Women Learning In Silence 1 Timothy 2:11

As Paul the apostle continued to instruct Timothy in ways concerning the church, not only did he desire that Timothy be a man of prayer, but it was equally important that he insure women would be adorned modestly who professed “godliness with good works”. In chapter two and verse eleven of his letter to Timothy, Paul shares more concerning women and their learning in silence. We read:

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

The verse begins, “Let the woman learn in silence...” Paul begins this verse with the word, “Let” which means “allow, permit and accept” “the woman learn” which in the Greek is “manthano gyne manthano” and means “be apprised, increase in one's knowledge, be informed by use, habit and practice” “in silence” or “in quietness” which is a “description of the life of one who stays at home doing his own work, and does not officiously meddle with the affairs of others”. Timothy was to instruct the women in the church of Ephesus to “increase in their knowledge in quietness”.

The verse continues, “...with all subjection.” Paul added to his directive by including, “with all” which means “each, every, any, all and the whole” “subjection” or “obedience, compliance and submission”. The idea is for the women to submit to learning in a quiet and non officious manner.

As we think through these words of Paul, we may have an initial reaction that is defensive and protective especially if there are women who read these words. It is important to understand the culture of the day when we read these verses. In the church setting, men and women did not sit together but rather sat on opposite sides of the church. In other words, the men sat on one side and the women sat on the other. Sometimes while a speaker was preaching or teaching a woman would not understand the point he was making, and she would yell out to her husband on the other side of the church, “What did he mean by that?” We can understand how this would be a great distraction particularly if the husband answered back. Can we imagine a church full of people asking and answering questions back and forth during the teaching time? Paul knew the church service was to be in “order”, and for this to take place, women needed to “learn in silence”. If we think about this long enough, not only will we be grateful for the Godly women who have practiced this directive of Paul, but many of us know that if it were not for a woman learning in this manner, we might not know Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Next time Paul writes to Timothy about women teaching, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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