Should Women Preach and Teach?

And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. (1 Timothy 2:12-14)

To understand these verses, we must understand the situation in which Paul and Timothy worked. In first-century Jewish culture, women were not allowed to study. When Paul said that women should learn in quietness and full submission, he was offering them an amazing new opportunity. Paul did not want the Ephesian women to teach because they didn't yet have enough knowledge or experience. The Ephesian church had a particular problem with false teachers. Evidently the women were especially susceptible to the false teachings (2 Timothy 3:1-9), because they did not yet have enough Biblical knowledge to discern the truth. In addition, some of the women were apparently flaunting their new-found Christian freedom by wearing inappropriate clothing (1 Timothy 2:9). Paul was telling Timothy not to put anyone (in this case, women) into a position of leadership who was not yet mature in the faith (1 Timothy 5:22). The same principle applies to churches today.


Paul ignored popular myths about women being incapable of learning and urged Timothy to provide opportunities for women to be educated (1 Timothy 2:11). In silence refers to the woman’s attitude or manner while learning, as should be true of all believers. Paul was not saying that a woman could not speak in the local assembly (1 Cor. 11:2–16). He was simply cautioning women to learn with an attitude of all submission and not in an unruly manner.

Some interpret this passage to mean that women should never teach in the assembled church; however, commentators point out that Paul did not forbid women for ever teaching. Paul's commended co-worker, Priscilla, taught Apollos, the great preacher (Acts 18:24-26). In addition, Paul frequently mentioned other women who held positions of responsibility in the church. Phoebe worked in the church (Romans 16:1). Mary, Tryphena, and Tryphosa were the Lord's workers (Romans 16:6, 12), as were Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2). Paul was very likely prohibiting the Ephesian women, not all women, from teaching.

In Paul's reference to women being silent, the word silent expresses an attitude of quietness and composure. (A different Greek word is usually used to convey "complete silence.") In addition, Paul himself acknowledges that women publicly prayed and prophesied (1 Corinthians 11:5). Apparently, however, the women in the Ephesian church were abusing their newly acquired Christian freedom. Because these women were new converts, they did not yet have the necessary experience, knowledge, or Christian maturity to teach those who already had extensive Scriptural education.

When Paul says, "to teach" he uses a Greek word that indicates the type of teaching that was found in the Jewish communities and synagogues from which he had come. Such teaching was more than giving information to students. It included the call by the rabbi, or teacher, to have his disciples listen, believe, and practice his words. Such teaching was built on the revelation of God and assumed that there would be some sort of oversight, like that exercised in the early church by the elders (1 Tim. 4:11; 4:16–5:2; 2 Tim. 3:17; 4:1–4; Titus 2:15; 3:8–11 ). Generally those who exercised this responsibility in the early church had the spiritual gift of teaching (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28), but not every gift of teaching (by men or women) was necessarily to be exercised over the entire congregation.

The word "or" in 1 Timothy 2:12, seems to indicate that teach is defined by the phrase "have authority over a man." It seems best to understand this passage as teaching that women may exercise their spiritual gifts in a variety of ministries in a local assembly (2 Tim. 3:14; Titus 2:3, 4), as long as those gifts are exercised under the appropriate leadership of men. Other commentators have viewed this verse as an example of Paul using his apostolic authority to curb the spread in Ephesus of false teaching (1 Tim. 1:3–7) that apparently was becoming popular among some women who had not been properly instructed (1 Tim. 2:11).

In previous letters Paul had discussed male/female roles in marriage (Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18, 19). Here he talks about male/female roles within the church. Some scholars see these verses about Adam and Eve as an illustration of what was happening in the Ephesian church. Just as Eve had been deceived in the Garden of Eden, so the women in the church were being deceived by false teachers. And just as Adam was the first human created by God, so the men in the church in Ephesus should be the first to speak and teach, because they had more training. This view, then, stresses that Paul's teaching here is not universal, but applies to churches with similar problems. Other scholars, however, contend that the roles Paul points out are God's design for His created order - God established these roles to maintain harmony in both the family and the church. Paul is not excusing Adam for his part in the fall (Genesis 3:6, 7, 17-19). On the contrary, in his letter to the Romans Paul places the primary blame for humanity's sinful nature on Adam (Romans 5:12-21).

The one thing I believe we all can agree upon is that a new believer should become secure and strong in the faith before taking leadership roles in the church (1 Timothy 3:6). Too often, when the church is desperate for workers, new believers are placed in positions of responsibility prematurely. New faith needs time to mature. New believers should have a place of service, but they should not be put into leadership positions until they are firmly grounded in their faith, with a solid Christian life-style and knowledge of the Word of God.

I realize that this issue is a real "hot potato" in today's Christian churches. However, like any of the scriptures we find in the Bible, there is only one "truth". God does not contradict Himself and He definitely is not a God of confusion. So my question is this: Is it biblical for women to teach and preach the gospel?

References: NKJV Holy Bible, Life Application Bible (NIV), the Nelson Study Bible.