"ORDINATION OF WOMEN" 
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                      ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE DIFFICULTIES 
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                             BY GLEASON L.  ARCHER 
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              DOES 1 TIMOTHY 2:12 FORBID THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN? 
 

   First Timothy 2:11-12 lays down this principle: "Let a woman learn in 
silence [hesychia] with all submission [hypotage]; I do not permit a woman to 
teach or exercise authority over [authentein] a man, but to be in silence [or 
`quietness'- hesychia]." The reason for the distinction between men and women 
in the matter of leadership in the and in the home is then grounded on the 
relationship between man and woman established at the very beginning (vv.13 - 
14): "For Adam was created first, afterwards [eita] Eve.  And Adam was not 
deceived, but the woman, having been quite deceived [exapatetheisa] became 
involved in transgression.  But she shall be saved [sothesetai from sozein, 
which here implies that woman is saved or redeemed from the disadvantage or 
reproach of having been the first to succumb to the wiles of Satan's 
temptation at the Fall] through childbearing, if they [i.e., childbearing 
women - or even all women, as potential child-bearers] abide in faith and love 
and sanctification with sobriety [sophrosyne, which implies `moderation,'`good 
judgment,' `self-control,' `chastity,' or `self-restraint']." (Sothesetai must 
not be taken out of context as meaning that a child-bearing woman is saved by 
her good work of bringing a new life into the world; for her it is just as 
true as it is for a man, that salvation from sin and death is bestowed only by 
grace through faith, as Eph.  2:8-9 clearly teaches.) 

   Here we have a very clear principle of subordination of woman to man in the 
structure of the church as an organized body and in the family as a team in a 
household.  God intends that the responsibility of leadership devolve on man 
rather than woman in both cases.  Yet both man and woman are equally precious 
and worthy before God (Gal.  3:27-28), and the assigned level of 
responsibility does not give to men any special advantage or any inherently 
higher status before God than is granted to women.  

   The following teachings emerge from this passage: 

   1] There is a distinction between what is permitted for women.  By 
implication, since women are expressly forbidden to teach men (i.e., fellow 
believers in the congregation who are men) in an authoritative way (didaskein 
and authentein seem to be intended as a combined concept and describe the 
function of the teaching elder at minister of the gospel, who instructs and 
exhorts a congregation from the pulpit), that which is not permitted to women 
is permitted to men.  It seems to this writer that this dictum cannot be 
worked so as to make it mean that women are granted the same privilege and 
status as men.  (Some of those who attempt to do so are in danger of violating 
the rights of language and reducing Scripture to a plastic medium that can be 
interpreted to mean anything the interpreter may choose.  Willful manipulation 
of the plain sense of Scripture must be regarded as tantamount to a denial of 
the objective authority of Scripture.) 

   2.  On the other hand, this verse does not prohibit women from teaching 
individual men on a personal basis (as Priscilla - along with her husband 
Aquila - taught Apollos the way of God more accurately [Acts 18:26].  Nor does 
it forbid women to "prophesy" in a respectful and submissive manner 
(symbolized by keeping a covering over their heads in church meetings [1 Cor.  
11:5-6]) and to address fellow believers - male and female - to their 
"edification, exhortation, and comfort" (1 Cor.  14:3 so defines "prophecy").  

   Indeed, there is a wide scope of opportunity afforded to women who have 
such a gift; all four daughters of Philip the evangelist were likewise endowed 
with the charisma of prophecy (Acts 21:9).  Undoubtedly they spearheaded the 
Christian outreach to women who could not be contacted in public meeting 
places but could be evangelized in their homes - along with the younger 
children, no doubt.  An apostolic pattern for Bible study and prayer groups in 
the home was set by Lydia at Philippi, who was Paul's first European convert.  
Not only at the "Laundromat" by the river but also in her own home she 
promoted evangelism with all who would consent to enter her house (Acts 
16:14,40.  

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