15th November 2025 Question box

OK today’s question is a controversial one for our generation:

What is the role of men and women in the church? How does 1 Timothy 2:11-12 fit into this topic?

I think it’s controversial because our society struggles to distinguish between someone’s value and someone’s role, whereas the bible says you can have equal value, while taking on different roles.

Though, let me begin by saying that mostly men’s and women’s roles are the same: That is both men and women are called to love one another (1 John 4:11), encourage one another (Heb 10:25), forgive one another (Col 3:13), serve one another (Gal 5:13), be kind and compassionate (Eph 4:32)… and many other things.

But of course what this question is really getting at is are there roles which are particular to men or women? Well, let’s look at the verses that the question referenced, Paul’s first letter to Timothy, chapter 2 verses 11-12:
“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.” OK, what does that mean?

Well, first of all “quietness” here cannot mean total silence. For a start, when Paul wrote to the Colossians, he said: “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit,” (Col 3:16) and
I’ve never heard anyone suggest that singing is only for men! Similarly when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, it seems he was happy for women to pray or prophecy in the church (1 Cor 11:5), as long as it’s respectful.

Also, it cannot mean that no female may ever teach any male, because in the morning service we’ve been going through Proverbs, where the young man is told: “do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” (Proverbs 1:8).

And so, back in 1 Timothy, it seems that it’s referring to listening quietly to a particular kind of teaching, in a particular situation. It’s interesting to look at the context, because the very next section in 1 Timothy, is all about who should be appointed as an overseer (which is another word for elder): “Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife…” (1 Timothy 3:2). And so, Paul’s letters do contain some things that are hard to understand, but I think the kind of teaching that Paul is referring to here is a kind of authoritative teaching that is part of the role of an overseer. I don’t think this prevents women giving kids or youth talks, or on leading a growth group discussion. But I do think this is relevant to who preaches the word when we are all gathered together like we are this evening. (Basically, anyone who gets asked to preach in this church is either an elder, or an elder-in-training).

And let me be clear: it’s definitely not a question of capability; women are just as capable as men. But in the context of Paul’s letter to Timothy, he seems to be saying that men’s and women’s roles in the church should bear some resemblance to men’s and women’s roles in the family. Which in turn should bear a resemblance to the relationship between Christ and the church.

One more thing. Men’s and women’s roles in the church is one of those secondary issues: it’s worth discussing and seeking to understand what the bible says, but not worth breaking fellowship over. So, feel free to come and chat to me, or to put a follow-up question in the box.

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This question was originally answered in our evening service on 6 July 2025. I’ll aim to post another question and answer next week. You can read about how our question box works here.