Context, Context, Context

Let a woman learn in silence, in all subjection.  But I do not allow a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence.  1 Timothy 2:11-12

A Woman – The universal law of real estate is simple:  location, location, location.  There is a comparable universal law in biblical exegesis:  context, context, context.  Lift a verse from its context and you can make it say anything you want.  It’s the equivalent of buying land without seeing it.

So, when we approach the second of Paul’s most controversial verses, we need to fill in a lot of context before we start making universal pronouncements.  The context is what is happening to Timothy in Ephesus.  This is a personal letter of advice and counsel.  It addresses issues in Timothy’s ministry.  It is not like the general letters Paul wrote to churches.  In this letter, Paul tries to help Timothy deal with disruptions to his work.  This means that if we are going to understand what Paul says and why he says it, we must first understand what is happening in Timothy’s life.  From everything that we can gather (since we only have half of the conversation), we discover that Timothy was dealing with several heretical teachings that were cropping up in his congregation.

First, Paul tells Timothy to combat those who propose “endless genealogies and myths” as a way of spiritual enlightenment.  He instructs Timothy to stick with the pure gospel.  We should notice that in this emphasis Paul states, “The Law is good.”  Stick with the basics.  Remain faithful to God’s revealed instructions.  Don’t get carried away in speculations.  Remember the teaching of Torah.

Next, Paul recounts his own woeful past, emphasizing that the gospel of grace which saved him is completely adequate as a means of salvation for all who adopt it.  The Messiah Yeshua brings grace beyond measure, just as God’s Word proclaims.  The mark of a believer is faith and good conscience.  Those who depart from this foundation are shipwrecked.  Paul has addressed the theological heresies.  He points to grace, the Word and the heart.  Without these, nothing else matters.

Now Paul turns his attention to practical matters.  The first is prayer.  Pray for everyone, he says to Timothy.  Why?  Because God desires all to be redeemed through the one and only mediator, Yeshua.  How is this to be done?  In proper order, with circumspect behavior, showing honor to God.  This becomes the basis for Paul’s commentary on activities in the church.  He exhorts men to pray earnestly everywhere they have opportunity.  He exhorts women to do the same, dressed in appropriate attire.  What does he mean?  He means that neither men nor women should call attention to themselves but rather act and dress in such a way that honor God.  Notice the word, “likewise” in verse 9.  Paul wants men to pray without anger or doubt.  Then he says he wants women to do “likewise.”  The Greek word means “in the same manner.”  What does this mean?  The only similarity here is the demonstration of attitude in prayer.  This implies that women are to pray with a similar outward demonstration, adorning themselves to fit that attitude.  And this implies that they are speaking prayers just as the men are.  Paul’s emphasis is not on what they wear.  It is on who they bring to the spotlight.  Men must be careful not to let anger or doubt take center stage.  Women must be careful not to let pride and appearance take center stage.  But both men and women are called to pray.

Now we  come to the next problem of order in the church.  Only this time Paul uses the singular Greek word gune, not the plural gunaikas.  This leaves us with two interpretations.  In English, this could mean “a woman” is a singular class noun, that is, a reference to all people in the class “woman.”  But it could also mean a particular woman.  In other words, Paul may be saying, “Let this woman,” a particular woman whose name is withheld, not be allowed to teach.  Since Timothy knew exactly who Paul meant, Paul does not need to spell it out.  A woman in the congregation was teaching heretical views.  She is to be forbidden to do so.  It is significant that Paul shifts from the plural in verse 9 to the singular in verse 11.  If he wanted to speak about all women, why wouldn’t he simply continue to say “Women must learn in silence,” or “Women are not permitted to teach.”  Once again we see that the clear meaning of the text isn’t quite a clear as we have been taught. 

Finally, we need to look at another passage addressed to Timothy.  In his second letter to Timothy, Paul says, “And what you heard from me through many witnesses, commit these things to faithful people, such as will be competent also to teach others.”  Here is the same context.  Paul wants only certain people to teach the gospel.  We might have expected Paul to say, “faithful men” if he is going to be consistent with that interpretation of his advice in his first letter.  But that is not what Paul says.  He uses the Greek word anthropos, a word for all Men, that is, the class of everyone who is human – both men and women, instead of the Greek word aner which means only males.  Anthropos is the same Greek word used in the translation of “Let us make man in our own image,” and no one claims that God only created males.

What a tragedy it is that the influence of the Greek early church fathers and the general opinion of the Roman Catholic church for a thousand years led us to read these verses without looking deeper into the text.  Maybe we need to backup.  Things aren’t always what they seem.  If you don’t believe me, I have 40 acres for sale in Arizona.

Topical Index:  teach, women, gune, gunaikas, aner, anthropos, 1 Timothy 2:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:2, context