God gave a law through Moses to the children of Israel (Ex. 19:1-8). This law was not for other nations (Deut. 4:7, 8), but for Israel (Ex. 34:27; Deut. 5:1-3; Mal. 4:4). Galatians 3:17 says the law came 430 years after God’s promise to Abraham to bless all nations. The law did not nullify the promise, rather it was added because of transgressions (Gal. 3:19). The law of Moses functioned as a guardian (Gal. 3:24). A guardian supervises and guides the children until they are grown; however, once they are grown, they are no longer under the guardian. Paul, an Israelite who grew up under the law, said, “we are no longer under a guardian” (Gal. 3:25 ESV).  The law of Moses has served its function. It brought us to Christ. Now in Christ all nations have the blessings of the promise made to Abraham long ago (Gal. 3:26-29).

Christ has come and the law has changed. The book of Hebrews speaks of Christ being our high priest after the order of Melchizedek (5:10; 6:20; 7:1-11, 15-17, 21). The Levitical priesthood of the law of Moses has been replaced by the superior priesthood of Christ. Hebrews 7:12 says, “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.” Hebrews 8 goes on to describe how God fulfilled His promise to make a new covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34). This new covenant would not be according to the covenant He made at Sinai when He had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt (Jer. 31:32; Heb. 8:9) because the Sinai covenant was broken by the Israelites. Hebrews 10:1 explains the law was a shadow of things to come. The sacrifices of the law have been superseded by the sacrifice of Christ; thus, He has taken away the first law that He may establish the second (Heb. 10:8, 9). This is why the Bible uses the terms New Testament/Covenant (Mt. 26:28; Mk. 14:24; Lk. 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25; 2 Cor. 3:6;  Heb. 9:15)  and Old Testament/Covenant (2 Cor. 3:14; Heb. 8:13).

In Romans 7:1-4, Paul gives the illustration of a widow. While her husband was alive she was bound to him, but now that he is deceased she is released to be married to another. He concludes, “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Rom. 7:4). Similarly, he wrote, “For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:19, 20).

Many benefits come from understanding the Old Testament (Rom. 15:4); however, we must remember in our application of the Scriptures that the law of Moses is no longer in effect. We are not judged according to the law’s dietary restrictions, its annual feasts, or keeping the Sabbath (Col. 2:16). Christ abolished in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances (Eph. 2:15).

The inspired apostle Paul was very clear in the Lord’s instructions for the church when he wrote: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression” (1 Tim. 2:11-14).

However, attempts have been made to circumvent this plain teaching. Some, drawing inferences from purported historical and cultural norms, reinterpret this passage so that Paul is commanding to not let the unlearned teach. They say Paul’s command of quietness, “…is not because they are women, it is because they are unlearned.”[1] Thus, they say the cross-cultural principle is the unlearned—men or women—should not teach. The application of the text has not only been tempered to the point that women per se are not forbidden from teaching over men, but, amazingly, to apply to those who hold that women should not teach over men; in other words, they should not teach their position since they are unlearned.[2] Thus, if you think this text means women should not teach, then the application is you should not teach because you are misinformed. How drastically the inspired teaching has been twisted in this application!

This reinterpretation based on the cultural theory of uneducated women does not hold water. The conclusion that all Ephesian women were uneducated is unwarranted from historical investigations. Many women in Ephesus were educated, though mostly privately; thus, what has survived history gives only a glimpse of the entire picture of women’s education in that society.[3] Paul had already addressed those who were attempting to teach yet were unlearned or without understanding earlier in the epistle (1 Tim. 1:3-7, 20). Why would he mention the women in contrast to the men in this section if it were the lack of learning that was the real problem? Why make a gender contrast at all?

Instead, Paul gives reasons for this command that transcend the historical and cultural situation of first-century Ephesus.  He goes all the way back to the beginning of time to explain this principle. Order of creation is the first basis upon which this command rests (1 Tim. 2:13). Male leadership was intended by God from the beginning, even before sin entered the world. Woman was created to be a helper to man (Gen. 2:18-20). The second basis is the deception of woman who was the ringleader in the first transgression (1 Tim. 2:14). Consequently, the woman’s desire to rule would be given to the man (Gen. 3:16).

Considering the historical-cultural context of Bible passages is important to arriving at the meaning of the text; however, let us be on guard that we do not dismiss clear teaching with the wave of the hand just because a theory about cultural factors has been suggested, especially if we find no hint of such theory in the biblical text.

[1] Craig S. Keener. Paul, Women & Wives: Marriage and Women’s Ministry in the Letters of Paul. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992), 120.

[2] Ibid.

[3] S. M. Baugh. “A Foreign World.” Women in the Church: An Interpretation and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15. Edited by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Thomas R. Shreiner. 3^rd ed. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 58.