever be seen, and no one may ever know what I do to help in the building and the edification of the body, but my significance comes from my obedience to the call of Christ, not from what the world sees and approves of.

And I want to trust God. Therefore, I do not have to usurp roles that are not entrusted to me in order to make something happen that the all powerful, completely sovereign God will do. I want to trust God. And I pray that He will raise up men to lead his church and to go out in the fields which are white unto the harvest. And I pray for more women who will trust God and do whatever we can to help the men be who God has called them to be. Let us seek God's glory, obeying His call, living life His way.