Notes – Equal In His Eyes

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Today we are going to look at a text that has been widely misinterpreted and often abused and it deals with the role of women in the church. Many preachers have done a disservice to the kingdom in their treatment of this passage in regards to the position of women in ministry probably second only to the favorite verse of Neanderthal like macho men everywhere.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Let’s crack it open to 1st Timothy chapter 2.

1 Timothy 2:8-15 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

There is a distinction sometimes with scripture that is intended to be instructional as this passage is in outlining behavior. It must be determined whether it is doctrinal or absolute in its application to the church or whether it is cultural and meant to be applied to a particular group at a particular time. This passage falls into the latter category. However there is a cautionary note I have to make right here. There have many instances where folks have rendered a passage or portion of scripture as cultural when in fact it is doctrinal and they do this to justify actions that are unbiblical. It is important that when we weigh in on these matters they we frame the scripture in the context in which it was written and that we have an honest heart seeking God’s will and not our own. Let’s go back and break it down from verse 9 and we’ll save verse 8 for the end, okay?

1 Timothy 2:9-10 Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

Let’s go back in time and look at the status of women in the first century and particularly before Jesus came and set women in a place of equality with men. That the Christian women in Ephesus dress themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, meant that their emphasis should not be on how they looked, but on who they were. Jesus set women free. He treated them as human beings. He recognized and responded to their needs as human needs. He taught women and included them as his followers. He proved himself to be their Savior, too. The accepted view of women in the time of Christ was as property rather than persons. This was a shocking change of roles and these women reacted to this new found freedom in different ways. That really is the basis for Paul’s teaching here today. Previously women had been perceived as non entities. Jesus personally shattered that conception. The gospel offered to women the gift of personhood — they were worthy of salvation. The majority of the women in the church in Ephesus where Timothy was pastoring came out of two very different backgrounds but where they were alike was in the fact that both of these backgrounds completely diminished women into a role of being viewed as property and not individual persons. The first type of woman you would probably find was the converted Gentile woman. Now you have to look at the culture in Ephesus at that time. So much emphasis was placed on these women being alluring and sexy. This is because the pagan goddess of Ephesus was Diana and the worship of Diana was largely centered around temple prostitution. Diana also known as Artemis was represented by a carved figure with many breasts. A large statue of her (the rock for which was said to have come from heaven was in the great temple at Ephesus. That temple was one of the wonders of the ancient world. The festival of Artemis involved wild orgies and carousing. Possibly, some Christian women in the Ephesian church were trying to gain favor by looking beautiful rather than by becoming Christlike in character. Some may have thought that they could win unbelieving husbands to Christ through their appearance.

1 Peter 3:3-4 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

The second type of lady that you would most likely find in the church was the Jewish woman. To the Jews women were largely second class citizens. In first-century culture, women were not allowed to even talk to men in public. In their newfound freedom in Christ these Jewish women were more than likely adopting the habits of their Gentile counterparts.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

I the first century Jewish culture women were not permitted to study. Jews and Gentiles regarded it disgraceful for women to discuss issues with men in public. The Jews were stricter, not even allowing women to teach the male children past the age of five. After male children reached the age of five, the Jewish men taught them. Now suddenly freed in Christ and set upon equal ground the women wanted to express themselves and they were doing in the church service and disrupting the order of the service and the teaching. It is important here to understand that this is more of a level of understanding and education issue than a gender issue. There were several problems in the Ephesian and Corinthian churches that made teaching in this area difficult. Some women, converted Jews, had grown up in an atmosphere repressive toward women. Suddenly these women experienced their freedom in Christ. They overreacted, flaunting their freedom and disrupting the church service. In addition, some of the women may have been converts from the cult of temple prostitution. These women were immature in the faith and doctrine of Christianity. They needed to learn, not teach. Against this backdrop, we have the influence of the false teachers who emphasized elitism and special knowledge. These false teachers prayed extensively on the women. Some have sought to make this passage mean that women should never teach in the assembled church; however, other passages point out that Paul allowed women to teach. Priscilla, taught Apollos, the great preacher.

Acts 18:24-26 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

So was Paul a chauvinist, seeking to hold women in a less important position in the church? Well look at Romans and then also Philippians.

Romans 16:1-5 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house.

Philippians 4:2-3 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul labored right alongside many women in the course of his ministry and so did the Lord. Paul restrained the Ephesian women from teaching because they didn’t yet have enough knowledge or experience. The Ephesian church had a particular problem with false teachers. Both Timothy’s presence and Paul’s letters were efforts to correct the problem. Evidently the women were especially susceptible to the false teachings because they did not yet have enough biblical knowledge to discern the truth.

2 Timothy 3:1-8 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

The truth is that before coming to Christ we were all under the same condemnation but in Christ we have all been blessed with the same freedoms and liberties.

Galatians 3:23-28 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Okay here it is. When we get to passages like this it is natural to think, “What is the significance of this for us today, right now?” But I can tell you that there are plenty of folks out there who use passages like this one to paint the Bible as some archaic relic not relevant to our culture. But you see they do this without a full investigation of the context in which it was written. It is important that we have the information to be able to set them straight. So many people out there are prone to suffering from contempt prior to investigation. Some person says to them, “Have you checked out how lame the Bible is? Did you know that it actually says, blah, blah, blah.?” The thing that should really scare you and make teachings like todays a thing to be desired is that without us to set the record straight and educate these people to the truth then they are going to suffer the eternal consequences for our failure to be equipped. I study the Bible to give myself a chance to know God and operate in His will but I also study the Bible so I can instruct those who are losing their lives to the prince of this world. You see later in his second letter to Timothy Paul; says this and you guys have heard me refer to this scripture many times.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Paul writes these pastoral epistles to Timothy and then Titus so that they will be equipped to answer all of the bad ideas that people werer propagating about the faith by which we live. He tells Titus this.

Titus 2:11-15 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

We can do and absolutely should do exactly this but get this; If we can’t answer to the questions that arise out of passages like this about the place of women in the church then all the living upright and godly lives will lose a great deal of its effectiveness.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

The King James renders this verse as, “Study to show yourself approved.” Enough said about that, lets go back and look at verse 8.

1 Timothy 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.

Can you imagine the effect of this if we all did it? Everywhere we go and in all we do just talking with the Lord as we go through our day. You might have to be like one of those tweakers who wears a Bluetooth so people won’t know he’s talking to himself. You run into a friend or a neighbor at the store and as he’s walking away you are saying, “Lord Jesus fill him right now, meet him where he is at and make Yourself real to him.” I’m doing this all the time. I walk in the gym and I am saying, “Lord make a way .” I paddle out to surf and I am like, “Lord give me an ear to share with.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Okay so as we wrap it up imagine this. First Love is the kind of church where the people know the Word of God and the new folks see how much we value the Word and so they are made hungry to learn. Then imagine that we are a church that prays constantly. What do you suppose the climate would be like when we walked in here on Wednesday night and on Sunday morning. Man it would be earth-shaking. Let me close with this also from 1st Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.