1 Timothy 2:11,12

Vers. 11, 12. The apostle proceeds now to give prescriptions of a more general kind respecting the proper sphere and behaviour of women. Let a woman learn in silence in all subjection spoken primarily and mainly with reference to the public assemblies of the church, and only an abbreviated reinforcement of the instruction previously issued to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:34): “Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but to be under obedience, as also saith the law.” The all subjection, however, can only be understood to reach as far as the authoritative teaching is of the right stamp. Woman does not lose her rational power of thought and responsibility by abiding in the place assigned her by the gospel; and she also has a right to prove all things only in a manner suited to her position in order that she may hold fast that which is good, and reject what is otherwise. But to teach (the best authorities place διδάσκειν first) I permit not a woman namely, in public: she is not to act the part of a teacher in the meetings of the faithful; nor to lord it over the man, but to be in silence. The verb αὐθεντεῖν scarcely means to usurp authority, the sense ascribed to it in the Authorized Version, but only to exercise it in an imperious manner. Leo (as quoted by Huther): “ αὐθεντεῖν et αυ ̓ θε ́ ντης apud seriores tantum scriptores ita occurrit, ut dominii notionem involvat; melioribus scriptoribus est αὐθέντης idem quod αὐτόχειρ.” Here it is plainly the later use that must be adopted; and what is forbidden by it to woman is, that she is not to assume the part of ruling or domineering over man. When she attempts this she goes out of her proper place, and ventures upon a line of things which is not compatible either with her natural constitution or with her distinctive vocation. And in proof of this, the apostle appeals to the original order and course of things as marking out the great landmarks for all time.

Ver. 13. For Adam was first formed (ἐπλάσθη) taken from the Sept. version of Genesis 2:7; ἐκτίσθη is used in the corresponding passage at 1 Corinthians 11:9), then Eve; the precedence in time implying superiority in place and power. The relation in this respect is still more strongly marked in the Epistle to the Corinthians: “For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man; for also the man was not made for the sake of the woman, but the woman for the sake of the man.” Thus did God in the method of creation give clear testimony to the headship of man to his right, and also his obligation, to hold directly of God, and stand under law only to Him; while woman, being formed for his helpmate and partner, stands under law to her husband, and is called to act for God in him. And simply by inverting this relative position and calling the helpmate assuming the place of the head or guide, and the head facilely yielding to her governance was the happy constitution of paradise overthrown, and everything involved in disorder and evil.