1. The Role of Women
In the Pastoral (Delegate) Epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus

2. “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
Nineteenth Amendment
Constitution of the United States of America

3. The Role of Women In the Old Testament:
In the Pastoral Epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
Women have played a major role in the Bible story:
In the Old Testament:
Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Hannah, Esther
In the New Testament:
Mary, Mary & Martha of Bethany, Mary Magdalene, Dorcas, Lydia, Priscilla, Phoebe

4. The Role of Women 1 Timothy 2:11-15 1 Timothy 5:14 Titus 2:3-5
In the Pastoral Epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
Our Focus: Three Passages
1 Timothy 2:11-15
1 Timothy 5:14
Titus 2:3-5

5. The Role of Women Context:
In the Pastoral Epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
1 Timothy 2:11-15
Context:
Written to show Timothy, “how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God” (3:15)
Instruction about false teachers (1:3-11)
Grace and mercy – Paul the example (1:12-17)
“Fight the good fight” – (1:18-20)
Men’s prayer (2:1-8)
Women’s modesty (2:9-10)

6. “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness…”
1 Timothy 2:11
“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness…”
The matter of submissiveness…
Three key terms:
“Receive instruction” (manthano)
“Quietness” (hesuchia)
“Submissiveness” (hupotage)
Observations:
Drawn from principle established at creation (cf. 1Co 11:3,12; 1Tm 2:13)
Addresses general demeanor of women as they receive instruction.

7. “I do not allow a woman to teach…”
1 Timothy 2:12
“I do not allow a woman to teach…”
The matter of teaching/exercising authority…
Obviously, not an unqualified prohibition…
Women were commanded to teach… Mt 28:18-20; 2Tm 2:2; Ti 2:3
Women did teach… Ac 18:24-26
Qualified – But by what?
By place?
By what was taught?
By her position?

8. “… not to teach or to exercise authority over a man”
1 Timothy 2:12
“… not to teach or to exercise authority over a man”
Qualified by “position.”
“or” (oude)
BDAG: “1. and not, nor joins neg. sentences or clauses to others of the same kind also not, not either, neither not even”
Lenski: “If this statement were positive it would be followed by an explicative kai; since it is negative, we have explicative oude, for ‘neither to exercise authority over a man’ states the point involved in the forbidding ‘to teach.’ To teach is to act as an authentes over all those taught, as a self-doer, a master or -- to put it strongly -- an autocrat.”

9. “… not to teach or to exercise authority over a man”
1 Timothy 2:12
“… not to teach or to exercise authority over a man”
Qualified by “position.”
“or” (oude)
Dr. Homer Kent: “I understand Lenski’s comment to be the proper explanation for that passage. I regard ‘neither to exercise authority over a man’ to be somewhat exegetical of the previous clause and giving one of the reasons why the prohibition to teach is made.”
Patton: “The word ‘nor’ is an explicative conjunction joining the two phrases (before and after), the latter explaining the former, i.e., the kind of teaching not to be done. Thus, the kind of teaching forbidden to the woman is that in which she usurps authority over the man.”

10. “… not to teach or to exercise authority over a man”
1 Timothy 2:12
Qualified by “position.”
“exercise authority over” (authenteo)
BDAG: “to assume a stance of independent authority, give orders to, dictate to” (150).
ANLEX: “strictly, of one who acts on his own authority; hence have control over, domineer, lord it over (1T 2.12)” (Friberg, 81).
“nor to USURP authority” (KJV) is an unfortunate translation.

11. Is this passage an “assembly” passage?
“… not to teach or to exercise authority over a man”
1 Timothy 2:12
Excursus: Four Important and Practical Questions:
Is this passage an “assembly” passage?
Does this passage prohibit a woman teaching a man?
Is “exercising authority” limited to the church?
What about women speaking in church business meetings?

12. The order of creation (2:13) The circumstances of the fall (2:14)
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.
15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
1 Timothy 2:13-15
Reasons For Paul’s Instruction Regarding The Subordination of Women:
The order of creation (2:13)
The circumstances of the fall (2:14)
The salvation of women (2:15)

13. “But women will be preserved through the bearing of children…”
1 Timothy 2:13
“But women will be preserved through the bearing of children…”
Different Views of the Passage:
Women will be delivered from danger in bearing children (Phillips/Moffat).
Women (and all mankind), will be saved through the ultimate birth of Jesus (Patton).
The stigma of having brought sin into the world can be removed through childbearing (MacArthur).
In childbearing, a woman finds significance (Walvoord).
“Bearing of children” is a synecdoche for the woman’s role in the home.

14. “Give the enemy no occasion for reproach”
“Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach”
1 Timothy 5:14
The Domestic Role of Women in Four Simple Statements:
“Get married”
“Bear children”
“Keep house”
“Give the enemy no occasion for reproach”

15. Important Lessons From Older Women:
4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
Titus 2:3-5
Important Lessons From Older Women:
“love their husbands”
“love their children”
“be sensible
“pure”
“workers at home”
“kind”
“subject to the own husbands.”

16. “…subject to their own husbands…”
Titus 2:5
“…subject to their own husbands…”
Subjection/inequality of roles does not imply inferiority.
Jesus submitted to the Father (1Co 11:3; Phil 2:5-8), but He was not inferior to the Father (Jn 1:1-2,14; 5:17-18, 22-23; 10:30; Col 2:9).
Christians are to submit to elders (Hb 13:17) but are not inferior to them.
Children are to submit to parents (Eph 6:1-3), but…
Slaves are to submit to masters (Eph 6:5-6), but…
Citizens are to submit to civil authorities (1Pt 2:13,14), but…
The younger are to submit to the older (1Pt 2:5), but..

17. “…subject to their own husbands…”
Titus 2:5
“…subject to their own husbands…”
Subjection/inequality of roles does not imply inferiority.
L. A. Stauffer:
“That the word ‘subjection’ or the role of subjection makes no statement regarding inferiority or superiority is evident in the business world. Employees, for example, are subject to their employers, but are often more intelligent and more talented than their bosses. And surely they are not sub-human or second-class citizens because someone rules them. Roles whether of submission or dominion, say nothing of themselves about ability or value. They speak only of functions and responsibilities.” (Stauffer, L. A. Family Life: A Biblical Perspective, 38)

18. The Role of Women
In the Pastoral Epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus