The Meaning of 1 Timothy 2:11-15

It is often the case that Christian traditionalists will ignore the abundance of Scriptural teachings that plainly show that women can be elders/pastors/overseers (1 Timothy 5:2), deacons (Romans 16:1; 1 Timothy 3:11), prophets (Exodus 15:20; Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14; Isaiah 8:3; Luke 2:36), and apostles (Romans 16:7). Instead, they protest that the one verse of 1 Timothy 2:12 (“I permit not wife/woman to teach or have authority/domineer/bully husband/man”) renders all the other verses invalid.

The letters of 1-2 Timothy (62/63 CE) are addressed to Paul’s fellow worker who was serving the Church in the city of Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3). Paul had first visited this city in 53 CE as recounted by Luke in Acts 19. Ephesus was proud host to the Roman imperial cult and a huge center of Artemis worship. When Paul arrived in the city with the gospel, the Spirit begins to work mightily and unprecedently through him (Acts 19:11). Paul's preached and taught the gospel of the Kingdom of God (Acts 19:8). There were many conversions, miracles, healings, and demonic exorcisms (Acts 19:11-13). It was also during this time that Paul realized that he must eventually head to Rome (Acts 19:21). Significantly, many of the pagan practitioners were converted by Paul who claimed that there were no pagan gods (Acts 19:18-19, 26). Thus Paul’s work there began to adversely affect the local economy for those who depended upon Artemis worship for their livelihood (Acts 19:24-27). It was at this time that the dark forces began to strike back.

Paul received word that the Corinthian church was falling into disorder. This was followed by a sorrowful letter (1 Cor 2:4) and a painful visit (2 Cor 2:1). In Ephesus, he was arrested and imprisoned following a riot stirred up by angry Artemis idol makers (Acts 19:23-41). This imprisonment seemed to have left him scarred (1 Cor 15:32; 2 Cor 1:8-10). His co-workers also suffered. Gaius and Aristarchus were seized by the mob and eventually arrested (Acts 19:29). Epaphras was also imprisoned (Phm 1:23). Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives (Rom 16:3-4). Epaphroditus got seriously ill (Phil 2:25-26). Onesimus ran afoul of his master, Philemon (Phm 1:10). Yet, Mark has rejoined (Col 4:10; Phm 1:24). With all these apparent attacks by the dark forces, it is not surprising that Paul penned the spiritual warfare classic, Ephesians (probably originally the letter to Laodicea [Col 4:16]) from Ephesus. He also wrote Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon during this imprisonment period.

Given Paul’s horrific experience with the local Ephesian authorities which brought him near to the point of death, it is not a surprise that the first (πρῶτος) instruction he gives Timothy is to tell the Church in Ephesus to not antagonize the authorities. Instead, Paul wants the Church to pray for the authorities so that they may lead quiet lives (1 Tim 2:1-3). It is probable that Paul’s intent here is to maintain the required prayer that permitted the Jewish exemption from Emperor-worship and avoided the persecution that resulted from chargers of disloyalty to the Empire. Indeed, he wants the Christian men to pray in every place (τόπος) without anger or dissension (1 Tim. 2:8). Significantly then, Paul’s focus in chapter 2 is specifically propriety in greater society, not simply in a local house church worship setting. Paul is then not specifically referring to worship in the latter half of chapter 2, but how Christian women behave in the greater society. However, while the safety of the Ephesian Church and its mission is of first priority to Paul, it is evident that the apostle sees the threat of persecution resulting from the teaching of “heterodoxy” (ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω) or “strange doctrines” (1 Tim 1:3). Specifically, Paul was concerned that the angry, inward reasoning of these heterodox teachings would lead to behavior in men which threatened to bring both persecution by authorities and a poor witness (1 Tim 2:1-8; 3:7; 6:4-5). Similarly, with regards to women, Paul, saw the “strange doctrines” leading to immodesty (1 Tim 2:9), possibly still because of the threat of persecution and poor witness.

Therefore, in 1-2 Timothy, Paul addressed the undergirding problem of strange or false doctrines or “heterodoxy” (1 Tim 1:3; 6:3, 20; 2 Tim 4:3) and “myths and endless genealogies” (1 Tim 1:4, 7; 2 Tim 4:4), possibly coming from the wealthy or greedy (1 Tim 5:13; 6:9-11, 17-19; 2 Tim 3:2; Acts 19:19, 23-25). The results of these “false doctrines” were purposeless “speculation and discussion” (1 Tim 1:4, 6; 4:7; 6:4, 20; 2 Tim 2:16, 23), various immoralities (1 Tim 1:9f.; 3:2-3, 8-12; 5:6, 20; 2 Tim 3:3-5), and rejection of the faith (1 Tim 1:19-20; 4:1; 5:12, 15). These false doctrines included Artemis-worship syncretized with the Christian Faith and with particular aspects of Jewish legalism (1 Tim 1:7; 4:3-4). In the Ephesian church, men and women were going from household to household teaching this Artemis-syncretism (1 Tim 5:13; 2 Tim 3:6) and deceiving many (1 Tim 2:14; Tim 3:13). Paul compares them to the pagan priests opposing Moses in the apocryphal literature (2 Tim 3:8-9).

How do we know this false teaching included Artemis worship? In Acts 19:9, Luke uses the word περίεργος to describe a particular practice of Artemis worship in Ephesus. This word means “curious or strange work” or “magic”. The only other New Testament use is when Paul describes what the young Ephesian women are doing (1 Tim 5:13). Artemis was THE main goddess of Ephesus (Acts 19), a source of significant wealth creation, with an important temple. She was primarily the goddess of young women, fertility, and childbirth - perhaps also female empowerment through virginity and singleness. Young women in Ephesus worshiped her in hopes they would be preserved through the dangers of childbirth. Therefore, if young Christian women in Ephesus were getting mixed up in Artemis-worship, it makes perfect sense why Paul would say women/couples are preserved through childbirth (τεκνογονία) by the Christian faith (1 Tim 2:15), i.e., not Artemis-worship. Similarly, in chapter 5, when addressing the young women who are practicing strange Artemis-worshipping practices (περίεργος), Paul says he wants them to get married and have children (τεκνογονέω).

This means that the problem Paul addressed in 1 Tim 2:11-15 was not women elders (see 1 Tim 5:2) or women teachers (see Act 18:26), but a deceived wife domineeringly (αὐθεντέω) teaching Artemis-worship to her husband. It seems evident that one particular Christian woman in Ephesus (who had been deceived by false teaching) was bullying her husband with the teachings of Artemis (1 Tim 2:12), probably due to her fear of childbirth. She may have been influenced by her culture or previous pagan lifestyle to seek the help of Artemis and was pressuring her husband to do the same.

While the problem of Artemis worship was affecting many women in the Ephesian Church, we know Paul is addressing an isolated case in verses 11-15 because he switches from the plural women (γυναῖκας) in verses 9-10 to the singular woman (γυνὴ) in verse 11. So when dealing with a problem of husband and wife (Gen 3:12), deception of a woman (Gen 3:13), the dangers of childbirth (Gen 3:16), and preservation by God (Gen 4:1), it should be no surprise that Paul thought of the Edenic story as the Scriptural solution for this particular couple’s problem.

Therefore, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 does not contradict or override the Scriptural teachings permitting women to teach men and preach to them. It certainly does not limit the ability of gifted women from holding positions of prophet, apostle, deacon, or elder/pastor. Rather, Paul is warning a wife about bullying her husband with the strange teachings of Artemis. He notes she has been deceived like Eve before her but encourages her that she and her husband will be preserved through childbirth by their faith in the one God.