Footsteps #411. When considering Paul’s instruction yesterday to Timothy, we should recollect its local historical context. We should also remind ourselves that women were the crowning act of God’s creation. Men and women both carry the image of God (Gen 1:26-27) both were mandated with sovereignty over creation (Gen 1:28). Both men and women received the Spirit at Pentecost (2:14-18). Male and females are equal but different (PTL). The creation of women was to rescue man from his loneliness. However, the cursed existence established broken relationships because of sin. Male over-dominance was never the divine purpose as we see it manifest in so many cultures today. Why then do we see the restrictions in this correspondence and 1 Cor 14:33-40? Reading the letter as a whole we see that unity of the church was at stake because of false teachers (the banana spined dingos after Paul’s hide.)  

Paul is clear that these Ephesian women need to come under Timothy’s leadership and get a proper theological education. The goal is to help them grow so that they could one day become like the outstanding female ministers that Paul mentions in other letters, like Phoebe, Lydia, Enodia, Syntyche, Junia, or Priscilla. (Romans 16:1-7, Acts 18:26). Paul continues to address this leadership crisis and he calls Timothy to appoint a small healthy team of husbands and fathers who will act like elders or overseers for the church. These should be men of outstanding character and integrity and they will work alongside a team of deacons (the Greek word means servant.) These are men and women who actually lead and do ministries of the church and they are to have the same kind of character as the elders. Altogether, these people should be known for healthy relationships in their families, because that will demonstrate their ability to lead in the church, which is God’s family. The way of life that they live should be consistent with the story about Jesus which is explored in the closing poem (3:16) about his incarnation, His death, His resurrection, His exaltation as King, and then the spread of His new family throughout the whole world. 

Paul’s second body of instruction (chapters 4-6A) for Timothy is again very specific to the problems caused by these bad leaders. He first corrects their bad theology (4:1-16). They have been telling people to stop eating certain kinds of foods, most likely the same issue as elsewhere regarding food (probably meat) offered to idols, and to stop getting married, which Paul thinks is ridiculous. So he goes to Genesis 1 and he reminds Timothy that God’s entire creation is very good, including food and marriage. It is all to be received with gratefulness by those who know and give thanks to the creator.