1Tim 2:12 Women Forbidden to Rule Over Men

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Women Forbidden to Rule Over Men

1Tim 2:12  And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

In God's culture - the Kingdom culture - it is shameful for women to rule men. Thus Isaiah noted, "Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path." Is 3:12

Note again the similar words used in these two sets of verses:

1Cor 14:34,35 "Let your women keep SILENT in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be SUBMISSIVE, as the law also says. And if they want to LEARN something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church."

1Tim 2:11,12 "Let a woman LEARN in SILENCE with all SUBMISSION. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in SILENCE."

From verse 12 we gain insight as to what he means by the "silence" he was speaking of in the previous verse, as well as the silence he had spoken of with respect to women in 1Cor 14:34. Essentially women are not allowed as spokesmen in the church.

As we saw in 1Cor 14:34,35, women are not allowed to publicly teach men, whether by way of explanation or prophecy. But in addition we see in this verse they were not allowed to hold positions of authority over men. And thus many churches today don't allow women in leadership roles in the church in which they would either be instructing men or otherwise exercising authority over men.

And we can see this principle also in Jesus' ministry - as well as throughout the Bible. For example none of the apostles Jesus chose were women. Why? Next Paul explains this principle from the scriptures.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources