Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 22

Paul tells Timothy what Men and Women should Do Part 4

1 Timothy 2:12-13 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. KJV

Paul continues on with his instruction to Brother Timothy on how he should teach the Churches of God about the role of women in the Body of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and in so doing he now instructs this as policy, procedure, and practice for the children of God, "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." (1 Timothy 2:12) (KJV). In order that Paul makes his point to Timothy something that he will take as it being not from Paul the man or even Paul the authoritative Apostle of Christ, but Paul wanted Timothy and every other Christian man and woman reading this letter to take these words as being directly from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, so he begins by using some very strong or definitive language to get this point over such as the little English phrase 'I suffer' which is translated by the Greek word epitrepō which means to turn over (transfer), that is, allow: - give leave (liberty, license), let, permit, suffer. The use of the English word 'not'/ou is also strong seeing that it is an absolute negative. The English phrase 'to teach' is exactly as it means in our English language and that is a primary verb denoting the action of imparting skills or knowledge to others and in this letter that means specifically teaching of the Bible or the Word of God in public meetings or Church services.

So we see then that Paul the follower of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1), the Apostle of Christ (1 Timothy 1:1), and Paul the minister of Christ (Romans 15:16) wanted Timothy and we believers today and of every era to know that he was not giving his opinion here on such an improtant topic or issue in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, but he was giving to Timothy and to us today the 'will of God' for His Church. Note: Dr. John Gill says this concerning women teaching or women teachers of the Word of God, "They may teach in private, in their own houses and families; they are to be teachers of good things, Titus 2:3. They are to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; nor is the law or doctrine of a mother to be forsaken, any more than the instruction of a father; see Proverbs 1:8. Timothy, no doubt, received much advantage, from the private teachings and instructions of his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois; but then women are not to teach in the Church; for that is an act of power and authority, and supposes the persons that teach to be of a superior degree, and in a superior office, and to have superior abilities to those who are taught by them."

The English phrase 'to usurp authority over' is translated by one Greek word authenteō used this one time only in the entire New Testament meaning to act of oneself, that is, (figuratively) dominate: - usurp authority over. In other words, for a women to actively seek to be the leader or the authoritative person in the Church of Jesus Christ by taking over the role of teacher is to dismiss and to disregard and to declare that the Divine order of Almighty God has no or carries no weight inside His own Church, that is, the Divine order as we documented in the last study/commentary found clearly in 1 Corinthians 11:3. Note: "I cannot say that the many women we see today with some form of public teaching ministry were not placed where they are and how they are directly from our Lord Jesus Christ, but what I can say with the authority of Scripture, that is, the inerrant and infallible Word of God is that this is not the original Divine order, but just like in the Old Testament, God the Father does not and will not wait around for some man in the Body of Christ to get with His program and in these cases He will and He has and He still does take a willing obedient vessel of His that happens to be a woman and through her accomplishes His will for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to go out to the ends of the earth just as He said His Word would before the end would come, 'And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.' (Matthew 24:14) (Amplified Bible), so we see that Christ Jesus our Lord has a program and He will carry out His program to completeness using men and women in His Body."

Now the Apostle Paul gives the reason why the Divine Order (1 Corinthians 11:3) is the way it is according to order from the Throne of God, "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." (1 Timothy 2:13) (KJV). The explanation is actually simple and straight forward and has nothing to do with superiority as many have declared it to be wrongly for many centuries. It is the order of creation that has determined the order of authority defined in the Church of God by the Creator Himself. Why was man created first many surely have asked and are asking still now? The answer is, I don't know and my Heavenly Father has not disclosed it to me or to anyone else over all these many centuries of human creation. However, what He has said (in His Word) is very clear that the man was formed first from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7) and then secondly he took out of man and formed the woman (Genesis 2:21-22), therefore, as we fast forward to the New Testament this same Apostle Paul explains this Divine Creative order with these words to the Corinthian Church, "For man was not [created] from woman, but woman from man; Neither was man created on account of {or} for the benefit of woman, but woman on account of {and} for the benefit of man. Therefore she should [be subject to his authority and should] have a covering on her head [as a token, a symbol, of her submission to authority, that she may show reverence as do] the angels [and not displease them]. Nevertheless, in [the plan of] the Lord {and} from His point of view woman is not apart from {and} independent of man, nor is man aloof from {and} independent of woman; For as woman was made from man, even so man is also born of woman; and all [whether male or female go forth] from God [as their Author]." (1 Corinthians 11:8-12) (Amplified Bible).

"The Apostle, in this verse, and the following, gives reasons why a woman should occupy a subordinate situation, and not usurp authority. The first is, that she was second in the act of creation, or was made subsequent to man. The reason here assigned cannot be understood to be merely that of priority of existence - for then it would give every old person authority over a younger one; but it must refer to the circumstances of the case as detailed in the history of the creation; Gen. 1–2. Man was made as the lord of this lower creation and placed in the garden, and then the woman was made of a rib taken from his side, and given to him, not as a lord, but as a companion. All the circumstances combine to show the subordinate nature of her rank, and to prove that she was not designed to exert authority over the man." Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…