Can Women Teach? A Summary

I guess the main question people ask me in this area is simply this:  "Do you allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man?"  They ask the question with variations in the wording, but they ask the question wondering if I will be "true to God's Word" in 1 Timothy 2:12.

My answer:  "It depends on the woman.  It also depends on the man."

I'm not trying to be coy when I answer in this way.  It's simply  a statement that best reflects the whole of Scripture.

Paul instructs women of his day not to teach, but to learn quietly.  He does this to remove roadblocks so his Jewish brothers will accept Christ and grow up into Him - in the same way he had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:1-3), even though it no longer holds any meaning with God (1 Corinthians 7:13).  It's an issue of Effectiveness in spreading the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:22), not Holiness in judgement before God (Galatians 5:16-25).

His reasons for the command make it clear that he is trying to effectively reach out to the Jewish nation.

1. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul cites the law as being the reason women should learn quietly (1 Corinthians 14:34) even though he knows we are no longer under the law (Galatians 5:18).  Jews, not Gentiles, would care about the provisions of the law.  
2. Similarly, Paul's letter to Timothy cites creation order and original sin as the reasons for women not teaching or having authority (1 Timothy 2:11-14).  This creation order, by the way, is the same reason Paul gives for a woman wearing head covering (1 Corinthians 11:4-10) - something we understand as a cultural/effectiveness reference today.  Once again, Gentiles wouldn't have the same creation story as a point of reference.  This reference would only make sense to Jews of his day.
3. Probably the most important indicator, though, is Paul's statement to Timothy about what will change and how.  He says that Eve will be saved through childbearing if women will continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety (1 Timothy 2:15).  The reasons for the command of silence will be removed, even for Jewish believers, when a woman lives a godly life.

So, what does that mean for our local part of His Church Body?  It means that a woman's authority to teach or lead is directly connected to her walk together with God - just as it is for a man.
Consider the four items Paul mentions in his letter to Timothy:

• Faith - A person's faith is a key component in their servant leadership and teaching.  Servant Leaders (Deacons) are expected to hold on to the deep truths of the faith (1 Timothy 3:9).  Overseers cannot be young in their faith (1 Timothy 3:6) and Elders must hold firmly to the faith and pass that faith along through teaching the truth and refuting false doctrine (Titus 1:9).  Servant leadership and teaching the truth, is intricately interwoven with a person's faith in the truth.
• Love - The greatest commands, Jesus tells us, are to love God (Matthew 22:37) and love every person (1 John 4:20-21, Matthew 22:39; 5:43-48).  Paul agrees that it is the greatest command(1 Corinthians 13).  Accuracy in teaching and/or moral authority can be easily discounted by a lack of love in our lives.
• Holiness - A hypocrite is a "play-actor" who doesn't really believe or live what they teach, so they are just "acting" or "faking it" (Mark 7:6).  Leadership and teaching must begin with ourselves so we will have something to offer others (Luke 6:39-49).  Our goal is always to love God first by obeying His commands (John 14:23) and being Holy as He is Holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), for without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
• Propriety - Our effectiveness in leadership and teaching is greatly increased by living proper lives.  Propriety includes Holiness (Ephesians 5:3) but goes beyond Holiness to increase our Effectiveness in spreading the Gospel (1 Corinthians 11:13).  Communication is greatly enhanced when we speak to people in ways that make sense to them (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).  When communicating to a group that requires women to be quiet and wear head coverings, we have the women wear head coverings and have the men share the Gospel.  Living and communicating in a way that is "proper" for the society will open doors for the Gospel.  This is the reason a wonderful woman of God will still not be able to teach or have authority over some men.  When a man considers it improper, a woman may not be the right part of Christ's Body for that specific ministry.

Ladies, as you grow in your walk together with God, you will grow in your moral authority and have more to teach others.  While this is the same as men, you have an added benefit to your spiritual growth and maturity.  When you continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety; Eve is restored to her rightful place along side her partner, Adam, as a human being made in the Image of God.

Can Women Teach? The Theology

"Theology is the art of making distinctions."  This statement, passed down from Theologian to Theologian was a common mantra for Dr. Jack Cottrell in the classroom.  He was right. Theology is an art.  While Biblical Studies students learn to properly interpret a passage of Scripture in it's context, Theology students learn to compare these Scriptures (and corresponding interpretations) to others throughout Scripture for consistency.  Since God knows everything (1 John 3:20) and cannot lie (Titus 1:2), then any contradiction in Scripture is not a problem with God's Word but with our interpretation.  In other words, Scripture always fits together with the rest of Scripture in one big "picture."  Theologians compare the part with the whole picture.  Distinctions and word-choices are crucial to properly explaining how the pieces fit together.  The result of a Theologian's process, then, is usually some summarized, easy-to-understand, statement that holds true throughout Scripture...not just with one passage.

The theological statement I was taught about women teaching and/or having authority over a man in Church went something like this:
"God does not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man because Eve was created second and sinned first.  Women need to be protected from the enemy by men.  They are equal before God in position, through Christ, but not in their role in the Church.  It's a command that dates back to before the law and the fall, so it remains God's command until Jesus returns."

My struggle with this statement is simple.  "What, then, changes for Eve when women live a holy life?"

The result, then, of my long process (which is, I'm sure, boring you by now) is a different summary statement:
"Men and women have equal standing before God through Christ.  Each person has a different role based on the gifts and calling given them by God through His Spirit.  Leadership in God's Church is not about power, position, or politics.  It's about walking with God and helping others get there.  Limitations placed on women and slaves were not about Holiness, but effectiveness in spreading the Gospel in the culture of the day."

This long statement begins to connect the Scripture in 1 Timothy to passages throughout the Bible.  I won't attempt to make every connection out there, but I will list some of them to show you how the picture starts to fit together.

"Men and women have equal standing before God."
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28 NIV)

"Each person has a different role based on the gifts and calling given them by God through His Spirit."

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NIV)

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Romans 12:6a NIV)

for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29 NIV)

"Leadership in God's Church is not about power, position, or politics.  It's about walking with God and helping others get there."

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:35 NIV)

He also told them this parable: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:39-49 NIV)

"Limitations placed on women and slaves were not about Holiness, but effectiveness in spreading the Gospel in the culture of the day."

Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? (1 Corinthians 14:34-36 NIV)

In this passage, Paul doesn't refer to Eve, creation order, or first sin as the reason for the command.  Instead, he refers to "the law."  The problem with this being an eternal argument is that Paul himself doesn't believe we, as believers, are under the law anymore.  He spends time through the whole book of Galatians making this point.

So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. (Galatians 3:24-25 NIV)

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18 NIV)

We are not under the law any more.  We are under grace, the temple of His Spirit, and called to walk by the Spirit.  The law argument, then, makes more sense as a way of helping Gentile Christians get along with Jewish Christians who had grown up with the law.  It's roughly equivalent to trying to get Acapella Hymn-singing Christians to get along with Instrumental Chorus, Rock, or Rap Music Christians today.  It's about culture and preference, not Holiness.  Fighting one another over such things, though, is an issue of Holiness.

You see how this starts to work?  Putting together a Theology of Women in the Church is not quick and easy.  It also cannot be tied to a single passage of Scripture.  It all needs to fit together into the overall picture: His Picture.  That's the picture we are all trying to see more clearly so we can enjoy walking together with God and empower one more to do the same.

Tomorrow, I will finally summarize and wrap this all up.

Can Women Teach? Backing Up

If you've been following this series of posts on women teaching in men in The Church, you will remember that this entire process of reading and interpretation did not start with a desire on my part to change the role of women in the Church.  It started with a single verse:

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

I've learned over the years that it is extremely dangerous to try to interpret a single verse or sentence all by itself.  I shouldn't read the following verse from the same book, for example, and change my drinking habits to increase my health and wellness.

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. (1 Timothy 5:23 NIV)

Paul was writing personally to Timothy in this instance, so my interpretive step should reflect an understanding of this.  In the same way, I cannot interpret this verse by itself:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12 NIV)

Instead of taking the verse by itself, I need to "back up" and take into account more of the paragraph, chapter, and even the book.  We've already discussed how connecting words (and, but, for, etc.) demand the inclusion of neighboring sentences.  Now, I want to back up to look at the entire chapter and summarize a bit what Paul is saying to Timothy.  (I would recommend reading all of 1 Timothy Chapter 2 in your own Bible to follow along.)  

Here's what I found:

God wants all people to return to Him through Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:3-6)

Paul (and Timothy) are sent to bring people to Him. (1 Timothy 2:7)

Paul asks Timothy to pray that rulers do not get in the way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Paul asks Timothy to instruct people so they do not get in the way. (1 Timothy 2:9-15)

Reading the rest of the book, we find that Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to combat false teaching (including arguing and fighting over foolishness).  He wants the church to conduct itself with all love, in holiness and peace so that the Gospel will continue to spread and all people will be saved.  Going up against cultural norms, especially norms deeply established in the Israelite nation, will slow down or even stop this process.  So, Paul reasons, "I do not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man (for now) because this problem dates back to Eve.  Eve, however, will be saved through the childbearing if women continue to live in faith, love, and holiness with propriety."

This mission-centered approach to Paul's letter to Timothy, and even in all his writings, helped me better understand some of the more "difficult" passages throughout the New Testament.  Does Paul, for example, really believe that slavery is good?  Do he and the other apostles really believe that the only "real sins" include meat sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality?  Is the law really still in effect or has it gone away?

I know that these may seem like random questions and probably seem to confuse the whole question about women teaching men in the church, but they are not random.  Rather, they are reminders that Scripture holds together as a whole.  There is a unifying picture that ties it all together.  The unity comes from the source, God, and we see the picture by studying Him.  So, tomorrow we will look at this passage in the greater picture of God's Word.

Can Women Teach? The Real Question

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 

And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 

But she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. 

(1 Timothy 2:12-15 NIV w/Note)

This is the passage we've been looking at for a week now.  I first started studying it because of the confusion over verse 15 - whether a woman's salvation is tied to childbearing or not.  We've determined it is not.  We've also walked through some basics in context and interpretation and come to this summary so far:

Paul does not allow a woman to teach or have authority over a man.
He instructs Timothy to do the same.
The reason has to do with Eve being created second and sinning first.
Things for Eve will change somehow if women live a holy life.

Here's the real question - the one that creates a problem for Theology and Biblical Studies experts alike:

What changes for Eve?  What about Eve is tied to a woman's behavior today?

Let me try to explain.

Many, if not most, conservative Biblical scholars have concluded that the command of women not teaching men is eternal or permanent.  They come to this conclusion BECAUSE Paul's reason is tied to Eve.  "Eve came second," they will say, "and therefore is subject to the one who came first."  "Eve sinned first," they will continue, "so she needed to be protected spiritually by the man.  Therefore, women are not allowed to teach men."

This reasoning seems to fit well.  It even seems to fit with other Scriptures (which we will get to a little later) and paints a "picture" that makes sense...except for verse 15.  If Paul intends to describe a permanent command, why does he immediately say something will change with Eve.  Verse 15 doesn't fit the picture.

This may seem like a wild-goose chase if you've never looked at this passage of Scripture, but let me assure you it is not.  This verse has caused many, many scholars over the years to scratch their heads.  The idea of Eve being saved, redeemed, restored, etc. simply doesn't make sense in a picture where Eve is being used as a "permanent" example.  Permanent examples don't change.  It doesn't fit the interpretation or theology, so it cannot say what it says.  So...we change it.

Remember when I told you that 1 Timothy 2:15 is translated to say "women" will be saved through childbearing?  This inaccurate translation was done to match the interpretation that the command is permanent.  We find this adjusted translation in many of our popular English texts: NIV (1984, 2011, NIrV & TNIV), NLT, and even my favorite word-for-word Bible - NASB.  Only the King James and HCSB hold true to the Greek: Eve is the one who is being saved.

The word "saved" creates a problem for scholars as well.  How can Eve's salvation (being true to the the text), be tied to other women and their behavior?  This goes against our understanding of salvation throughout the entire Bible!  The only other person any of us can rely on for salvation is Jesus.  Eve relying on all women in all of history would be tantamount to death-sentence.  Not only that - why is she being singled out for this connection and not Adam?  Didn't he eat the forbidden fruit, too?

This one question, "What changes for Eve when they live in faith, love, and holiness with propriety?", was the focus of my studies for many years.  I expanded the context of the passage further, reading and rereading the whole of 1 Timothy.  I studied any passage I could find about women and their role in God's plan - Old and New Testament.  I tried to understand what God's Word said rather than what I had been taught that it said.  Over time in this study, things finally started to make sense.  Again, let me try to explain.

Eve is the mother of all people.  We think of her in a different way as the mother of all women, though, representing them in a special way.  Throughout history, women are looked down upon as second-class citizens because of Eve.  Eve was created second.  Eve sinned first.  She becomes the reason that all women are held to a different role in society and God's Church - justifying our mindset and actions.  Eve is the reason we say that a woman must be subject to a man and cannot teach a man.  It's Eve's fault.

But, Paul writes, Eve will be saved, restored or made whole again (from this blame) if they will continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.  In other words, a women living a holy life will not only reflect the Glory of God but will also shut down the voices of their detractors.  They don't need to fight for the right to lead.  Living a life of faith, love, and holiness WILL lead those around them.  Men won't say things like, "I won't listen to her.  She's a woman."  Instead, they will say something like, "She really knows what she's talking about.  Look at her life."

Think, as an example, of Mother Theresa.  She would be a great example of someone fulfilling what the Apostle Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said in this passage.  You may not agree with her Theology, but you cannot argue with her life.  Her faith, love, and holiness were clearly shown in her lifestyle.  The result?  Men listened to her when she spoke.  People followed her example.  Eve was made whole again through a woman who lived in our current times.  God's Word, once again, is shown to be true.

Now I know that this brings up all kinds of questions for all of us who had been taught that women should have a different role in His Church.  I had many, many questions when this piece clicked into place as well.  My personal process of interpretation and theology didn't stop here, so I won't stop the blog posts here either.  The next several posts will try to help describe how this interpretation fits together quite well in the context of the rest of Paul's letter to Timothy, the rest of the New Testament, and the whole of Scripture.  Then, I will summarize where I am on this passage today and how it affects our local part of His Body.

Can Women Teach? Interpretation

Now we have a passage of Scripture to interpret.  Our work in yesterday's blog has expanded the original verse (1 Timothy 2:15) to include it's immediate context (1 Timothy 2:12-15).  There's a greater context to the passage, the chapter, the book, Paul's writings, the New Testament, and The Bible; but we will get to those in later posts.  Right now, I would like to focus on the immediate passage and some of the things I learned about interpreting it.

Rather than starting with my problem passage (verse 15), it's best if we begin with the first verse we are considering here (verse 12).  It reads:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12 NIV)

The next two verses are tied together with the word "and," so they need to be considered together.

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (1 Timothy 2:13-14 NIV)

The reason for not letting women teach men in worship services is somehow tied to Eve.  Eve was formed second.  Eve sinned first.  For this reason, women cannot teach today.

Scholars have struggled with this passage.  It apparently shows that the reason for the command is not cultural.  It dates all the way back to Eve.  It apparently shows that the reason is not tied to the Old Testament Law, as is the case in 1 Corinthians 14:34.  This is why many conservative scholars conclude that the command originated after the first sin and before the law, making the command permanent in this life.  My conservative approach precludes me from making this interpretive step just yet.  The most I'm willing to pull from the passage is that the command is somehow tied to Eve and her apparent shortcomings in comparison to Adam.  (She may have sinned first, but Adam ate the same fruit. Plus, birth order is hardly a sin and reason for punishment.)

Next we get to my original problem passage.  I will continue quoting it in the NIV with the correct Greek translation from the note:

But she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

The word "but" in this verse indicates a change or contrast.  Something is going to change or be different. This verse tells us that Eve is somehow saved through childbearing if women will live lives of faith, love and holiness.  Eve's salvation (from the previous two cited incidents) is dependent on the holiness of women today.  The word "saved" bothers me because I know God's Word says in many, many places that Eve would not be held responsible for her decedents' sins.  Here's an example:

Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin. (Deuteronomy 24:16 NIV)

While there was a time in history when children were held accountable for their parents' sin, that time no longer exists.  Eve simply can't be receiving salvation in this way in the sense of eternal salvation or condemnation.  So, I checked the Greek word for alternate translations.  Here's what I found from Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary.

G4982 - σώζω - sōzō - sode'-zo

From a primary word σῶς sōs̄ (contraction for the obsolete σάος saos, “safe”); to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

So, let's do a quick summary of what we have so far about the passage just by looking at the language, both English and Greek, and by bringing in one theological concept about Salvation:

• Paul doesn't allow women to teach or have authority over men in church gatherings.
• He does this because of Eve's shortcomings in birth order and first sin.
• Eve will be saved, healed, preserved, do well, or be made whole of these shortcomings if women today will continue in faith, love, holiness, with propriety.

You can see why scholars struggle with this.  Things still aren't quite "clicking into place."  We will need to investigate more to understand better what Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is saying.

Can Women Teach? The Process and Context

Are women saved through childbearing? How? (1 Timothy 2:15)

That was the question I was setting out to answer.  I firmly believed (and still do) that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God.  I didn't know how to express that statement prior to Seminary, but I believed it's truth nevertheless.  Scripture, however, didn't seem to make sense in this instance.  So, it went on my list of questions to investigate.

I don't want to bore you with the details of my personal process with this question, which took over 8 years in calendar time and many hours of study.  Suffice it to say that I've read many passages of Scripture over and over again, many commentaries, and spoken with many scholars with expertise in Biblical Studies, Theology, Practical Ministry, Linguistics, Pastoral Leadership, and more.  What did I learn?  They're not sure, either.

I learned that there are many Biblical Scholars out there who are smarter than I am and yet disagree on the interpretation of this passage.  They may speak with confidence as though they have the answer, but they disagree...so many, if not all of them, are wrong.  One simply needs to read the various translations of 1 Timothy 2:15 to see this fact.  The translations show that the scholars struggle.  I found it comforting to know that I (and the woman who originally asked me) was not alone.

What I will share with you, however, is the process of unpacking this verse in the overall context of the passage, the interpretation process, and how it fits into the theology of the rest of Scripture.  I'll share some of the steps and good interpretive practices I have been taught by several of those smarter than me.  When we're done, I'll back up and give you a summary of where we've come so you can see the whole picture more easily and clearly.  Let's start with the context.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First, Let's look at the verse in question again:

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

I'm not going to try to interpret the verse yet.  I'm simply going to focus in on the first word: "But."  The word exists in the original Greek as the word, "de," a "primary particle."  It's not important to know it's name.  It is, however, VERY important to recognize what it's doing.  It ties this sentence to the sentence before it.  In other words, this sentence is set in contrast to the statement before it.  So, we need to back up another verse to get the full picture.

And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (1 Timothy 2:14 NIV)

Notice that the first word of this sentence, "And," is a connecting word as well.  The Greek word, "kai," is also a particle connecting thoughts or sentences or phrases.  We don't have the whole thought process yet, so we continue to back up.

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (1 Timothy 2:13 NIV)

This sentence begins with the word, "For."  This word in the Greek, "gar," is also a very important particle.  It tells us that the sentence (and connected sentences) are giving the reason for something else.  Our movement of Non-Denominational Christian Churches recognized the importance of this word when we unpacked Acts 2:38 and learned that people were told to repent and be baptized...for the forgiveness of sins and...the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In our passage, every sentence we've added so far has been describing a reason for saying or doing something else.  So, we need to continue backing up.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12 NIV)

You see how a woman's question about childbearing and salvation suddenly pulled me into a discussion about whether women can teach men or not?

Now before we tie it all together, I need to share one more thing I learned about our original sentence.  When I finally took my classes on Koine Greek and Advanced Interpretation in Greek, I went back to this verse to see if there was anything to learn from the original language.  I found out that there was.

Remember the verse?

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

We've already examined the word, "but" at the beginning of the sentence.  That was in the Greek just as translated.  The next word, "women," wasn't in the Greek, though.  Instead, I found the verb for "will be saved" with no definite subject.  This isn't unusual, though, in the Greek so we simply render the subject of the sentence as "they" when it is in the plural.  "Women" is an acceptable translation in this case.  The Greek word, however, presented a bigger problem.  The verb was clearly in the singular ("she") rather than plural ("they") in my Greek text.  It led me to checking multiple Greek texts to find out if mine was an anomaly.  It wasn't.  Every Greek text I found had the same Greek word referring to a feminine, singular subject to the sentence ("she.")  In fact, when I checked my New International Version notes at the bottom of the page, it confirmed that the Greek said "she."  This was incredibly important news for the lady who asked me the question about her salvation being tied to childbearing, because the sentence in the Greek actually should read something like this:

But she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15 NIVw/Note)

So, the entire passage actually reads something like this:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 

And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 

But she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. 

(1 Timothy 2:12-15 NIV w/Note) (Emphasis Mine)

The woman who asked me about her salvation was safe.  She wasn't the one being saved through childbearing - at least not in this verse.  Eve was being saved through childbearing - as long as women continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety.  I wasn't sure why Eve's salvation should be dependent on  the rest of womankind, but I was glad to hear that women didn't have to bear children to be saved.

I guess I could have stopped there, but now I knew this verse was somehow giving the reasons why a woman cannot teach or have authority over a man.  This not only intrigued me, but Eve's salvation seemed an important enough reason to keep investigating.  So, investigate I did.

Can Women Teach? The Question

Most Biblical scholars recognize that the controversial question about women's roles in the church is not, "Can women teach?"  The question has parameters around it, usually stemming from the following statement in Paul's letter to Timothy:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12 NIV)

The statement seems straightforward enough.  A woman is simply not allowed to teach or have authority over a man.  The passage gets even more uncomfortable for women when the the verse before it is included:

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. (1 Timothy 2:11 NIV)

Put the two verses together and the picture is very clear.  Women of God should learn from men, but no ask questions or even speak.  Right?

I remember listening to a sermon one Sunday where the pastor told us about a woman who came to church services with us (a rather large church) and wouldn't talk to anyone.  After awhile, she was approached and asked if everything was alright.  She explained (to the woman who asked) that she was being quiet like Scripture said she should.  The pastor then said, "We took some time to explain to her that it's OK to talk to people at church - even men."  I remember thinking, "How did you explain that to her?  If Scripture says she should be quiet, why aren't we teaching her the truth?"  This began some of my questions that led to an understanding of the term, "context".

Paul is instructing Timothy (two church planters, by the way) on the way worship services should be conducted when everyone gathers together.  So, for example, a good interpretive step would say that this applies to worship services but not to men and women in a business environment.  

Some would say that Paul is speaking, saying "I" at the beginning of his statement.  So, they would say it doesn't apply to everyone - just him.  This would be shaky ground interpretively, though, because Paul is instructing Timothy here on how Timothy should conduct things in the church, too.  Plus, as we will see tomorrow, Paul gives a reason for doing things this way and he says that things have been this way ever since Adam and Eve.

Make sense?  Even if the specifics don't click just yet, the bottom line is this.  The statement is made within a greater context.  For this reason we cannot take it just at face value.  We should be recognizing clues that implore us to dig in further.

Strangely enough, this was not the statement that caused my further investigation.

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Years after I had gone down into the waters of baptism, I finally reached a time when God paved the way for me to go back to school.  I began my Seminary work in Theological Studies.  I was enjoying a little slice of heaven. (I know - insight into my strange psyche.)

Not long after beginning my studies, a woman from our church approached me and asked, "Did I hear that you are a Seminar student now?"  

"That's right," I replied with a little pride in my voice.  

"Can I ask you a Bible question?" 

"Sure!  What have you got?"

"Well, we were studying this passage in our Sunday School class and I was afraid to ask about it in class." 

She showed me the following passage from 1 Timothy 2:15:

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15 NIV)

Then she said, "I can't have children.  Does that mean I can't be saved?"

I was dumbfounded.  I had no clue what it meant.  I didn't even know where to begin!  I tried to respond with grace and the little knowledge I had at the time.  I also took a moment to swallow a healthy dose of pride before answering.

"I'm sorry.  I'm only in my first semester and I have quite a ways to go through the program.  All I can say is that I cannot imagine that your salvation is somehow tied to your ability to bear children.  That goes against everything I've learned about God's Grace and Plan of Salvation.  I wish I could tell you more."

She thanked me, graciously, and went on her way.

That day, I began a list of questions I would investigate during my Seminary studies.  This was put at the top of the list. "Are women saved through childbearing? How? (1 Timothy 2:15)"  That was the real question I wanted answered.

Can Women Teach? Thank you, Anna

I've just returned from a great vacation where I was able to immerse myself in God's creation and just enjoy drawing near to Him and my family.  It was time very well spent.  We returned this past Friday evening and I've been "catching up" ever since.   Today, I have the opportunity to blog again as part of my day.  It's good to be back.

In planning for the break, I realized that this is the first Sunday I've taken off in over two years.  (I know.  I've already been scolded by several of my friends and family.)  When I prayed about who to ask to teach in my stead, the first person who came to my mind for mother's day weekend was obvious: Anna Sheets.  She did a great job.

Anna's been with Life Bridge since it's inception and as shown a consistent desire to walk together with God the entire time.  She has shown a willingness to learn, grow, and submit to the will of God in her life.  She also regularly shows a willingness to serve in any way He calls to build up the Body of Christ.  I share all of this because she humbly accepted my request for her to teach, knowing that she would receive negative feedback from some of her brothers and sisters in Christ who believe in good faith that she shouldn't be allowed to teach or have authority over a man.  She handles this difficult situation with poise and grace.  This gives me more than one reason to say to her, "well done, good and faithful servant."  It also prompts me to say, "Thank you, Anna."

Please understand, I am not thanking Anna for diminishing God's Word.  She does not.
I'm not thanking her for being hard-headed, egotistical, or rebellious.  She is not.
I am not thanking Anna for going against God.  She works diligently to follow Him.
I'm thanking her for being faithful to Him and His Word in the midst of opposition.

It's funny, really.  I never expected to be leading a local church congregation that seems "liberal" to outsiders looking in.  It's the exact opposite, really, of who I am.  For as long as I can remember I have had a deeply embedded desire to walk together with God.  I've studied diligently from the days of my grade-school religion classes all the way through High School, College, Seminary, and even to today (when I spent my typical hour this morning in His Word just for personal growth.)  I desperately desire to walk together with God.

This desire has driven me to ask quite a few questions over the years.  (I was always the kid in the class asking, "If it says ______ in the Bible, why do we do _____ instead?")  My questioning was not always well accepted.  Over the years, though, I've learned to continue questioning and growing without being mean-spirited, argumentative, or judgmental.  I do, however, keep asking what it looks like to walk together with God.

This process has been good.  God has used this process to navigate me through questions asked by some of the greatest Biblical scholars and theologians throughout history.  This process has helped me navigate across Christian denominations and through the study of many other belief systems - bringing me right back to God the Father, through The Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit.  My questioning process has helped me understand world religions, less-popular belief systems, Christian denominations, philosophy, theology, and solid exegetical Biblical interpretation.  I'm grateful for the process God has brought me through and I look forward to the process He will continue in me.  I thank God for this walk.

This is a long way to reach my point.  I never expected to empower a woman to teach men.  It simply wasn't done.  It was the conservative Biblical interpretation of every denomination I had experienced and was the stance of every conservative scholar I had studied.  It was simply what God's Word taught, and I never questioned this teaching.  I read it for myself in Scripture - stated in different ways, but consistently stated.  That's simply not the role women should play in the church...and I was fine with that.

What happened?

Well, that's more than I can cover in a single blog-post.  So, I will be writing about the process God has taken me through over the past 10+ years that brought me from asking women to faithfully live out one role in God's Church to asking them to faithfully live out more.  It will take a little time to walk through this process, but my hope and prayer is that it will be time well spent.  I'm also praying that you will come to the same conclusion that I did, if not about the role of women in the church, then about the process.  The process is good.


So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV)