8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
This letter is primarily instruction to Timothy about how to conduct church meetings and everything he says must be understood in that light.
In a church gathering, the men should pray. Paul uses a specific word for men (males), not the usual word that can refer to all people. The emphasis is not on lifting the hands but on the hands being holy and is representative of the whole person. The man who leads the church in prayer must be right with God and not caught up in anger or quarrelling. Those who lead God’s people need to have their relationship with God right so that their sinfulness isn’t leading others into sinfulness.
In the church, women should be careful to dress modestly. Not in a way that draws unnecessary attention to themselves and causes a distraction. When you dress, think carefully about why you choose a specific outfit. A church service should be about God and even what we wear can help keep that focus or shift that focus.
In the church service, a woman is not to teach men. She should learn quietly in proper submission based on the order God established at creation. God made Adam and then Eve to be his helpmate, not the other way around. Eve was deceived in the garden when she took the leadership role she shouldn’t have. There are many women who are able and talented to teach. The church service is just not the place for that to happen.
The last verse is quite confusing and if we wrongly understand “saved” it presents real problems. This verse cannot be teaching about eternal salvation through childbirth. The key seems to be the words “she” and “they”. She is the mother and they are her children. A woman will be fulfilled (likely in her desire to teach) if she raises her children to continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. A mom has an important role (along with Dad) to raise her children to be godly, and perhaps the future elders and deacons of the church. A woman who does not have children of her own can still find fulfilment in helping other women with their children, especially single moms.
How does this passage and passages in the Bible like this sit with you? Do you feel completely comfortable doing things God’s way or do you feel a little out of joint because you’d prefer to do things differently? In some areas God doesn’t give us preference and how we handle that is a real reflection of the state of our heart. What do you need to change to live your life in submission to God?
I was reminded to work on how I look on the inside and being a light for Christ rather than spending too much time on my outward appearance