Tuesday, October 8 - 1 Timothy 2

1 Timothy 2

New International Version (NIV)

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ⁷ And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

⁸ Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. ⁹ I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰ but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
¹¹ A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. ¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴ And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. ¹⁵ But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

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INSTRUCTIONS ON WOMEN
    In Ephesus, where Timothy is the pastor, some uninstructed women seem to be subverting the official teaching of the church with their own opinions.  St. Paul, here, offers this general principle:  "I do not permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a man."   The LCMS has understood this passage not to speak of the general concept of "teaching," which clearly many women did both in biblical times and through the centuries.  Rather, the Greek word, didaskein, seems to refer to the official teaching office of the church, that is, the pastor.
  This passage, which Paul grounds in the order of creation, seems to generally limit the official teaching office to men, consequently the LCMS's understanding that women should not be pastors.
   This grounding is not a punishment for Eve's first sin, but rather seems to be based upon the fact that since God created man first, He wanted man to be the spiritual leader in the church and in the home. This is man's God-given responsibility, which he should embrace and not pass off.
   And to women God assigned the honorable role of giving birth -- a blessing which ultimately would lead to the saving birth of Jesus Christ, who would be the Savior of all.  And, while women are not assigned the official role of being the spiritual leader in the church nor in the home, they are able, in their position as wife and mother, to bring the gentle and life-changing influence of teaching support and loving nurture to those entrusted to their care.
   In short, as Paul said earlier in Ephesians, true love and great accomplishment is found when we become servants to one another.  Husbands love their wives and their family as they offer spiritual leadership and sound biblical teaching.  Wives love their husbands when they continue to support him in raising his family with love, nurture, and support.   
   Both are servants to one another -- and both are leaders as they work together to accomplish all that God desires.