1 Timothy 2:11–12 is one of the most used Bible passages to prevent women from teaching or being in any position of authority in the church. However, what many average Bible readers do not realize is that this text is one of the most contested and difficult passages to translate and interpret in all of Scripture.1 The following e-learning course explores these difficulties in translation and interpretation. Join us in pondering questions like: “Why was Paul concerned with women teaching in Ephesus?” and “Does this passage restrict women from teaching and being in authority over men for all time?” Answering these questions will take us on a journey exploring the context of Paul’s letter. We encourage you to dive deep into Scripture with us, into the world of Paul and the city of Ephesus, where Paul’s letter to Timothy expounds upon a multitude of issues within the church there.
The following activities are included in this course to enhance your learning:
Going Deeper
In each section, “Going Deeper” activities introduce you to a variety of resources CBE has developed over the years, ranging from podcasts, videos, blog posts, magazine articles, books, and academic papers. These provide you with in-depth insight into the topics you find most interesting.
Reflect
The “Reflect” activities will have prompts to encourage you to process the material further. Consider writing down your responses or using the Google form we provide to refer to them later.
Notes:
1. Jamin Hübner, “Revisiting the Clarity of Scripture in 1 Timothy 2:12,” Priscilla Papers, 30, no. 3 (2016): 18–19.
2. This eLearning course uses the New International Version (NIV) unless stated otherwise.
Course Outline
(Estimated time to completion: 5 hours)
Setting the Scene
- The Historical Setting of 1 Timothy
- The Genre of 1 Timothy
- Paul’s Reason for Writing
Pressing Questions in Bible Translation
- 1 Timothy 2:11: “A woman must learn in quietness and full submission. . .”
- 1 Timothy 2:12: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man…”
- What Influenced the False Teaching?
- 1 Timothy 2:13–14: The Story of Adam and Eve
- 1 Timothy 2:15: “Saved through childbearing.”
- 1 Timothy 3: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer they desire a noble task…”
Putting It All Together
- Is 1 Timothy 2:11–15 situation-specific or a general rule for all times and places?
- Still Have Questions?
Click the lesson below to begin!
