"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 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. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (1 Tim 2:11-12). This is not a favorite passage of those who insist women should be permitted to do in public worship whatever men do. It clearly refutes that idea.
It was not by accident that God created Adam first and Eve some time later. It was according to his plan. God had a reason for doing it that way. I may not know the reason, but the fact he did it that way tells us he had a reason. The apostle Paul says the fact he did so is the reason women are to learn in silence and not usurp authority over men. 1 Cor 11:8-9 says, "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." Woman was created for man. She was created from man. She was created after man. She was brought to man. She was named by man. She was named with man's name (Gen.2:18, 21-23). She is not to "have dominion over a man" (I Tim. 2:12 ASV).
The woman, not the man, transgressed God's law because she was deceived (v 14). She was not deceived with reference to what God's law was; she knew exactly what it was, for she told the serpent: "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die" (Gen. 3:3). Her deception was in thinking God did not really mean what he said about the matter. That is the very deception characteristic of those who try to set aside these verses as not applying to us today.
The word "transgression" used here means not merely to sin, but rather a complete disregarding of God's law. This is the very kind of sin characteristic of those who insist that women should be permitted to do such things in mixed assemblies as: leading in prayer, preaching, teaching and leading in singing.
These verses do not suggest that women are inferior to men, nor do they suggest that her work in the kingdom is not important. The importance of her work is seen in verse 15: "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." This scripture does not say that bearing and rearing children make her a Christian, any more than leading in prayer and preaching will make men Christians. What it teaches is, that men provide the leadership in the church, and the work of women involves bearing and rearing faithful, charitable, holy, and sober children who grow up to bless the kingdom of God. What greater work than this can anyone do?
"If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11)
Don H. Noblin
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