Daily Scripture Reading 1Timothy 2:1 - 3:15
For thousands of years, men held most positions of leadership and authority in the family, church, business, and government. Over the past 100 years, women have begun assuming many of those roles. Today, it sounds radical to suggest women should not serve as judges, legislators, governors, and business executives. However, today’s passage appears to demand such radical ideas.
In the first chapter of 1 Timothy we learned that Paul wrote this letter to Timothy to give him instructions regarding what he was supposed to do in Ephesus after Paul left to go to Macedonia.
1Tim. 2:1 ¶ First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men,
1Tim. 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
Notice the command to pray for all who are in authority. This is something individual Christians should do as they go about daily life. While this passage is not giving instructions about how to conduct church, it is a good idea to pray for those in authority when gathered together as a church.
Don’t miss the reason for praying for all in authority. The goal is a tranquil and quiet life.
1Tim. 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1Tim. 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.
Notice what Paul wrote and what he didn’t write. He wrote that God desires all men to come to full knowledge. He did not write that God desires all men to feel good or have an emotional high when they go to church.
1Tim. 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
1Tim. 2:6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the witness for this proper time.
1Tim. 2:7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
1Tim. 2:8 ¶ Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
Notice the word men. He did not say he wants everyone to pray. He said he wants the men to pray.
The term “every place” is a little vague. It may refer to each church. It seems more likely that it refers to all the places in which Christians live. If so, then this passage is telling Christians how to live daily life, not just how to conduct ourselves in church.
1Tim. 2:9 ¶ Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, with modesty and self-restraint, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing,
1Tim. 2:10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women professing godliness.
Women desire to be beautiful. There is nothing wrong with that, but Christian women should adorn themselves with good works and godliness, not just clothing and jewelry. While making themselves beautiful, women should be modest in their apparel and accessories. Self-restraint is beautiful.
1Tim. 2:11 A woman must learn in quietness, in all submission.
1Tim. 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
If Paul is giving instructions about how to live life, then this verse means Christian women should not teach men nor have authority over them in any context. This means Christian women should not have jobs or government positions where they teach men or have authority over them. This means women should not be judges nor hold government office.
This is a radical idea in our modern world, but up until 100 years ago, this was the norm for thousands of years. For most of world history, men had positions of authority and women did not.
1Tim. 2:13 For it was Adam who was first formed, and then Eve.
1Tim. 2:14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into trespass.
Verses 13-14 give the reasons why women should not teach or lead men. It is because men were created first and Eve was deceived. If Eve being deceived is a reason women should not teach or exercise authority over men in church, then it is also a good reason why women should not teach or exercise authority over men in all of life.
Again, this is a very radical idea in our modern world, but up until 100 years ago, this was the norm for thousands of years.
1Tim. 2:15 But she will be saved through the bearing of children, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with self-restraint.
It is important to understand what women are being saved from when they bear children. Bearing children does not save them from hell. Other passages of scripture tell us how to be saved to eternal life.
Instead, bearing children saves women from irrelevant, hopeless, and meaningless lives. Being a mother and training children gives women the opportunity to nurture both boys and girls so that they grow up to be mature, responsible adults who make positive contributions to society.
1Tim. 3:1 ¶ It is a trustworthy saying: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
Notice the word “man”. Only men can be overseers in the church.
1Tim. 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
A woman cannot be the husband of one wife; therefore, only men can be overseers.
1Tim. 3:3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but considerate, peaceable, free from the love of money;
1Tim. 3:4 leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity
1Tim. 3:5 (but if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
1Tim. 3:6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
1Tim. 3:7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Just because this chapter lists the qualifications of elders does not mean chapter 2 is only telling us how to conduct ourselves in church.
1Tim. 3:8 ¶ Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not fond of dishonest gain,
1Tim. 3:9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
1Tim. 3:10 And these men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
1Tim. 3:11 Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.
There is some debate about this verse. Some people believe it allows for women to be deacons. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek. Koine Greek did not have a word for wife. Instead, the word that was used in this verse sometimes meant wife and sometimes it meant a female. The question is whether this verse describes the requirements for female deacons or the requirements for wives of deacons.
1Tim. 3:12 Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, leading their children and their own households well.
Since verse 12 gives further requirements for deacons, including the requirement that deacons be the husband of one wife, a requirement which a woman cannot meet, then it appears verse 11 lists the requirements for the wives of male deacons.
1Tim. 3:13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
1Tim. 3:14 ¶ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon,
1Tim. 3:15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
Look at the term “household of God”. Some people interpret this as meaning Paul was giving instructions on how Christians should conduct themselves in church. However, the term household implies a family. Being in the household of God is not just a reference to going to church, it is a reference to being part of God’s family. Thus, Paul’s limits on the role of women applies to all of life, not just to our churches.
Again, this sounds very radical, but this was accepted all over the world up until about 100 years ago.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”