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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 1 Timothy 2:11 - 2:11
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11. γυνὴ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ μανθανέτω. We should observe the close parallelism in thought between these directions and those laid down in 1Co 14:34-35 : αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν, οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν. ἀλλὰ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει. εἰ δέ τι μανθάνειν θέλουσιν, ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν, αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ.
Women are to be learners ἐν πάσῃ ὑποταγῇ. This is not, of course, primarily in reference to their general attitude to men, but only to their behaviour at public worship. The reason assigned, however, in vv, 13, 14 gives the direction a wider bearing. Cp. 1Pe 3:5.
The ‘subjection of women’ is a topic freely debated at the present day; and, although it has been argued that St Paul is basing his rules on the position assigned to the sex in the society of his time, rather than laying down precepts of universal and permanent obligation, there can be no doubt that the distinction which he makes between the respective duties of men and women lies deep down in the facts of human nature as originally constituted. see on Tit 2:5. With ἐν πάσῃ ὑποταγῇ may be compared πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος (1Ti 1:15) and ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ (1Ti 2:2) and μετὰ πάσης σεμνότητος of 1Ti 3:4.