04.03. Thouroughly Deceived...but

Chapter 3 Thoroughly Deceived . . . but The third obscure passage in Paul’s writings upon which the misinterpretation of Paul’s teaching about women is based is 1 Timothy 2:8-15, written ten years later than the first Epistle to the Corinthians. It reads as follows in the R.V.: "I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing. In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment; but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works. Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion (1.) over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression but she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety."

Here again let us remember that there are no punctuation marks in the Greek; and here, too, the historical setting of the words is of very great importance. For apart from historical light upon the circumstances calling forth the language used by the Apostle, it is difficult to get a clear understanding of what he means. When Paul was arrested and taken to Caesarea for trial, he there appealed unto Caesar and was sent to Rome, where he arrived in A.D. 31, in the seventh year of Nero’s reign. He was afterwards allowed to dwell in his own hired house and in time gathered a "church" or "assembly" (Gr.) about him. Paul was well known throughout the Praetorian guard of Nero as a prisoner for Christ, and he sends greeting to the Philippian Church from the Christians in the Imperial household of Nero. The moral state of things which surrounded Paul in Rome at this time can be realized only by reading the history of that period. Nero was "the most infamous potentate that ever disgraced a throne." Tacitus, a pagan historian, writes that "he punished with exquisite torture [the] Christians.... Some were covered with skins of wild beasts, and left to be devoured by dogs; others were nailed to the cross, numbers were burnt alive; and many covered over with inflammable matter were lighted up. . . as torches during the night...." All Christians, women and men, were therefore in the greatest peril. Paul was probably in Spain when he heard of the awful martyrdom of the Roman Church in A.D. 64, and it is thought that during a second imprisonment at Rome, and three years after this martyrdom of the Christians, he wrote his first epistle to Timothy in A.D. 67. The Roman Christian Church not only had to contend with persecution by the imperial authorities, but the opposition of the Jews increased the dangers of the situation. For it seems that the Jews were in favor in Rome at this time because the emperor had married the Jewish proselyte Poppaea, while Christians were in greatest peril. Professor Ramsay says: " if the Jews appeared to the Empire to resemble the Christians so much, and yet were treated so differently, the reason . . . must have lain in those points in which Christians differed from the Jews.’’ And Dr. Bushnell remarks, ’’At no point was the contrast greater at this time than in the Christian treatment of women.’’ " For," she continues, "there were four points at any rate in which this difference was manifest:

(1) in the aggressiveness of Christianity, whilst Judaism was proud, exclusive and unexpansive;

(2) in the instruction of women as expressly permitted by Paul, whereas the Jewish Oral Law taught that women were only to be instructed in their own special duties. . .

(3) in the many conversions of women: and

(4) in their activity in the Apostolic Church." Lecky, in his History of European Morals, refers to "the very conspicuous position that female influence assumed in the great work of the conversion of the Roman Empire. In no other movement of thought was it so powerful or so acknowledged. In the ages of persecution female figures occupy many of the foremost places in the ranks of martyrdom, and pagan and Christian writers alike attest the alacrity with which women flocked to the church."

Therefore, writes Dr. Bushnell, "this aggressiveness of Christianity, and activity of Christian women, would not only offend Jews, but the complaint against it, on the part of the Jews, would make a deep impression in time upon the Imperial Government.... Every new convert would mean fresh danger for the Church, and the aggravation would be doubled if that convert were the wife of an unbelieving husband, or the daughter of an unbelieving father." Lecky says, too, "another cause of the peculiar animosity felt against the Christians was the constant interference with domestic life, arising from the great number of female conversions...."

It is necessary therefore to bear all this in mind if Paul’s words to Timothy concerning the position of women in the church are to be understood. Prof. Sir. W. Ramsay points this out also when he says, ’’The advice given by St. Paul as to the relations of the Christians to the society in which they are placed, is always in accordance with the situation . . . occupied by them under Nero.’’

Now let us read again the passage in 1 Timothy 2:8-15, R.V., and note some points about it, taking them verse by verse.

1 Timothy 2:8 : ’’I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing.’’ This is quite clear, but now we find a full stop after the word "disputing,’’ and then the English version (R.V.) goes on to say-

1 Timothy 2:9 : ’’In like manner, that women adorn themselves," etc. But how can women "in like manner’’ adorn themselves like men? (1 Timothy 2:8). Conybeare and Howson say that "after the word ’women’ we must supply ’pray’ (as Chrysostom does)," and Prof. Ramsay says, ’’The necessary and inevitable sense of this word [likewise] is that the whole body of women is to be understood as affected by what has been said about men.’’ In other words, that Paul wishes the women to pray ’’ in every place" as well as the men. Then follow suitable directions as to how the Christian women should dress, obviously when engaged in public prayer. "In times of peril," Dr. Bushnell observes, it was very reasonable "to advise the most quiet and unobtrusive dress. "The deportment of women, again obviously when engaged in public service, is then referred to, but one of the words used by the Apostle is not rendered correctly, either in the A.V. or the R.V. The word in the Greek is to be found again only in Hebrews 12:28, in connection with service well pleasing to God; and then it is translated ’’reverence" or "godly fear" (m.). A question which Christian women might well ask the translators is why they should render this particular Greek word as "shamefacedness" (A.V.) and "shamefastness’’ (R.V., an obsolete English word) when used in reference to women, and "reverence or ’ godly fear when it refers to the Service of all believers to a God who is "consuming fire."

1 Timothy 2:10 : "But (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works." Here, hidden away in the original text, is the very confirmation of women’s public work, if Christian Women had but known it! Dr. Bushnell says the word ’’professing’’ in the original" is derived from two Greek Words, the preposition meaning `upon,’ or ’unto.’ and [a verb] meaning ’I deliver a message.’ The verb is the word from which we get ’angel,’ which means a `messenger.’ " The word is also frequently used "in the sense of ’to promise,’ " and it often means "to profess to teach." The only other passage in the New Testament where this word [in 1 Timothy 2:10] is translated ’’profess’’ is in the same Epistle in 1 Timothy 6:21, where Paul says ’’ which some professing have erred concerning the faith." On the word in 1 Timothy 6:21, Professor Ramsay says, it "regularly implies that the person mentioned came before the public, with promises, in order to gain supporters; it is applied to candidates for. . . votes in the Greek cities, who publicly announced what they intended to do . . . if they gained popular support . . ."

"If this be the meaning regularly implied by this word,’’ observes Dr. Bushnell, "then why not here where it relates to women? These women came before the public to gain supporters,’ not for themselves, but to win people to the standard of the Cross, and they promise ’godliness’ in place of a sin burdened life to those who will accept their offers." But Paul has something to say quite distinctively about the woman learner in the next verses.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 : "Let a Woman learn in quietness With all subjection. But 1 permit not a Woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness." Here let us remember Prof. Ramsay’s words that Paul’s advice ’’is always in accordance" with the situation of the Christians under Nero. Read in the light of 1 Timothy 2:8-10, with their recognition of woman’s public work both in prayer and preaching-"pray everywhere," "proclaiming godliness"--it is obvious, observes Dr. Bushnell, that 1 Timothy 2:11-12 embody an "exceptional prudential measure to meet a dire necessity of perilous times," and are not contradictory to what the Apostle had just said. The times were indeed perilous for Christian women. The Jews were bitterly against the teaching of women and angered by the different attitude of Christianity towards them. They might complain to the authorities and bring grave danger upon the whole body of believers. So, writes Dr. Bushnell, the Apostle tells Timothy that "a woman who comes asking to be taught" is "to be allowed to learn, but in quietness" (not "silence" as in A.V.), because of the possible persecution, and such "learners" should be willing to learn " in all subjection." Also, Paul adds, that (on account of the Neronian peril) he himself did not allow a woman to do the "teaching" at such a time or to ’’have dominion over a man"-quite a different matter from ’’ praying" and "proclaiming’’ the gospel. Neither was it a permanent prohibition of "teaching" for all time as Dr. Bushnell illustrates in the following way:

"Supposing during the Armenian atrocities, or the Chinese Boxer uprising, because of some special peril to men, to which women were not exposed, a bishop had sent the following advice: ’Let male preachers of the Gospel refrain from teaching women and controlling them, and be in quietness,’ could that be justly construed as an interdiction of male preaching for all time, if once it were known that at that time special peril to men alone existed? Would not the use of such an expression as ’preachers of the Gospel’ lead one to infer that when peace was restored these men would go back to the vocation named? So here; once knowing that special peril for women existed, the use of the expression ’women proclaiming godliness’ would merely indicate this as their normal occupation under normal conditions."

Moreover, Dr. Bushnell rightly observes, ’’the ’quietness’ may be as much enjoined upon the one who is teaching as the one who is learning! It is not to be told abroad by either teacher or learner that the woman is learning. But yet the woman is to be allowed to learn. That was a step far in advance of the practice of the Jews."

Now follows one of the most glorious messages from God to women to be found in the whole Bible but hidden from them, alas, for centuries, under mountains high of the misinterpretation of expositors. Let us dig out this "evangel," and see how it flashes with light from heaven. The Apostle had just said, ’’Let a woman learn. . ." and then he goes on to give Timothy the reason why. His mind goes back to Eden, and he remembers how Eve through her innocence and immaturity had fallen a victim to the wiles of the devil and had become "thoroughly deceived" (lit. Greek), so he writes as follows-

1 Timothy 2:13-15 : "For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression: but she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety." The word rendered " formed’’ here, points out Dr. Bushnell, is not the word used for " create. " The Greek lexicon says that its meaning is " to mould, form, shape." "The lesson Paul would draw from his reference to the beginning of the race is, that as Adam was first developed, and then Eve, in the natural world, so must it be in the social world." Adam "having been first formed, and hence being older than Eve, was not deceived." "Adam was not beguiled,’’ said the Apostle. He sinned with his eyes open. But the woman was "thoroughly deceived.’’ The one was a victim, the other a deliberate sinner.

Paul remembers the primeval promise that the woman’s Seed should bruise the serpent’s head. The victim of the serpent’s wiles was dealt with in abounding grace and promised the honor of becoming the progenitor of a Saviour who would eventually destroy the serpent’s power. She was saved then, through faith in a coming Saviour. How much more should she not be saved now, reasons the Apostle, when that Saviour had already come! And so he sets forth what may truly be described as the Magna Charta of womanhood. Yes, the woman in Eden was thoroughly deceived: but she shall be saved through the childbearing (of Jesus Christ) (cf. Galatians 4:4)! The childbearing -the great event of the world having its culmination at Calvary. The promise is clear. The woman ’’shall he saved’’ to the very full of all that the incarnation and death of the Son of God obtained for her. Woman is not for all time to remain under the shadow of Eve’s “deception" any more than is the man to remain for all time under the shadow of Adam’s willful sin. The woman shall be saved’’; therefore, Timothy, ’’let the woman learn...’’ and learn of her redemption from the Fall in the birth of the Saviour.

Ah, here we have the key to Satan’s endeavor to fasten upon all women down the ages the results of his work in Eden. " The woman must not learn," said the Jews in Paul’s time, and "the woman must not learn," said many of the theologians of the Christian Church, influenced by Judaism. "She was thoroughly deceived once," whispered the serpent, who, alas, has since extended his operations and thoroughly deceived the whole inhabited earth (Revelation 12:9). ’’See how the woman leads in all kinds of heretical movements today, cry some. "Is it not a proof that she is open to deception as much as she was in Eden?" Yes, it is undoubtedly true that on account of her greater spiritual capacity, the woman is more open to deception in the supernatural sphere just as men are more open to be thoroughly deceived in the intellectual realm. But is it not probable that women are being swept into the wiles of the devil today because the truths of God which they should have learned have been kept from them? Is it not because for centuries past they have not been given the training in the Scriptures which would have saved them and prepared them for the day of emancipation? Had the woman been encouraged to "learn" as the Apostle advised Timothy, might not her greater spiritual capacity have resulted in an accession of spiritual force to the church, which would have saved it from the deadly deception of the " Higher Criticism?

1 Timothy 2:15 ’’But she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.’’ The " if ’ here is important, for it gives the conditions on the woman’s part for the personal realization of the promised salvation. The words cover a wide scope in their meaning. ’’Faith" in the Saviour, the "love" life of His indwelling, the "sanctification’’ of spirit, soul and body, which is the accompanying result of His salvation and, in the practical life, the ’’self-restraint (the meaning of the Greek word translated "sobriety" ), which is the outcome of recognizing that the "body" is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Dr. Bushnell points out also that this "salvation" is not only spiritual but social. Paul implies, she says, "that woman’s social rescue began in the birth of Jesus Christ, and "Christianity unhampered by the narrowness of man" purposed to "raise woman until she stands on his level.

"She shall be saved through the childbearing [of Jesus Christ]." This is the woman’s evangel and her message of hope to counter all the effects of the Fall in Eden. Is it not strange that any other meaning than their being the New Testament complement to the Genesis 3:15 promise should ever have been given to the words? 1. But woman’s emancipation day has come. Centuries of ignorance of the things of God have left their marks upon her; but women may "learn" at last, and men, too, will learn by the stern logic of experience that it has been a perilous policy for the Christian Church to have given a lower status to woman than that which was hers by right through the atoning work of the Son of God.

Notes 1. The word "usurp" (A. V.) is not in the original.

2. We thankfully note that the R.V gives Galatians 4:4 as the marginal reference attached to these words.