George ,

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If we just take 1Timothy 2:11-15 and didn’t investigate Scripture and the Greek (i.e. Joe), one could believe that women are saved by bearing children. Which as you, others (forum) and Hendricksen’s, have explained in a rational way, is not true. Yet, what if the beginning of the passage (vs 11-12) is referring to a married couple and what if the passage can be explained to mean “continuously teach (I know Joe, “didaskein” by itself can not mean “continuous”, but at least two people I have read from, say it can, contextually) and usurping the authority of the husband or man”, then the admonition is not as simple as it reads. Let’s say, that indeed that is what the text says, “I do not allow a woman to teach a man…”.

If we did away with Greek, Hebrew, hermeneutical interpretation, the covenant theology, and whatever, then we could make the Bible say anything we desired—but it would not be God’s Word. When we take away from not only WHAT God says, but HOW He says it and its very CONTEXT you are just reading another literature book (i.e. If I take a whole person and take away his right arm (Greek), his left arm (Hebrew), his right leg (hermeneutical interpretation), and the left leg (covenant theology), I am left with a body of words with no foundation). This is what liberalism, feminism, and a host of other false cults do to sell their wares to believers and unbelievers alike. Even much of the PC USA has bought into this false method of interpretation --they are apostate.

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Ok, is it just spiritual Bible teaching? Can my wife or a woman friend, teach me to balance my check book correctly? Again, without a broad understanding of Scripture, the novice may stumble here by what the passage says and actually means. Which brings up another issue Pilgrim; what do you do with Christian women who come to this site and correct men who may have written something not to their liking; is this teaching men and usurping their authority? Should the bouncer Elder, ban her from the forum? Another hypothetical (or not so) situation; my wife is quite knowledgeable on the specifics of Temple of Solomon, should I throw her out of the Bible Study or severely chastise her, if she corrects me on the actual articles that are found in the Holy of Holies ? Is it ok, if I ask her the answer in front of the men in our group? Hopefully, you can readily see, that this whole issue of women being silent and not teaching men, can have some serious implications of legalism, if one is not careful. In my case, I will go on being the “antinomian, feminist, disobedient and Scripture twisting” person many already believe me to be (though I don’t think of myself that way) and let women speak in Church (singing, praying, etc)and teach men under certain circumstances that doesn’t usurp their authority or diminished God’s glory in His Church.

As Hendriksen stated, “In the service of the Word on the day of the Lord a woman should learn, not teach.…As already indicated, these directives regarding the woman’s role in connection with public worship are based not on temporary or contemporary conditions or circumstances but on two facts that have meaning for all time, namely, the fact of creation and the fact of the entrance of sin.” The context here is "Directions for Public Worship." What does this have to do with balancing check books or the Highway?

So where does this leave the “novice Christian” you ask who does not have access to Greek, Hebrew, proper theology, etc.? In a biblical Church where God says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive…” (Eph 4:11-14 ff). Presently you are being tossed to and fro, we pray that you might get under some biblical teaching that will direct you towards God and not continue in the realm of “every wind of doctrine…”

Reformed and Always Reforming,