Read Part One HERE
In this post I will focus on the Protestant Reformer John Calvin. He lived from 1509 - 1564.
His comment on 1 Timothy 2:11-15 is as follows:
"Let a woman learn in silence with all subjection."
"Let a woman learn in quietness. Paul first bids them to learn quietly; for quietness means silence, that they may not take it upon them to speak in public. This he immediately explains more clearly, by forbidding them to teach."
"But I suffer not a woman to teach."
"Not that Paul takes from them the charge of instruction their family, but only excludes them from the office of teaching, which God has committed to men only."
"Paul adds - what is closely allied to the office of teaching -"
"and not to assume authority over the man."
"For the very reason, why they are forbidden to teach, is, that it is not permitted by their condition. They are subject, and to teach implies the rank of power and authority. Yet it may be thought that there is no great force in this argument; because even prophets and teachers are subjects to kings and other magistrates.I reply, there is no absurdity in the same person commanding and likewise obeying, when viewed in different relations. But this does not apply to the woman, who by nature (that is by the ordinary law of God) is formed to obey; for the government of women has always been regarded by all wise persons as a monstrous thing; and, therefore, so to speak, it will be a mingling of heaven and earth, if women usurp the right to teach. Accordingly, he bids them be "quiet," that is, keep within their own rank."
"For Adam was first created."
"Paul assigns two reasons why women ought to be subject to men; because not only did God enact this law at the beginning, but He also inflicted it as a punishment on the women (Genesis 3:16). Paul, accordingly shows that, although, mankind had stood in their first and original uprightness, the true order of nature, which proceeded from the command of God, bears that women shall be subject. Nor is this inconsistent with the fact, that Adam, by falling from his first dignity, deprived himself of his authority, for in the ruins, which followed sin, there still linger some remains of the divine blessings, and it was not proper that woman, by her own fault, should make her condition better than before."
"Now Moses, shows that the woman was created afterwards, in order that she should be at hand to render obedience to him (Genesis 2:21). Since, therefore, God did not create two chiefs of equal power, but added to the man an inferior aid, the apostle justly reminds us of that order of creation in which the eternal and inviolable appointment of God is strikingly displayed."
"And Adam was not deceived...."
"Paul alluded to the punishment inflicted on the woman"
"Because thou hast obeyed the voice of the serpent, thou shall be subject to the authority of thy husband, and thy desire shall be to him (Genesis 3:16)."
"Because the woman had given fatal advice (Genesis 3:6), it was right that she should learn she was under the power and will of another; and because she had drawn her husband aside from the command of God, it was right that she should be deprived of all liberty and placed under a yoke. Besides, the apostle does not rest his argument entirely or absolutely on the cause of the transgression but founds it on the sentence which was pronounced by God."
"Nevertheless, she shall be saved in childbearing."
"Whatever hypocrites or wise men of the world may think, God is better pleased with a woman who considers the condition God has assigned to her as a calling and submits to it, not refusing to bear the distaste of (cooking) food, the illness, the difficulty, or rather the fearful anguish associated with childbirth or anything else that is her duty - God is better pleased with her than if she were to make some great display of heroic virtues and refuse to accept the vocation given her by God."
In this post I will focus on the Protestant Reformer John Calvin. He lived from 1509 - 1564.
His comment on 1 Timothy 2:11-15 is as follows:
"Let a woman learn in silence with all subjection."
"Let a woman learn in quietness. Paul first bids them to learn quietly; for quietness means silence, that they may not take it upon them to speak in public. This he immediately explains more clearly, by forbidding them to teach."
"But I suffer not a woman to teach."
"Not that Paul takes from them the charge of instruction their family, but only excludes them from the office of teaching, which God has committed to men only."
"Paul adds - what is closely allied to the office of teaching -"
"and not to assume authority over the man."
"For the very reason, why they are forbidden to teach, is, that it is not permitted by their condition. They are subject, and to teach implies the rank of power and authority. Yet it may be thought that there is no great force in this argument; because even prophets and teachers are subjects to kings and other magistrates.I reply, there is no absurdity in the same person commanding and likewise obeying, when viewed in different relations. But this does not apply to the woman, who by nature (that is by the ordinary law of God) is formed to obey; for the government of women has always been regarded by all wise persons as a monstrous thing; and, therefore, so to speak, it will be a mingling of heaven and earth, if women usurp the right to teach. Accordingly, he bids them be "quiet," that is, keep within their own rank."
"For Adam was first created."
"Paul assigns two reasons why women ought to be subject to men; because not only did God enact this law at the beginning, but He also inflicted it as a punishment on the women (Genesis 3:16). Paul, accordingly shows that, although, mankind had stood in their first and original uprightness, the true order of nature, which proceeded from the command of God, bears that women shall be subject. Nor is this inconsistent with the fact, that Adam, by falling from his first dignity, deprived himself of his authority, for in the ruins, which followed sin, there still linger some remains of the divine blessings, and it was not proper that woman, by her own fault, should make her condition better than before."
"Now Moses, shows that the woman was created afterwards, in order that she should be at hand to render obedience to him (Genesis 2:21). Since, therefore, God did not create two chiefs of equal power, but added to the man an inferior aid, the apostle justly reminds us of that order of creation in which the eternal and inviolable appointment of God is strikingly displayed."
"And Adam was not deceived...."
"Paul alluded to the punishment inflicted on the woman"
"Because thou hast obeyed the voice of the serpent, thou shall be subject to the authority of thy husband, and thy desire shall be to him (Genesis 3:16)."
"Because the woman had given fatal advice (Genesis 3:6), it was right that she should learn she was under the power and will of another; and because she had drawn her husband aside from the command of God, it was right that she should be deprived of all liberty and placed under a yoke. Besides, the apostle does not rest his argument entirely or absolutely on the cause of the transgression but founds it on the sentence which was pronounced by God."
"Nevertheless, she shall be saved in childbearing."
"Whatever hypocrites or wise men of the world may think, God is better pleased with a woman who considers the condition God has assigned to her as a calling and submits to it, not refusing to bear the distaste of (cooking) food, the illness, the difficulty, or rather the fearful anguish associated with childbirth or anything else that is her duty - God is better pleased with her than if she were to make some great display of heroic virtues and refuse to accept the vocation given her by God."
Read Part Seven HERE
According to John Calvin God has forbidden women to teach because the first woman was formed to obey and the teaching of any woman would be considered "a mingling of heaven and earth."
ReplyDeleteAccording to him in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Paul gives two reasons as to why a woman cannot teach.
The first reason is based on Genesis 2:18. But, according to the original text God did not make the woman an inferior aid made to obey the man but made her an "equal strengthener" (ezer kenegdo) alongside
the man.
Secondly, at the time of the Fall God did not inflict the man's rule over the woman as a further form of punishment. At that time God simply forewarned the woman that she was turning away from Him to the man to have her needs met and that the man would begin rule over her.
As for the woman being responsible for the man's sinful action, God never said so. He made the woman responsible for her sinful action (Genesis 3:16) and He made the man responsible for his sinful action (Genesis 3:17).
As for the specific calling of any woman, God has never given the woman the specific calling of suffering anguish in childbirth as Calvin seems to believe. Instead, God tells any woman not to be anxious (Philippians 4:6).