Are women to be in leadership in the church? Many have used 1 Timothy 2:9-3:13 to say a resounding no. These verses have been interpreted to say that women should not teach men, should dress frumpily, and be saved through childbearing. Moreover, Eve was responsible for the fall into sin. Only men should be elders and deacons. But is this what this section really says? This is not consistent with other Scripture.
Women Leadership in Scripture
Jesus allowed Mary to sit as a disciple (Luke 10:38–42), which until that time was only for men. He also chose to have women be the first witnesses of the resurrection. In Romans 16, Paul spoke of women as apostles and deacons. 1 Corinthians 11 expects women to be praying and prophesying in the assembly. Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.[1] Why this seeming inconsistency?
The Context of Ephesus
Timothy was dealing with significant problems in the Ephesian church, and Paul sent this letter to encourage him. The largest pagan temple was to Artemis, also known as Diana. This was an all-female cult where the women ruled over the men. Many female new believers brought this mindset with them into the church. The women were not to rule over the men, which may be why, only in Ephesus did Paul prohibit women from teaching men.
Another heresy in Ephesus included abstaining from certain foods and sexual activity to be super spiritual. Paul told Timothy to correct this.1 Timothy 4: 3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. 4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.[2] Family life would end if all sexual activity were prohibited. Paul encouraged the women to bear children because God had designed us to have families.
Let the Women Learn
I think Paul wanted Timothy to allow the women to learn, but they must be in full submission, perhaps to the men, but definitely to God. This way, the women can develop the leadership skills God gave them.
God made Adam first and commanded him not to eat from the tree. He stood by and allowed Eve to eat because she had not learned the commandment correctly and then deliberately sinned himself. Thus, women need to learn to avoid falling into sin.
N.T. Wright has a good comment. “Just as Paul was concerned to apply this in one particular situation, so we must think and pray carefully about where our own cultures, prejudices and angers are taking us. We must do our best to conform, not to any of the different stereotypes the world offers, but to the healing, liberating, humanizing message of the gospel of Jesus.”[3]
Are women to be in leadership in the church? To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/lead-yourself
[1,2] Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
[3] Wright, T. (2004). Paul for Everyone: the Pastoral Letters: 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus (p. 27). Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.