24: WOMEN TEACHING GNOSTIC HERESY? 191their interpretation of data), but they say that again and again the
Kroegers are not even telling the truth about much of the historical data
that they claim.
But in spite of this widespread rejection of the Kroegers’ argument,
evangelical leaders like Cindy Jacobs accept it as true.
What is the result of the Kroegers’ claim? Once again it substitutes
a different meaning for what Paul wrote.
Previous meaning: I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise
authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.New meaning: In a church where all the women are promoting a
Gnostic heresy about Eve being created before Adam, I do not per-
mit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she
is to remain quiet.Since no churches like that exist today, the verse (with this new
meaning) has no direct application for today. And then it no longer pro-
hibits women from being pastors and elders.
But as I argued in the previous chapter, if we substitute a different
meaning for the verse, and if the new meaning is wrong, then we have
nullified the authority of the Bible at that verse. People will no longer
obey what God actually said in his Word, because they will no longer
know what he said. They will think he said something else.
So if the Kroegers’ new meaning is wrong, then this “women were
promoting a heresy about Eve being created before Adam” interpreta-
tion actually does undermine the effective authority of Scripture at this
key verse. And when it undermines the effective authority of Scripture
in this way, it is another step on the path to liberalism.