Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. He said you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free. He said God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. He said to the Father in prayer, your word is truth. We are saved by believing in the truth. We are sanctified by obedience to the truth. Truth matters.
Truth is important to God, and truth must be important to us. There is not a truth for you and another truth for me. There is not truth for one age, and a different truth for another age. God’s word is truth, and we must believe it, and accept it, and apply it. Whether or not we like it, or think it is relevant.
The truth that Paul is addressing today is one that is vehemently opposed by a large number of so called professing Christians. They don’t accept the words that we read here as truth. At the best, they think that it may have been truth for Paul’s day, but not for our day. At the worst, they think that Paul is a male chauvinistic bigot and we should ignore what he has to say on this subject. But that viewpoint obviously doesn’t believe that all scripture is inspired by God, and thus this passage cannot be disregarded as a man’s opinion. God wrote it, Paul was just the instrument God used to transfer His word to us.
Now the overarching theme of what Paul is writing about in this letter is found in chapter 3 vs 15 which says, “but in case I am delayed, [I write] so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” So truth matters in relation to how we conduct the church. It is God’s church, and so God has the authority to establish it and order it as He wishes. It’s not up to us to mess around and try to circumvent God’s directives in regards to church conduct.
To that point then, God has authorized the apostles as His representatives in setting forth the principles which serve as the foundation of the church. Then secondly, God has appointed pastors/teachers to serve the church. All of that was covered in chapter one. Then in chapter 2, we learned that prayer was the primary ministry of the church. And in particular, the men of the church were to lead in prayer.
One of the things we learned as we studied this letter, is that God has ordained different roles, different responsibilities in the church. Not everyone is given the same role, or responsibility. But just like in the armed services of our country, there are different ranks, different roles and responsibilities, so also in the church we have been given various gifts and responsibilities as God sees fit.
So we have seen what God has to say about apostles, about pastors/teachers, about the men of the church’s ministry of public prayer. He says in vs 8, “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” This exhortation takes the general command for everyone to pray at all times, and specifically instructs the men to lead in public prayer, in every place, that is in each of the churches. They are to lead in prayer, and do so exhibiting holy hands, that is godly behavior without wrath and dissension.
And in the same manner, God has given a certain role and responsibility to women which we pick up in vs 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.”
Notice he introduces this verse with the word “likewise.” What that indicates is just as men are required to exhibit a godly life, a life consecrated unto good works, so are the women. He says, at the end of verse 10, “but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.” For both men and women, the requirement and responsibility is the same, living as a godly example, ministering by means of good works. Practicing deeds that match our profession.
Now that’s the principle that Paul is laying out here in these verses. I don’t believe he is saying that women should not style their hair, or wear jewelry, or nice clothes. But what he is saying is that she should be concerned that her adornment is not just external, but internal. She should be known for her good works, and not just for her good looks.
But I also think it goes a little further than that. I think it refers to women not dressing or making themselves up in a way in church especially, in such a way as to deliberately attract attention to themselves. God doesn’t want to have to compete for attention in church with a woman that is bent on showing herself off. Men don’t need any distractions in that department. And women in particular have that ability. So they should dress modestly, discreetly, so as to not attract inordinate attention to themselves.
Peter gives a very similar principle in regards to women’s dress and adornment. 1Peter 3:1-6 says, “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any [of them] are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be [merely] external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but [let it be] the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” So Peter’s emphasis is for women’s spiritual adornment to be seen and not just her physical adornment.
That’s what Paul also expresses: women’s adornment should be internal, and not just external. And in so doing they are submitting to God, and striving to please God. Peter speaks particularly to wives, married women, and the emphasis there seems to be that it is perfectly acceptable that women are to be attractive for their husbands, but there is a danger when they use their beauty or clothing, jewelry and so forth to be attractive to those men who are not their husband.
There is a power that women have over men that is the crux of the problem here. Men are supposed to be strong, to be leaders, defenders, warriors, providers, etc. But men have a weakness which the devil would like to take advantage of. And that weakness for most men is a woman. Make no mistake, I am not excusing men for their weakness, or condemning women for men being attracted to them. I am just stating the facts. But that weakness that men have needs to be protected against.
Most men have that weakness. But many men have many weaknesses. For instance, I know a number of men that have a weakness for alcohol. And for those men, alcohol is something that they are attracted to their ruin. So if they are prudent, if the loved ones of that man are wise, they will mitigate the opportunities to present alcohol to them or put them in a position to be tempted by alcohol. One of the most important strategies for a successful life is to know your weaknesses, and then make sure that you plan accordingly to not be in a situation that affords any opportunity to fall prey to that weakness.
The same thing is what is being taught by this principle here. Paul is saying that man’s weakness for a woman’s attractiveness is something that a man must be protected from in the church. If you obey the command to love one another, then you will set aside some things that might be considered your right, in order to make sure that you do not put a stumbling block in front of another. As Paul said in 1Cor. 8:9 “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”
There is also a sense in which women’s external adornment even can become a hindrance to other women in the church. The braiding of hair and wearing of jewelry spoke of a particular fashion in Paul’s day for women to wear jewelry in her hair, an elaborate hairdo made up of braids, in which great wealth would be displayed by fastening jewels and gold ornaments all throughout. The wife of the emperor was said to have worn a million dollars in gold and jewels on her body. And so such vanity and excessiveness has no place in the church and can be a hindrance to other women as well, as they perceive the attention that is gained through such a show of wealth. The church should not be a place for ostentatiousness nor seeking our own glory. But rather we should admire women because of their godliness and good works.
Now as to that weakness that men have for women, I believe it is the underlying reason for this next principle as well. Vs. 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.” What this principle says in short is that the women are not allowed to teach in the church, nor exercise authority over men. Now remember, these are instructions for the church. In the context of the assembly of believers.
Paul says that explicitly again in 1Cor. 14:34 saying, “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.” I do not think that Paul is saying that women are not allowed to talk, but they are not allowed to teach, to speak publicly by preaching. And Paul quotes the law in that regard. The law made it clear that the woman was to be subject to her husband, and not the other way around.
And even the very order of creation confirms that principle of subjection. And Paul turns to that as an explanation of this principle in vs 13 saying, “For it was Adam who was first created, [and] then Eve.” God made Adam first, and afterwards, He made Eve from Adam’s rib. He made Eve to be Adam’s helper, not to be his ruler. She completed Adam, and Adam completed her. In marriage they became one flesh, but yet distinct in roles and responsibilities.
Now before you get upset and say that isn’t fair, consider Jesus, who though He was equal with God, was none the less subject to the Father. Phl 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, [and] being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Jesus was willing to be submissive to the Father’s will.k They are equal in deity, but different in their roles. And so we must be subject to the authority that God has established. 1Cor. 11:3 says, “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.” So we all have to be subject to the authority that God has ordained. And the order of creation is evidence of God’s delegation of authority. And the fact that Paul uses a principle established at creation makes it clear that this is not a cultural thing, but a design of God for the sexes from the beginning.
But there is another reason for this principle that a woman is not to teach or exercise authority over a man in the church. And that reason is found in vs 14, “And [it was] not Adam [who] was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” It’s interesting that in this place only in all the scriptures, it would seem to implicate that the burden of the fall is on Eve, the woman. But I believe that is not what this is teaching. In multiple places in scripture, the sin of Adam is always given as the source of sin, and the cause of the fall.
For instance, 1Cor. 15:21-22 says, "For since by a man [came] death, by a man also [came] the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” And Rom. 5:12 says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” So the blame for the fall is on Adam, not Eve.
But at creation, Adam was the one who was told by God not to eat of the tree. Eve was created later and received her instruction from Adam. But what happened was that the role that God had ordained was reversed. Instead of following she chose to lead. Instead of heeding what her husband taught her, she chose to teach.
But there is more. Notice it says that Eve was deceived. That means that Eve was tricked, duped into thinking that what she was doing was good, even though it was the opposite of what Adam told her God had said. Now don’t get me wrong, Eve sinned in what she did. But her excuse was that she was deceived. But Adam went into his sin with both eyes wide open. Adam had to chose between Eve and obedience to God. And true to his weakness, because of his love for her, he chose to obey Eve rather than God. Adam sinned willfully, deliberately. Eve didn’t deceive him, she seduced him.
And that goes back to the principle that I stated a few minutes ago. Man has a weakness for a woman that can be his undoing. There is no better thing, according to Solomon, than for a young man to find a wife. But there can be no worse thing than for a man to capitulate to a woman for the wrong reasons.
So part of God’s protection for the church is to not allow the woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, because God knows that man is weak in regards to a woman, and will often capitulate to them even if he knows that they are wrong. And truth matters to God. Truth matters to the church. Truth matters to our salvation. And so we dare not take chances in regards to the teaching of the truth. Because when a man is taught by a woman, he is more likely to lose any sense of objectivity because of his weakness for her. He is more than willing in a lot of cases, to chose to obey her rather than God. And so God established a principle regarding pastors/teachers to help mitigate that possibility.
And just to be clear, this instruction of subjection is in regards to marriage and the church. Notice Paul says she is to receive this in all submissiveness. That means not rebelling against God in this. Even though you think you are the exception, submit to God. But it also is not an instruction about politics, or business, or the field of academia or any other human institution. There are plenty of examples in scripture of women who were godly, and yet fulfilled a leadership position. But in marriage and in the church, this principle applies.
Finally, Paul gives an antidote so to speak for this principle. It’s hard for a lot of women to accept this principle. But Paul wants to show a better way for the woman to exercise authority. And so he says in vs 15, “But [women] will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”
The woman is not permitted to teach in the church, but she is to teach in the home to her children. It’s God’s will that women should influence men from the bottom up, and not from the top down. She is well equipped to bear and teach children. The woman would be the means by which God would bring Christ into the world to bring about salvation. By being submissive to God’s ordinance, she is able to save souls not by standing in the congregation and teaching, but by bearing children who see her example of a godly life, her faith and love.
We should remember that Paul is writing to Timothy. Timothy’s father is presumed to have died when he was young and he was raised by his mother and grandmother. Paul said of that upbringing in 2Timothy 1:5 “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that [it is] in you as well.” What becomes clear from that statement is that a godly mother and a godly grandmother brought about the faith of Timothy that worked mightily in him, which helped to change the world for the kingdom of God.
More can be done behind the scenes to affect great results than often is done by those on the stage. And a woman can have a great affect on the world by virtue of the way she raises her children. Some of the men that had the greatest affect on the world were brought up by a godly mother who instilled character and faith in that man from birth. I would not be surprised to find out when we get to heaven, that more people were brought to faith by godly mothers than by godly preachers. And so in this connection it should be clear that though the apostle Paul definitely ascribes a different position or role for women than to men, he does not regard their role to be inferior or any less important than that of men. We are different by design, with different roles and responsibilities. But God has chosen to distribute HIs gifts and graces as He sees fit, so that the church may be complete, lacking in nothing.
Let us be subject to God, and to His design for us, that we might bear the fruit of righteousness as befitting the church of God. That the church might be the pillar and support of the truth, by which, believing, the world might be saved.
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