Roles of Men & Women
1 Tm 2:8-15
INTRODUCTION
A. Wilma M. Rowland became the first woman to offer prayer at the opening session of the US
Senate in 1971. She said, "I'm pleased not for myself but for the fact the Senate has reached the
point where they feel it is normal to invite a woman to do this."
1. Indeed, it is becoming normal to invite women to lead prayer in public gatherings.
2. Many churches have women preachers--before I left Owingsville (KY), a church in town hired
a woman to preach.
B. Today, the religious world struggles with the role distinctions between men & women.
1. There is a large movement to place women in church leadership.
2. Others claim that this violates the Scriptures.
C. We need to examine what Scripture says to settle the issue.
1. What groups deem "up-to-date" cannot settle the issue.
2. What groups deem "traditional" cannot settle the issue. Tradition cannot be more important
than the word of God (Mt 15:6).
ROLE OF MEN, v 8
A. Men need to pray.
1. Paul encourages men throughout the world to pray--he wants men everywhere to pray.
2. Men, this is a ministry we need to fulfill.
a. We need to be a praying people.
b. We need to be a praying people because prayer does much good (Js 5:14-18).
c. We need to be a praying people because whatever things we ask in prayer we shall receive
(Mt 21:22).
d. We need to be a praying people because we have serious responsibilities in the home--to
be the head of our wife & to teach our children--we need God's help in fulfilling these
responsibilities.
3. Illustration about the farmer's saying that the pigs couldn't pray, Illustrations Unlimited,
#27, p 423.
B. We need to pray "lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling."
1. "Holy hands" refers to hands that are pure.
a. The emphasis is not on the lifting of hands, but it is on the "holy" hands.
b. We need to pray with clean & pure consciences.
2. Part of that clean conscience involves not being angry & quarreling.
a. Anger & quarreling hinder our prayers.
b. We need to guard against anything that would hinder our prayers.
c. Mt 5:23-24.
1) Jesus here teaches we need to ask forgiveness from those we've wronged before
we worship.
2) Here's the principle for us--we need to correct what's wrong in our lives before we
worship.
3) We need to get rid of anger & quarreling before we worship.
C. Men, are you fulfilling your role as a praying person? Are you praying without anger &
quarreling?
ROLE OF WOMEN, vv 9-15
A. Women need to dress themselves appropriately, vv 9-10.
1. Preachers often use this text to say that women should not dress in a revealing manner, but
that's not the point Paul is making. He's telling women not to wear too much!
2. Women need to dress in seemly apparel, not in "showy" apparel--that showy apparel is
described as braided hair, gold, pearls, & costly clothing.
a. This may have been because prostitutes commonly dressed in such a manner.
b. This may have been because women dressed to show a superior social standing.
1) Because 1 Timothy discusses money at length, I surmise that money was a real
problem in Ephesus where Timothy was working.
2) Paul may have given this prohibition because wealthy women were dressing in a
fancy way & embarrassing those women who did not have as much.
3. Instead of adorning themselves with "showy" apparel, women need to adorn themselves with
good deeds.
a. Good deeds are more important than good dress.
b. This is right for those who claim to be Christians, those who profess godliness.
4. We need women who are more concerned with how they behave than with how nice their
clothes are.
a. The point being made here is that we ought to be more concerned with our lives--how we
behave-than with how nice our clothes are.
b. People should notice a woman's good works, not her clothes.
B. Women need to learn in submission, vv 11-12.
1. Women cannot teach a man, rather they are to learn in silence.
2. Women cannot hold a position of authority over men, rather they are to be submissive.
3. The principle of male spiritual leadership is one which runs throughout the NT.
a. The head of woman is man (1 Cor 11:3).
b. Women are to be silent in the churches (1 Cor 14:34).
c. Wives are to be subject to their husbands (Eph 5:22).
4. Women are to be silent.
a. Silence is the opposite of teaching men.
b. Silence is the opposite of holding authority over men.
5. We need women who are silent and who submit. But, what does this text require of women?
a. A woman may not teach when men are present--she cannot teach a man--this would
prohibit her from being a preacher or teaching a Bible class where men are
present.
b. A woman may not have authority over men--this denies her leadership positions in the
church--a woman cannot be an elder or deacon.
c. A woman needs to be silent in the assembly--she may not lead the singing; she may not
lead the prayers.
6. Whenever we discuss a topic like this, the question is always raised: "What if the men won't
fulfill their responsibility?"
a. If men will not fulfill their responsibilities, God will hold them accountable.
b. But, none of that changes what the Bible teaches. We need to change to meet its
standards & not expect it to change to meet our "needs."
C. Paul states why this is, vv 13-14.
1. Many scholars have their own ideas.
a. Some say Paul prohibited women from teaching because the women were teaching false
doctrine. According to them, as long as women do not teach false doctrine, they may
teach publicly.
b. Some say Paul prohibited women from teaching because that was the societal standard of
his day. According to them, as long as society's standards have changed, women may
teach publicly.
2. But, Paul says that this prohibition is based upon the Creation, vv 13-14.
a. Adam was created before Eve, v 13.
b. Paul also says that Eve fell into sin through deception, v 14.
1) Satan deceived Eve & she fell into sin; Eve sinned before Adam.
2) When God cursed Eve, he told her that her husband would rule over her (Gn 3:16).
3) Adam listened to Eve & he fell into transgression (Gn 3:17).
4) Paul's point is that the principle of male spiritual leadership is as old as mankind.
D. Yet, women have hope, v 15.
1. Women will be saved through childbirth.
a. This cannot mean that a woman has to bear children to be saved.
1) Not every woman can have children.
2) This would make salvation dependent upon a physical act--such doesn't fit the
teaching of Scripture.
b. "Childbirth" stands for a woman's proper role in the home.
1) We do the same thing when we say, "Give us our daily bread." "Bread" stands for
"food."
2) A part of something stands for the whole.
c. Paul's point is that women will be saved if they fulfill their role in the home as a mother &
wife.
d. We need women who fulfill their role in the home-- who are in submission to their
husbands, who are helps to him, & who are loving and supportive mothers.
2. Women will be saved if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.
a. Fulfilling her proper role in the home is only half a woman's responsibility.
b. A woman also needs to possess Christian virtues.
c. We need women who possess Christian virtues. Are you a woman who possesses
Christian virtues?
CONCLUSION
A. We need men & women who assume their proper role in the church.
1. We need men who assume a praying role in the church.
2. We need women who assume a submissive role in the church.
B. Even this passage speaks of salvation.
1. Salvation comes to those who assume their proper roles.
2. Salvation comes to those who possess Christian virtues.