A Woman Shall Not…What?

Breaking down a Bible verse fraught with misinterpretation

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

1 Timothy 2:12 looks straightforward enough in plain English. However, the Bible was not originally written in modern English. This buries certain nuances that can only be conveyed via the original language or understanding of the cultural norms of the time. Learning these nuances hidden causes people to suffer.

The word in question, authentein (αὐθεντῖν), technically means “to have authority over”, but the context in which this word is used has different meanings from other words that are used to convey authority or power. Authentein is used to imply a harmful misuse of power such as murder, suicide, or, given that the word also carries sexual connotations, rape. Rather than prohibiting women from rightfully seeking authority, the use of authentein acknowledges female-on-male abuse as just that: abuse.

The commands to remain silent or not teach are not as easy to understand in context, at least not the context the other verses offer. The command itself is worded as an order for a specific person in a specific place at a specific time rather than a command to be obeyed in by all people in all subsequent times and places. Moreover…