22

UNEDUCATED WOMEN

IN EPHESUS?

Some evangelical feminists claim that Paul told the

women in Ephesus not to teach or exercise authority

over men because they were uneducated and

therefore unqualified to do so

According to many evangelical feminists, the reason that Paul prohibits

women from teaching or exercising authority over men in 1 Timothy
2:12 (“I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over
a man.. .”) is that the women of ancient Ephesus were uneducated and
therefore unqualified to be pastors or teachers. They cite verses 13-14,
“For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but
the woman was deceived and became a transgressor,” and say this refers
to the fact that Adam received instructions directly from God, while Eve
was less well trained.
Gilbert Bilezikian, whom we discussed in chapter 17, says this:

In the fateful story of the fall, it was Eve, the lesser informed person,

who initiated a mistaken course of action and who led herself into

error. Eve was not created first or at the same time as Adam. She was

the late-comer on the scene....

Paul’s teaching in this passage [1 Timothy 2:11-15] has an abso-

lute and universal relevance. The principle he lays down to protect

the teaching ministry and the exercise-of-authority functions from

incompetent persons is valid for all times and for all churches.