As I shared in the last issue, there are multiple reasons to believe that First Timothy is later than Paul. One reason is that the articulated role of women in the Christian community appears to be very different from the one portrayed in the genuine letter of Paul. In the letters known to be written by Paul, there is an equality of male and female in Christ Jesus. In 1 Timothy there is a stark contrast. In chapter 2 (8-15), there is a statement that men should pray and women should dress modestly (in this case modestly really means inexpensively). The issue is the different roles assigned to men and women.   First Timothy restricts the role of women and disqualify them from any type of leadership roles in the community. This is difficult to reconcile with the Paul of the seven genuine letters.

The author of 1 Timothy provides a theological justification for this constriction of women’s roles by stating: For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

In 1 Timothy women are seen as responsible for bringing sin into the world. In the seven genuine letters, Paul never blames Eve. For him, the image of life apart from Christ is life in Adam.

As this passage in 1 Timothy ends, it does affirm that women, despite being responsible for sin, can be saved. How? Note the means: Through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. This does not sound like the Paul of the seven genuine letters. By assigning Paul as the author of 1 Timothy, we distort his contribution. Most people think of Paul as a misogynist from passages such as those found in 1 Timothy.

As I shared in the last   issue, 1 Timothy includes lists of qualifications for bishops and deacons. Elders are also mentioned, though nothing is said about their qualifications. In our modern day, priests serve in the role of elders.

To begin with bishops, back then the word meant something quite different from what it does now. The Greek word episkopos meant overseer, and in a late first and early second century Christian context it could have referred to the overseer of a particular Christian community or perhaps several communities. Only later did it refer to the chief ecclesiastical official or a larger geographical area. When 1 Timothy was written, clearly bishops were leaders of more than one community. The qualifications for bishops are interesting.