Celibacy, Salvation, and 1 Timothy 2:15
Are ascetic teachings that emphasise celibacy behind Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 2:15? What does “saved through childbearing” mean?
Are ascetic teachings that emphasise celibacy behind Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 2:15? What does “saved through childbearing” mean?
In Part 2, I continue looking at 1 Cor. 11:2-16, especially at 1 Cor. 11:4-6. Was Paul’s concern head coverings or hairstyles?
In part 2, I look at Christ’s role as the “Saviour of the body” and what this means for Paul’s words to wives in Ephesians 5:22-24 and to husbands in Ephesians 5:25ff.
The idea that Artemis of Ephesus was a fertilty or mother goddess is often repeated. Using ancient evidence, Sandra Glahn challenges these ideas, and others, in her book Nobody’s Mother.
There are various interpretations of “she will saved through childbearing” put forward by scholars, but in this article, I explain how I understand the phrase.
I look at the Hebrew word chayil, used in Proverbs 31:10 for an eshet chayil, and at the Greek word andreia (“courageous”), used to describe some Bible and early Christian women.
Introduction I have several articles on my website about Priscilla, a woman mentioned by name six times in the Greek New Testament. I often make
In early Syriac texts (2nd–4th centuries), the Holy Spirit and even God are described using feminine and maternal imagery. In this article, I quote from these texts.
What did Paul mean when he said “husband of one wife”? What was Priscilla’s role in Ephesus and Rome? What is Paul’s overall theology of ministry and women?
Here is more from a talk I gave on February 11. In part 2, I look at 1 Timothy 2:12 within its immediate context and within the context of First Timothy.
Introduction In the first-century Roman world, every major town had temples and shrines that were often attended by priestesses. Most of these priestesses came from
Introduction These notes began as a footnote in my article that critiques Troy W. Martin’s understanding of hair in 1 Corinthians 11:15. Dr Martin refers
INTRODUCTION In this resource, I provide references from ancient documents about female church elders. My aim in compiling this resource is not primarily to provide
Theosebia was the biological and spiritual sister of Gregory of Nyssa. Surviving sources show that she was deeply loved and admired.
Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14? What do they symbolise? Are women really excluded from this group?
in 1 Cor. 11:14-15, Paul says that nature is a teacher of hair lengths or hairstyles for men and women. What did he mean by “nature”?
Salome was a follower of Jesus, a witness of his crucifixion and empty tomb. She is mentioned twice in the Bible but many more times in other early church documents.
The Reformation is “a story of loss rather than a story of gain, of increased subordination rather than of liberation.”
In this short article, I sketch the case that 1 Tim. 2:12 says nothing, one way or the other, about whether competent women can be pastors, preachers, priests, elders, or any kind of church leader.
In this article, I look at 4 passages from the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 27, Numbers 30, Ecclesiastes 7:28, Isaiah 3:12) which are sometimes used to diminish women.
Here are 3 reasons why 1 Timothy 2:12 may be about a particular couple in the Ephesian church and not Paul’s general thoughts on women in ministry.
Does Paul’s teaching on divorce in 1 Corinthians 7 allow for an abused spouse to leave their abuser? What is the context of his words in this passage?
Judith, Thecla, and Catherine of Alexandria are three heroines whose stories of conviction and courage are part of our history and heritage.
Here is a coherent interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12 that takes into account surrounding verses as well as documented heresies in the 1st-2nd century church.
Here is a close look at the word authentein (translated as ‘to usurp authority’ in 1 Tim. 2:12 KJV). A brief history of how authent- words and their meanings developed is included.
In this article, I look at the language of 1 Timothy 2:12 and discuss the idea that this verse concerns an anonymous couple in the Ephesian church rather than men and women more generally.
Tertullian wrote about equality and mutuality in marriage; he did not regard the household code in Ephesians as comprehensive or prescriptive.
This is part 2 of a series which looks at the women in the church at Smyrna around AD. This article focuses on Gavia and the Virgin Widows.
Chloe is a woman mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11? Was she a pagan or a Christian? A concerned house church leader or the quarrelsome leader of a faction?
What did Paul mean by “A wife/ husband does not have authority of her /his body” in 1 Cor. 7:4? This verse has been terribly misunderstood by some.
Here are my notes from a talk I gave on the 28th of June 2014 at a public meeting hosted by the Sydney chapter of Christians for Biblical Equality.
Does Paul refer to wives of apostles or female coworkers of apostles in 1 Cor. 9:5? Was their role companionship or teaching Christian doctrine?
Genesis 1 tells us about God’s creation of humanity and the equal status and authority of men and women. This message of equality is lost in some interpretations tainted by influences from the ancient Greeks.
What does “she will be saved through childbearing” in 1 Timothy 2:15 mean? Is being a faithful follower of Jesus not enough? What does Jesus say about this?
Mary and Martha of Bethany are well-known Bible figures whose characters are often polarized in the retelling of their story. What is the background of these women, their age, marital status, level of wealth?
In Part 4 we begin looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-15, verse by verse, phrase by phrase.
Why are Adam and Eve mentioned immediately after Paul’s prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12? What does Paul mean by salvation and childbirth in 1 Timothy 2:15?
This is my response to Sarah Bubar’s poorly reasoned arguments in her 2010 article entitled “Do I have the right to have rights?”
While reading Plutarch’s “Advice to the Bride and Groom,” it struck me that some Christians sound like Plutarch (a 1st-century pagan author), rather than like Paul, in what they say about men and women and marriage.
There are differences between the Old and New Testaments in how women are described, especially in regard to beauty, marriage, motherhood, and ministry.
God is often referred to with masculine pronouns and masculine terms in the Bible. Does this mean God is male or masculine?
Is motherhood the highest calling for women? Is fatherhood the highest calling for men? What did Jesus have to say about this?
Do the qualifications for church leaders (i.e. overseers) in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 apply only to men? Do these verses exclude women from church leadership?
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko