Women Pastors: A look at 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 - Podcast Episode 153, Part 2

What is the meaning of "Yet she will be saved through childbearing" in 1 Timothy 2:15 and how does it apply to whether women can serve as pastors? What does it mean that "the women should keep silent in the churches" in 1 Corinthians 14:34? A conversation with Dr. Sandra Glahn.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by guests on our podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Got Questions Ministries. Us having a guest on our podcast should not be interpreted as an endorsement of everything the individual says on the show or has ever said elsewhere. Please use biblically-informed discernment in evaluating what is said on our podcast.

[Eyesofmars]

Almost every church that has gone down this road ends up in apostasy.
Time and time again.

[superstaranan]

If Paul’s letter is church-specific, why are we reading them? God’s word is divine and Alive, faithful and defy time and dimensions.

[mrrich]

If A MAN desires the office of a bishop/pastor/elder HE must be the HUSBAND of one WIFE.

[GiaGirlism]

Concerned with the direction GQ is going

[kenarnold]

“If the scripture makes plain sense, seek no other sense”

[GiaGirlism]

This is unfortunate for GQ. The man here didnt even take a stand just saying he agrees with all she has said. You should not need a study of history to understand scripture. The bible is plain. I foresee GQ becoming more liberal😢😢😢

[bikerboy]

I definitely understand why Christians have different views on the women pastor issue. There's many Christians who think it's a sin for women to be pastors, and there's many Christians who think it's not a sin for women to be pastors. Most women pastors that I know aren't intentionally trying to rebel against what the Bible says. It's not sexist to be against women pastors. I believe that men and women should be treated fairly, and I believe that men and women shouldn't be wrongfully discriminated against, but at the same time, men and women are different from one another, and sometimes the differences between men and women need to be taken into consideration in some circumstances which is why there's nothing wrong with boys and girls being separated for Sex Ed classes in schools since there's questions boys might ask that would be embarrassing with girls in the class, there's nothing wrong with Men's Retreat events, Women's Retreat events since men need events with other men without women being around due to the differences between men and women, women need events with other women without men being around due to the differences between men and women, etc.

Priscilla, Aquilla, Phoebe, etc in the Bible were ministry leaders; they weren't pastors of churches. I can't find any specific examples of women pastors in the Bible.

Some people think it's a sin for women to be pastors due to 1 Timothy 3 mentioning how pastors need to be the "husband of one wife". Some people think "husband of one wife" means pastors have to be men since women can't be the "husband of one wife". The thing is "husband of one wife" isn't meant to be taken literally. The Greek word for "husband of one wife" in 1 Timothy 3 is “Mias gunaikos andra” which means one woman man, someone who's not a player, someone who doesn't struggle with adultery, etc. When the Bible says that pastors need to be the "husband of one wife", it means that pastors need to be people who don't struggle with adultery, who aren't players, who aren't womanizers, etc. If "husband of one wife" was meant to be taken literally, that would mean single people can't be pastors since husband implies being married, but it's not a sin for single people to be pastors. Paul, Timothy, and Titus were pastors of churches, and they were never married, and God approved of them being pastors.


Some people think it's a sin for women to be pastors because the Bible says in 1 Timothy 3 that "He must manage his household well, be gentle, be honest, be able to teach", etc. Some people think since the word he is used, it implies that only men can be pastors, but the thing there's all kinds of examples of masculine words being used in the Bible where the situation applies to both men and women. When the Bible says in Matthew 10:37 that "he that loveth a mother or father is not worthy of me", the situation applies to both men and women even though the word he is used in that verse. When Matthew 5:28 says "Whosever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart", the situation applies to both men and women even though the word his is used.

1 Timothy 2 is a difficult passage of scripture to interpret, which is why there's varying opinions among Christians on the women pastor issue. 1 Timothy 2 says "I do not permit a woman to have spiritual authority over a man for Adam was formed first; it was not Eve was not deceived; women will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith". It's very hard to tell whether 1 Timothy 2 is a universal principle of Timothy restricting women in general from being pastors or a cultural specific situation of Timothy restricting the women in Ephesus that are false prophets from teaching false doctrine to people. The whole context of 1 Timothy is Timothy ministering to people in Ephesus. 1 Timothy is about women in Ephesus teaching false doctrine to people, false doctrine being addressed, and Timothy ministering to the people in Ephesus. There's a lot of strong evidence that Gnosticism was one of the false doctrines being taught in Ephesus since Gnostics believed Eve was created first, women are better than men, Eve wasn't tricked by Satan in the Garden of Eden, childbearing can send women to hell, etc.

If 1 Timothy 2 is a cultural specific situation of Timothy restricting the women in Ephesus that are false prophets teaching false doctrine from pastoring, that means it's not a sin for women to be pastors. If 1 Timothy 2 is a universal situation of Timothy restricting all women for being pastors of churches, that means women shouldn't be pastors.

[toughguy]

Quite the spiritual gymnastics I just listened to. Her line of reasoning is basically “since the text says it so clearly it cannot actually mean that”

[Gladtobealive]

I’m also curious if humans are interpreting the word of God to what they would like it to be?
1 Corinthians 14; 34, 35 clearly says for women to be silent in church. It clearly says women are not to be leaders in the church. My question is do we leave out of the Bible what we do not agree with and then we keep the ones we do agree with.
I am a woman and I believe that the word of God is the word of God and I believe what the word of God says to be true. The truth shall set you free.
The truth shall set me free Praise God amen❤

[andrewsmith]

I do not understand why the man in the video didn't advocate for Biblical truth. God's word is explicitly clear. Women are not to have spiritual and teaching authority over men. The lady in the video is making incidental and nonsensical arguments to condridict God's word. She is openly denying God's word and the man is claiming we don't have to be divided over issues and we can agree to have different Biblical interpretations of God's explicit word that only men are qualified as pastors in the church. Their actions in this video clearly violate God's will.

[fearfullywoven]

I think it's really important to remember that the church we attend on Sundays didnt exist back in day. What we call "small groups" is a closer resemblance. Also, theres a difference btwn "elder" and "pastor."

[accountable_to_one]

Is Got Questions CHANGING there biblical stance on what there article "What does the Bible say about women pastors?" concludes, which is women are not to have authority over men in the church?

[itlupe]

So what next?
Is homosexuality to become normal? Is pedophilia to become the norm?
We, the average believer, doesn't have the time or funds to take classes on hermeneutics (which is VERY important when reading Scripture), MOST of us stumble through but KNOW that we are saved as described in Rom 10:9-13, John 3:16,
Eph 2:8-10.

[deanfry]

If the worship of Artemis was the background of Paul's thinking when he wrote to Timothy, what was it about Artemis that made going to the deception of Eve the counterpoint. The reason for women not to be pastors seems well explained by Genesis 2:18 and Ruth 1:9.

[marycorriston]

The Bible has to be interpreted within the context of the period of time in which it was written. The Bible is replete with biased passages subordinating women. Men wrote scripture and interpreted scripture. So, how much is the actual word of God and how much reflects flawed theology and bias. How much is literal and how much is just a story. Adam was just as deceived as Eve. In fact, Eve, if one wants to take the story of Creation literally, fell to the power of a very powerful supernatural being, the devil, but Adam fell to a fellow human being. So, who was weaker? Be careful about literal interpretations of Scripture. Not all is the unadulterated word of God.

[MiguelJimenez-ml]

Not that hard to understand. Only hard to accept in these times and culture.

[trojenell]

Paul, Paul, what did The Messiah say? Call man teacher, you have one who is HIM, ye are bretherns, call no man father, you have one FATHER who is in heaven. No wonder theres so much confusion, you follow man. The Most High said trust NO MAN.

[amyma]

I am a christian woman. If someone asks me to pastor the church. I will decline it immediately. The reason? Because God doesn't allow. It's that easy! I won't try to bend His word to fit me.

[vindhyum]

This didn't need this long discussion. Please stop doing these podcast w/ random guests from outside the ministry. Am concerned about GC now.. I'd feel like I lost an arm if I'm forced to uninstall the app.

[Mycoray]

It’s so obvious that she is trying to find a loophole in all of this!!!!