Overview: 1 Timothy 2:12–14

What is Paul commanding when he says that he does not “permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man”? He is commanding obedience to the Lord according to the pattern established in Creation—Yahweh-rules-man, man-rules-woman, mankind-rules-nature—and renewed in Christ Jesus. Though hotly debated even in the Church today, Paul baldly asserts that women or females are not to authoritatively teach or rule men (v. 12). While it is important to note that Paul’s command is first applicable to the setting of the local Church (in this case, gathering for prayer), he also recognizes that Christ is conquering the nations through His Church. The ordered, renewed reality of life in the Body of Christ is inevitably the future life of the world. The Biblical prohibition against women authoritatively teaching and/or governing men has ditches on either side that we can only avoid if we submit to the whole counsel of God’s will as revealed by Scripture. On one hand, as Paul points out, Adam was purposely created first under-God but over-Eve in authority (vv. 13, 14). As image-bearers, men must submit to the authority of their Creator. Likewise, women are to submit to the authority of men, and all of nature to the authority of men-and-women as vice-regents of the Triune God. If this holy-purposed birth order wasn’t enough, Paul asserts that men functionally in their maleness are inherently equipped to be authorities. Adam’s sin in the Fall was that of rebellion and dereliction; he stood by silently when Satan attacked his bride. Paul’s point here is that Eve was not willfully sinful, but rather made to be a helper to Adam as dominioner and not fit to protect herself. By design, both in Creation and Redemption, a man’s job is to teach authoritatively and rule, whereas a woman’s to serve as wise counsel and help. This does not prohibit females from teaching men anything (e.g. skills, wisdom, information), for that would contradict the very character of wisdom herself as portrayed in Scripture (e.g. Proverbs 8). Neither does this undermine examples of women rising to the occasion to do good when men, like Adam, fail.

APPLICATION

1. Sisters, God has redeemed you to be irreplaceable helps and counselors. Embrace that with thanksgiving, submitting to your calling.

2. Brothers, follow the Second Adam, honoring, relying on, and protecting your sisters as we destroy the last bastions of the Serpent.