A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. – 1 Timothy 2:11-15
Let’s be honest… this passage makes most modern readers cringe. It goes against everything our culture holds dear about identity, equality, and personal freedom. And yet here it is.
Clear. Bold. Unapologetic.
Paul wasn’t writing in a soft whisper. These weren’t optional suggestions for a specific moment in time. He roots his instruction not in cultural customs or Greco-Roman patriarchy, but in creation itself: “For Adam was formed first, then Eve.”
That’s not temporary logic. That’s theological design.
What Paul lays out here is about order, not worth. He’s not assigning more value to men than women. He’s talking about responsibility. And in the household of God, responsibility and authority come with a heavy weight. Paul isn’t calling women to silence because they’re inferior… he’s calling them to honor a structure that God Himself put in place.
This doesn’t mean women can’t speak, can’t serve, can’t teach and disciple other women or their children, or can’t use their gifts. But Paul does indeed draw a firm line where spiritual authority over men in the church is concerned. And he doesn’t apologize for that. Neither should we.
But here’s what’s often missed in the outrage: Paul actually elevates women in this text too. In a world where women were often uneducated, Paul says, “A woman should learn.” That was revolutionary. First-century Christianity didn’t sideline women – they invited them to the front row.
But not to every microphone…
And that final verse – about being “saved through childbearing” – it’s not saying women earn salvation by having babies. Paul’s using childbearing, the distinctly female role from Genesis, as a symbol. Salvation isn’t about seizing control, but embracing the calling God has given. Faith, love, holiness, self-control… that’s what the message is about.
Some questions to reflect on today after reading this rather sensitive teaching:
- Am I willing to submit to God’s Word even when it clashes with cultural ideas?
- Do I see God’s design as good, even when it limits me in ways I wouldn’t choose for myself?
- Am I confusing giftedness with authority?
Today’s Prayer: Lord, Your ways are not my ways. Help me not to interpret Your Word to suit the times, but to realign my heart to the authority of Your truth. Teach me to trust your design, even when it stretches me or humbles me. Give me grace to obey, not because I always understand, but because I believe You are good. Amen.
Former Blackout Artist 