Oct 4, 2026 · 17 min · 7 segments
Does 1 Timothy 2 ban women from teaching in Church? Examining the original translation, and false teaching that was occurring in Ephesus, and why this isn’t a universal ban in the contentious and…
Andrew BartlettGuest
Paul wouldn't waste his breath with instructions for women in general not to wear pearls.
From various clues in the letter, especially in the Greek of chapter 5, we can infer that these women are probably young widows who are recent converts.
They've come from the cult of the goddess Artemis of the Ephesians, but they've been deceived by some false and immoral teachings within the church, and they are each on the lookout for a man.
Question 2 In verse 12, Paul's governing expression is, I do not permit, or I am not permitting.
Why does he use this expression? There is nowhere in the whole of the Bible where anyone uses this expression to state a general rule of conduct.
It's not appropriate for prohibiting something that is against God's revealed will and therefore sinful.
Can you imagine a pastor saying to the flock, I do not permit you to murder? or I'm not permitting you to commit adultery.
A pastor has no authority to permit or not permit what God has revealed to be wrong.
If God revealed that it was wrong for a woman to teach, a pastor wouldn't say, I do not permit a woman to teach.
Paul doesn't have authority to either permit or not permit something that's against God's revealed will.
Paul's choice of words here a personal withholding of permission, tells us that he's not referring to a general rule revealed by God, but is dealing with a particular situation.
His prohibition in verse 12 applies to the rich, deceived women that he's just been referring to in verses 9 and 10.
Paul wouldn't waste his breath with instructions for women in general not to wear pearls.
From various clues in the letter, especially in the Greek of chapter 5, we can infer that these women are probably young widows who are recent converts.
They've come from the cult of the goddess Artemis of the Ephesians, but they've been deceived by some false and immoral teachings within the church, and they are each on the lookout for a man.
Question 2 In verse 12, Paul's governing expression is, I do not permit, or I am not permitting.
Why does he use this expression? There is nowhere in the whole of the Bible where anyone uses this expression to state a general rule of conduct.
It's not appropriate for prohibiting something that is against God's revealed will and therefore sinful.
Can you imagine a pastor saying to the flock, I do not permit you to murder? or I'm not permitting you to commit adultery.
A pastor has no authority to permit or not permit what God has revealed to be wrong.
If God revealed that it was wrong for a woman to teach, a pastor wouldn't say, I do not permit a woman to teach.
Paul doesn't have authority to either permit or not permit something that's against God's revealed will.
Paul's choice of words here a personal withholding of permission, tells us that he's not referring to a general rule revealed by God, but is dealing with a particular situation.
His prohibition in verse 12 applies to the rich, deceived women that he's just been referring to in verses 9 and 10.
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