I Timothy 2:11-15 - I do not permit a woman to teach?

Question

What Paul means in Timothy, when he says that he does not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

Also, if you can give me some cultural facts for a better understanding of this scripture, that would be great!

Serious answers please. Thanks for your assistance.


I Timothy 2:11-15
11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

Answer 1

I think by "teach" they meant to "lecture" or "instruct." Basically, it means that women shouldn't be telling men what to do - it should be the other way around. Agree or disagree with it - it certainly made life a lot more simpler back then.

Answer 2

First yes Paul didn't think that women should teach... at least not men, but don't worry a woman can still teach other women, and children. Now I understand that this might inflame other people, but God made a natural order for the universe, which is God, man, woman. That does not mean that God made every woman a chamber maid for a man. It just means that man is first in command and every woman is second in command
(over children, and fellow Christians). It's just like having two presidents, it wouldn't work, there has to be a vice president. It's very important. But in general men and women are on equal grounds. Here is a Christian woman's God given rights:
The right to witness the gospel,
The right to spiritually teach other women,
The right to spiritually teach other children,
The right to intellectually teach from any area of expertise to any man woman or child,
The right to be in any government which allows her to lead.

The only thing women aren't allowed to do is to spiritually lead other christian men.

Answer 3

King James version states differently.

verse 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

Culture: Women had never been allowed to worship or learn the scriptures before Jesus began his ministry. They only held knowledge of what their husbands had taught them, if they taught them at all. Now , women were allowed to worship and learn right along with the men.

This caused a few growing pains in the early churches. timothy is basically repeating what Paul wrote earlier.

Suffer not" means that he wished a woman wouldnt have to teach, for if she is teaching (preaching) it means that a man is not doing the will of God and performing this role.
This does not mean to put "any" man in this role. It would be far worse to put an ungodly man in charge of a church than for the church to be led by a woman.

Paul himself put a few women in charge of churches, even though he himself, wrote that women shouldnt have to.

The silence issue was one of disruption. Even though women were now allowed to worship and learn right with the men, they were not as learned as the men, and quite often would disrupt the worship service and yell across the room to their husbands, asking them what the teacher was talking about.

Timothy , like paul, was simply stating, please wait until you get home to ask your husband about what you did'nt understand.

today, we all have the entire scripture ready and available to us, and we have no need, woman or man to yell out questions to our spouse inside church.

Usurp: means to tell a man that he is wrong publically. I believe the bible tells us not to do this to anyone, man or woman. Degradation is wrong, male or female.

Once women and men were on a level playing field, as far as learning and knowing the scriptures and Gods word, it was no longer needed to be silent in church, any more than men were silent at the time. The main theme of the entire passage is reverance for the teacher and the lesson or scripture being taught. Man or woman, it was not good to interupt a sermon.

Answer 4

A woman was to look to the husband and the husband was to get the priesthood of the lord, and look to God for spiritual guidance. A woman was to have the most responsibility in the raising of the children. In all other things they are to be viewed as equal partners in the walk of life.

Answer 5

well It is about the order of authority in the church and women are not supposed to take dominant positions over men. The headship in the church is given to men as the headship in the family.
There are women deacons, evangelists, preachers, but their primary teaching is to women. I enjoy Joyce Meyers and she always has her husband with her and lets you know that he is the head of the ministry. She is teaching primarily to women, but she has such an annointing that men like her teaching too.
Primarily the job of Pastor is for men only as it is a position of headship and authority over other men. But most other positions are open to women..
Hope this helps..

Answer 6

I personally have not researched this point to date. However, I have heard on at least two separate occasions, different televangelists mention this occurred when 'congtegations' would have men on side of thebuilding, women on the other and the wife would try to say something to her husband.
I plan to look closer at what Jesus told his followers about his
'mother' being outside teh camp.

Answer 7

Yeah...pretty self explanatory. It goes along with the scripture/s where women are subservient to men...and that it was Eve's fault...etc.

Judeo-Christian-Muslim religions are extremely sexist. As the Bible says...the example of the relationship between man and woman is to be compared to God and man/woman...and I compare it to "battered-woman" syndrome...it's always "her" fault, and don't ask questions or "he" will hurt her.