1 Timothy 2:8-15,
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair 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 have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
This is a teaching that has always been a prickly issue within the Church. Now clearly it is a non-issue in some movements and denominations as they have female preachers, elders, bishops and so on. But that is not the case across Christendom and perhaps largely due to this passage.
As I understand it, Paul wrote this letter to Timothy who was leading the Church in Ephesus. Like many of Paul's letters it was meant to address specific issues in the Church, and comes with a context that can bring a deeper understanding of his writings, if not a modicum of certainty on this issue.
A major problem that arose in the early church was false doctrine in the form of Gnoticism. The most vulnerable to false doctrine would naturally be the least learned in scripture. Because of culture and tradition the least learned tended to be women who were not permitted to learn scripture. However, this changed with the advent of Christianity and women began to learn scripture and the teachings of the Apostles.
One theory is that Gnostic teaching found its way to the fledging female students (perhaps intentionally targeted by gnostic proselytes), and this along with their new found freedom (even enthusiasm) led some to assume the authority of a teacher rather than student. But even if gnostic teachings didn't influence some women, it is theorized that the over-eager neophytes began to share their knowledge and interrupt religious services out of turn.
Now the role of Teacher in the Church is no small responsibility (James 3:1) one must prove a thorough knowledge of scripture, ability to convey such knowledge with clarity, accuracy, humility and gentleness and of course, be an example of ones own teaching. New converts or new students are ill-recommended for such a post. Yet some women were over-stepping their knowledge and teaching others - and perhaps passing on the heresy of gnosticism in the process.
This may be what Paul addresses when he insists on the silence of women and the prohibition of a women teaching a man. Young students/converts are simply not equipped to teach, and at this time in the church most women would be young students.
There is also some suggestion that general disharmony and disunity was affecting the Ephesian Church ('I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.') and the contentious women only made it worse. So, Paul's admonission might be part of a general appeal for unity and respect among the members of the Church dealing with the problem issue by issue.
There is no doubt that women played an essential role in the early church. Note Dorcas, Priscilla, Phoebe and others as well as Paul's assertion in Galatians 3:28 of equality within the church. Certainly, women posses a natural intution that is closely associated with their gender, but also possess the ability to learn and teach as well any man. But one shouldn't teach just because one can. Ability is not the only pre-requisite, as mentioned before.
Paul seemed to be concerned with behaviour appropriate to the context and correct attitude to authority, learning and teaching. Showing respect for culture may have been another issue with regard to the male/female relationship. Local culture certainly contributes to a church's doctrine and practice, and should be respected - what may be fine for a Christian church in the US may be completely inapproriate for a branch of the same church in India, even though they may share identical convictions on core doctrinal issues.
On the issue of dress - surely we can relate in today's society, though it may not have been an issue of sensual under-dressing but rather extravagant female fashion rivalry. Surely this is in the realm of the familiar in today's society - what with the surfeit of celebrity designer bodies and fashion. The refrain of 'inner beauty first, outer beauty second (or third)' is nothing new, but the challenge of putting in to practice still remains. Perhaps even more so. So it's not about the hair, jewels and designer labels but an inner attitude that can't be bought, borrowed or stolen.
Modern day churches devise all kinds of local codes of conduct that are extra-biblical because they need to address a unique need or problem. Our challenge is to discern between what is doctrine for now and what is doctrine for always. I am not claiming to know what this is - but surely with research, logic and faith we can work it out. But absolute rigidity is unrealistic for changing times as much as amorphous standardless doctrine.
Context is important in this passage as it is in any, and perhaps should have some influence in dealing with such issues. All the same, interpretations have a lot do with agendas and any movement to extreme patriarchy or feminism wouldn't be smart. But the important lesson might be in the appropriate and temperate response to potentially volatile issues. This discussion actually underlines the importance of competent Teachers who will not mislead their audience by intention or error, and hence Paul's insistence on propriety in worship makes even more sense. Perhaps this scripture rather than silencing women for all time, as some seem to think it does, was an example of the liberation and empowerment that the early church brought to women. No doubt - we need to hear their voices and I have personally benefitted from the teaching of my wife and other women of wisdom and profound spirituality.
As for the references to Eve and the issue of childbearing, I leave two links for your own research. I recommend Douglas Jacoby's site - he is a REAL Teacher, I'm just a wannabe. The Biblegateway.com is also quite useful. I suggest you do your own reading - don't take my word for it - and even then 'be careful how you listen'.
It is important to say that I do not claim to be a Teacher or expert on Biblical issues. I share my opinion and try to share other sources to show research and references on the issues discussed.
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