Research on women in 1 Timothy
Women of lower social rank in the East frequently covered their heads. But
the urban congregations of Ephesus would have included women of higher
social rank, who would flaunt their status by the ornate ways they
decorated their hair. To the poorer women, this would have been
intimidating.
Paul forbids women to 'teach in such a way as to take authority'
Background situation
. This is the most discussed passage in the Pauline Epistles today.
Interpretations of Paul range from him being an enemy of women to him
being their liberator.
. Male false teachers (1Timothy 1:20; 2Timothy 2:17) had been
introducing dangerous heresy (1 Tim 1:4-7; 6:3-5) into the Ephesian
church.
. This often happened by gaining access to its women - women were
uneducated (certainly in scripture) and more susceptible to error.
6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over
weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all
kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the
truth. (2 Timothy 3:6-7)
. Were these widows, and therefore less protected than married women?
. Most people in this society were functionally illiterate.
. Paul ranks prophets second only to apostles (1 Cor 12:28), yet assumes
the existence of prophetesses. (1 Cor 11:5)
. Paul plainly does not enjoin total silence on women, since earlier in
the same letter he expects them to pray and prophesy publicly along
with the men (1 Cor 11:4-5); he thus must enjoin only the silencing of
a particular form of speaking. [1]
. Because the women were still not well trained in the Scriptures they
were most susceptible to the false teachers and could provide a
network through which the false teachers could disrupt other homes (1
Tim 5:13; cf. 1 Tim 3:11).[2]
. Paul provides a short-range solution and a long-range solution. The
short range is that they should not take ruling positions as teachers
in the church. The long-range solution - let them learn. Quietly and
submissively was the way that all novices were required to learn.
. Eve is used as an example of the way these women in the church at
Ephesus were being deceived. It doesn't make sense that Paul is saying
here that all women are more easily deceived than men, because the
cause of the problem were deceived men! (Elsewhere, Eve is used as an
example of women and men being deceived - 2 Cor 11:3).
. Hair was an object of lust in this day.
. In Judaism, women were far less likely to be taught in the law than
men. . So here, it is Paul's advocacy of them learning the law, not
their starting as novices and so having to learn quietly, that was
countercultural.
. the clothing Paul is considering is not slightly expensive but
extravagantly expensive as suggested by the use of gold jewelry.[3]
. the issue is not clothing or braided hair, but excess, possibly
appearing to be immoral [4]
. Women in general should place a priority on pursuing good deeds (1 Tim
2:10), which might include bearing children (1 Tim 2:15) in contrast
to the ban Paul's opponents placed on marriage (1 Tim 4:3).[5]
. Some of the women are characterized as learning to be idlers, gadding
about from house to house, gossiping (or talking foolishly), and in
general being busybodies (1 Tim 5:13). They were anything but quiet.
Evidently the lack of constraint, also characteristic of the
Corinthian church, was a problem at Ephesus.[6]
. The verb kosmeo (cf. the English word "cosmetic") means first "put in
order" and then "adorn, decorate" (BAG). The adjective kosmios (in NT
only here and in 3:2) means "orderly, decent, modest" (A-S, p. 255).
. Phoebe, Lydia, Euodia, Syntyche, Priscilla, Junia), designated as
ministers (or deacons, Rom 16:1), fellow workers (Rom 16:3),
colaborers in the gospel (Phil 4:2-9), apostles (or messengers, Rom
16:7). [7]
. From the instructions given, we can conclude that the false teaching
led to a disregard for proper decorum and practices in the church (1
Tim 2:8-15) as well as to a rejection of the institution of marriage
(1 Tim 4:3). In light of this last aspect of the heretical teaching,
it is noteworthy that particular attention is directed to young widows
(in 1 Tim 5:9-15), who are urged to marry, have children and manage
their homes (1 Tim 5:14). When these normal, socially prescribed roles
and functions are neglected or rejected, these women are prone to
"gossiping" and being "busybodies, saying things they ought not to" (1
Tim 5:13).[8]
. women are and will be saved, even as they perform those domestic and
maternal roles expected of women in the social-historical context, but
rejected by the heretical teachers. It is possible that the heretical
teachers and the women who had been deceived by them saw a rejection
of normal domestic and maternal roles as evidence that they were truly
saved and spiritual. Such a situation makes Paul's strong and
difficult restrictive injunctions to the women in Ephesus absolutely
necessary, for the heretical teaching and its consequences represented
a comprehensive misunderstanding and denial of the gospel.[9]
.
[1]Hawthorne, G. F., Martin, R. P., & Reid, D. G. (1993). Dictionary of
Paul and his letters (590). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
[2]Hawthorne, G. F., Martin, R. P., & Reid, D. G. (1993). Dictionary of
Paul and his letters (591). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
[3]Mounce, W. D. (2002). Vol. 46: Word Biblical Commentary : Pastoral
Epistles. Word Biblical Commentary (115). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[4]Mounce, W. D. (2002). Vol. 46: Word Biblical Commentary : Pastoral
Epistles. Word Biblical Commentary (115). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[5]Mounce, W. D. (2002). Vol. 46: Word Biblical Commentary : Pastoral
Epistles. Word Biblical Commentary (116). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[6]Mounce, W. D. (2002). Vol. 46: Word Biblical Commentary : Pastoral
Epistles. Word Biblical Commentary (118). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
[7]Kaiser, W. C. (1997, c1996). Hard sayings of the Bible (666). Downers
Grove, Il: InterVarsity.
[8]Kaiser, W. C. (1997, c1996). Hard sayings of the Bible (667). Downers
Grove, Il: InterVarsity.
[9]Kaiser, W. C. (1997, c1996). Hard sayings of the Bible (671). Downers
Grove, Il: InterVarsity.