I Timothy 2
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1 Timothy 2:9-12, I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.
Paul addressed false teachers in chapter one and is addressing issues related to public worship in this chapter, specifically the roles of men and women. Our focus verses for today may be the most controversial four verses in the New Testament. We know that Paul's writings were clearly a product of the time and culture during which he wrote. How could they not be? So how do we, two thousand years later, distinguish what is specific to Paul and Timothy's very particular situation and culture and what we are to apply to our lives and ministries today?
Most scholars agree that Paul’s statement regarding the role of women in worship in this chapter are clearly culture-specific. All Scripture is useful and applicable BUT this doesn’t mean that isn’t written in very culture-specific and language-specific ways. We have to be able to discern this; we have to take each specific situation into account when we read and interpret Scripture. We also have to look at the full narrative of Scripture. What does the rest of Scripture, including the rest of Paul’s writing, say about the role of women in worship?
First, many of Paul’s letters were written to address very particular issues in the churches. Because of that, we recognize that much of what is commanded, the specific elements, are not to be translated literally and implemented in every other culture around the world. For instance, Paul tells Timothy to drink wine for his stomach ailments (does that mean we are to use wine regularly for medicinal purposes?), to beware of Alexander the coppersmith (Alexander is surely dead but should we be wary of other coppersmiths?), to be sure that the only widows who are at least 60 years old and have washed strangers’ feet receive resources from the church (I think most of our widows today would balk at washing a stranger’s feet.) Then there is his command to slaves to obey their masters. These are all clearly very specific to Paul’s time and culture and were NOT intended to be applied universally.
Second, we have to also look at what the rest of Scripture says about gender roles in worship. In Paul’s other writings, he speaks of women as prophets and teachers. He states that men and women are equal in Jesus in Galatians. He refers to and praises female leaders in the early churches. There is definitely a clear body of evidence that, for the most part, Paul valued and included women in the leadership of the early church (probably a lot more than was common in that time and culture). In so many ways, Paul elevated the social status of women, which was abysmally low at the time.
Are there other passages of Scripture that are difficult for you and/or you struggle to understand? I would encourage you to dig into the culture and context of the text. What was the author’s intention? What cultural factors were at play? What was the specific historical context like at the time? What elements are culture- and language-specific and which elements are clearly meant to be translated into our lives today? Also, examine the Scripture within the full narrative of Scripture. What else has been included on that topic in the Bible? What is the general impression of the various Biblical authors on that topic? Then, pray.
Let’s pray…Lord God, There is so much in your Word that we don’t understand. Sometimes, things are confusing. But we know you are a God of order. We know that all of your Word is authoritative. Give us a Spirit of wisdom and patience. Help us never rush to conclusions but always bathe our thoughts and interpretations of your Word in prayer. We love you. Help us know you better and become more rooted in your Word. Amen.