Was Paul Against Women in Ministry?
Listen to this Article Another of the most debated passages on women in the New Testament is found in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 : “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” At face value, it sounds like a blanket, universal ban on women teaching or leading men in the church. But is that what Paul intended? It is important to hear these words from their cultural and pastoral setting , not as a muzzle on women’s voices, but as a contextual correction in Ephesus. The Ephesian Context Paul is writing to Timothy in Ephesus, a city steeped in the cult of Artemis. This goddess was served by women priestesses, and false teachings about gender, sexuality, and authority swirled in the church. Some women, newly converted, likely brought baggage from their religious background into Christian worship. Without proper grounding, they risked spreading error or using their influence in ways...
