Jae Park Supporter

The following is my understanding on 1Tim 2:11. 

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 

1. Apostle Paul encouraged women to learn. 
a) At that time, Jewish culture and Greek culture did not teach women. Paul’s command of teaching women was revolutionary command.
b) some women in Ephesus wanted to be teachers [elders]; preaching, teaching the Bible during the cooperative worship services. Paul specifically commanded them not to teach but to learn from the elders. [1Tim 2:12]
c) Learning the accurate understanding of the bible is very important for women since they are to teach children [more than father when they are young] and are to teach young women [men could not teach women's sensitive areas] and are to teach others in private setting such as evangelism at school, work place, campus, on the street, everywhere. [not cooperative worship service]. 


2. Women are to be submissive to the elders in the church.
a) Women should not be against authority of elders in the church. 
Church members (men and women) are under authority of elders (men) in the church. Submission to Elders is to acknowledge the authority of Christ in the local church. 	
b) Women are to respect and honor the leadership of elders (men) in the church. Through being submissive to elders, women show their submission to Christ. Because church members are under authority of Christ in the local church. 
c) Probably, some women in Ephesus had problem with authorities of elders. Apostle Paul presented the biblical principles based on Creation Order so that women in Ephesus should be submissive to the authorities of elders just like they were submissive to the authorities of Christ. [1Tim 2:13,14]

3. It does not mean that men are superior to women. 
It does not mean that women are inferior to men. Men and women are equally valuable [Gen 1:26,27] 
Simply, God gives them different roles in the local church and at home. Without submission, local church will be in confusion and chaos. With submission to elders, church learn to be submissive to Christ. Through submissiveness to the authorities of elders, we [not just women but also men] will grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ here on earth.

December 09 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Quite a question, Cody! In 1 Timothy 2:11, Paul writes, "Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness." Warren Wiersbe, in his Bible Exposition Commentary, explains that this verse must be understood in the cultural and biblical context of church leadership and order.

Wiersbe emphasizes that Paul is not forbidding women from learning—in fact, this command was radical in a time when many Jewish and Greek cultures discouraged women from formal education. 

--["But I do not allow 1 a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. She must remain quiet."
NET © Notes	

1 But I do not allow. Although the Greek conjunction δέ (de) can have a simple connective force (“and”), it is best to take it as contrastive here: Verse 11 gives a positive statement (that is to say, that a woman should learn) bible.org.] 

This was a radical and liberating departure from the Jewish view that women were not to learn the law. Instead, Paul is instructing that women should learn in a respectful and orderly manner, which was the appropriate attitude for all students, men and women alike.

Regarding "quietly with all submissiveness," Wiersbe clarifies that "quietness" does not mean absolute silence but rather a peaceful, receptive spirit, avoiding disruptive behavior. Submissiveness refers to recognizing the God-ordained roles within the church, particularly in the context of teaching and authority. He ties this to the broader biblical principle of male spiritual leadership in the church, as outlined in 1 Tim 2:12-14.

Wiersbe argues that this passage does not devalue women but rather affirms their role in God's design for the church. He points out that Paul's reasoning is grounded in the creation order (1 Tim. 2:13) and the fall (1 Tim. 2:14), rather than in cultural customs of the time, indicating a timeless principle rather than a temporary restriction.

"Learn in quietness with all submission"The meaning of the Greek term used here, hēsychia (meaning “silence” or “quiet”) --[ἡσυχία (hēsychia),], can range from complete silence to a state of respectful quietness. If Paul is addressing a specific historical situation at Ephesus, it is possible that particular women were interrupting the worship of others by usurping or undermining the teachings of the church’s previously established male authority figures. To outsiders, this gave the appearance of complete disregard for cultural norms and hindered the church’s ability to effectively present the gospel in the community. Alternatively, Paul’s instructions could reflect the emerging cultural trend of Roman women speaking at secular gatherings held in homes. Paul could be providing this command to ensure that the Christian community does not seem like other trends, especially since these trends were often perceived negatively (compare note on vv. 8–15). Compare 1 Cor 14:34 and note."

--Faithlife Study Bible

6 days ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report