The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum 1 Timothy 2 issue

geo,

The problem here is three-fold: 1) The author's personal translation of the text, which I say again, is fallacious. There is no warrant to translate aner as "her husband". Although this word can also mean "husband", if one chooses to opt for it over "man", then it would be "a husband" and not "her husband". However, the context doesn't lend itself to "husband", but more so to "man". 2) The immediate context of this passage is dealing with the corporate gathering of the saints in worship and not the teaching of a Sunday School class or any other such situation. Paul's concern is with the place of those who are qualified for OFFICE, i.e., an official, ordained position of authority over the congregation. And, 3) given this context, the qualifications later enumerated by Paul in 1Tim 3:1-13, which are first seen as grounded in the creation order, the translator's eisogesis of inserting "her husband" is automatically contradicted and shown to be spurious, since these officebearers must be the "husband of one wife". (3:2, 12).

Here is an excellent exposition of these two verses (11, 12) as found in William Hendriksen's Commentary:

11, 12. Next, the apostle gives a few directions with respect to the relation of women to
gathering and imparting knowledge (learning and teaching), again with special reference to public worship. He writes,

Let a woman learn in silence with complete submissiveness. But to teach I do not permit a woman, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to remain silent.

Though these words and their parallel in I Cor. 14:33-35 may sound a trifle unfriendly, in reality they are the very opposite. In fact, they are expressive of a feeling of tender sympathy and basic understanding. They mean: let a woman not enter a sphere of activity for which by dint of her very creation she is not suited. Let not a bird try to dwell under water. Let not a fish try to live on land. Let not a woman yearn to exercise authority over a man by lecturing him in public worship. For the sake both of herself and of the spiritual welfare of the church such unholy tampering with divine authority is forbidden.

In the service of the Word on the day of the Lord a woman should learn, not teach. She should be silent, remain calm (see N.T.C. on I Thess. 4:11 and on II Thess. 3:12). She should not cause her voice to be heard. Moreover, this learning in silence should not be with a rebellious attitude of heart but “with complete submissiveness” (cf. II Cor. 9:13; Gal. 2:5; I Tim. 3:4). She should cheerfully range herself under God’s law for her life. Her full spiritual equality with men as a sharer in all the blessings of salvation (Gal. 3:28: “there can be no male and female”) does not imply any basic change in her nature as woman or in the corresponding task which she as a woman is called upon to perform. Let a woman remain a woman! Anything else Paul cannot permit. Paul cannot permit it because God’s holy law does not permit it (I Cor. 14:34). That holy law is his will as expressed in the Pentateuch, particularly in the story of woman’s creation and of her. fall (see especially Gen. 2:18-25; 3:16). Hence, to teach, that is, to preach in an official manner, and thus by means of the proclamation of the Word in public worship to exercise authority over a man, to dominate him, is wrong for a woman. She must not assume the role of a master.

In His Grace,