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.

The early church grew because they kept on teaching and preaching the message of Jesus Christ despite opposition (Acts 5:42). When Peter and John were told not to teach at all in the name of Jesus, they said they could not stop speaking about what they had seen and heard as witnesses of the resurrected Lord (Acts 4:18-20). Saul spearheaded a persecution effort against the church in Jerusalem by dragging people to prison (Acts 8:3), but those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4).  Multitudes were added by the Lord to His church because they heard the message of the gospel and believed (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14). As the word of God spread, the number of disciples multiplied greatly; moreover, even many of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). The gospel message must be heard before any will believe and obey it (Rom. 10:17). The opponents of the church in Jerusalem noted that the early church had filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of Christ (Acts 5:28).

As we come to our gospel meeting this week, let us have the same determination: to fill Flatwoods and the surrounding areas with the doctrine of Christ. Perhaps you can be like Cornelius who called together his relatives and close friends to hear the gospel (Acts 10:24). Perhaps you could be like Andrew who brought his brother to the Lord (Jn. 1:40-42). If someone is skeptical, maybe you could be like Philip who simply said to Nathanael “Come and see” (Jn. 1:46).

The sad reality is not everyone will obey the gospel (Mt. 7:13-14; Rom. 10:16), but we must work to give them an opportunity. The sower scatters the seed even though some lands on the wayside soil (Lk. 8:5). The seed is the word of God (Lk. 8:11). If no seed is sown, then no one will receive the word that is able to save their souls (James 1:21). Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10). While Jesus accomplished essential tasks to bring salvation that are not required of us (such as dying on the cross), He also went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Mt. 4:23; 9:35). This is an essential part to the lost being saved in which He has called us to participate by spreading the soul-saving message (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:47).

This week will be a great opportunity to do that as we explore lessons which powerfully demonstrate how Jesus is Lord. His fulfillment of scripture and His resurrection from the dead prove He is indeed the Son of God, the promised Messiah (Pss. 16:10; 110:1; Isa. 53:3-8). One can clearly see this if guided by a capable teacher (Acts 8:30-36). Only through Jesus can one enter heaven (Jn. 14:1-6). Without Him, people die in their sins (Jn. 8:24; Rom. 3:9-12, 23; 6:23). The gospel of Christ will be preached this week. Through this message, God will save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:21). However, flaming fire awaits those who do not obey the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8). Eternal souls hang in the balance. Let us spread the saving news far and wide.

“Tradition” is the way English versions of the Bible translate the word paradosis, which means something handed down or transmitted in the way of teaching. Traditions may be good or bad. The word is used of divine traditions that were handed down by apostolic authority (2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6). These we obviously should keep.

However, there are also evil traditions. Colossians 2:8 tells us, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Empty lifestyles of sin are handed down by tradition; by inspiration Peter referred to the former lives of recipients of his epistles as “your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,” (2 Pet. 1:18). Both passages describe traditions that stand in stark contrast to Christ. When one becomes a Christian, these traditions are left behind in order to follow the Lord Jesus.

“Tradition” is also used of practices to which men clung in Bible times instead of keeping God’s commandments. In Mark 7:5, Jesus was asked by the scribes and Pharisees why His disciples did not keep the tradition of the elders. Jesus replied by rebuking them: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do” (Mk. 7:6-8). Jesus went on to highlight how their tradition of Corban enabled men to disregard the command to honor their parents (Mk. 7:9-13). The statements of Jesus are very clear regarding how He feels about these kinds of traditions. He said, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mk. 7:9). Jesus rebuked them because they were, “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down” (Mk. 7:13).

Religious traditions are a particularly thorny matter. We all have particular patterns we go through in our religious lives. How many songs we sing before we have prayer or whether or not the Lord’s supper is before or after the sermon are habits of worship service that we do not deem binding. But some religious traditions are elevated to a place they should not occupy. When tradition supersedes what is commanded in the word of God, then we are in trouble. Some religious traditions may appear good and right, but in reality keep us from truly following the commands of God. In reference to his life before he became a Christian, Paul said “I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (Gal. 1:14). No doubt many of the things he was taught in Judaism were good, but any traditions that were different or at odds with what the Lord Jesus commanded had to be abandoned. We must do the same today. We should surrender to the Lordship of Jesus by dispensing with any religious tradition for which we do not have authority in His written will, the New Testament.

Jesus said in Luke 10:2, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” At this time Jesus was sending men out before Him, two by two, as heralds of the kingdom of God. Few were ready to do the work of sharing the message of God’s kingdom, but a great harvest awaited if they would go to the work. On another occasion, Jesus said, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (Jn. 4:35). The time to bring people into the Lord’s kingdom is now. Let us pray for more soul winners in the Lord’s church who will work to bring in a great harvest.

Paul was one of the greatest soul winners in the history of the church; by the grace of God, he labored more abundantly than the other apostles (1 Cor. 15:10). He trained others to do the work he was doing. In Acts 16:1-3, Paul took Timothy under his wing and had him go with him on his journey. Timothy was Paul’s fellow worker with God (1 Thess. 3:2). Timothy stood out because, instead of seeking his own interests, he cared for the souls of others; Paul and Timothy served with one another in the gospel like father and son (Phil. 2:19-24). Paul told Timothy, “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16). Paul’s final charge to Timothy included these words: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2). While others would turn away from the truth, Paul urged Timothy to “be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:5).

Timothy would have to carry on the work after Paul went to be with the Lord. Yet, just as Paul had found Timothy, a faithful worker to whom he could teach the crucial vocation of being an evangelist, so also Timothy was to commit what he had learned to faithful men who could teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). The church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). As the people of God, we uphold the truth of the gospel for the world to see.

When the Godhead asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah replied, “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:8). Let us have the same attitude today regarding the work of evangelism. Not all of us are to preach before an audience. Much of Jesus’ work was one-on-one conversations with people like Nicodemus (Jn. 3:1-19) and the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:1-30). Have a Bible study with someone in your circle of influence. If you are not able to lead a Bible study, you can invite someone who is able to lead into your home to study with one of your friends. The word of God is the seed of the kingdom (Lk. 8:11). If we plant the seed in the hearts of those around us, God has promised a great harvest.

In Acts 2:42, we read, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Notice how “the apostles’ doctrine” and “fellowship” are coupled together in the sentence by the word and between them and the comma after the word fellowship. Instead of giving a comma after each of these items as if they were simply a list (e.g. doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayers), the punctuation pairs the apostles’ doctrine with fellowship. Greek editions of the New Testament have this punctuation as well.

The early church engaged in each of these activities. We may readily see how some of these items could fit together. If we break bread, then we will offer prayer to God while doing so. We also view this as fellowship. However, the linkage we may fail to notice is doctrine and fellowship, yet from the way the sentence reads, this association is emphasized.

We cannot have fellowship unless we all continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. Doctrine means teaching. What the inspired apostles taught in the New Testament is our basis for unity and cooperation. To Corinth the apostle Paul wrote:

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Cor. 1:9,10.)

In the context of Acts 2, Peter had just delivered a sermon about Jesus. His life attested by miraculous activity (v. 22), His crucifixion by wicked hands (v. 23), and His resurrection from the grave as the fulfillment of prophecy (vv. 24-35) all pointed to the conclusion that Jesus indeed is Lord and Messiah (v. 36). The crowd was convicted by these words (v. 37). They believed Jesus was Lord and Messiah and that they were guilty of putting Him to death. When they asked the inspired apostle Peter what to do (v. 37), he replied, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (v. 38). These are teachings upon which we must agree if we are to have fellowship.

The apostles’ teaching regarding receiving salvation is plain. We cannot have fellowship with those who teach something other than what the apostles taught in the New Testament regarding how to receive remission of sins. If the apostle Peter says baptism saves us (1 Pet. 3:21), then we cannot teach differently. If the apostle John faithfully records that Jesus taught we must be born of water and the spirit to enter the kingdom (John 3:3-5), then we cannot teach another way of entry and remain in fellowship with God and His people. The apostle Paul teaches that we become children of God through faith by being baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:26, 27), that baptism places one into Christ, uniting one with Christ’s death, freeing one from sin (Rom. 6:3-7), that baptism is a burial,  the working of God that makes us alive and forgives us of all trespasses (Col. 2:12-13), and that it is God’s mercy to save, the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5). We must continue steadfastly in this teaching. We cannot have fellowship with those who teach and practice something other than what the apostles have taught on this vital subject.