“Healthy Household” (Pt. 2)
1 Timothy 2:8-15
Jim Dalrymple | Ozark Christian College
- Notice the “all” language of this section:
● Pray for “all people” (2:1, 2).
● God desires “all people” to be saved... (2:4).
● Ransom for “all” (2:6).
● In “every” place (2:8).
- Are the terms “teach” & “authority” linked and referring to one responsibility?
Hendiadys = Paired Terms [cf. Craig Blomberg in Two Views of Women in Ministry]
2:1a supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings
2:2a kings and those in authority
2:2b peaceful and quiet
2:2c godly and dignified
2:3 good and pleasing
2:4 saved and knowledge
2:7a preacher and apostle
2:7b faith and truth
2:8b anger or quarreling
2:9a modesty and self-control
2:9b braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire
● Is this referring to the Authoritative-Teaching role of the overseers/elders?
This view takes into account the immediate context of 1 Tim 3. Notice in the context that it is not every male who is given this responsibility but only those who are above reproach.
● This brings us to the modern question of who functions as authoritative-teachers in our context (example: is the traditional preaching minister functioning with the responsibility of an elder/overseer?)
The term “for” most often implies causation in Pauline argumentation.
Scholars note that of the 33 occurrences in the LTT, 30 clearly express cause. Use of the word after an imperative further suggests causation.
Clarifying Questions:
Is Paul arguing that women are more open to deception than men? This is an interpretation present but not prevalent in church history. I do not take this view.
Is this connected to the false teaching in Ephesus that targets certain women (2 Tim 3:6-9)?
Is this connected to the creation myths connected to Artemis?
Is Paul making an argument from the concept of “primogeniture”? Definition—The firstborn is given unique responsibility/authority in the family merely based upon birth order and not upon merit. This being the case, notice how God holds Adam as primarily responsible in the creation account (Gen 3:9; Rom 5:12).
? What are the implications of a hermeneutic that allows for the coloring in of missing background information?
? How much weight do we give the immediate context of chapter 3 (especially taking note of 3:2)?
? Are we rejecting created structures rather than addressing the sin which has led to our disillusionment in them?
? We discover in the NT narrative that there were prominent women who played significant roles in the ongoing ministry of Jesus and the church (Acts 13:50; 17:4, 12), yet the one thing we do not observe is women in the role of overseer/elder.
? Does our cultural concern for “rights” and “privilege” overshadow the biblical concern for unity, love, and self-sacrifice? (cf. Michelle Lee-Barnewall in Neither Complementarian nor Egalitarian.)
? Does our modern role of Sr. Minister equate to the role and responsibility of an overseer/elder?
? How do we move forward in unity even if we come to differing conclusions on this text?
? Do we say more than Paul meant by this text?
