In these few verses Paul touches on the role of women in the church - which has become one of the major battlefields in the church - and in the home. Many people struggle with these verses. Many people have been hurt. So we want to approach this section with great care. First we want to examine what Paul is teaching and then I’d like to share a point of application.

1 Timothy 2:9 - Paul begins, “Likewise, I want women...” Put another way, “with that same thought in mind, I want women…” That “likewise” is important if we’re going to understand why Paul is writing to women.

Last week we looked at 1 Timothy 2:1-8 where Paul discusses the essential of Godly men - Godly men fulfilling their role in the Church - in their homes - Godly men taking spiritual leadership in prayer. All of which begins in the heart - which is Paul’s focus - men whose hearts are broken before God - who are eager to be used by God.

Here in verses 9-15 with that same teaching in mind - Paul goes on to the role of women. “Likewise” means that in the same way men are to pay attention to their hearts before God and so to conduct themselves as Godly men - Paul is now going to speak to women about their heart attitude and conduct. If the church is to reach people with the Gospel - in the same way that this is essential for men this is essential for women.

1 Timothy 2:9: Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

I heard that Phyllis Diller (remember her?) once said she spent three hours in a beauty shop - and that was just for the estimate!

In Ephesus - the city where Timothy was pastoring - when women stepped out for the evening they would spare no expense to look dazzling. Braids of hair piled high on their heads - braids fastened with tortoise shells - pins and combs made of ivory, silver, and gold - imported pearls woven into their hair. Then, they’d work down. Imagine if they spent that much time on their hair how extravagant the rest of the ensemble was. It was like the Academy Awards every night. The more extravagant - the more expensive - the more captivating - the better. In Ephesus the women spent fortunes on their outward appearance.

Sometimes I wonder if women really understand how what they wear effects men and the opinion of men towards them. Women should watch men watching women - listen to the comments men make to men about women. Women should ask themselves if they really want that kind of attention from men. Why do women - especially if they understand how this effects men - why do women sell themselves short - trying to get the attention of men - or influence men - by the clothing - or lack of clothing - they wear?

On the other hand, some have taken Paul’s teach so far as to say that women shouldn’t wear make-up or jewelry or fashionable clothing. The more drab and less flattering the better. But even that focuses on the outward.

Paul says its not what’s outside that impresses God. Godly womanhood has to do with the heart of a woman being broken and seeking the things of God - inward God inspired beauty. What women wear - how they conduct themselves - should draw attention to God working within their hearts.

Going on - verse 11: A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

These are tough verses - the heart of the struggle over women’s roles in the church. Put simply, What role can a women have in the ministry of the church if any?

Some have said that women should sit quietly and not say a word. In some churches women - once they enter the sanctuary - women are not even allowed to say “hello” or open their mouths. Some say its wrong for women to lead in any way when that leadership involves any authority over a man. For example - no women choir conductors or song leaders or even musicians - because that involves authority - directing - leading men. No women on the church council - committees - or boards where authority over men takes place. Certainly no women pastors.

We struggle with this. The Armenian Evangelical Church ordains women. But, hesitates to call them as pastors. This church sent a woman - Annie Kartozian - to the mission field where she exercised authority over men. Was that wrong? Or, is it okay as long as its on the mission field?

Since God does not contradict Himself Paul cannot write Scripture which is inconsistent with God’s word. We need to be careful that we don’t interpret this passage in a way that’s inconsistent with the teaching of Scripture.

We need to understand that God has used women in leadership and authority over men - Deborah the judge of Israel, Esther the Queen, and others. Here in Ephesus - where Timothy is a pastor - Aquila and his wife Priscilla took Apollos - a man - and both of them - husband and wife together - Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos about Jesus. Later when Paul comes to Ephesus - Paul never reprimands them - never says Priscilla was wrong to instruct a man. In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul gives instructions to women as to how they’re to pray and to teach Scripture in the Church (1 Corinthians 11:3-16). So, whatever understanding we come to about these verses must fit with what the rest of Scripture teaches about women in ministry. And, we need to remember that Paul is focusing on the heart attitude of women.

Notice how our pew Bibles translate verse 11, “a woman must quietly receive instruction.” Then in verse 12 - regarding authority - women are “to remain quiet” - same word. In 2 Thessalonians 3:12 - Paul writing to men and women who were being busybodies in the church - Paul exhorts them to work in “quiet fashion” - same Greek word as here in 1 Timothy 2. One English translation puts it, “urge them to settle down.” or “to be peaceable.”

First Paul instructs women about their attitude in what they wear. Now Paul focuses on their attitude towards instruction. When receiving instruction - rather than being argumentative and aggressive and stubborn - as was probably the case in Ephesus - Godly women are to have an attitude of peacefulness - quiet - willingness to listen to others.

The same is true with regard to authority. In verse 12 the Greek word for “authority” has the idea of mastery. The Armenian translates this "ishkhel" - to dominate - to reign. This isn’t an absolute prohibition against women teaching. In the New Testament women did teach. But, when women teach - their attitude should not be domination - rulership - over men. Instead a Godly woman will have an attitude of peacefulness - humility - openness.

In verses 13 to 15 Paul gives us a practical illustration of why all this is important. Here again we need to be careful to understand how Paul uses this illustration. Some have taken these verses way beyond the meaning of what Paul is teaching.

What Paul writes in verses 13 to 15 is the summary of a much larger event - a very familiar event - that took place in Genesis 1-3. If we’re going to understand Paul’s point we also need to be reminded of the events of Genesis. So, please turn with me to the Book of Genesis.

In 1 Timothy 2:13, Paul writes, For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.

In Genesis 1:27 - reading in Genesis - the account of creation - we know that both Adam and Eve were created in God’s image. Both are equally the image of God. Yet, there’s a designed order to creation. Adam comes first - then Eve. Like the Godhead - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - all equally God - yet different in their roles - male and female are different in their roles.

Then notice in Genesis 1:28 God instructs both Adam and Eve to rule over the earth and to fill it with people. There’s a command given that they’re to be obedient to. Then turning ahead Genesis 2:25 says - “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” There’s nothing between them - no sin - no issues in their relationship. They could stand there in total innocence and openness before each other and not feel the need to hide anything.

Contained in Paul’s illustration about Adam being created first and then Eve are these truths from Genesis: Both male and female - equal as the image of God - different as to their roles - have a partnership in obeying God’s commands.

Then 1 Timothy 2:14 - Paul writes, And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

Some have suggested that women are more sinful than men. Somehow the fall of mankind into sin should be blamed on Eve - even though Scripture teaches that Adam is held accountable. (Romans 5:19)

In Genesis 2 God instructs Adam that he can eat from any tree but the one in the center of garden. (Genesis 2:16-17) A command that Adam - in his role of leadership should have passed on to Eve. In Genesis 3 - wouldn’t you know it, there they are right in front of that forbidden tree. The serpent comes and has this famous conversation with Eve.

Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that they tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Don’t miss that. Where was Adam? Verse 6, “she gave also to her husband with her.” Adam - who has this role of leadership stands there and let’s Eve take the fall. When Paul says that Eve was deceived and sinned he’s not trying to pin the whole descent of mankind into sin on Eve’s shoulders. Paul’s point is that that happened because Adam abdicated his role and Eve took the leadership role that wasn’t hers.

1 Timothy 2:15 - Paul writes, But woman will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

Karen and I have 4 kids. Some of our brethren - with 10 plus kids - have congratulated us on a good start. Some have said that unless women are bearing children they can’t be saved. Imagine what that means for single women or barren women. Does that mean that they’re not going to heaven? Obviously that’s not consistent with the rest of Scripture.

Paul is directing us to the first mention of the Gospel in Scripture - Genesis 3:15. God in cursing the serpent says that one day a child of Eve - Jesus - will crush the head of Satan. (Romans 16:20) Eve brought sin into the world. Mary brought our Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus a woman - or a man - is saved by faith.

There’s something else we need to understand about what Paul is saying here - the faith, love, and sanctity with self-restraint part. Genesis 3:7 says: “Then the eyes of both of them - Adam and Eve - were opened, they knew that they were naked; and they sewed leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” Sin enters the relationship - comes between both equal partners of the image of God. They’re naked and they’re ashamed.

Genesis 3:16 - God speaking to the woman - a curse because of her sin: “Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.”

At the entrance to heaven there are two lines. One line has a sign that says “Husbands ruled by their wives” The other line has a sign that says, “Husbands who ruled over their wives.” In the first line thousands of men were lined up. In the second line - the “Husbands who ruled over their wives” line - there was one man. Saint Peter looking at this one man asked, “What are you doing here?” The man answered, “I don’t know. My wife told me to stand here.”

How many of you have heard that? We laugh because its familiar to where sin has taken us in our relationships between men and women. This constant struggle over leadership - roles in our partnership. Men - who Paul calls upon to take spiritual leadership - yet struggle in that role. Women who struggle with the authority of men - especially when it is demanded and not earned - or abdicated by default.

This is what Paul is getting at. We struggle with the roles of men and women in the church because we struggle with sin. The women in Ephesus were doing the same thing as Eve - struggling against the authority of Godly men. Their focus was on themselves not God and what God would have for them. Paul is writing, in conduct - in times of instruction - in times of teaching - the attitude of Godly women - the actions of a Godly woman - must come from a heart broken before God - eagerly seeking God and the things of God - obedience to God - in faith - in love - in sanctity with self-restraint.

I’d like to conclude with one final point of application. When I was in elementary school we were given an assignment to learn a poem from this textbook we were reading. So naturally I chose the shortest poem I could find. I still remember it.

I eat my peas with honey,
I’ve done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it keeps them on my knife!

People use knives and forks in different ways. I think that’s some of what Paul is getting at here - the wonderful essential uniqueness of women.

Men deal with issues differently than women. We looked at some of that last week. Women deal with things differently than men. How dull life would be if we were all knives.

Women add tenderness, empathy, softness, sympathy, nurture. They give a quality and perspective that men cannot give. Those are qualities - blessings - that God has given to women. Here Paul is talking about the church - our ministry of the Gospel together. We need Godly women in that ministry. Their role is essential.