[B-Greek] Arthur Way and 1 Tim 2:15

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Sat Nov 20 02:24:33 EST 2010


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Oun Kwon" <kwonbbl at gmail.com>
To: <B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: 20. november 2010 00:14
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Arthur Way and 1 Tim 2:15

<clipped>
>
> TEKNOGONIA is translated as 'motherhood' also in Goodspeed N.T. and
> Twentieth Century N.T. This way the difficulty of the text is half way
> to be resolved.
>
> If we move out of a fixed mindset of Biblish thinking of SWZW = save
> (for 'salvation'), the text may become more intelligible. Being a
> woman, being a mother, or taking on motherhood is nothing to do with
> her 'salvation'. I take 2:15a to read 'a woman will be made whole
> through motherhood' (in a sense of maturity and well-being).
>
> Oun Kwon.
> ---

I agree that SWiZW covers more than spiritual salvation if that is what you mean 
by "Biblish thinking". It covers being healed from sickness and being saved from 
drowning and other dangers. In the future passive it can refer to come into a 
position of being saved or be safe as George gave an example of from Gen 19:20. 
The intended meaning in a specific passage depends on the context. However, for 
coming to maturity I would have expected the use of TELEW.

What to me is the foremost responsibility of an exegete before even looking at a 
particular passage is to put himself or herself into the mindset of the author. 
That includes an awareness of the general culture of the time, both in Ephesos 
and in Israel, both Greek and Jewish traditions and beliefs. It also includes a 
great degree of familiarity with and respect for Paul's letters in general and 1 
Timothy in particular.

I hope I am not going too far beyond the parametres of the list, but my aim as a 
bible translator is to thoroughly understand verse 2:15, because I cannot 
translate meaningfully what I do not understand. That includes lexical and 
grammatical issues, but it also goes into context.

In this letter several themes are prominent. Let me mention some that are 
relevant:

1. False teachers move away from and destroy the faith and a godly life - these 
can be both men and women, but most of them would be men, since at the time 
religious teachers in the synagogues and churches were generally if not 
exclusively men. This is Paul's main theme as he brings it up immediately after 
the initial greeting:
1 Tim 1:3-7: "As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so 
that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to 
devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations 
rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is 
love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 
Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain 
discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either 
what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions." 
(ESV)
1 Tim 6:3-5: "Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the 
wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly 
life. Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks 
understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning 
of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and 
evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and 
they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just 
a way to become wealthy." (NLT)

2. False teaching may lead people to lose their faith completely:
1:19-20: "...holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these 
and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, 
whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." (NIV)
4:1 "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and 
follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." (NIV)
4:13-16: Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to 
preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through 
a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent 
in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your 
progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if 
you do, you will save (!) both yourself and your hearers." (NIV)
6:10 "The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so 
much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain." 
(NLT)

3. Maturity and proven good conduct is required for both leaders 
(elders/overseers) and helpers (deacons). This includes good parenting:
3:2-4: "an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful 
to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good 
reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to 
teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not 
quarrelsome, and not love money (!). He must manage his own family well, having 
children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, 
how can he take care of God's church? (NLT)
3:8-12: "In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. 
They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money (!). They must be 
committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear 
conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. 
If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their 
wives (or: the women deacons) must be respected and must not slander others. 
They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. A deacon 
must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household 
well." (NLT)

Paul has other admonitions for the conduct of Timothy as well as the men and 
women of the church in Ephesus. For instance, the word σωφροσύνη SWFROSUNH 
(thoughtful self-control) occurs twice in Paul's letters, both of them 
describing the conduct of women in 1 Tim 2:9 and 2:15.

>From these and other parts of 1 Timothy, we can gather a picture of the 
situation in the church in Ephesos. Timothy was a bit lax or hesitant in 
correcting false teachers, be they women or men. He was young, and did not dare 
to speak with the authority of Paul. There were reports of false teaching going 
on, apparently by both men and women. A love for money may be involved. In 
Jewish tradition, the women were used to staying in the background and learn in 
silence and submission, but that was not the case in Greek society where many 
women had positions of authority and wealth.

If we look at 1 Tim 2:8-15 as a unit, verse 8 suggests a problem with "anger and 
controversy" among the men. (maybe heated discussions about doctrinal matters or 
interpretations of the (Jewish) law). Verse 9 suggests a problem with some 
wealthy women showing off with expensive clothes, hair-do and jewellery. A lack 
of thoughtful self-control. Verse 10 suggests that the conduct of these women 
did not live up to the expected behaviour of mature Christian women.   Verse 
11-12 suggests that these women (not all women in the church) had a problem of 
being too proud of themselves (not wanting to be submissive) and they were more 
eager to talk and teach their opinions in church than to listen and learn. Verse 
12 tells us that Paul is objecting to this situation in the church in Ephesos. 
In verse 13-14 Paul gives us the background for his objection and advice (Note 
the explanatory GAR - "after all"). In his view it is significant that Adam was 
formed before Eve. It was not an egalitarian society. In Paul's world the man 
had authority over the woman. Verse 14 gives an additional (note the KAI) reason 
for Paul's cautioning of these women teachers: It was not Adam who was deceived, 
it was the "woman". By talking about "woman" rather than Eve, I suggest that 
Paul was considering women to be more vulnerable and susceptible to be deceived 
by and become false teachers. He says it was the prototypical woman who after 
having been deceived, came into transgression (παράβασις - PARABASIS). But (note 
the DE) says Paul in v. 15, a woman in general and these Ephesian women in 
particular do not need to succumb to the eventual or possible result of false 
teaching. i.e. shipwrecking or abandoning their faith. These women in focus only 
need to move away from trying to teach doctrines in the church in Ephesus that 
they are not qualified to teach and instead concentrate on their more immediate 
and important task: bringing up their children, which they should do ἐν πίστει 
καὶ ἀγάπῃ καὶ ἁγιασμῷ μετὰ σωφροσύνης - EN PISTEI KAI AGAPH KAI hAGIASMWi WITH 
SWFROSUNHS, with faithfulness/faith, love, sanctification/holiness together with 
a thoughtful self-control.

It seems clear to me that Paul is advising these women both what they should no 
longer do and what they should do instead, which they may have been neglecting 
to do properly. He does is for their own good to keep them on the path of faith 
and salvation.

Iver Larsen




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