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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Ti_2:8-15
8Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. 9Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
1Ti_2:8 "Therefore I want the men in every place to pray" As Paul affirms dignity and appropriateness in public life (cf. 1Ti_2:1-7), so too, in worship (cf. 1 Corinthians 11-14). The phrase "in every place" probably refers to house churches in or near Ephesus. Acceptable prayer is defined in three ways in 1Ti_2:8.
1. lifting holy hands
2. unstained by anger
3. without dissensions
These qualifications clearly show Paul is speaking to the faithful believers and excluding the false teachers, their surrogate speakers (possibly young widows), and their followers.
Paul uses this phrase, "in every place," often (cf. 1Co_1:2; 2Co_2:14; 1Th_1:8; 1Ti_2:8). It may be an OT allusion to Mal_1:11, which prophesies a worldwide worship of the Messiah. This would match the repeated use of "all" in 1Ti_2:1-7.
▣ "lifting up holy hands" This was the normal position of Jewish prayer. It mandates that believers' words and lives ought to agree (cf. Jas_4:8).
▣ "without wrath" This is the Greek term orgç, which means "a settled opposition" (cf. Mat_5:23-24; Mat_6:15). Anger at others does affect our relationship with God (cf. Mat_5:21-24; Mar_11:25; 1Jn_2:9; 1Jn_2:11; 1Jn_4:20-21).
NASB "dissension"
NKJV "doubting"
NRSV, TEV,
NJB "argument"
Greek philosophers used this term for a teaching session or dialogue. In the NT it has a negative connotation (cf. Mat_15:19; Mar_7:21). Here, it refers to either the context of the teachings or the inappropriate, angry, and disruptive attitude of the false teachers.
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1Ti_2:9
NASB "likewise"
NKJV "in the manner"
NRSV, TEV "also"
NJB "similarly"
This shows that the context is "how should men and women be involved in public worship" (i.e., house churches, cf. 1 Corinthians 11-14). There is a good discussion on this word in F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, pp. 114-115.
▣ "I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing" Clothes reveal the heart and mind. Believers need to dress appropriately, not only at church but in all places and at all times because they are Christians. The emphasis of this passage is not on outward appearance only, but also on godliness (cf. 1Ti_2:10; 1Pe_3:3-4). In every area of life believers are the light of the world and the salt of the earth (cf. Mat_5:13-16). We must remember who we represent!
However, this does not imply that believers should wear drab clothing. We should dress so as not to stand out in whatever society the believer lives. Be neat, be clean, be in fashion, but most of all be Christian.
▣ "discreetly See full note at 1Ti_3:2.
▣ "not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments" This implies that at least a percentage of the believers were relatively wealthy. The Jewish and Roman hair styles of the day were very elaborate, extravagant, and expensive. Apparently the Christian women were being indoctrinated toward worldliness or personal freedom (possibly caught up in the women's freedom movement, which had started in Roman culture, cf. 1Co_11:2-16). This may reflect the exclusivism of the false teachers who sought out the rich, the influential, and the intellectual.
1Ti_2:10 "by means of good works" Believers must remember that they are not saved by good works, but unto good works (cf. Eph_2:8-10; Tit_3:8; Jas_2:14-26). Our lives give credibility to our profession of faith, which is the assertion of the entire books of James and 1 John.
In this context "good works" relates to normal domestic cultural expectations (cf. 1Ti_5:10; Tit_2:5).
▣ "as is proper for women making a claim to godliness" This clearly limits the context to saved women. This is not a general guideline for society. The proper dress for God's children is godliness. Beauty is not a certain attire, but a changed heart. Truly beautiful and attractive women are godly women (in all areas of their lives).
1Ti_2:11 "A woman" This could refer to all Christian women or wives (cf. Charles B. Williams translation, "a married woman" in 1Ti_2:11 and). The context must clarify the author's intended meaning.
▣ "receive instruction" This is a present active imperative. At first this seems very negative, but (1) women could not study the Law in Judaism or attend school in the Greco-Roman world. So, in a sense this is a positive step towards women being trained in God's word, (2) this text must be seen in light of the false teachers who were targeting women (cf. 1Ti_5:13; Act_20:30; 2Ti_3:5-9; Tit_1:11). It is possible that some women were surrogate speakers for the false teachers in public worship in the house churches (Gordon Fee, New International Biblical Commentary, vol. 13).
▣ "with entire submissiveness" This also seems negative for our day, but let us remember
1. The term "submission" was used of Jesus. He was submissive to the Father (cf. 1Co_15:28); He was submissive to His earthly parents (cf. 1Th_5:21). In other words He fulfilled His expected societal and religious duties with the proper attitude
2. "Being submissive" is God's will for all believers (cf. Eph_5:21). It is one of the five Present participles that describes what it means to be "filled with the Spirit" (cf. Eph_5:18)
3. In this same passage in Ephesians Paul uses three domestic examples to show mutual submission within the home (1) wives to husbands; (2) children to parents; and (3) home slaves to masters.
The radically positive part of this context (i.e. Eph_5:18 to Eph_6:9) is that Paul limits the power of those in that society who had all the power (i.e., husband, parents, and masters). In its day Paul's writings about women, children, and slaves were radically positive
4. Paul did not attack slavery as an issue because he knew it was an issue that would destroy the effectiveness of the church and her witness in that period of history. I think the same is true of the social status of women. Paul asserts their spiritual equality (cf. Gal_3:28; Col_3:11), their giftedness (cf. 1Co_12:7-13), and their role in spreading the gospel (cf. Romans 16). But he knew that women in leadership roles would (1) be misunderstood because of fertility worship and (2) rejected by an almost exclusively patriarchal, male dominated society.
1Ti_2:12 "exercise authority over a man" This verb authenteô is used only here in the NT. It is defined as "one who acts on his own authority" (authentçs, master) or "one who dominates." See discussion in Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 91. Does this mean that women can be in leadership if they do not dominate? The immediate context does not support this by the added phrase "but to remain quiet" (cf. 1Co_14:34). Paul's statements about women in submissive roles cannot be explained by the use of this hapax legomenon. It must be dealt with from a cultural perspective. God chose to reveal Himself into a specific cultural setting. Everything in that culture was/is not the will of God for all believers in all cultures in all ages (see Gordon Fee, Gospel and Spirit and How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth, pp. 83-86). The truth and power of the gospel radically changes human culture (i.e. slavery, male dominance). Arrogant, exploitive dominance is evil whether from men or women. There are two extremes to avoid: (1) women can do nothing (Ancient Near Eastern culture) and (2) women can do anything (modern western individualism). Believers (male and female) minister within their culture to maximize evangelism and discipleship, not personal agendas!
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1Ti_2:13-15 Paul's argument in this context is related theologically to Genesis 3. It is also related to excesses of the false teachers (cf. 1Ti_1:3-11; 1Ti_4:1-5; 1Ti_5:11-13). Paul uses Genesis 3 to make the analogy that as Eve was seduced by the snake into sin, rebellion, and independence, so were some of the women deceived in the same way by the false teachers (cf. 1Ti_5:13; 2Ti_3:6-9).
The consequences of the Fall are directly related to woman's submission to and desire for her husband (cf. Gen_3:16). Her independent action was and is the theological issue. Does this still remain today? Has the gospel totally removed all aspects of the Fall of Genesis 3? Does our modern culture with its trained, articulate women leaders negate Paul's clear statements? See Special Topic at the beginning of 1Ti_2:12.
1Ti_2:14 "fell into transgression" There are two consequences assigned to Eve because of her transgression: (1) pain in childbirth and (2) submission to her husband. The verb tense is perfect, which implies that these are still in effect. Jesus inaugurated the new age, but believers also still live in the old age.
1Ti_2:15 "But women will be preserved through the bearing of children" This is a very difficult and involved passage. It is possibly the most difficult in all of Paul's writings. We need to remember
1. its relation to Gen_3:13; Gen_3:16
2. the teachings of the false teachers
3. the contrast (i.e. "But"), which relates to the deception of the false teachers
The term "preserved" or "saved" can be related to either physical deliverance from the birthing experience (cf. New American Standard Version), which seems to be backed up by the use of the word in 1Ti_4:16 for the abuse of the false teachers (some of whom apparently advocated celibacy as a spiritually superior state, cf. 1Ti_4:3), or in the spiritual eschatological sense which forms most of its NT usage.
One novel interpretation is based on a detail of Greek grammar where the definite article in the phrase "through the childbearing," possibly refers to the incarnation of Jesus Christ:
1. this context relates to Gen_3:15
2. the preposition dia can be translated "by means of"
3. there is a definite article with "the child birth"
4. both the singular and plural are used of "woman . . .they"
Thus Eve becomes the representative of all women saved by the promise of God of a special birth (i.e., Jesus, which is theologically similar to the Adam-Christ typology of Rom_5:12-21; 1Co_15:21-22; 1Co_15:44-48; Php_2:6-7).
The immediate context seems to emphasize that women as home-makers is the societal expectation of Paul's day, and for most societies, ancient and modern. Woman's salvation does not come from leadership in public worship or an unexpected cultural freedom.
In truth it does not come from expected social roles either, but through faith and its fruits (cf. 1Ti_2:15 b). Salvation is in and through Christ. Godly women trust Him and do not seek to draw undue attention to themselves. However, in our culture the "undue attention" occurs when women are limited. As lost people would have been turned off by overactive Christian women in the first century, today's lost people are turned off by a seeming Christian sexism and legalism. The goal is always evangelism and discipleship, not personal freedoms or personal preferences (cf. 1Co_9:19-23).
▣ "if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint" This is a third class conditional sentence which means potential contingent action. The contingency is the believing women's continuance in faith, love, sanctity, and self-restraint. See Special Topic: Perseverance at 2Ti_2:11.
For "self-restraint" see full note at 1Ti_3:2.
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